There are some folks on this board that are still bitter about the lumps of coal received at Christmas time.

Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Benelli Super Black Eagle 20 or 12 there ya go

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If the OP is upland bird hunting -dove, quail and the like, there's no benefit to a 3.5" chamber and the SBE. If he was including waterfowl and turkey into the mix, then I'd agree. Otherwise, I'd opt for the lighter Monte, UL, Ethos.

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No one asked you, and I didn't mention 3.5".

It come camo, which I like and prefer. Is synthetic and is also a great gun for turkey and waterfowl which I presume he will eventually partake in, in the life of the gun...also it's cheaper than those mentioned

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Ok, first, he did in fact ask the whole board for opinions, which is the purpose of the thread. I gave mine, same as you.

People can disagree. No need to be rude. I wasn't rude to you.

I forget that Benelli recently added 3" chambers to the SBE3 series. The original reason for SBE's creation was to shoot 3.5" shells, so that's what it's normally associated with.

And it's not at all cheaper than the other Benellis mentioned. The base model Monte is $800 less. The Monte Silver and the base Ethos are the same price. The Ultra Light is $250 less.

Although the SBE3 is much lighter than the original SBE and SBE2, those are still lighter shotguns than SBE3 if that's important.

All are good choices. I merely made recommendations based on what I thought were a bit better fit to what the OP said he was wanting to do. There's no "right" or "wrong."

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I see you are a newbie to this board.

There is absolutely a right and wrong to every single subject ever posted in the past, present or future.

Right = my way, the only way
Wrong = any other way than my way, the only way. That includes your way. In fact, it especially includes your way.

Duh.

Op, next time ask the best "truck / shotgun combo"

schmellba99 said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Benelli Super Black Eagle 20 or 12 there ya go

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If the OP is upland bird hunting -dove, quail and the like, there's no benefit to a 3.5" chamber and the SBE. If he was including waterfowl and turkey into the mix, then I'd agree. Otherwise, I'd opt for the lighter Monte, UL, Ethos.

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No one asked you, and I didn't mention 3.5".

It come camo, which I like and prefer. Is synthetic and is also a great gun for turkey and waterfowl which I presume he will eventually partake in, in the life of the gun...also it's cheaper than those mentioned

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Ok, first, he did in fact ask the whole board for opinions, which is the purpose of the thread. I gave mine, same as you.

People can disagree. No need to be rude. I wasn't rude to you.

I forget that Benelli recently added 3" chambers to the SBE3 series. The original reason for SBE's creation was to shoot 3.5" shells, so that's what it's normally associated with.

And it's not at all cheaper than the other Benellis mentioned. The base model Monte is $800 less. The Monte Silver and the base Ethos are the same price. The Ultra Light is $250 less.

Although the SBE3 is much lighter than the original SBE and SBE2, those are still lighter shotguns than SBE3 if that's important.

All are good choices. I merely made recommendations based on what I thought were a bit better fit to what the OP said he was wanting to do. There's no "right" or "wrong."

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I see you are a newbie to this board.

There is absolutely a right and wrong to every single subject ever posted in the past, present or future.

Right = my way, the only way
Wrong = any other way than my way, the only way. That includes your way. In fact, it especially includes your way.

Duh.

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Haha! Thanks for the primer!

BastropCountyAg said:

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In the market for a new shotgun and seeking advice on what I should look into. Mainly will be used for dove hunting. TIA!

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Apart from budget, the most important question is whether you want a swiss Army knife that can do a little of everything, or a more purpose built gun for dove hunting.

The camo Benelli Super Black Eagle 12 gauge is more a waterfowl gun, but you can certainly shoot dove with it. A Beretta a400 Extreme is very comparable, but is going to be softer shooting, slightly heavier, and require more cleaning because it is gas-operated. Being inertia operated the Benelli will be a little lighter, less prone to fouling, but will recoil more.

Both are ~$1800 guns. Neither are guns I would buy if I was 95% dove hunting.

A Remington 870 12g is the same at the other end of the price scale.

If you are only going to own one shotgun, one of those is a good choice.

Montefeltro.

The difference is in the balance of the gun and the way it swings.

Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Benelli Super Black Eagle 20 or 12 there ya go

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If the OP is upland bird hunting -dove, quail and the like, there's no benefit to a 3.5" chamber and the SBE. If he was including waterfowl and turkey into the mix, then I'd agree. Otherwise, I'd opt for the lighter Monte, UL, Ethos.

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No one asked you, and I didn't mention 3.5".

