My son wants to upgrade to a 3 1/2 mag auto. I'm not a shotgun guy so this is new to me. His hunting friends say to get an inertia auto for reliability over a gas gun. I have a 11 87 rem and it has been flawless. Do the inertia guns have less recoil? He is looking at one of the new A5 brownings. Thanks Truman56
Inertia or gas Auto shotgun
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ugaarguy
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Gas guns have less recoil, and inertia guns typically require less adjustment to cycle a wider range of loads. I don't know what to tell you on the new A5 because it's new, so you'll probably have to wait for the early adopters to start providing meaningful feedback on it.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Gas guns kick far less, and IMO, are just as reliable.
I have a 1960's Browning A5 long-recoil operated shotgun.
And it kicks noticeably less then the Benelli inertia operated gun I bought to replace it.
That sucker gave me a recoil headache shooting 2 3/4" Mag turkey loads.
I sold the Benelli and kept the Browning A5!!
Was it me shooting 3.5" mags??
Go gas, or go home, with a bruised shoulder.
rc
I have a 1960's Browning A5 long-recoil operated shotgun.
And it kicks noticeably less then the Benelli inertia operated gun I bought to replace it.
That sucker gave me a recoil headache shooting 2 3/4" Mag turkey loads.
I sold the Benelli and kept the Browning A5!!
Was it me shooting 3.5" mags??
Go gas, or go home, with a bruised shoulder.
rc
Virginian
Member
A gas gun will kick less if the stocks are equal. The two piece stocks do reduce recoil to the shoulder, but I hate them. A gas gun will also usually handle a wider range of ammo reliably. The designs these days have a lot of automatic adjustment built in. With the right loads, the inertia guns do run clean and are reliable as the devil, but I do not like the feel of them. I have seen a lot more than one Super Black Eagle that would not cycle lighter loads, too.
A lot of the young people have bought whole hog into the Benelli marketing strategy - tough guys, beat snakes off, yada, yada. I am not faulting them or Benelli; there is nothing wrong with their guns at all. The new Browning is not our grandaddy's Auto 5, it is an inertia design. If you want inertia and 3-1/2" capability I would recommend the Franchi Intensity. Beretta owns Benelli and Franchi and from what I have seen you get everything but the Benelli name for a lot less money. I think it looks better too, but that's just me. Only know one guy with one, but he does love it. Lots of people are raving about the Franchi Affinity which is the same basic gun in 3".
A lot of the young people have bought whole hog into the Benelli marketing strategy - tough guys, beat snakes off, yada, yada. I am not faulting them or Benelli; there is nothing wrong with their guns at all. The new Browning is not our grandaddy's Auto 5, it is an inertia design. If you want inertia and 3-1/2" capability I would recommend the Franchi Intensity. Beretta owns Benelli and Franchi and from what I have seen you get everything but the Benelli name for a lot less money. I think it looks better too, but that's just me. Only know one guy with one, but he does love it. Lots of people are raving about the Franchi Affinity which is the same basic gun in 3".
A quality gun of either type will work equally well if kept even reasonably clean. The inertia guns might keep shooting a little longer if filthy or after being dropped in a swamp etc. They are a little easier to disassemble with fewer parts. An inertia gun is a little lighter which makes it a little easier to carry all day, but do recoil a bit harder. But certainly no worse than any other pump or double and millions use them with no complaints.
I've had 1100's, 11-87's, Mossberg 9200's, Stoeger 2000's, Beretta 390's along with most all of the various pumps and a few doubles. But several years ago found a good deal on one of the older Benelli' M-1's. This was right after the M-2's came out and a guy wanted to sell his 1 year old gun to buy the newer version.
After using it for a year I sold all of my other shotguns except for a couple of 870's and bought a 2nd M-1. These guns have proven to be more reliable over a wide range of loads than all of the others except the Beretta. The Beretta and Benelli's are the only guns that shot everything I put in them. Selling the Beretta was a difficult choice because I did like that gun, but the Benelli just fit my needs better. I'm not a real fan of the 3 1/2" SBE by Benelli though.
