Wanted: First Autoloader

http://www.benelliusa.com/index.php

I have a Montefeltro 20 ga that I shot clays with almost every Sunday for five yrs straight. Zero problems! It is a dove killer right! I am assuming that you want a 12 ga?
You may have to do some searching to come in under the $$, but it would be worth it.
If I didn't go with a Benelli, I would look at the Beretta 391, either will be bumping your $$ limit.

Jimmy K

I bought a used Beretta A390ST for $300 and I love it. Really nice trigger and very light recoil.

Remington 1100's are one of my favorites. The Browning A5's are also great guns.
If getting a 1100 I'd make sure it's an older one. I wouldn't purchase a newer one. The ones that I really like are 15-35 years old if not a little older than that.

One newer one I've heard a lot of good about is the Beretta 390. I think that's what it is.

I quit shooting my 1100 when I got my 390. When I got a 391 in a different gauge to complement it, I sold the 1100.

Start with a 391 or any of the Benellis, a Franchi or one of the new Winchester SX3 or Browning Silver guns. This is a golden age for autoloaders. The I'd definitely buy a new or recent one, not an old gun -- but I wouldn't buy anything recent from Remington, at all.

Ignore the curmudgeons: for general-purpose use, the most recent autoloaders are better than those of yesteryear. They may not be perfect, but nothing is.

Winchester SX3 - reliable and fast - same as the Browning but I like to see "Winchester" The "fastest" Shotgunner Patrick Flannigan uses the SX3 and had over 200,000 rounds on of one of his guns. Cleans it every 2,000 or 3,000 rounds.

Winchester SX3 or Browning Silver. Same internals, so choose what configuration you want. I have the grey composite SX3 and a wood clad Browning Silver Lightning that I think are some of the best shotguns out there in the autoloader world.

I shot a benelli m2 and loved it. It was my 2nd time doing sporting clays and I got 44 out of 62 clays.

I do not know much about shotguns, but that felt great in my hands and if I was in a position to buy one, I would probably get that.

Used Beretta 390 or 391 will work forever and is easy on the shoulder with no O-rings to worry about

Another Beretta vote from me. I'll never part with mine.

steoger makes a good benelli copy and they are now owned by benneli, cost is 4-500 USD.

+1 for Beretta. I have a Beretta 390 (3901 American Citizen) that I personally think is one of the best semi auto values in the shotgun world. I used it for everything from duck, geese, pheasant, dove to clays. I got mine on Gunbroker for $550 new. I like it better than my brother in law's Beretta 391 Urika. It is the most reliable gun I have ever seen and the price is amazing. The 390 is still one of the guns I see most on Dove hunts and such on the Outdoor Channel. Do a search and you will find MANY happy 390 owners. I read over 400 reviews before buying mine and none were negative.

from what I have read the stoeger is more a copy of the franchi i-12 than a benelli. both inertia guns, both owned by benelli, but apparently they use a different system from benelli. I'm not saying worse, just different. and that may not be true, it's just what I read.

the walmart beretta (390?) is supposed to bea very good value.

Check your local Wally World. The one near me has had Beretta 390s for $447 for a while.

id get an older 1100 but not a new one dude to reports of QC slipping at remington