It come camo, which I like and prefer. Is synthetic and is also a great gun for turkey and waterfowl which I presume he will eventually partake in, in the life of the gun...also it's cheaper than those mentioned

---

Ok, first, he did in fact ask the whole board for opinions, which is the purpose of the thread. I gave mine, same as you.

People can disagree. No need to be rude. I wasn't rude to you.

I forget that Benelli recently added 3" chambers to the SBE3 series. The original reason for SBE's creation was to shoot 3.5" shells, so that's what it's normally associated with.

And it's not at all cheaper than the other Benellis mentioned. The base model Monte is $800 less. The Monte Silver and the base Ethos are the same price. The Ultra Light is $250 less.

Although the SBE3 is much lighter than the original SBE and SBE2, those are still lighter shotguns than SBE3 if that's important.

All are good choices. I merely made recommendations based on what I thought were a bit better fit to what the OP said he was wanting to do. There's no "right" or "wrong."

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I see you are a newbie to this board.

There is absolutely a right and wrong to every single subject ever posted in the past, present or future.

Right = my way, the only way
Wrong = any other way than my way, the only way. That includes your way. In fact, it especially includes your way.

Duh.

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Haha! Thanks for the primer!

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I wasn't being rude really just funny for myself. I know nothing about the 3 guns you mentioned. I've had a benelli for 12 years and it's the only semi auto I've owned. I made my suggestion then was befuddled why you mentioned 3.5 when I didn't give it for a SBE reason. Was just poking back

Quote:

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I wasn't being rude

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Pro tip: Saying "No one asked you" is pretty much always interpreted as rude.

But then again, no one asked me.

FirefightAg said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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FirefightAg said:

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Benelli Super Black Eagle 20 or 12 there ya go

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If the OP is upland bird hunting -dove, quail and the like, there's no benefit to a 3.5" chamber and the SBE. If he was including waterfowl and turkey into the mix, then I'd agree. Otherwise, I'd opt for the lighter Monte, UL, Ethos.

---

No one asked you, and I didn't mention 3.5".

It come camo, which I like and prefer. Is synthetic and is also a great gun for turkey and waterfowl which I presume he will eventually partake in, in the life of the gun...also it's cheaper than those mentioned

---

Ok, first, he did in fact ask the whole board for opinions, which is the purpose of the thread. I gave mine, same as you.

People can disagree. No need to be rude. I wasn't rude to you.

I forget that Benelli recently added 3" chambers to the SBE3 series. The original reason for SBE's creation was to shoot 3.5" shells, so that's what it's normally associated with.

And it's not at all cheaper than the other Benellis mentioned. The base model Monte is $800 less. The Monte Silver and the base Ethos are the same price. The Ultra Light is $250 less.

Although the SBE3 is much lighter than the original SBE and SBE2, those are still lighter shotguns than SBE3 if that's important.

All are good choices. I merely made recommendations based on what I thought were a bit better fit to what the OP said he was wanting to do. There's no "right" or "wrong."

---

I see you are a newbie to this board.

There is absolutely a right and wrong to every single subject ever posted in the past, present or future.

Right = my way, the only way
Wrong = any other way than my way, the only way. That includes your way. In fact, it especially includes your way.

Duh.

---

Haha! Thanks for the primer!

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I wasn't being rude really just funny for myself. I know nothing about the 3 guns you mentioned. I've had a benelli for 12 years and it's the only semi auto I've owned. I made my suggestion then was befuddled why you mentioned 3.5 when I didn't give it for a SBE reason. Was just poking back

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Because prior to the SBE3, all SBEs had 3.5" chambers and wouldn't cycle light field loads reliably because it was designed for the heavy payloads, with heavier springs. Even with the SBE3, Benelli doesn't recommend shooting very light loads through it because it might not reliably cycle them. If the OP is primarily dove hunting, he might not want to deal with this potential disadvantage.

Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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There are lots of good choices. A lot comes down to personal preference for feel/ergonomics, aesthetics, and features.

Since you said you prefer a semi-auto, I would go with Benelli personally, based on owning 2 Montefeltros, 2 Super Black Eagles, and an Ultra Light. I have also owned several Browning, Beretta, and Remington semi-auto shotguns to compare them to, and I prefer Benelli for their mechanical simplicity, lighter weight, and handling qualities.

Since you mentioned upland bird shooting, look at either the Ultra Light, Montefeltro, or Ethos series.

Of course, you can't go wrong with the Beretta A400, though personally I prefer the Benelli inertia operated system over gas operated guns.

