First semi-auto shotgun to choose - need advice

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Levan9X19

Levan9X19

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Greetings,

The question I would like to ask fellow forum members is simple: which semi-auto 12 ga shotgun do you recommend?

Criteria to match are following: dead bang reliable, simple to use and maintain, high quality and good looking.

Applications will include but are not limited to: Occasional hunting, training including tactical scenarios, home defense, practical shooting.

Price is secondary :)

If you think you can vote for particular model or name, just post it. No further detailed explanation is needed but if you decide to write more, thank you in advance.
 
If I had to pick a semi to buy right now, it would be the Winchester SX3. I'm a junkie for Winchester shotguns and this one has been on my list since it came out.

Wouldn't make for much of a HD gun though with the long barrel unless you're standing at opposite ends of the hallway
 
Beretta - either the 390,391, or the new A400 series. Beretta has been around for over 500 years and their shotguns have been reliable for quite some time
 
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I bought a couple of used 930s here and there for loaners and now have 5 total. I bought this one new since I wanted a walnut stocked one to modify for the daughter and niece and it looks like I got fairly lucky on the wood, so I kept it for myself. I will be ordering another one or two soon as they are back in stock for them.

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The ones I have been flawless, one actually sits in a bedside cradle for HD.

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I had issues with 2 barrels that Mossberg took prompt care of, provided return labels and each was back to me in less than 2 weeks. The one pictured now has several thousand rounds thru it. I even modified it to accept the drop shims, it took less than 20 minutes.

They all have digested every thing thrown at them. They are very simple to maintain, easy to tear down, including the trigger group, and for the dollar investment they cannot be beat. I really like the $500 +/- price range and the fact they are American made.
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I own and have shot the following: SBE II, M2, Silver, Gold, Maxus, A-500R/G, B2000, B80, SX1 SX2, SX3, 390, 3901, 1100, 11-87, and the Auto-5.

I would put the 930 up against all of them except the Auto-5, it is in a class all itself. With proper cleaning and little maintenance they have and will work as advertised, the 930 included.

I suggest you find a range with a few loaners and a good core group of regular shooters and rent/borrow/beg a few to shoot, and buy the one that fits and feels the best.

A reliable gun that doesn't fit may give you less problems mechanically, but it is a miserable gun to shoot. There are far more variables to a shotgun besides reliability, reliability can be had with a little fine tuning with most any gun, fit takes work.

I may like or dislike a particular brand or gun, but I rarely find one that is truly a POS as some describe. I have had guns like this laid in my lap that became reliable shooters with very little work, but occasionally I find a real a POS.
 
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Have you checked out Centerfire Systems web site for some shotguns. They sell Siega and others that will drums, magazines etc. Some even look more like and M-16 than a shot gun. I had a Siega for awhile and it was trouble free with the magazines and had a problem with one of two drums.
 
I suggest you find a range with a few loaners and a good core group of regular shooters and rent/borrow/beg a few to shoot, and buy the one that fits and feels the best.
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This is probably the best advice...you need to find what FITS you the best and what feels good to shoot. Renting/shooting family/friends shotguns will give you an idea of what you like
 
My family loves our Berettas. I have a 3901 and it is great. It can be finicky with lighter Winchester loads, but that is its only fault.

Since tactical training is on the menu, I would say at most a 26" barrel, with the optimum being closer to 20". The problem with that is, for hunting, a 26" barrel is more of a minimum.


My advice? Mossberg 930 SPX for defense, Beretta 390/391 for hunting.....try to mix the two if you can only afford one gun.
 
Thanx for the replies! really appreciated :)

So far I have two shotguns, Mossberg 590 and Saiga 12 (bought saiga few days ago and still can not decide whether keep it or sell it). I guess 930 will replace them both since they are available and do not cost very much. 590 is a hamvee in shotguns but heavy and bulky, Saiga will eat and digest everything you put in it but it lacks the versatility of a classic semi-auto shotgun and magazines are big and bulky also.

any opinions on Benelli shotguns?
 
any opinions on Benelli shotguns?
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IME they are great guns. Recoil is a tad more than Berettas due to the action, but not bad at all. My next shotgun will probably be a Benelli, because as far as being a workhorse, it is top of the line.
 
