Looking to get a new shotgun for duck hunting, any recs in the sub 850ish range? My eyes are kind of set on the a300, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I should be looking at. Budget is kind of flexible but I'd like to stay under

Duck season is almost over, save up and get what you want for next year. Around $850 really limits your options especially if you wan a semi-auto.

dmperch said:

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Looking to get a new shotgun for duck hunting, any recs in the sub 850ish range? My eyes are kind of set on the a300, but I'm wondering if there's anything else I should be looking at. Budget is kind of flexible but I'd like to stay under

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I've shot the Beretta A300 for a few years. Great gun for the money. It's my primary duck gun.
No issues with the past 3 years shooting on the coast. Primary shoot 3" shells out of it.

I have an A300 in camo, and I love it. I shoot it at all doves, but usually only hit the slower moving ones!!!

Remington VERSA MAX Sportsman Semi-Auto Shotgun - 28" Barrel. Comes in different color schemes. All round shotgun can handle every type of shotgun shell from light 2-3/4" loads up to 3-1/2" magnums without any adjustments.

They around $850 bucks and under.

Sx4, franchi affinity, montefeltro (maybe a stretch)

Anyone shoot the stoeger 3000 or 3500? They seem to get pretty good reviews on cabelas.

dmperch said:

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Anyone shoot the stoeger 3000 or 3500? They seem to get pretty good reviews on cabelas.

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I use the 3500 for my field gun, and before I updated my sporting shotgun I used it for clays as well. For the price you don't have to baby it and it just keeps going and going. IMOP it is the best bang for the buck out there. I have sent about 5000 rounds down range with this gun and the only issues I have ever had with it was with the cheap Hebert Cabela's brand ammo. It wouldn't cycle 100% of the time, more like 98% of the time. I use the cheap Remington 2 3/4" loads for dove and for turkey I use 3 1/2" Federal turkey loads, and it goes boom every time. In its price range, I can't recommend it enough.

I am still using my Beretta 391. It has never failed in over 20 years.

If I were buying a new one it would Benelli M4. A little more than 850 but find it used and it will last a lifetime.

I use the stoeger 3500 and love it but I plan on upgrading for next season.

I have the 3000. It misses everything. Could be the user though. Goes bang and cycles just fine.

dmperch said:

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Anyone shoot the stoeger 3000 or 3500? They seem to get pretty good reviews on cabelas.

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I just got the 3000 for this past season, and I really like it. No issues

I have an A400 and a 391, both of which have performed flawlessly. I think the A300 would be a good choice. They also make or used to make an "A300 extreme" or something like that, that shoot 3.5" shells and is only slightly above your budget.

I've talked to some guys that use the Stoegers and they all like them. Only slightly negative thing I have heard about them is the break in period. I'm not overly familiar with them but am under the impression they run a very similar inertia system as Benelli. I would think they're pretty reliable.

Good luck!

I paid $599 for a Franchi Affinity and really like it.

There are 8 shotguns that range in value from $1,000 to $1,700 on the 21 gun raffle at Leon County Delta Waterfowl in Leon County (Buffalo, Texas). Average gun value on the table is just over $800/gun. Have to be there to win. January 21st 6:00 pm. Come win one for $50.

A300 is a great choice. Killed a lot of ducks with that gun. Mine is going on 6 years of hard use and has never had a single jam or misfire. I keep threatening to upgrade but the damn thing is like an extension of my hand. It's like Thor's hammer - spoonbill edition

Throw a Patternmaster code black decoy choke in there with some kent 4 shot (1300 fps) and watch the birds fold.

MrWonderful said:

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A300 is a great choice. Killed a lot of ducks with that gun. Mine is going on 6 years of hard use and has never had a single jam or misfire. I keep threatening to upgrade but the damn thing is like an extension of my hand. It's like Thor's hammer - spoonbill edition

Throw a Patternmaster code black decoy choke in there with some kent 4 shot (1300 fps) and watch the birds fold.

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Thanks for all the responses and suggestions, probably going to go into a store and hold the a300, the 3000 and 3500, and maybe the sx4. Probably adding a new toy to the family this weekend. Hopefully the new gun doesn't miss as often as the old one

https://imgur.com/gallery/XFs2r3W

Here's a bonus pic of my last hunt, Day 1 we shot 6 redheads and 3 pintails. Day 2 we shot 6 redheads. My pintail on the left was dropped off at the taxidermist

dmperch said:

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https://imgur.com/gallery/XFs2r3W

Here's a bonus pic of my last hunt, Day 1 we shot 6 redheads and 3 pintails. Day 2 we shot 6 redheads. My pintail on the left was dropped off at the taxidermist

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Pic help

dmperch said:

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Anyone shoot the stoeger 3000 or 3500? They seem to get pretty good reviews on cabelas.