The Browning Auto 5 / A5 is a great choice as well if you prefer the "retro" humpback design. The new A5 is a different shotgun from the classic Auto 5 that was in production for 100 years until 1998, but it shares the same basic "long recoil" operated system.

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The above is where I landed. Benelli's just fit me and the sight ramps work for me. There's also just no recoil and you can shoot the 12 ga's all day long. I have two Montefeltro's, an Ethos and an 828U which I love for upland hunting. I also have a "pretty gun"; a Guerini that I use rarely. I made a mistake on the barrel length and just don't use it that much because of that. Fine gun; but wouldn't do that again.

I've used lots of Beretta's and Browning's on various hunts; just not that big a fan.

The 1sts guns I bought my boys were Steven's O/U's. Fantastic value and the guns look great. Very durable and they still use them.

japantiger said:

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Thaddeus Beauregard said:

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There are lots of good choices. A lot comes down to personal preference for feel/ergonomics, aesthetics, and features.

Since you said you prefer a semi-auto, I would go with Benelli personally, based on owning 2 Montefeltros, 2 Super Black Eagles, and an Ultra Light. I have also owned several Browning, Beretta, and Remington semi-auto shotguns to compare them to, and I prefer Benelli for their mechanical simplicity, lighter weight, and handling qualities.

Since you mentioned upland bird shooting, look at either the Ultra Light, Montefeltro, or Ethos series.

Of course, you can't go wrong with the Beretta A400, though personally I prefer the Benelli inertia operated system over gas operated guns.

The Browning Auto 5 / A5 is a great choice as well if you prefer the "retro" humpback design. The new A5 is a different shotgun from the classic Auto 5 that was in production for 100 years until 1998, but it shares the same basic "long recoil" operated system.

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The above is where I landed. Benelli's just fit me and the sight ramps work for me. There's also just no recoil and you can shoot the 12 ga's all day long. I have two Montefeltro's, an Ethos and an 828U which I love for upland hunting. I also have a "pretty gun"; a Guerini that I use rarely. I made a mistake on the barrel length and just don't use it that much because of that. Fine gun; but wouldn't do that again.

I've used lots of Beretta's and Browning's on various hunts; just not that big a fan.

The 1sts guns I bought my boys were Steven's O/U's. Fantastic value and the guns look great. Very durable and they still use them.

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Great post. And he's right, don't assume that because it's pretty or pricey that it will fit you. Don't make the same mistakes I've made. Here are some of my shotguns (my insurance guy told me this week that it's not enough just to have your guns inventoried, you also have to have serial numbers, so I'm in the process of moving everything out of the safes and documenting all serial numbers) most of which never get used because they just aren't right. Go shoulder and test them before you buy. I'll sell you the A400 Uplands in the pic if you want a semi. Awesome, awesome gun, just not for me (this one has never been fired, but my buddy has the exact same gun and when I finally shot his one weekend, it just…wasn't right for me).

Funny. This thread made me realize I have 8 shotguns.

The two previously mentioned Benellis which do all of the shooting. A Legacy 12 and Montefeltro 20

But then I have two .410s, a bolt action Mossberg that my kids got their first kills on and a snake charmer thats an awful gun that anyone can have if they want to come and get it. I doubt I ever shoot either of those again. I'm not even sure where the snake charmer is.

Savage 24 in .222/20. Never shot the 20. The .222 shoots about 3 inch groups open sights.

A 1940s double barreled side by side Stevens 12 gauge that is a freaking hammer or a gun. Love that thing. I shoot skeet with it about once a year. It ways like 30 pounds.

A Winchester 1300 Defender 12 gauge for anyone dumb enough to break in my house.

A rusted out single shot 20 gauge I bought in Alaska and don't think I ever shot. I accidently left it in the shed about a decade ago and it's trashed.

Dang. I really need to get rid of some guns.

I have a citori that I love that my dad bought me in 1985…there have been others but it's my go to.

I picked up an SX3 sporting a few years ago that I also like for all the reasons others have stated. The sporting does not take 3.5 shells, but don't really hunt ducks and the like.

A buddy picked up a Stoeger from McBrides and it's been a really good gun. To quote the old man that day, "do you need a shotgun or an heirloom?" It's not an heir loom but it does the thing and has been super dependable.

Old man McBride.

I'll echo the Beretta suggestions. I have an A300 that even when it's dirty, will cycle whatever you load it with. Even the lighter loads. Great gun for the price in my opinion.

I'd say the same but in the 1100. When we were dirt poor I worked all one summer to buy a used Savage pump 12 gauge my neighbor had. My dad had a very old 870. (I still have it).
I swore if I ever got a good job I would buy a semi- auto and never jackwagon another pump again.

