looking for reccomendations on a shotgun for duck and skeet

I think people tend to use autoloaders for waterfowl, and doubles for skeet. Were you thinking of an auto, double, or pump? Recommendations also depend heavily on your budget. That M4 wasn't cheap, but do you want to spend around the same amount on this next shotgun?

I would suggest checking on whether or not your range has rental guns . It would help
to be able to shoot a few O/U or semi shotguns before making a decision. Just how dedicated you are to skeet will dictate how much to spend. Most skeet guns would be more than acceptable for duck hunting.

I personally like the Mossburg 930 series. The one I have has been extremely reliable.

Skeet guns tend to have open chokes. Waterfowl guns are usually tightly choked.

Find a used over and under with a variety of choke tubes that fits you and your budget.
A used Ruger Red Label would fill the bill.

Side by sides work fine too, and have the advantage of being extra classy, but the good ones are pricey. If you can find a used SKB/Ithaca, try it on for size.

I would have leaned toward a Browning Citori with 26" barrels, but then I know nothing about duck hunting lol. Unfortunately I also know nothing about autoloaders...

Good luck with your purchase. Expect a lot more input from more experienced shotgunners later in the morning.

You might consider sending a message to a moderator to move this to shotguns, as General is very high traffic, and your thread may be pushed down.

A Remington 1100 with an assortment of choke tubes is hard to beat for the money. I'm very happy with mine. You can usually find one in the +/-$500 range. I'm on the way out the door right now to shoot some skeet at the local club. Folks show up with everything from $150 pump guns to +$2500 o/u.

A Benelli M-2 with a 26" barrel and interchangeable tubes would be a good compromise. It is basically the same gun you have, except in a sporting model. Nothing wrong with another brand, but since you are already familiar with the Benelli that is where I'd start my search.

The 26" barrel is a good compromise. Skeet is shot fast and close. A shorter barrel that moves fast with an open choke is a good choice. Duck hunting can be up close and fast, or it can involve long shots where tighter chokes are an advantage. A longer barrel will swing smoother and give you a longer sighting plane for longer shots.

Doubles are common for skeet because they have a shorter overall length and with good balance for fast close range shooting. For a dedicated waterfowl gun most guys will advise a barrel longer than 26", but a semi with a 26" barrel will be about the same overall length and balance more like a double with a 30" barrel.

For 1 gun that will do it all a semi with a 26" barrel is about the perfect compromise. It won't be the best tool for any one job, but not bad for any of them.

You could get a browning gold hunter model for under $1000.00 most days and with an assortment of chokes would suit you well in your skeet and duck hunting endeavors.

Look at the Beretta 391 series autoloaders. It will be fine for both. I'd get a 28" bbl.

I shoot a Beretta 686 for waterfowl and a similar gun for skeet - but my skeet gun is quite a bit heavier. In an O/U, 30" bbls is the norm for skeet these days. A 28" autoloader will be fine. A Beretta 686 SPI would be fine also if you want an OU. The field guns are a bit light for shooting a lot of skeet - but they are fine for league shooting. The O/U are finished fairly nice - not everyone wants to go banging them around a blind or whatever, but there isn't much that you can do to them that can't be fixed later on.

The Browning Citori's are ok - they tend to fit differently than the Berettas though. They have a higher profile through the receiver and a blockier forearm. They don't fit me at all.

If I looked for new shotgun the choice would be between semi-autos from Beretta, Benelli and new Browning Auto-5 often called BrowNelli.

My advice would be to look at the 2-3/4" AND 3" capable semi autos with choke tubes I shoot 1100s, which are not as flexible, but I have a 2-3/4" gun for clay targets and a 3" model for waterfowl. Other than how they work they are the same and work very well for me for both tasks. Beretta, Browning, Winchester, Remington and other have guns that will shoot either interchangably. I would not get an O/U for waterfowling, or spend the money for a good one until you know more what YOU like in a clay target and waterfowling gun.

Or you could ask Obama what he uses.

Contact Joe Biden. He's the shotgun expert.

