Benelli Nova in camo. Tough as nails. Versatile too.
quote:I have to agree with this choice! I've had my 870 express mag for 14 years now. I use it just about weekly. I toss it in the back seat of the truck, tool box, under the seat, in the bed of the truck. You can't kill an 870. Remington started production of the 870 in 1951 and they still make them today. That should tell you something!
Originally posted by Cracker LarryA Remington 870 pump gun is my first choice, if I could only have one shotgun. I’ve got 3 870s
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
quote:
Hey cracker, you need to write a book of all your adventures. I'd be the first buyer.
Many people have told me the same thing. Maybe I will one day, after I see how the story ends 
Remington used to make a good autoloader, the 1100. It was a good reliable shotgun. When they changed to the 11-87 it was junk. I bought one for turkey hunting and kept it 3 months and sold it. They used to make a good autoloading rifle too, the 742. When they upgraded it to the 7400 model it was junk too. I wrapped one around a tree and left the POS in the woods. I want a firearm that works, every time I pull the trigger.
Hope they haven’t messed up the 870. That new 887 pump gun looks real good, but I don’t know if they messed it up too.
I’ve only had one experience with a Beretta and it wasn’t good. My fault though, not the gun. My best friend has twin boys and I always accompanied 1 of them on father/son hunts. Each kid hunting has to have an adult with them. The adult can’t shoot, only the kid. He had a brand new Beretta, I got him set up good and rattled up the largest buck I’ve ever seen. It came in hot and mad, busting trees. I said shoot. The boy shot and knocked the deer down. It started kicking and got back up, I said shoot again, shoot dammit. Boy says gun won’t fire. I took it and tried to clear the jam. It wasn’t jammed, it had some kind of magazine cut off selector and I wasn’t familiar with how it operated and neither was he. Too dam complicated for a shotgun IMO. Deer ran off before we could figure it out. Trailed that deer all day and half the night, never did find it. I like simple and reliable. Bang, bang, bang…
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Seen way too many of those A400’s fail in cold weather for me to want one.
As for the A300, there’s actually two different versions. The A300 OUTLANDER is made in USA. The A300 Xtrema (basically a 400 without the kickoff and a little heavier, same barrel system) is made in Italy and is FAR BETTER than the outlander. I had them side by side and the fit an finish is night and day better on the Italy made Xtrema. I sold my Outlander for an Xtrema, and soon sold the Xtrema after I picked up a Versamax
Give it a shot. The 3.5" Versamax Sporstman can be had new for a very good price. It is an exceptional gun to the Berettas in my opinion, and I’ve shot them all.
Wadmalaw native
1999 16’ Bentz-Craft flats
1994 16’ Bentz-Craft flats
15’ Alumacraft, 1979 35 Johnson
ISLAND ARMORY, LLC - CONTACT ME FOR ALL OF YOUR FFL NEEDS!
Dear Reel…I can solve your dilemma real easy. Buy a used Browning Citori O/U. All you’re going to do with 3 shots is shoot more shells. Forget pumps and auto loaders…too many moving parts, and a real pain to clean. Keep snap caps in the chambers and release the firing pins when putting it up. It’ll outlast you, make you a better shotgunner, save on ammo, and put everything you said you were going to hunt in the freezer. If you want to buy new, look at the CZ Redhead O/U. Good Turkish gun at a good price. I’ve got Franchi, Benelli, and Beretta pumps and auto’s in the closet. They usually stay there unless I loan one out. They’re good guns, I just hate shoving shells into them with a sore thumb, and spending 45 minutes cleaning them.
If you insist on an auto I second the Beretta A300…3 1/2" shells are too expensive and way over rated. You can kill any deer, hog, turkey, or goose dead as a hammer with a high brass 3" shell with appropriate shot size.
Sol Mate
Mako 20B
225 Optimax
A versamax is an overpriced tomato stake, as is pretty muck everything Remington has put out the last decade. Benelli, Beretta and Franchi are the only automatic shotguns I would consider, I have shot a Winchester SX3 but time will tell how long they will last. If going pump gun, a nova, Browning BPS or an older 870 cant be beat. Ive run close to 1500 shells through may affinity 20ga since January and its yet to go click, not cycle, or any other issues, and it was so bloody last weekend the stock was glued to my hand.
I’m not much on Winchester semi-autos but the SX3 has been on the market for nearly 10 years so I’d say time is telling. Companies don’t keep products on the market that long if they’re flops, especially in the firearms market.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Thanks to everyone! Great info. I am doing some further research on options for each of the suggestions. Now, rifle and scopes, but that is another thread…
quote:
Originally posted by salty849A versamax is an overpriced tomato stake, as is pretty muck everything Remington has put out the last decade. Benelli, Beretta and Franchi are the only automatic shotguns I would consider, I have shot a Winchester SX3 but time will tell how long they will last. If going pump gun, a nova, Browning BPS or an older 870 cant be beat. Ive run close to 1500 shells through may affinity 20ga since January and its yet to go click, not cycle, or any other issues, and it was so bloody last weekend the stock was glued to my hand.
Interesting. I have a couple of Remington automatic shotguns from the past decade, one with approximately 4000 rounds through it with zero issues (Rem 1100 competition). The Versamax probably only has 500 or so through it, but not once has it “yet to go click, not cycle, or any other issues,” including being bloody/wet/muddy this past weekend with early teal. This was in the same blind with a brand new A300 outlander that locked up tighter than Fort Knox after 4 shells through it. Took me an hour to get it apart and cleared. Guess what he shot after it locked up…yep, a Versamax.
Just as with EVERY product in the world, there are bad ones and good ones. I’ve seen a Beretta A400 Xtrema in Louisiana not function in 10* weather because it was frozen, while my Versamax kept right on trucking.
And why no love for new Browning autos? The new A5 is a dream to shoot, but extremely light, didn’t work well for me as I over swung it. The Maxus on the other hand is perfect weight for me and shoots just as well.
Wadmalaw native
1999 16’ Bentz-Craft flats
1994 16’ Bentz-Craft flats
15’ Alumacraft, 1979 35 Johnson
ISLAND ARMORY, LLC - CONTACT ME FOR ALL OF YOUR FFL NEEDS!