Looking for New Gun-Input?
 

Looking into getting a new gun. Currently shooting a Mossberg 500A, love the gun. Just want something more up to date though. Main candidate is the Benelli SBE II. Also looking at the Winchester Super X3 and maybe the Benelli Vinci. Any other guns I should consider and any information (good or bad) about my current choices? I will primarily use the gun for goose hunting. I don't duck hunt, we just don't get them at our farm. I will also go deer hunting a few times and I might go rabbit hunting/upland game hunting with my girlfriend's dad, but that is a maybe. If I do get the SBE II, would it be worth it getting that 24" deer barrel? And would it also be worth it to buy the extra chokes? I think they have ones for turkey (which I also might do), pass, and decoy chokes. Thanks for the help.

Get the benelli m2. I have one and its the sweetest shooting gun i ever shot. only difference in it and the sbe2 is it dont hold 3 1/2 which you really dont need 3 1/2 and also its not as easy to take down to clean as the sbe2 but it is still easy. oh yea and also it cost about $700-800 less than a sbe2. I use mine for shooting clays, rabbits, squirrels, doves, and my favorite ducks!!! Basically it is my gun for everything. You will be very pleased with this gun if you decide to go with it!!!!! hope this helps!!!

I wouldn't buy the deer barrel.

My SBE II has 4 small threaded holes on the sight plane of the receiver to install a scope. Just get a choke tube for slugs and get a scope/rings and your set.

Definitely get a 3.5" gun, since you shoot geese. The SBE II sells for around $1050 at Cabelas when there is a sale.

browning Silver, mossy oak duck blind camo... I have it and love it

Have any of y'all heard of or seen anything about the Benelli Vinci? It looks really nice, but I think it is really new. My hunting crew mainly uses Winchesters and Remingtons, I have the only Berg, and I think one or two of my cousins have the Super Nova or whatever it is so I don't really get that kind of exposure to the newest Benelli guns.

I have an SBII and love it. I use it for about everything, but I use it most for waterfowl hunting. I have handled the new Vinici and it felt very nice, but I have not shot one. The only problem with the Vinici that I can see is that it hasn't been around very long and as proven as some of the other guns. It also only shoots 3in, which isn't really that big of a concern. Like others have said look at the M2 and Winchester SX3 or the older SX2. I've seen SX2 3" for $649 and the 3.5 for 750. Here's a couple others that deserve a look. Beretta Xtrema2, AL391 Urika 3", and A400 Xplor (Beretta's New 3.5"). Browning Maxus, Gold and Silver. Last but not least take look at the good Ol' Remington 11-87 Super Mag. There's more but this should keep you busy for awhile. Obviously prices will vary, but check them out see which ones feel the best and have the features you want. Happy shopping:happy0001:

I think I'm gonna head up to cabelas in PA and look. The hunting stores around here have very limited selections.

Cabela's lists their gun prices online. Also, it's not too difficult to find a coupon for $20 or $50 dollars off a $150 or $500 purchase.

Does anybody know of any dealers that sell guns really cheap?

Check out gunsamerica I found my SBE II there. Shotgun News is another good on-line source.

SX3!! Best auto on the market!! IMO!

try going to shotgunworld on the internet. it's a site basically for questions and reviews on different shotguns. would probably be helpful in your case

Just remember you get what you pay for Had a Charles Daly used it for yrs for rabbit and squirrel went duck hunting once with it and it fell apart in the blind basically so went all out and got a Beretta extrema 2 shoots all shells 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 steel or leads just as fast as you can feed them into it $1200.00 can use it the rest of my life and pass it on to great grand kids one day and I'm only 49 now

I have 2 SX2's. a Browning Gold and a BPS all in 3-1/2". Would not own a waterfowl weapon NOT in 3-1/2". I would rather have it and not need it then want it and not have it. I shoot the SBE II at work and they are great guns, but as others have said, only 3". If I have to pick one over tha other for what I have and use, I give them all a good break in over the season just so none feel left out!!!!!!

The most important thing is, handle all that you can get your hands on and find the one that fits the best and you can afford and not just because someone said it can kill geese over at 1000yds.

3 1/2in shells are a waste of money and steel. the recoil is horrible and a 3in has more velocity but with very managble recoil

First and foremost fit, most shotguns today do come with shims, but they do not make the gun fit universal, try the guns in the gun shop and see what guns fit. The barrel should not be what you are looking at, it should just be the bead.