Snarks aside, with your budget of 1500-1800, take a serious look at the Beretta A400 series, specifically the Xplor Unico (green receiver). It has the capability to handle 3.5"behemoths as well as light target loads - (mine handles my 3/4oz reloads with zero malfs). New can be had for about 1400 or so (try Joel Etchen). Gun weighs 7# (NOT the 6.5 as stated on the website) and with the Kick Off system is a joy to shoot.

Otherwise the target version, the A400 Xcel (blue receiver) will also do nicely for both

I'd stick with doubles if you'll be shooting skeet more than hunting. My club requires that you police your hulls and I got sick of either losing my rhythm to pick them up at each station, or holding everybody up at the end to go pick up all 25. A 28" bbl should cover both nicely.

Red Labels are bullet-proof, Citoris are reliable. I have a Browning superpose (O/U) from 1965 that somebody prior to me fitted with screw-in chokes. I love it and I'm in for less than $1,200. You should try some first. I have an A-5 that was fun (semi-auto), have done it with a pump, and, at one time, did fine with a bargain basement ($350 new) Turkish O/U.

BTW, you can hunt or shoot skeet with a higher capacity shotgun in most places. Around me, you have to have a magazine plug installed to limit yourself to three rounds if you want to hunt with a shotgun with a larger magazine. My skeet club requires that you never load more than two rounds at a time, not that you have a small/limited magazine.

Sorry, Red Labels are discontinued and for a good reason - they suck
As to policing your hulls, Harbor Freight has a telescopic magnet for about $5

IF you can get a non-slat wood Superposed for that price....AWESOME
But for a new gun, the A400 beats everyone else

It's still a hassle, bending or not, to pick up the spent shells. It's a matter of preference, I guess.

Lots of people swear by the Red Label, including a few old timers at my club who've had them forever. They may have purchased good specimens v. bad ones being made.

Not being a waterfowl hunter, in addition to the differences in choke requirements, I understand that 3" rounds are used for payload and range issues. OTOH, Skeet shooters typically uses light target loads. So any shotgun will need to function well across the spectrum of load power levels.

I've shot Skeet with a Rem 870 which could care less about the load you choose to use. It can handle full power duck loads and light target loads without adjusting anything. That was an older 2 3/4" receiver, but a newer 3" receiver would do the same and handle 3" shells.

I was looking for a shotgun for similar purpose and decided to go with an over/under Browning Cynergy after trying many different guns. I had a 28" barrel wood stock model on layaway kind of wishing I could find one with 26" barrels thinking the shorter barrels would feel more lively and the longer barrels would be too much, how wrong I was. While browsing another gun store I happened across a 30" barrel synthetic stock model "Duck Blind Special", camo from head to toe, and tried it out from curiosity. That gun just felt perfect when shouldered, MUCH better than the shorter barrels. I canceled my existing layaway and got the 30" "Camo Queen" instead and am very happy I did. When I got it home and compared it to my brother's 28" Winchester pump, I found that even with the long 30" barrels it was still shorter than the Winchester by 1.5", about identical to a repeater with 26" barrels.

I couldn't be happier with my choice of the Cynergy and it fits in the budget range you're looking at. I like the fact that stock is adjustable to customize the fit and my redneck heart is all aflutter over my "camo queen". It also will digest any shell from the cheapest 2.75" value brands to 3.5" stompers. I don't believe I could have picked better for an all around shotgun.

Nobody ever got fired for buying a good used Rem 1100.

I have a Browning 525 and it is a very good looking "shotgun". If I had the coin to spare I'd seriously be looking at a 725 field grade.

You can plug your M4 to hold only 3 rounds so it is legal for duck hunting. Last time I was at Home Depot they had wood dowels in stock up to 8 feet long. I am sure you can plug the M4 with an 8 foot dowel.

I would find another club to shoot at if you can't shoot a few rounds with a home defense shotgun. People need to practice with their HD weapons and there is only one way to fit accessories such as lights, shoot the gun at a moving target. I have the light fitted so well on my Maverick 88 that I can shoot the first clay of a double with the light off. Then shoot the second clay with the light on without interfering with my swing.