best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

am looking at buying a shotgun for rabbit and bird hunting,and some weekend skeet shooting,What is the best shooting and handling gun?
For around 1200.00

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

I have a Beretta Xtrema without the kickoff system that I like real well for turkey and ducks.

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

Here are a few choices;



http://www.beretta.com/index.aspx?m=74&idc=1&ids=15



http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=008B&cat_id=013&type_id=1 29



http://www.franchiusa.com/firearms/renaissance.php



http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=57

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

MY 1st choice would be a used Browning over/under, or Ruger red label. 2nd choice would be Benelli semiauto.

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

Ithaca 37, wont find one that handles better.
You can get them new from Ithaca for about $860-$960 depending on whetheryou want the Featherlight or Ultralight.
Here is their website and phone # 1-877-648-4222
http://ithacagun.com/index.html

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

For $1200, the sky's the limit. There's a ton of good shotguns out there for that amount.

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

For the uses that you mentioned try to find and shoulder a Browning Auto 5 Sweet Sixteen. Very light and the craftsmanship is amazing.

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

For $1200 and the uses you describe, I would get a Beretta Onyx O/U without question. They are not too nice to carry in the field, but they are nice enough to look at home on any skeet, trap, or sporting clays field.

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

but can you get a Beretta 686 for 1200

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

Here is a used 686 WHITE onyx for $1400 (there are a lot of WHITE Onyx already in the market).



http://www.dawsonent.com/browse.cfm/4,1338.html


Here is the 686 Onyx "new in box" for $1300


http://www.gunsamerica.com/917000611/Guns/Shotguns/Beretta-Shotguns/O-U/Hunting/Beretta_686_Onyx.htm



Stay with the three B's when buying used Browning, Beretta, Beneli.


"Brownings don't wear out, they wear in......"

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

id love a Citori 525 just cant be had for 1200

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

Beretta 686. Fantastic shotgun. Tom.

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

i had a red label and liked loved how Citori felt but was more than red label

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

My vote is for the Winchester SX3. I've had mine over a year & got it to hunt turkey, waterfowl, rabbits, pheasant, quail, coyote (up close), etc. Lightweight to carry, fits me better than any other shotgun I've ever had, tames recoil on large loads, camo duratouch is great - just cannot say a bad thing about it, other than it costs around your $1200 mark. I love mine, it's a great handling shotgun!

My 2 cents...

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

depends what action you want! I think I'll be carring my benelli ultralight for the most part,

RE: best shotgun in 1200.00 range
 

is the sx3 a over&under ? i want a break action

Very difficult to beat a Beretta or Browning O/U. Beretta is lighter by nearly a pound.

I hunt rabbits in some nasty cover. I'd rather carry a less expensive gun, and keep a $1200 shotgun on the skeet/trap range. JMO.

The SKB 505 field is a great O/U and $1,200 will be about the take home price.

20 or 12 Ga...3"!

I agree with UncleNorby. I have a Beretta Extrema that only see's the sporting clay range. I use a cheaper gun to hunt the other things.

I can't belive no one has mentioned the Benelli Super Black Eagle. It is without a doubt the best shotgun in that price range if you want a semi auto action. None of the other shotguns even come close. The Benelli will go bang, bang, bang, every single time. It is also the easiest to clean out of any semi on the market. The Winchester Super X models don't even come close. The Browning models are no comparison. The Beretta's are close but still a little harder to clean. I have never owned a Vinci but I wouldn't be surprised if it was as good or better. Benelli is the way to go if you are looking for the best semi action.

Now if you are looking for an over under, that opens up a whole new can of worms.

I'm really partial to my Red Label it fits me nice.

For $1200, the choices of shotguns is almost exhausting. What throws a kink in things is one word, "skeet".

So, just how serious are you about shooting games? They can become addictive, and the shotgun you carry afield soon becomes "unrefined" in the unforgiving world of clay birds. It's not always the "snobs" in some clubs, either. You will quickly feel the difference between your club-like pump or auto once you wield an O/U.

My upland gun is without question a rather plain Beretta 686 (White Wing) that I paid something like $900 for almost ten years ago. I also shoot a lot of trap with it. Guys on my league have nicer shotguns, but it's not about how it looks.

My advice is this, first - if you're serious about shooting games, you're going to wind up wanting an O/U anyway. You'd just as well start with one. If your interest in skeet or trap is just occasional, you can consider an auto or pump. If you plan on being a volume shooter, 12 or 20 gauge are all you should consider. Price 16 or 28 gauge ammunition and you'll understand why. Second - find one that fits you. I went into the dealer wanting a Citori, and walked out with the Beretta. Fit and feel may serve you better than brand loyalty. I'm in the market now for an Onyx myself.

However, there is much truth in the "three B's" if you buy used: Browning, Beretta, Benelli.