Best Semi-Automatic Shotgun?

[OSCAR1987]

What is the best all round shotgun I can get and what makes it best?
I am looking for a good dependable gun for waterfowl and upland. Time to move up from my 870! I got a great Bonus at work this year! 

I am looking at the A400 VS Versa Max but is there a better gun for the money?

[singleshot12]

I'm in the same boat as you except for the bonus part , shot singleshots and pumps my whole life. I almost bought the Mossberg 935 but am reluctant to, now i'm leaning towards Beretta, don't think you can go wrong with a Beretta if you can afford one. I would like to hear what others reconmend also.

[270Shooter]

If you truely want the best semi auto out there you can't go wrong with any of the benelli's. They are the simplest, lightest and to me the best fitting shotguns there are. They pattern most steel shells well with the factory modified choke and they go boom everytime as long as you take a little time to keep them clean.

I'm sure someone get on here saying benelli click this benelli click that. They're just jealous beause they're still shooting 11-87's or mossbergs 

[Alan K]

My dad actually just got me a Beretta A400 as a graduation/Christmas present about mid way through duck season.  It's simply AWESOME!  I always shot an 870 before, and it will always have a lot of sentimental value, but this new one is amazing!  For the money who knows, I'm sure they're all amazing when you get into this sort of price range.

[CP]

Browning Maxus – best auto loader I’ve ever used.

Reliably cycles anything I put in it from ¾oz reduced recoil target loads to the heaviest 3 ½ loads, without making any adjustments.   Weighs less than 7lbs, light enough to carry all day chasing chukars or quail, yet the gas system reduces felt recoil so you can shoot 3 ½” goose shells all day long without your shoulder feeling the love.  Easy take down, easy cleaning.

Comes with a shim kit to adjust LOP, cast, & drop so it will fit you and it will shoot where your eyes are looking. 

[thinkingman]

My experience
Benelli SBEII...lightweight, felt cheap, plasticky(?), would not cycle target loads, has never seen a 3 1/2 in shell and probably never will.  Expensive for what you get.  For bragging rights, it's OK, but there are better.
Remington 11-87...heavy pig, ultra-reliable, cycles anything, looks good-nice lines, get parts or repairs anywhere you might need them.  Soft shooter...good choice for a 100 round day. Fits the same as an 870.
Browning Silver Hunter...light weight, soft shooter, nice looking, cycles anything, expensive. may age quickly as a waterfowl gun...that's not what I bought it for.  Expensive, but worth it.  Nothing feels cheap.

I found that fit is a major issue for me hitting targets.
Focus on fit, not what somebody else likes.

All the major manufacturers have their plusses and minuses.

[C-Money]

SP10. If you are stepping up in gun, step up in gage to!

[JLS]

I love my Beretta AL392.  use if for ducks, chukars, quail, pheasants, turkeys.

[92xj]

SBEII

[sirmissalot]

I have a SBEII and have never had a shell not cycle correctly, literally everything from target loads to 3 1/2in mags. I'm not a shotgun guy but it has never let me down and it feels great

[Fowlweather25]

Versamax as my first choice, SBEII as my second choice.

[Curly]

How long has the Versamax been out?  First I've heard of that model...........just looked at the Remington website and it sounds like a good gun.

[Johnb317]

Depends....   I love my SBEII flyways edition (wood stock) wife bought it.
Cycles everything .... course I've never put a 3.5 in it.... why?  But it does kick..
For a hunting gun - no big deal, but if you're doing Sporting Clays  etc.  maybe Gas?

Gas gun... less kick..  my brother loves his Beretta... I'm curious about the new Remington.

Good luck

[Fowlweather25]

The versamax came out last year I believe. I could be wrong. Great gun. I know a guy that bought one last year and he let me shoot some clays with it!  doesn't kick like an SBEII.

[Natas5150]

I just bought my first autoloader which happens to be a browning maxus. I did a lot of research and talked to others who have either fired and or owns one say they are best of the best a few hundred bucks cheaper than say benelli or beretta. Of course you will find many that swear by benelli or beretta as well as browning just differnce of opinion on what is truely the BEST auto loader out there. I researched on auto loaders before my purchase and read that many loved there stoeger $600 auto loaders which are half as cheap and in some cases more that half as cheap in price as other top of line brands. My advice to you is go to various dealers in your area try them all, hold them all, ask tons of questions about them to the sales person, research online and get what fits and feels good to you. After all you don't want to get something you don't like because someone else said it was the BEST gun out there, it's all opinions.
Just my 

[singleshot12]

What about the Stoeger 3500?  They r made by Beretta I think for about 1/4 the cost

[CoachNemo]

