Stoeger 3000 12 ga?

I have experience with the predecessor, the M2000. It handled standard dove loads fine but didn’t care for 1oz loads. Eventually it got to where it would cycle them. My understanding is the M3000 is much better.

I have a friend that uses one for turkey and ducks in "sporting" configuration, and another who has one that is highly modified used for 3 gun. Both are very satisfied with their guns.

I have the tactical one, think its called the freedom series or something. They are not bad.I paid 149 for mine on clearance. What exactly do you want to know about it?

I have the "turkey model." I think the only difference from the "waterfowl" model was mine came with a turkey choke which I promptly traded the LGS for a skeet choke they had laying around and it has a very handy 24" barrel. It also had a very "busy" camouflage pattern that I really like.

It is a great workhorse. Reliably cycles 1 1/8oz and most 1 oz (it is picky about some 1 oz loads, doesn't like HV one ounce with slow burning powders) trap loads through 3" steel. I'd describe it as soft shooting with heavy steel loads, kind of a prolonged shove. It seems a little sharper with 1 1/4 oz lead, maybe just as I'm dressed lighter when I'm shooting those. It points, balances and swings well. Fast to the shoulder on close shooting. Function is not diminished by dirt, dog slobber, ice, mud, duckweed, cattail fluff, etc. It just chugs along and kills ducks and geese. I've never had any sort of malfunction while hunting. Makes a good canoe paddle too. I love it for waterfowl hunting, and it does alright on the trap and skeet field also. The camo finish has held up well to some 8 years of waterfowl hunting/abuse.

I have the m3500 and it is picky about the 1 oz and 1 1/8 oz loads. Remington gun club and Federal top gun is the best target loads. Everything 1 1/4 and up runs flawlessly.

Mine has never skilled a beat. Smooth cycling and the trigger is pretty good.

I've got the M3K, which is the M3000 in 3Gun guise.

I've got about 1000 rds through mine now, and it's holding up fine. It originally had issues with light, 2 3/4DRAM 1 1/8th loads and the 7/8ths ounce slugs that I wanted to use in matches. I put in a lighter action spring and it now cycle both with ease.

https://moaprecisionllc.com/product/new-reduced-rate-recoil-spring-for-light-loads/

Sniper66 said:

Might help to say what I want it for. I will use it for turkeys and a shotgun back-up when calling coyotes.

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For high volume clays I would not get a M3000. For your purpose I’d get one and never look back.

I've shot mine over 200 rounds a day and no problems. At this point I would definitely purchase another one.

Sniper66 said:

Might help to say what I want it for. I will use it for turkeys and a shotgun back-up when calling coyotes. I don't want to shoot 3.5" magnum so do not need the 3500. 3" mags will do everything I need. Actually I shoot max load #5 or #6 in 2.75" for turkeys and they are just fine. I would really like to find the Bottomland camo and I will insist on 28" barrel. I'm mostly interested in you guys' experience with reliability, any cycling problems or durability issues.

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Mine runs heavy 2 3/4" heavy lead and buckshot flawlessly, even below zero. My shotgun coyote load is 1 1/2 oz lead BB (I do load it in 3" shells now, they fit better than in the 2 3/4" but same load otherwise). Also rock solid with 2 3/4" and 3" steel and Black Cloud. Mine is in bottomland camo and I really like the pattern.

I've got one that I use for duck hunting. It works fine, but my brother has one that had to go back to the factory 4 times before they finally sent him a new gun. A friend also had one that was problematic.

Basically, when you get one that works, they will work well, but actually getting one that works can be hit or miss.

EDIT: Sorry, people had been discussing both and I got a little mixed up - I have a Stoeger M2000 not the 3000.

mgmorden said:

EDIT: Sorry, people had been discussing both and I got a little mixed up - I have a Stoeger M2000 not the 3000.

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I had a M2000 as previously stated. It ran one and an eighth ounce shells fine but not one ounce. I did some polishing and it started cycling them. I just wanted to see if it would cuz I almost never use one ounce shells. Something I always forget is that it’s velocity more than payload that determines how well a semi-auto cycles. So a 1oz load with a heavy charge of powder will cycle easier than say a one and a quarter ounce load with a light charge.

I sold a few M3000’s and know a couple of people who own one. IMO there is a big difference in reliability between a 2000 and a 3000, the 3000 being much better.

It’s also true the Stoeger line is the least expensive of the Beretta family of shotguns so I believe expectations should be tempered a little bit.

I’d also much rather have a Mossberg 930 than a M3000. I’ve owned one, they are MUCH softer shooting, very reliable and priced the same.

Sniper66 said:

I looked on GB fpr the 930 and mostly found the tactical variety and most were $200-$300 higher. I'll keep looking for the Stoeger for now, but thanks for the tip. Just an FYI....I have Benelli, Browning, and Remington shotguns, but none are ideal for the task. Eventually I'll get what I'm looking for. Good excuse to buy another gun.

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I didn’t look on GunBroker. I looked on retail websites like Bud’s and Grabagun.

Cvans said:

I've shot mine over 200 rounds a day and no problems. At this point I would definitely purchase another one.

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And just how many days did you do that?
Some of us do that several times per week; so more info can help put things in a better perspective.

local place has one around here. Its where i bought mine.

https://www.kitterytradingpost.com/...?cgid=0#srule=price-low-to-high&start=1&sz=48

George P said:

And just how many days did you do that?

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Good point. Couple of times so far but will probably happen again tomorrow. By the way I've decided not to clean the gun for one year just to see if it runs without problems. The way it going so far I'm not expecting any problems. This goes against my nature and I don't know if I will make it that long or not. So far it's stay pretty clean.

Sniper66 said:

OK....Tried Buds and Grabagun. They have practically nothing in stock. Grabagun had a couple good offers and within my price range, but nothing available. So, it's back to GunBroker. Here's one I like, but...... https://grabagun.com/firearms/shotg...ssberg-85141-930-sa-shotgun-12ga-5rnd-28.html

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The problem of course is this is about the worse time in recent history to be purchasing a firearm, on par with the Sandy Hook panic. A standard black synthetic 930 goes for $421.00 and the camo 930 goes for $515.00 at Bud’s when they are in stock, and in normal times you can find 930’s anywhere. So I don’t know what to tell you other than I personally would much rather have a 930 than a M3000.

If you want softer recoil you will shoot the heaviest gun you can handle with the lightest loads it will operate. Both my Beretta gas guns, 1@8# and 1@7#, will handle my 12 gauge 3/4oz reloads - that is the equal of a 28 gauge load.. As you go up in payload 1/8oz at a time the recoil becomes substantially higher