opinions on semi-auto shotguns

Originally Posted By: LUCKYDOGOriginally Posted By: The Famous Grouse
Best shooter at lowest cost: Stoeger.

A lot of the 2000's sucked. The 3000's are supossedly better. My buddy got one and so far so good. If his keeps doing as good as it has so far, I'll probably pick one up but I know it will never shoulder as good as my M2.

As it turned out, a lot of Stoeger 2000 owners were idiots that couldn't read or follow instructions. It must be noted that many of these morons complaining that thier Stoeger "sucked" were never heard from again once somebody pointed out the owner error. RTFM.

The early complaints about the 2000 not cycling were almost all due to owners failing to read directions and putting the fore end spacer and locking washer on in the wrong order when they assembled the gun the first time. When I got my Stoeger 2000 and saw the two parts, it immediately occured to me that the order these parts were placed probably mattered, so I simply glanced at the manual and--what do you know--it's right there in a big highlighed box that says "WARNING!".

Fixing guns is sometimes easy. Fixing stupid is always hard.

Grouse
 
Originally Posted By: LUCKYDOG I have to clean my gun after every hunt. There is no way I would ever buy another gas gun for goose hunting.

Dang straight on that. I have a Beretta 319 and really don't like it. Gets filthy after what seems like a few shots and cleaning inside the action is a pain in the rear. No more gas scatter guns for me.
 
Originally Posted By: The Famous Grouse

As it turned out, a lot of Stoeger 2000 owners were idiots that couldn't read or follow instructions.

If that was the case, why did Stoger bother coming out with the M3000? Not only did they come out with the M3000, they said the 3000 addressed all the PROBLEMS the M2000 had.

I know some guys have been happy with their 2000's but I know a bunch of guys that hated theirs.
 
After reading this thread I decided to time myself cleaning my Benelli this morning. I took off the barrel, the bolt and the trigger group. Cleaned them, oiled them and put them back together in 8 minutes. I love my Benelli.
 
I have a Browning Maxus, and a Browning Gold 10 ga. I bought
the Maxus for the day I realize I don't want to haul a
10.25 lb 10 ga. around anymore...Day hasn't come yet. But my
review, so far, of the Browning Maxus is it is a very nice
light shotgun, that soaks up much more recoil than it should
for 6lb 14oz, shotgun. I shot trap with it last year, so it
has seen some use. Also I used it as a demo gun for the
Hunter's Education classes I teach. It is a great gun to
show people the difference, in felt recoil, of light clays
loads versus a 3.5" heavy turkey load. No issues with the
Maxus, other than it didn't want to cycle some really wimpy
promo loads my son had. Win. AA loads run like a top in the
Maxus. A nice choice for a "do-it-all" shotgun.

As for crud rendering semi-auto shotguns into single shots,
given enough crud, any gun, gas or inertia, will choke. I
spent a week in North Dakota waterfowl hunting, where all
of our shotguns were collecting North Dakota top soil. The
only guns that didn't choke was my Browning Gold 10, and one
other guy's Gold 10. We had two Benelli SBEs struggle more
than once, and one Rem. 11-87, that choked, too. We would
clean our shotguns each night, just due to the grit in the
ever present No Dak winds. One of the Benellis was
particularly problematic, with it's owner inventing new
combinations of profane words.

As for ease of tear down, it doesn't get simpler than the
Browning Gold or Maxus series. Just ask the local gun guy
to tear one down for you. The Maxus is especially simple
with the O/U forearm style release lever. I have a Beretta
390 20ga, and I will say, it is not that easy to tear down,
and don't expect to remove/install a magazine plug easily.
My Rem. 11-87 is much simper than the Beretta.

Squeeze
 
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Originally Posted By: LUCKYDOG

If that was the case, why did Stoger bother coming out with the M3000? Not only did they come out with the M3000, they said the 3000 addressed all the PROBLEMS the M2000 had.


Hmmmm. Can you point to a source where Stoeger actually said that the 3000 was created to address "problems" with the 2000? Never heard that from Stoeger before.