Browning is coming out with a new redesign on the A5 autoloader.  It looks pretty sweet and will runs about $1300 I think.  I have a 1972 Belgium A5 from my dad and I love it, thinking I 5may pick one of the new A5s up to "hand down" to my kid (when I have one) 

[Stilly bay]

I bought a maxus two years ago, its a very nice gun for the money and super fast at cycling, it was cool to pull the trigger three times fast only hearing two booms. I hunted most of one season with it and don't have a single complaint. it never failed me once.  with the shims it comes with you can get it to fit like a glove. but I sold it coz it just didn't have that X factor for me, whatever the hell that is.

then I got a superblack eagle II. the factory finish was garbage so I applied my own. I added a wolf recoil spring and a wolf magazine spring ($24.00 investment) and never looked back.  I only clean the thing once a year and it grinds through burnt powder, sticks, feather, ice you name it. so far no failures. 
I have the non comfort tech stock on, and I just don't experience the recoil I have heard people complain about with this gun. in my mind for that price point there is no better duck gun than an SBEII.

I also recently aquired a sp10 with a 30 inch barrel. I stuck with a pattern master extended range and have pulled off some long shots with this combo ( long shots with stone dead ducks btw) but at a buck a shot, switching from my benelli to the ten gauge can be an expensive adjustment curve. Im kinda thinking about swapping it out for a BUL in 12gauge or maybe 20.

the best semi auto is the one you shoot with the most. keep them clean, put quality (dry ) ammo in them and they should all go BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.
too many people don't know how to clean a semi and then they  try to put light loads or poor quality loads through their semi's and then bitch on the internet when they malfunction.

[coachcw]

Benelli , they cycle any shell you put through them

[OSCAR1987]

Thanks everybody for your input...I have made a decision. I went down to my trusted experts at Kesselrings with my mind  made up...I was going to get the Versa Max!
I researched a lot...read all the reviews and that was simply the most reliable choice I could make. THEN i spoke with the EXPERTS - gun smiths at the shop.
They asked me what EXACTLY I was looking for and I told them that I  wanted absolute reliability, tough, light kick, versatile, accurate, adjustable, BLING BLING of a shotgun for wet, muddy nasty west side Washington Pheasants and waterfowl. They told me that sure the Remington was a good gun, but that the Beretta was simply the BEST I COULD GET! I brought home my Beretta A400 tonight. Max 4 camo, factory plug to be legal, 2 extra chokes and a lot of other stuff in a hard case. I paid more than a Remington, but not much more.   

[Fowlweather25]

I'm sure you'll love it!

[et1702]

You will love your Beretta.  I have the AL391 and love it!

[87Ford]

I prefer Benelli's, but I could certainly like a Beretta...congrats!

[FALFire]

What about the Stoeger 3500?  They r made by Beretta I think for about 1/4 the cost

Though they are good guns, they are owned by Benelli and use similar system to the Benelli M-1 Inertia blow back bolt system. They are not made by Beretta however.


http://www.stoegerindustries.com/information/stoeger-history.php



 

[Stilly bay]

What about the Stoeger 3500?  They r made by Beretta I think for about 1/4 the cost

Though they are good guns, they are owned by Benelli and use similar system to the Benelli M-1 Inertia blow back bolt system. They are not made by Beretta however.


http://www.stoegerindustries.com/information/stoeger-history.php



 

stoeger, uberti, and benelli are all owned by Beretta. thats why all this benelli vs berretta brand loyalty stuff is such a hoot.
should be more like recoil operated VS gas operated.

[Hunting7mm]

 

[FALFire]

I shoot a Beretta Extrema 3, it's a gas operated shotgun and has never failed me. I also owned a Stoeger M2000 that worked equally well, sold it to a friend that fell in love with it after a pheasant hunt one day.

I own and shoot a Mossberg 935 that works really well but is a bit too heavy for me to carry for upland birds. It works great in the goose blind with good ammo it's for sale too, however the Beretta does it all much too well and I'm keeping' that one.

[87Ford]

stoeger, uberti, and benelli are all owned by Beretta. thats why all this benelli vs berretta brand loyalty stuff is such a hoot.
should be more like recoil operated VS gas operated.

Guess I should have said I prefer the Benelli delayed blowback action to the gas operated action of the Beretta A400.  I don't care who owns them, they're both nice.  I just happen to like the simplicity of the Benelli design and the fact that it is easier to clean. 

[Biggerhammer]

I picked up a Saiga 12, fairly worthless but the chicks dig it.    Yes, I told her to drop that butt and hold it in tighter. she learned after the first, low base 7 1/2's are gravy anyways.

[FALFire]

Hey Biggerhammer,

Those Saigas are the chit when it comes to fun factor. I wished I had bought one back when they were like 200 bucks.

