Semi auto shotgun help

[Marksman57]

I’m new to bird hunting but in the last 3 years I’ve hunted pheasant, chukar, woodcock, and grouse. I currently own a beretta  silver pigeon and a mossberg over under but am looking for a semi auto for duck, dove, and turkey.  I am looking at either beretta A400, a browning A5, or a Benelli.  Anyone have any opinion on the reliability and ease of cleaning on the A400 vs an inertia or kinetic driven system ? All advice or opinion is welcomed and appreciated as I am trying to learn as much as possible 

[BHC]

All are very good quality....for the needs you mentioned take a look at the MOSSBERG 935

 

 

 

 

ned 

[MikeStaten]

Agree that all are good quality.  I’d say it mostly comes down to your budget and, more importantly, how each fits you.   I’d go to a gun store and handle a bunch of them.  There a lot of other great choices with varying price points.  I’d also look at the Franchi Affinity, Beretta Outlander, Winchester SX4 and Tristar Viper.  
 

I personally really like the feel of my Benelli M2 and mine has been flawless, regardless of shells.  Can fire light target loads up to the heaviest turkey or waterfowl loads without any issues.  The Franchi Affinity is extremely similar to the M2 but is almost half the price.  

[Bones]

Magnum semi autos won’t cycle birdshot, I had a 935 that wouldn’t cycle pheasant loads it  only Cycled turkey and buckshot.
I have heard that from many semi auto owners with magnum guns.

i have a older 1100 2 3/4  that knocks pheasants out of the sky all day long.

 

 

[mazzgolf]

I have an Beretta A300 Outlander (magnum semi-auto - it is chambered up to  3" shells) and it eats anything I give it (except when it is super cold out - like in the teens Fahrenheit -- I have had a couple failure to ejects in cold weather like that). But in normal weather, I never had a problem with light target loads up through BB waterfowl loads and everything in between.

My dad has a Beretta A400 ... super-magnum (chambered up to 3.5"). He bought it brand new about a year ago. I still don't think that thing can go through a box of target loads without jamming up. Even put through a couple boxes of 3.5" turkey loads to help break it in. I suspect if he shot high brass pheasant loads, it would be fine. But for sure, light loads are still a problem. I don't know if he needs to break it in even more.

So - keep that in mind. If you buy a 3.5" gun, you may have a problem with lighter loads (at minimum you need to take care to shoot lots of heavy loads through it to break it in). In my opinion (and this is just for me), I wouldn't buy a 3.5" gun for pheasant or waterfowling because (1) like I just said, you might have an issue with lighter loads (and I like shooting target loads for practice before I go out hunting) and (2) 3.5" shells get EXPENSIVE when you start thinking about shooting a box or two during each pheasant or duck hunt you go out on, so even if I had a 3.5" chambered gun, I wouldn't be shooting 3.5" shells anyway because I'm cheap :-) [I only shoot 3.5" shells during turkey season out of my super-mag 870.. one shot, one kill, done for the day  ]

 

[Marksman57]

Thank you for all of the help! I’ll try to check out the Heritage guild and see what they have in stock in person 

[wrmink]

I just got my first gun, a Franchi Affinity (left hand).  And am very happy with it.  Others I’ve met who own them love them, too.  Great quality for a solid price.

[Hawkeye57]

Without pushing you toward any one gun- many factors would need to be added to help narrow down gun. 

I put my duck guns through the test year in and year out. nasty weather, sub zero temps, boxes of shells shot daily. I will always go to my interia guns over gas. Especially when traveling and not wanting a hunt ruined. IMO gas guns require more attention to detail and getting cleaning "just right" where inertia guns, you can skip cleaning and the workhorse will keep going. I also like the slimmer feel to an inertia gun. 

My dove gun is gas- if you are shooting THAT much on one hunt- less recoil is worth it lol. but for all other "standard" limits inertia wont be tht bad. 

Never been a berretta semi guy. love their double guns though. 

 

Judging by your mentions- $1,500 range what you are looking to spend? depending on how hard you hunt or often- you could get a 20 semi and a 12 semi in franchi for that price. that way you arent hunting upland with a camo gun or ducks with a wood gun 

 

I have an SBE II and like it. Ive heard a lot of negatives toward SBE III. My most reliable gun in the safe is franchi affinity though. Hate to admit it but only shotgun I have NEVER had an issue with after putting through hell. 

Edited July 6, 2020 by Hawkeye57

[RPK0620]

Check out which ones have the shims /spacers or whatever they call them that let you slightly adjust the stock to the receiver for length of pull and cast which in my opinion  REALLY helps to make one fit better  My Winchester SX3 which I love has them.

[ithaca10]

1 hour ago, Bones said:

Magnum semi autos won’t cycle birdshot, I had a 935 that wouldn’t cycle pheasant loads it  only Cycled turkey and buckshot.
I have heard that from many semi auto owners with magnum guns.

i have a older 1100 2 3/4  that knocks pheasants out of the sky all day long.

 

 

Same here have my dads 1100 bought it for him early sixties. Best gun ever made.

[Marksman57]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye57 said:

Without pushing you toward any one gun- many factors would need to be added to help narrow down gun. 

I put my duck guns through the test year in and year out. nasty weather, sub zero temps, boxes of shells shot daily. I will always go to my interia guns over gas. Especially when traveling and not wanting a hunt ruined. IMO gas guns require more attention to detail and getting cleaning "just right" where inertia guns, you can skip cleaning and the workhorse will keep going. I also like the slimmer feel to an inertia gun. 

My dove gun is gas- if you are shooting THAT much on one hunt- less recoil is worth it lol. but for all other "standard" limits inertia wont be tht bad. 

Never been a berretta semi guy. love their double guns though. 

 

Judging by your mentions- $1,500 range what you are looking to spend? depending on how hard you hunt or often- you could get a 20 semi and a 12 semi in franchi for that price. that way you arent hunting upland with a camo gun or ducks with a wood gun 

 

I have an SBE II and like it. Ive heard a lot of negatives toward SBE III. My most reliable gun in the safe is franchi affinity though. Hate to admit it but only shotgun I have NEVER had an issue with after putting through hell. 

I’ll def check out the Franchi. Thanks for your help !

[rackemup]

I have the Beretta A400 and have had nothing but problems with it jamming. My hunting buddy has the exact same gun and has never had an issue........ Very frustratung hunting together and hes shooting fine and I have nothing but a single shot shotgun........

[Jim_]

Quote

… IMO gas guns require more attention to detail and getting cleaning "just right" where inertia guns, you can skip cleaning and the workhorse will keep going. ...

That's why the marsh gods gave us pump guns. 

[nmc02]

Beretta by far...

[MGHunter66]

21 minutes ago, nmc02 said:

Beretta by far...

Agree, i have a urika 2 and shoots everything you put in it and doesn’t stop. Put over 1000 rounds through it one year between hunting and clays without a hickup. Inertia guns are ok if you don’t mind getting beat up. A semi isn’t something to skimp on, buy a cheap one and the first wet cold day it will let you know why it was cheap.