New guy question

[C-Money]

Look at the Browning Maxus is you don't mind paying.  They are great too!

Wildweed....the does sound delicious. ...gotta try it!

[RadSav]

So I was thinking that for my first shot gun I would get a good Benelli.  I love the way that they look and I havent heard a bad thing about them, aside from the price.  But you gotta pay to play.

When looking at Benelli be sure to pay attention to weight if upland hunting is part of the game.  If you think to yourself, "It's a little heavy, but it will be ok" while you are still in the store...probably should be looking for something lighter   Benelli has some great dual purpose options, without a doubt!  But, when chasing chukars there is no such thing as being too dang light!  I'd rather error on the light side than error on the heavy side.

Benelli's Nova is a great place to start, IMO.  Few serious bird hunters ever settle for just one single gun anyway.  That's part of the fun of bird hunting!  At one point in time I had a;
Turkey Gun
Goose Gun
Duck Gun
Grouse Gun
Quail Gun
Chuckar/Pheasant Gun
And the cool 222/20 double gun 

Warning: You get serious about bird hunting and their are plenty of fun toys you are going to want need!     

[CP]

A 12g is all you need and all you will ever need – you can effectively hunt quail to ostrich, rabbit to bear; any game in North America.  Buy a good one and it will serve you your lifetime.

[salmonchaser]

I have an M1 super 90, an M2 field, a 20 gauge ultra light and I may buy an ethos, trading off the Super Black Eagle. Just never fell in love with the SBE. The M1 is my loaner, the M2 does my heavy work and the ultra light for chukar. I also break out the old doubles when and where I can use lead shot.
If I could only have one it would be the M2 because it fits me and is very reliable.
The very best pointing gun I own is a Heym drilling, double 12 over a 7x57.  Very handy with a deer tag in your pocket.
Have fun, the Benelli will suit you fine and let us know what breed of dog you're going to get. I happen to own shorthairs.

[salmonchaser]

A 31, certainly one of the finest pump shotguns ever produced. Never understood why Remington hasn't brought it back in a limited offering. I envy you Naches.

[at2smithjason]

I have an M1 super 90, an M2 field, a 20 gauge ultra light and I may buy an ethos, trading off the Super Black Eagle. Just never fell in love with the SBE. The M1 is my loaner, the M2 does my heavy work and the ultra light for chukar. I also break out the old doubles when and where I can use lead shot.
If I could only have one it would be the M2 because it fits me and is very reliable.
The very best pointing gun I own is a Heym drilling, double 12 over a 7x57.  Very handy with a deer tag in your pocket.
Have fun, the Benelli will suit you fine and let us know what breed of dog you're going to get. I happen to own shorthairs.

I was looking into the dog options, and brits and the german pointers i have read dont do good in the cold.  I was thinking about betting a pointing lab.  I just would like to get a dog that is an all around good dog.

[salmonchaser]

You'll have to talk to my girls about being cold, granted they are not labs but they will handle the five to 10 degree weather we've been having just fine, as long as they're hunting. But they don't like sitting in a duck blind when it's that cold.

[RadSav]

Labs are fine if you don't mind big and loud!   I personally can not stand the noise.  Scared the living dickens out of upland birds too.  But they are loyal good dogs that a lot of hunters love dearly. 

I think if I were to go back to waterfowl hunting as well as upland I might take a real hard look at the GWP.  The ones I've hunted with both in the duck blind and the upland hills have been quite spectacular!  Less shedding, less noise, less food, less allergies and fewer garbage cans to pick up too.  All a big plus in my book!

[wildweeds]

As far as cold and dogs go,yeah the shorthairs ain't going to do to well in a duck blind but I've hunted in negative temperatures in snow in South dakota,My setters did just fine with it and so did my buddies German shorthairs as long as they are hunting moving creating heat they are fine,duckblind fuggetabout it they ain't got the coat or the fat for it.Horses for courses,Dogs are just about like guns,there won't be one thats absolutely perfect for all tasks,you can get close or good enough.Myself personally I think a Springer Spaniel is the best  all around utility dog,easy to train,easy on the feed,good swimmers,natural retrievers,happy go lucky.