[Biggerhammer]

Six or so years ago you could buy them here all day for 239.00, now their over 700.00. I got a smoking deal on mine new in the box. They are a bunch of fun, I haven't picked up the higher capacity mags or a drum yet. I shot plenty through 20 rounds drums in other Saiga's. A Saiga with a folded stock, 20 round drum with one in the pipe, loaded with whatever fits the situation is a spooky package.

I ran 8 boxes(200 rounds) through one fast and dry and never had a hiccup. Typical, durable commie crap.

Mines a 19" made in Russia by Izhmash.

[GEARHEAD]

SBEII, no gas system to fail you, maintain and tear apart, no "O" rings, like the remington, the whole system falls into your hand for easy take down, shoots anything.

[Biggerhammer]

SBEII, no gas system to fail you, maintain and tear apart, no "O" rings, like the remington, the whole system falls into your hand for easy take down, shoots anything.

+1. And it shoots 3 1/2's smooth as can be. Not a big 3 1/2" fan, most of my shooting is done with 3 inch  #4's over decoys.

[OSCAR1987]

OK Naches...Your turn for a Beretta!

[Naches Sportsman]

OK Naches...Your turn for a Beretta!

I think I need another one .
I was thinking about getting another one but realized that I do not shoot as much as I used to.  I used to shoot trap and games two days a week but I only get out once or twice a month now. I get to shoot sporting clays when I have a chance.  If the people running the 2 gun clubs in the Yakima valley wanted customers, I would shoot more. Sun Valley has ridiculous prices and membership price.  When my dad was still living over here, we used to go there for games. now it is a ghost town. The other place I used to shoot at was Pomona until they did not want the club to make any money. The klingele clan got rid of all the good shooters out of there and try to blame us (over 20 people) for leaving wish was  .  Well you get the point. There is not anywhere to shoot except rattlesnake mountain sometimes for meat shoots and games. 
When my dad has time off, I try to make it over there for a sporting clays shoot or just any shoot in particular. I will probably get over for a shoot at Sumner gun club if I get around to it.
For the people in the Yakima valley, who knows, maybe somebody who would want to make a profit will take it over.

[CastleRocker]

A guy I work with goes to Argentina and shoots doves.  The ultimate goal of some of the shooters is 1000 doves in one day.  I looked it up, and it seems like a popular thing to do.   

Anyway, he said the outfitters will only use two different shotguns.  The Benelli SBE and the Beretta 390.  Not the SBE II or the 391, etc.  Only the original SBE or the 390.  He said he has asked them and they told him they have tried them all, and those are the only two that will hold up to that kind of punishment day after day, week after week, all season, year after year.   He said he was told each of the guns they use will fire around 20 to 30 thousand rounds in a season.   

Personally I can't imagine a shotgun lasting more than one or two seasons under those conditions.   (I also can't imagine trying to shoot a thousand doves in a day!)

I don't know what semi-auto shotgun is best, but those are two I would definately consider.  I have an SBE II, my son has a Sport II.  Never have either fail to go bang.  (Mine doesn't hit where I want it to sometimes though). 

[addicted]

Browning A5..... designed by the hands and mind of john moses browning.

[h2ofowlr]

Benelli SBEII     I have the Beretta Extrema 2 and Winchester Super X3.  But I still like the Benelli.  The Winchester would be my second go to.  Just don't like the Beretta. 

[Curly]

I brought home my Beretta A400 tonight.

Does that Beretta have the safety in front of the trigger guard?

That is the thing I don't like about the Benelli Vinci.  I'm too used to shooting guns with the safety behind the trigger, I don't think I'd ever get used to it out front.

[OSCAR1987]

Yes, the safety on the A 400  is out front of the trigger guard and a bit recessed. I will have to get used to it. Shouldn't be too hard, I haven't been hunting long so its not like I have years of shooting with my safety behind the trigger guard.

[Curly]

   Cool.   Congrats on the gun purchase.

[Widgeondeke]

An economical semi-auto is the Weatherby.    I love mine and it hasn't failed me in 5 years. It was $600 then.

[Miles]

I've got a Benelli Super Vinci waiting for me in the states.  Not sure if it's the "best", but I can't wait to get back and start shooting it. 

[OSCAR1987]

No doubt there are a lot of great semi's out there...any one of them would be a huge upgrade from my old 870 super mag.  Hell, I have never even shot a semi-automatic! That is why I am so excited about this one plus I know I am not going to be buying another shotgun for a very long time-the fact that I spent so much money pretty much guarantees that (especially if you ask Mrs Oscar). When I drag it out over the next 10 years I don't want to be drooling over every new innovative technological advance in speed, dependability and recoil reduction my hunting buddy has on his new gun wishing I had bought that stuff when I had the chance! This is that ONE time I go for it.