For your criteria the Benelli M-2 is the only logical choice. The lightest, simplest to clean and operate. Dead nuts reliable even when abused and filthy. No gas systems to keep clean. Plenty of tactical accessories. Pricey, but you said price was secondary.
 
I liked my benelli a lot. except it was kind of a pain to load. they need to redesign the lifter. And because it was so light the recoil was a little stout. And it's expensive.

I grew up with 870's so I sold it and went to a beautiful 1100. If the walmart beretta as still being made I'd say buy that.
 
If the walmart beretta as still being made I'd say buy that.
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It is -- it's the 3901 Citizen: just like the Wal-Mart one except with a rounded receiver instead of the humpback. I got one on sale at Gander Mountain for $525. I love it. Works great and is pretty much indestructible. My only complaint is that it can be tricky getting the bolt out and back in when cleaning. I don't break it down that far every time I clean, but when I do it's a bit annoying. My old Remington 1100 came apart and went back together more easily.
 
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I'll also vote for the 930 SPX. I just got one, and it is pretty easy to use. Came standard with ghost ring sights and magazine extension.
 
If I'm not mistaken, the Remington 1100 still holds the record for most rounds fired without malfunction, or cleaning, with a string of 24,000 or so. A machined steel receiver is not cheap, but it's hard to beat for durability and reliability.
 
GCBurner said:
If I'm not mistaken, the Remington 1100 still holds the record for most rounds fired without malfunction, or cleaning, with a string of 24,000 or so. A machined steel receiver is not cheap, but it's hard to beat for durability and reliability.
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Just hearsay, so take it as such… I’ve been told by several people that 1100’s are trash after a day on Argentine dove hunts.

Edit: I would gladly test this if someone here wants to finance the hunt. I'll supply the 1100.
 
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I'll also vote for the 930 SPX. I just got one, and it is pretty easy to use. Came standard with ghost ring sights and magazine extension.
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The SPX is not conducive to hunting, unless your using slugs.

If I wanted an easy to clean, long running gun it would be the 390 series. I have one and it i very easy to clean and actually runs really clean because of the piston design. The M2 is a great weapon, but way overpriced for what it is. You can buy a 20ga and 12ga 390 for the price of one M2. I just wish I could shoot the 390 as good as I do other guns, but I don't, so it is a safe queen.

This is the trigger group out of my 930 after more than 1000 rounds of Remington STS target loads:

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Applications will include but are not limited to: Occasional hunting, training including tactical scenarios, home defense, practical shooting
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Hunting isn't all he's wanting to do, and tactical scenarios/home defense is better served by a shorter gun.
 
I still wouldn't choose a SPX, it is a specific purpose weapon, the plain 930 combo would suit his needs and be about $100 cheaper an give him 2 barrels:

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The SPX is a fine weapon, but you are seriously handicapping someone who is new to shotguns. The LPA sights are cumbersome for someone at the entry level. A 930 combo with 18 1/2" HD/SD barrel and 28" bird/clays barrel will offer him everything he wants and more, more fun on the clay field and in the corn field if he chooses. I paid $525 + shipping for my combo, you cannot find a new SPX for that. I used the $100 and added the screw in Invector choke system and a tritium front sight to the 18 1/2" barrel.
 
For someone new to shotguns, I would recommend a Mossberg 500 Persuader 18.5" barrel. They are very simple and because of where the safety is located, it is much easier to unlock under stress than a Rem 870. A good reliable HD SG does not have to be/look tactical to do the job. I bought my Mossy for HD purposes and I was able to purchase a set of barrels (a vent ribbed 24" and a rifled deer barrel) for $125. They were well taken care of and like new. The only modification I have done to it was to swap out the synthetic stock for a youth stock.

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They are very simple and because of where the safety is located, it is much easier to unlock under stress than a Rem 870.
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For a lefty? Maybe. For a righty? I disagree. You can get caught by adrenaline and not remember whether safety is up or down, but with an 870 it is a simple push in. You have to adjust your grip more to disengage the safety on a Mossberg 500 than with a Remington 870
 
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