My favorite is my Browning Gold Golden Clays. I have three of them. On a head to head comparison to Ben. And Ber. I have, they are still the lightest recoil of any.

As it pertains to semiauto shotguns, I think it's hard to dispute the advice given earlier to simply stick to the "three Bs" (Beretta, Benelli, and Browning), handle and shoulder the various models from each and see which one feels best and points most intuitively to you. The shotgun that fits you best is the one you'll likely shoot the best. Fit and ergonomics are very personal things. More than just about any other type of firearm, fit is vital to good shotgun wing shooting.

Certainly there are other great shotguns outside the "three Bs," but anything you choose from those 3 will be outstanding.

Browning all day. The Bennelli action is a freeze up waiting to happen. Saw 2 fail in Montana this year

Truth…he wasn't wrong. My buddy has been really happy with the shotgun.

Find you an older 870 in good shape and your great grandkids can shoot dove with the same gun you did.

My great grandkids can shoot dove with anything from my Zoli to my A400. That makes no sense

It was a joke, Captain Serious

The 3.5" chamber is unnecessary IMO. The advent of quality affordable bismuth shells for ducks & geese make it irrelevant unless you just like sky blasting at geese at 50 yards.

My dove gun is a Benelli Ethos 28 gauge. Mainly because it is a joy to carry, shoot, and look at. A Montefeltro 20 gauge is probably a better choice.

Thisguy1 said:

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Find you an older 870 in good shape and your great grandkids can shoot dove with the same gun you did.

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Joking aside, I'm passing on my grandfather's 11-48 20 gauge to my son. They stopped making them in 1968. I need to check the serial and get a year because there is a 20-year range. I've only had to replace one part over the years and it is still killing doves.

I prefer sky blasting geese at 75 yards but to each its own...

Seriously though, Bismuth absolutely hammers ducks. I've watched way too many big ducks (not talking wimpy spoonies) get folded with it after steel shot is basically bouncing off them at 50 yards. It is really impressive!

However, it is still hard for me to swallow the cost at about $40/box or more, but thats not really that significant when you consider the costs of everything else in duck hunting... I'll probably switch after I run out of my current case.

My brother and I started on a youth 870 20 gauge that will be my son's one day. My 870 12 gauge has had exactly zero issues since my dad bought it for me probably 20 years ago. My brother has a newish 870 (probably 10-15 years old) and it just looks ever so slightly different and has a bit more of a clunky feel to it, but has still had zero issues. My dad was gifted a Wingmaster 12 gauge from his boss when he was younger and working on a farm. I told him if he only leaves me one thing when he goes, make it that gun. They're great guns for what we use it for.

I use a Benelli supernova for duck hunting just because it's painted and will shoot the bigger shells. Zero issues so far with that one but I've only had it for maybe 6-7 years or so.

Im a browning citori fanboy as they just really fit me, I have a 28" 625 field in 12ga, 32" 625 sporting in 12ga and a first year production 26" citori 20ga. I have never been able to shoot any beretta very well at all, but I can shoot my Benelli's just fine. I have a Benelli SBEII and SBE3 that are reserved for my duck hunting a Remington 1100 that was my first shotgun and a Remington 870 defender for the house. The biggest thing when buying a shotgun as said before is fit and feel. If the shotgun doesn't fit or feel good you likely won't like shooting it or won't shoot it well. Go shoulder a bunch and see what you like the best is my recommendation.

ttha_aggie_09 said:

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I prefer sky blasting geese at 75 yards but to each its own...

Seriously though, Bismuth absolutely hammers ducks. I've watched way too many big ducks (not talking wimpy spoonies) get folded with it after steel shot is basically bouncing off them at 50 yards. It is really impressive!

However, it is still hard for me to swallow the cost at about $40/box or more, but thats not really that significant when you consider the costs of everything else in duck hunting... I'll probably switch after I run out of my current case.

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Yep

I've been buying Boss shotshells in the 200 shell bags for the past few years.

At $336 for 200 shells it equates to $42 a box. Buy once cry once.

Steel shells are false economy -- particularly if you are paying big money for a guided hunt or a lease.

The other factor is my shell-to-duck ratio with bismuth is probably 3 to 1, compared to 5 to 1 with steel -- maybe more when including shots for swatting the cripples.

Plus I can shoot #5 2 3/4" loads and get the performance of #4 3" -- which is a lot easier on my shoulder, and helps me shoot better on follow-ups.