I'd strongly reconsider the 3 1/2" requirement. There is nothing he can't hunt with a gun that will shot 2 3/4" and 3" shells. I tried 3 1/2" shells and there is nothing I want to shoot bad enough to put up with that much recoil. I've never ran across any of the 3 1/2" guns that will 100% reliably shoot lighter shells. To me I can't see owning a gun that has the capability to shoot ammo I will use the least, while sacrificing reliability with the ammo I'll use the most.
I've had 1100's, 11-87's, Mossberg 9200's, Stoeger 2000's, Beretta 390's along with most all of the various pumps and a few doubles. But several years ago found a good deal on one of the older Benelli' M-1's. This was right after the M-2's came out and a guy wanted to sell his 1 year old gun to buy the newer version.
After using it for a year I sold all of my other shotguns except for a couple of 870's and bought a 2nd M-1. These guns have proven to be more reliable over a wide range of loads than all of the others except the Beretta. The Beretta and Benelli's are the only guns that shot everything I put in them. Selling the Beretta was a difficult choice because I did like that gun, but the Benelli just fit my needs better. I'm not a real fan of the 3 1/2" SBE by Benelli though.
I'd strongly reconsider the 3 1/2" requirement. There is nothing he can't hunt with a gun that will shot 2 3/4" and 3" shells. I tried 3 1/2" shells and there is nothing I want to shoot bad enough to put up with that much recoil. I've never ran across any of the 3 1/2" guns that will 100% reliably shoot lighter shells. To me I can't see owning a gun that has the capability to shoot ammo I will use the least, while sacrificing reliability with the ammo I'll use the most.
orphanedcowboy
Member
With the quality of ammo these days, a 3 1/2" shell is really obsolete and overpriced.
I would vote for a Franchi Affinity in 12ga myself or the Intensity if he really must have a 3 1/2" gun.
I would vote for a Franchi Affinity in 12ga myself or the Intensity if he really must have a 3 1/2" gun.
Hunterdad
Member
I shot a a3.5" inertia benelli and it was awful. Just as much recoil as a 3.5" pump. I'd definitely go with a gas gun.
AZ Desertrat
Member
I have the Benelli M2....recoil is fairly hard becasue it is a very light gun...but the inertia system has been flawless....never a FTE or FTF with this after a few thousand rounds.
Gas!! The inertia guns may have a slight edge with heavy loads when dirty and cold, but other than that the gas guns are my choice every time. Any of the newer designed gas autos will cycle just about any load from low recoil target to the heaviest hunting loads. The inertia action, by design just can't be that versatile. While recoil is subjective, the inertia guns seem to kick much worse than even a pump or o/u firing the same load to me. Gas guns really seem to take the edge off the recoil.
oneounceload
member
I have 2 Beretta A400s - one target, one field. BOTH shoot my 3/4oz 12 gauge reloads while one handles 3" the other 3/5" inch ammo. The A5 is recoil operated, not gas or inertia. The gas guns will have slightly less perceived recoil as the gas action elongates the recoil pulse, assuming both weigh the same. However, most inertia guns weigh less than a gas gun, so the actual recoil will be more
I have ZERO use for some retina-detaching, shoulder destroying 3.5" load
I have ZERO use for some retina-detaching, shoulder destroying 3.5" load
throdgrain
Member
Only thing with the gas guns, they are filthy to clean after the inertia ones.
oneounceload
member
Not if you shoot good quality ammo
I just bought an A400 for this season. This is a gas gun with the kickoff stock. Cleaning is relatively simple. The gas system is really just one removable piston. If you need to remove the bolt and trigger assembly it's pull the bolt handle and knock out 1 pin. There are no o-rings to fool with and there are no devices or settings for various power loads.