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I got the 3500 this year and love it. Great gun and great shot.

Benelli SuperNova

Oh wow, no Mossberg fans out there.

I think everyone assumed he wanted a good shotgun...

OP - Burnett already posted a link but I'd take a look at that Remington VersaMax. My dad just bought one for $1050 which is only 200 north of your price range. It is a very solid duck gun. Great value for that price.

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/shotguns/beretta-shotguns-semi-auto/beretta-al391-urika-2.cfm?gun_id=101352338

Totally bomb proof...this is a good price!

dr_boogs said:

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OP - Burnett already posted a link but I'd take a look at that Remington VersaMax. My dad just bought one for $1050 which is only 200 north of your price range. It is a very solid duck gun. Great value for that price.

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I have one bought new several years ago, custom dipped, 5 choke tubes, plastic case, trigger locks, etc that I'd be willing to part with.

I lucked out and found a like new Browning Maxus in the Cabelas gun library. Paid 860 out the door for it. Love how it fits and handles. May look into similar. Deals can be had

AgBQ-00 said:

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I lucked out and found a like new Browning Maxus in the Cabelas gun library. Paid 860 out the door for it. Love how it fits and handles. May look into similar. Deals can be had

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Awesome deal.

Highly recommend a Winchester SX4 in the OPs price range.

I bought a CZ912 from eyeguy a couple years ago and it's a fantastic semi-auto. Handles heavier goose loads and light dove/target without issue. I've used it a lot and never once has it failed to feed or jammed. Well made and has a nice swing feel to me. I don't have a single complaint. It's well within your budget.

https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-912-12-28-3-choke-tubes/

One of my hunting buddies has a VersaMax and he's lost the charging handle 3 times. It's a known issue and they come out easily. Other than that he likes it.

Also, I think 3.5" shells don't offer any real benefit and don't see the need for them.

TarponChaser said:

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I bought a CZ912 from eyeguy a couple years ago and it's a fantastic semi-auto. Handles heavier goose loads and light dove/target without issue. I've used it a lot and never once has it failed to feed or jammed. Well made and has a nice swing feel to me. I don't have a single complaint. It's well within your budget.

https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-912-12-28-3-choke-tubes/

One of my hunting buddies has a VersaMax and he's lost the charging handle 3 times. It's a known issue and they come out easily. Other than that he likes it.

Also, I think 3.5" shells don't offer any real benefit and don't see the need for them.

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Merica, that's why!

You can shoot them and I'll continue to think that the only reason for them is because you're a bad shot.

TarponChaser said:

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You can shoot them and I'll continue to think that the only reason for them is because you're a bad shot.

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Haha! I rarely shoot them but usually keep a box of them in my blind bag for cranes and geese. Just giving you a hard time.

We shoot cranes and geese with 20 gauges. You don't need the 3.5s for that. The 20 gauge, a good pattern choke, and bismuth works better than a heavy 12 and is more enjoyable to shoot.

A lot of guides we hunt with in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota and Canada are switching to this as well.

Kind of like the 9mm and 45 debate. New tech has made the 20 more viable than ever before.

aggie1819 said:

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We shoot cranes and geese with 20 gauges. You don't need the 3.5s for that. The 20 gauge, a good pattern choke, and bismuth works better than a heavy 12 and is more enjoyable to shoot.

A lot of guides we hunt with in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota and Canada are switching to this as well.

Kind of like the 9mm and 45 debate. New tech has made the 20 more viable than ever before.

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Good for them! I have an A400 that makes shooting 3.5" shells extremely enjoyable, when I want to shoot them. I'm not going to switch to a 20 gauge just because. I am a grown man and can handle a 12 gauge shotgun. Not to mention, for ducks it's not like you're shooting 4 boxes of shells.

Yes, the bismuth loads are great and effective but they're at least double the price of a box 3.5" BB. I'd rather spend $15 bucks on those than $30+ for roughly the same thing.

This was really just a joke responding to Tarpon but I guess now we're going to argue what you "need" for shooting ducks... if you can endure the physical requirements of trekking through mud, setting out 8 dozen decoys, and picking them up, you can certainly shoot a 12 gauge. Shells are easier to find for 12 gauge anyways.

For the record, my go to duck shells are 3" #2 or #3.