Given that both the 2000 and 3000 use the same Benelli action, I can't see where changing the model number would cure all these "problems" that people were allegedly having with Stoegers. What I can say is that in the three cases where I've addressed "jamming problems" owners were having with Stoeger 2000s, the "piece of junk" Stoegers were all cured as if by magic. Hmmmm. . . Almost as if it wasn't the gun at all.

Admittedly, like the Browning A5, having this retainer/spacer configuration introduced an opportunity for error as both the orientation and the order of assembly matter. I do not know if they eliminated this in the 3000, but seeing the number of people who couldn't read directions and therefore failed to properly assemble their guns, I'd say it would be a good idea to engineer a way around the problem if possible.

The 3000 added a Beretta-style adjustable stock, recoil-reducer option, additional camo patterns, and an additional barrel length option. It also comes at a higher price. It's worth noting also that the 2000 was on the market almost 10 years before the 3000 was introduced.

Grouse



 
Well I'm not here to argue but anyone that has been a member of a Waterfowl site for very long has read numerous threads about their POS Stoeger 2000. I wouldn't touch one with a 10 foot pole. Like I said, my buddy has the 3000 and is hunting geese hard with it. It has had Zero problems and I'm leaning towards picking one up just because.
 
I've owned a ton of semi auto shotguns. My go-to beater gun is my 2nd Benelli M1 Super 90, it would be my first one but someone thought that they needed it worse than me. I also have a Benelli Montefeltro 20 gauge, 2 Benelli M2s, and a Winchester SX3 currently.

I really like the SX3 for a dove/pheasant/trap gun. So far no complaints and I've fired alot of rounds down the tube.

I see no reason to own a 3.5" gun myself, all they are is a marketing plow to sell more guns/ammo. That 3.5" gun only gives you a half inch longer bolt/chamber to jam up, and I see plenty of that with my buddies and clients, especially in colder weather.
 
How come the Stoeger 3000 isn't offered with a 21, 22 or 24 inch barrel? 26" is the shortest I can find in the 3000 series.

Or am I not looking in the right places?
 
Had and loved an 11-97 sp for years. Once I bought a SBE (13 years ago) the 11-87 never saw use and was sold off. Like others have said, cleans up fast and shoots very well. The only problem I've had with it was in sub zero temps hunting in a muddy bean field, it became a very expensive single shot. I'm pretty sure my poor choice of lubes caused that, never had anoher problem. Also had a m1 super 90 at work that I loved. Buddy has a 935 and loves it, I'm thinking about trying it since I love my 835.

I shoot light dove loads up to 3.5" turkey, with the vast majority being 3" for ducks, and have no issues with any of them. I find myself shooting very few 3.5 now that I'm older and over the "but my shells are bigger" phase.

The one dislike I have is the skinny forearm, not sure why but it just looks odd to me.
 
Well the only auto shotgun I have is an open space in my gun cabinet now...

I owned a Benelli Vinci and M2 last year and sold both - not worth the price tag to stay in my cabinet. I have shot Berettas, Remingtons (1100 and 11-87), Winchester, etc...

I recently decided to purchase an auto 12 for turkey and predator hunting since my 20 gauge 870 was finished and the only other gun I have that shoots buckshot well is a mint Model 12. I have a Mossberg 935 Turkey with a 24" barrel on layaway. I will only be running 3" BB's, #2's and buck and 3.5" Hevi Shot and buck out of it. I think the Mossy 935 (as well as the Stoeger 3500) is a great buy for a dedicated turkey/predator gun!
 
11-87 super mag gave me fits as well. Sold it and got the SBE2 and love it. Handles 2 3/4" to 3 1/2" with no hassles. Dropped it in the mud, real thick mud in the receiver( I fell on top of it going to the blind in the dark), rinsed it out in the lake, dried it , then shot a limit of geese. I love that gun.
Have also heard great things about the Remington Versa Max
 
One more Benelli testimonial. I have a friend in eastern N.C. who is a duck guide, a very busy one too. He's had an M2 since they came out and it's the sorriest looking gun you ever saw. It lays in the bottom of his duck boat and stays half covered in water, salt water! He never cleans it, even at the end of the season except for hosing it with fresh water, he uses it for everything including boat paddle occasionally. It has almost no blueing, coating, whatever it is, and according to him it's never failed him.

