good shotgun for duck hunting?

[shorthair15]

been years since ive looked at a new shotgun. there is probably a ton of new shotguns on the market? im a remington fan never had alot of luck with the semi auto's. i was thinking of a remington 870,benelli and mossberg.

[h2ofowlr]

All good options mentioned.  Head to the gun shop and throw a few up to see which one feels the best!

[Firedogg]

I haven't hunted for waterfowl in a while, but when I was I liked using an O/U with two different chokes to cover different distances like over the spread and going away.

[AWS]

What's you budget.  I prefer a sxs, many like semi autos, others a pump even O/U have a following .   Pumps will  do everything a semi auto will do only much cheaper but take a little more famileration to be as nfast as a semi auto.  All will kill waterfowl.

[Huskerwannabe]

I would stay away from the 870. They are cheaply made now and it shows in the quality. The old 870s are bulletproof buy I bout one a few years ago and the ejector pin has broke a few times on me.

[vandeman17]

I just upgraded to the Winchester sx3 and like it so far. Budget is a big factor in what you ge but I see you have an 870 already so my advice is to stick with that if you are confident in it. It will kill birds just fine 

[zike]

If your looking for a 3 1/2" gun I'd stay away from Mossturd or 870. The Nova is a better pump and the Beritta or Benelli are good semis.

[asmith]

I use a benelli nova.  Been using it as my all around gun for 8 years without a hitch.  Get it dirty, still works.  Drop it in the water/mud, still works.  Handles nice, easy swing for me.  Test one out and see if it fits you.

[shorthair15]

cant spend a ton on the shotgun. probably just going to get a benelli nova with the 26 inch barrel. i played with a browning pump really liked it but i was looking for something with a  synthetic stock. dont have a shotgun right now. looked at some decoys today. going to get a dozen mallards and 6 green wing teal for now. going to pick up a shotgun soon. just have to find the one i want. no gun shops around here just sportsmans would not say they have the best prices.

[JJD]

If funds are limited, I'd go with a 28" Benelli  Nova pump, the things are nearly bullet proof.

[sansocal]

The nova is a great reliable gun, and I love the single shell ejection button (or whatever it is called). They are so heavy though!!

-I love my 870 its reliable as anything, It was new in 2008. However the poor build quality is noticeable (the very tip of my rib on my barrel is bent or rounded a little, doesnt affect the shooting but it is something you notice)

[follow maggie]

Lots of good ones around. I have an 870 that I've had about 20 years and at thing is bullet proof. I have an 1100 that I like a lot, it's been very reliable, but it rusts easily. I just bought a Versamax yesterday, we'll see how I like that one. I've never had any trouble at all with Remingtons

[Whitenuckles]

I have 13 different shotguns. All have there purpose, some aren't as well made as others. But I'm a firm believer when it comes to guns, if you buy a cheap gun it with preform likewise. There are a few exceptions. When it comes to the bottom line its whatever your most happy with.

[zike]

Check out the local pawn shops and want ads.
Ive bought a bunch of used guns over the past 55 years and can't remember a bad one. The 390 I last used for ducks was well used when I bought it and it never missed a lick. It'll probably go back to if I go back to duck hunting. Buy good used guns and if you sell you'll loose little or no money. In fact you may make money.

[drakehntr]

Ive been a waterfowl hunter for nearly 30 years.  Have owned a few shotguns...pumps and semis.  Having a budget is a good thing.  But in my experience, cheap shotguns turn out to be headaches.  For pumps my faves have been the Benelli Nova and Remington 870.  They will set you back $300 to $500 depending on options.  These days Im a true semi auto believer.  Recently picked up a Franchi Intensity.  Lightweight, inertia system, takes 3.5s.  One full season of shooting this gun and Im hooked.  Favorite gun of mine for waterfowl.  Around $900.  Whatever you chose, get a 28" barrel.  Good luck...its fun to see whats out there.

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[fowl smacker]

Ive been a waterfowl hunter for nearly 30 years.  Have owned a few shotguns...pumps and semis.  Having a budget is a good thing.  But in my experience, cheap shotguns turn out to be headaches.  For pumps my faves have been the Benelli Nova and Remington 870.  They will set you back $300 to $500 depending on options.  These days Im a true semi auto believer.  Recently picked up a Franchi Intensity.  Lightweight, inertia system, takes 3.5s.  One full season of shooting this gun and Im hooked.  Favorite gun of mine for waterfowl.  Around $900.  Whatever you chose, get a 28" barrel.  Good luck...its fun to see whats out there.

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Curious why you say whatever you choose, get a 28" barrel?  I switched to a 26" about 4 years ago and wish I would have switched sooner.  I hunt a lot out of ground blinds and pods.  Having a 26" barrel has allowed me to pop up and get on target faster, no loss of anything.  Have you ever shot a 26"?  In my opinion, longer isn't better, it's how you use it!

[drakehntr]

Yes, have shot 26" before, hunt with a guy now with a 26.  If all your birds are less than 20 yds i suppose it doesnt matter.  Beyond 20 yds... energy, accuracy, and a tighter pattern I believe from my experience will come with a 28"

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[JLS]

I've been hunting with a Beretta AL 391 with a 26" barrel for about 12 years now.  I have shot ducks near and far.  It is a 3" magnum.  I've never felt under barreled.  Barrel length will have a lot more to do with the balance of the gun IMO than anything else.  The forcing cone is what dictates pattern.  Barrel length will not affect it.

[wadu1]

You may want to try The Gun Shop in Longview for some used guns.
I shoot autos with long barrels, AL391 with a 30", Biakal with a 31" and a Remington SP10 with a 30", I do have a Beretta Extrema with a 26" that I hardly use because short barrels are too whippy for me. All my target shotguns are 30", 32" or 34" so I'm used to a longer barrel. 

[D-Rock425]

A Winchester sxp would be my choice for a pump gun.

[AWS]

Barrel length past 18" has little to do with pattern or power.  It does impact handling but that is not to say that longer is better what you are comfortable with is the most important thing.

Here's a photo of my old 870 with a 21" barrel that I've killed a ton of ducks with out on the saltwater until I found a couple of sxs's I was willing to hunt salt with.  If you'll notice the gun is almost exactly the same size as my 26" barreled sxs.  It handles very much like the sxs.  I'm smaller in stature 5'7" and shooting a pump or semi shotgun with long barrels is a pain for me 21"-26" on a pump or semi I can deal with.  On a sxs 25"-28" work well with the longer barrels on small gauge gun preferred.  That said my favorite waterfowl gun has 29 1/2" barrels but they are swamped barrels and are very light.

21" pump and 26" sxs. The 21" barrel 870 is my goto coyote gun for shotgun only zones and you need a lot more power for them than ducks.



My long barreled sxs but it is still no longer overall than a pump with a 26" barrel.  I use a very light load 7/8 oz ITX shot at 1200 fps so power has little to do with killing ducks knowing when to shoot so the power you have is lethal is more important.

[JJD]

Personally, I have found the 28" swings better than a 26, but then a 30" swings better for me than a 28".  I hunt out of a layout blind a lot too and have found the 28" works just fine.  SIL has a 26", I have a 28"  we traded one day, I found no appreciable advantage to the shorter gun.

[drakehntr]

A lot of good info on here for you Shorthair.  Good luck on the gun shopping and let us know what you end up with.

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[krout81]

I love my stoeger 3500 in 28in.  2 3/4 up to 3 1/2 for all situations

[TopOfTheFoodChain]

Shorthair - tried to reply to your message but your in box is full. Message me again after you delete a few messages from your in box.