Last time I checked the Winchester 3.5's are 25fps faster and have a higher payload. My 2 cents, Winchester SX2 and SX3 are good choices, Beretta Extrema II is a good choice and my waterfowl gun of choice. Browning another good choice. Benelli not so much though I have a SBE II as a loaner gun that I bought because it was the rage at the time. On the low end of cost the Mossberg 935. Manditory on any shotgun in my opinion is overbored barrel and lengthened forcing cone, Benelli has not followed this path and many gunsmith make a great living performing this task.

Judging by the weapons you have listed as what you use and base this opinoin on, I can see how and why you would say that.

The recoil out of a premium semi-auto is more manageble than you would expect. If you have only shot 3-1/2" fodder out of these weapons and not a top end semi-auto, you would be quite surprised out of them. I have shot over 20 cases of 3-1/2" in 28 states, Canada, Argentia and Mexico at waterfowl. I feel that I would have to slightly disagree with your observation as I am sure others here will as well.
Try taking a crippled goose at over 70 yds with just a 3" round for a client that chipped him with 3 rounds and now you have to try to cleanly harvest that goose before it reaches the refuge where you CAN'T retrieve it!! Thats where 3-1/2" REALLY shines, in both 12ga and 10ga.
I agree with you that 3" is very manageable especially in top end semi-autos. And like CrimeDog said, all of my waterfowl weapons have overbored barrels and aftermarket, extended, ported chokes. If one of your friends has one, try it sometime while waterfowl hunting and not at the trap range where you will be focusing on the recoil and not the actual weapons performance. My .02 cents.

i have never shot an auto shotgun only use pumps and i would never need a a 3 1/2in gun and i would never take a 70yd shot, to me that is irresponsible hunting but hey if you want to be kicked in the shoulder by what feels a mule and pay the $ for them, then go ahead

your saying you wouldn't kill a crippled bird with a second shot? THATS what I call irresponsible hunting.... and if you use a semi auto shotgun a 3.5inch shell does NOT kick very much, sure it will be more than a 2.75 or 3, but it is COMPLETELY manageable.

as for guns i recommend SBE II, M2 or Remington 1100, honestly pretty much all high end semi auto's will do the job and you'll be happy with them!

I prefer the SBE II over the M2 just because it can shoot 3.5's, but they are both wonderful guns.

Reading this thread was worth the time for the humor. It is so easy to tell who knows their shotguns and who is blowing smoke. I find it strange that no one talked about gas or inertia.

im not gonna get into this anymore. we all have our opinions. this stuff always happens with a what kind/brand/type etc. type thread comes up. i do know what im talking about with pumps but i have never shot an auto shotgun and im surprised too with gas vs. inertia thing hasnt come up.

If you had read my previous message and understood it, you would see that I stated I would take that shot ONLY after the CLIENT chipped/wounded it with their 3 shots!!!! I DID NOT say that I would do it for S & G's or something to do. I have been guideing waterfowl for over 20 yrs now and have seen my fair share of idiots that had no sense handling a weapon. They come up out of the pit early, pop out of the layout blinds early, have their heads hanging out with wide open faces shining while the birds are getting close, unsafe handling of the weapons etc, etc...
The responsible and understanding hunters know EXACTLY what I was saying about the taking of the shot at 70yds with the ammo discussed here.
Thats why I use the 3-1/2" when guiding, especially when having to deal with those who just don't know!!!

And you answered my question perfectly, you have NEVER fired one!! I also don't get kicked like a mule by my weapons either. I can without question, guarantee you, that I get kicked less with the same identical shell out of my auto than you do out of your pump gun. I can say that for a fact because I have shot for over 20 yrs 870's in the line of my job and duty, over 10K (thats 10 thousand, 10,000, incase you didn't understand those numbers!!) from both the Remington Speciality shop and Scattergun Technologies with 4 Buck, 00 Buck and slugs. Then we went to Super Black Eagle 2's and what a difference!!!!! So between my job and my afterhours enjoyment, I feel that I know what I am speaking of as others here will verify. This is my last reply for as was said earlier, we KNOW who knows and who doesn't.

Without question Carlsons make one great tube!!!! I don't have any but have seen them in action several times. I use Dead Coyote for just that and it really shoots well and I use it to back up my lead 2's and BB's for shooting coyotes at night. Like it better than 4buck. Little pricey, just don't shoot much of it. All shots are under 40 yds anyhow.

Proud owner of a Beretta Extrema - I'd buy it all over again !!!


However, I do like Browning's new autoloader.

http://www.browning.com/library/info...ail.asp?id=147


I love the technology in Benilli's Vinci but hate the looks of it !

http://www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/benelli_vinci.php