Browning Gold Hunter Opinions

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gigmike

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A fellow in my area is selling a nearly new Gold Hunter, I can't afford the Benelli of my dreams so I'm hoping for good feedback. I'm not familiar with this one so I'm seeking impressions from you. I only wish they still made the Auto-5, I have my grandfathers gun but I don't want to shoot steel shot though it. Thanks in advance.
 
General impression is it's one of the best autos out there. What are they asking for this?
 
I've had 3" and 3.5" 12 gauge Golds, and still have a 20 gauge. Provided you lube them correctly they are very good shotguns and quite reliable, I prefer them by a large margin to the Benelli of your dreams since they work better than the Benelli's I had.
 
I've been hunting with one for a couple of years now and I have no problems with it. Before I got the Gold I did most of my bird hunting with a Superposed or an Auto-5 from a time when Brownings were flawless. The Gold is not as pretty and probably won't age as gracefully, but it is an excellent, versatile semi-auto that compares favorably with anything else made today. If it's LNIB $700 isn't too bad, but it's not far from what they are selling for new in some places (especially if Browning runs one of their occasional rebates).
 
I was sure bummed to hear they no longer made the Auto 5. I hunted with it for so long that it felt like it was custom made for me. I'm sure I'll get used to whatever I end up with.
 
You may also want to look into the Winchester SX2. It uses the same gas system as the Gold and iirc they're functionally the same gun. My 3" SX2 Field was under $500 new and I like it a lot. I don't have experience with many other shotguns, but I like it a lot better than my dad's SBE. The fit and finish isn't quite as good, but it has MUCH less recoil and supposedly cycles faster (although I'd challenge 99% of shooters to take advantage of the difference in speed).

On second thought, if you want a soft shooting gun, but want fit & finish closer to that of the Benelli and are willing to pay for it, the Gold may be a good choice.
 
It is one of the best guns out there IF you keep it clean. Reliability goes down fast on the Browning if you're not willing to clean it after every range session. That was the experience I had anyway.
 
With my SX2 I've gone 3 or 4 range sessions (usually at about 4 rounds of trap per session) between dismantling the gun to clean it. I run a bore snake through it at the end of every session, which seems to keep the gas ports in the barrel clean enough for a few hundred rounds. My dad's Benelli seems to require less frequent cleanings and less time to clean, but the softer recoil is well worth it IMO. I haven't had the opportunity to compare it to any other gas guns, but I haven't heard that the SX2/Gold gas system is any less reliable or more dirty than any other gas gun.
 
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