I don't know for sure about the lack of end of season cleaning and I can't swear it's never let him down, but I know he could afford any shotgun he wanted and he still has that M2, must be close to 20 years now.
 
I have a Remington Versamax and really like it. My choice came down between the Benelli SBE and the Versamax. I shot both but didn't like the thin forearm on the SBE although that it a big selling point for some. Previously had a Browning Gold but had a lot of problems with jamming and not cycling 3.5 inch shells.
 
I waterfowling is the main reason I have a semi-auto. Especially from a layout blind you can stay on target a lot easier. Turkey any style will work as it generally takes one shot. Coyote could go either way, but if you have more than one yote come in an auto would be better. You have a pump now so you should know if you think you could benefit from an auto. None of them are fool proof and they will fail if not properly maintained. I shoot a SBE1 and love it but it does not like the fine dust from the goose fields. I have killed just as much game with a 3" as a 3 1/2" so it depends on how much money you want to spend 3" = cheaper gun and cheaper shells. I also still use a pump as well depending on the mood I'm in. Just make sure whatever you decide on that it fits you and don't get hung up on the brand. The decision is yours. Good Luck.
 
I like hearing the first hand experience with the different shotguns as I don't know much about semi-autos. I'm just getting into researching the different brands so all these comments will help with deciding. now i just gotta get to some gun shops and start shouldering them. Another reason for me wanting a 12 ga. semi is if I ever go back to kansas bird hunting Id like one that I can put and extended tube on as i'm almost positive there is no mag restrictions.
 
A 3 and 1/2 inch gun makes no sense. You will pay up to $50.00 a box for ammo. What are you going to shoot with it? A goose? If you can cook one you are a far better man that I. And the recoil will make you remember each day you pulled the trigger. Finally, keep in mind that with a 3 and 1/2 inch gun, you have the chance of experiencing cycling issues with 2 and 3/4 light loads (like 1 oz.. The SBE is pretty good a cycling light loads, provided that it is clean and lubricated.

Get the Benelli M2 and never look back.
 
You can get good and bad in any of them. Or at least I have over the years, to include some well thought of shotguns. In the last couple of years my son had a Winchester SX3 that was a total piece of crap. He swapped it off on a Benelli Vinci and so far has been very happy with that. My son-in-law has a Browning Maxus that hangs up occasionally. He cleans it meticulously and has tried different light lubricants and applications but it still jams on the odd occasion here and there. He has only shot a couple flats of shells through it; maybe it’ll eventually break in.

If gas guns are your thing the Beretta’s are pretty hard to beat. They will eventually require some maintenance and aren’t as easy as a Benelli Inertia Driven gun to clean but Beretta’s don’t require nearly as much attention as many other gas guns do. If you notice nearly all the Benelli issues are with the SBE series guns. The M1/M2 just seems bullet proof and are stupid easy to maintain if you are into that sort of thing. If cleaning isn’t your thing I wouldn’t worry, just keep pushing shells into the magazine tube and the gun will empty itself with boring reliability. Find a good design and high quality gun that fits you like a natural extension of your eye and shoot the heck out of it. If it chokes or has some problem life is too short to screw around with it, ditch it and move on to something else.
 
It amazes me how many people think a 3 1/2 inch shell adds more distance to their shot. I've heard more than just a couple of guys that say they load their shotgun with 2 threes and then a 3 1/2 for the last longer shot. That cracks me up! You get zero farther distance with a 3 1/2 over a 3 inch.

Just so people that are reading this thread know, the 3 1/2 inch shell was made to put more pellets on the target. Not to add longer distances.
 
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