I shot several 3-1/2" bbb's and T's yesterday. No problems with recoil or function. I was given a couple boxes of 3-1/2" by a guy that didn't like the recoil. I like the 3-1/2" steel loads for geese, flat knocks them down hard. I shot this same gun with 1 oz skeet loads for skeet league. 10 week league I had 1 failure to eject a hull when the gun was fairly new. I always loaded 2, even for singles just to break in the gun.
I shot several 3-1/2" bbb's and T's yesterday. No problems with recoil or function. I was given a couple boxes of 3-1/2" by a guy that didn't like the recoil. I like the 3-1/2" steel loads for geese, flat knocks them down hard. I shot this same gun with 1 oz skeet loads for skeet league. 10 week league I had 1 failure to eject a hull when the gun was fairly new. I always loaded 2, even for singles just to break in the gun.
Kernel
Member
If you shoot thousands of rounds playing shotgun games, then a softer shooting gas gun might have some merit. For hunting I like the Benelli inertia system just for the simplity, durability, and lower part count.
Master Blaster
Member
I have been shooting Gas guns since 1978, Remington 1100, Beretta 391, Remington 1187, and Now a Beretta A400. I have never had a problem with reliability or durability. I mostly shoot trap with them, usually 100 shells +- in a session. My pump guns have a bit more kick. I have shot a Benelli inertia Gun a couple times and it had the kick off stock. As far as durability goes the Boy Scout Camp I help out at offers the shotgun merit badge in the summer, and they have the boys shoot 1100 and 1187's they have guns that are 20 years old and see a few thousand shells each summer. They hold up just fine.
Master Blaster
Member
There you go.
If you want an inertia gun look at a Franchi Affinity 3" or Franchi Intensity Max-4 3.5" same operation as a Benelli, same design and company, half the price.
DHart
Member
I suggest having a good look at the Remington Versamax... reliability is great with a wide range of loads and the gun is remarkably soft shooting. The 3-gun guys who really shoot the bejeezies out of their shotguns and run them hard are finding that the Versamax is a top choice that serves them exceptionally well. I think it would also make a great hunting gun. Very pleasureable to shoot. Definitely add it to the list of considerations.
throdgrain
Member
I shoot my 11-87 with expensive Blue Diamond cartridges http://www.gamebore.com/products/41/12g-blue-diamond and the gun is still filthy, much much more so than my old Benelli M2 with the same ammunition.
having owned every auto imaginable, I'm down to two. Franchi Affinity (Benelli) in both 20 and 12 gauge. 7 year bumper to bumper warranty and cycles any shell imaginable, unlike gas guns. Almost the same gun as the Benelli M2 with the exception of the recoil spring...
Redlg155
Member
If I'm not mistaken, I believe Benelli went with a gas operated gun in their latest rendition of the M series.
Virginian
Member
The Benelli M4 is gas operated because it is designed to have red dot scopes, lights, or whatever attached to it. An inertia action requires the receiver to move rapidly to the rear upon the shot to actuate the action, so adding weight is a big no-no for inertia guns to function reliably.
berettashotgun
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The winchester SX2 seems like it kicks about on par with the SBE I sold, because it kicked too much.
The Extrema 1 sure shoots softer than expected, but back about 10-12 years ago bought a Gold light 10ga and haven't shot many ( any?) 12ga 3.5" shells since.
Use 2.75" on ducks and the 10ga on geese/turkeys.
The Extrema 1 sure shoots softer than expected, but back about 10-12 years ago bought a Gold light 10ga and haven't shot many ( any?) 12ga 3.5" shells since.
Use 2.75" on ducks and the 10ga on geese/turkeys.
Virginian
Member
The NEW Browning A5 is an inertia action - not your grandaddy's Browning Auto 5.
cdb1
Member
I haven't shot one but have read numerous reports that the new A5 has harsher recoil than the Benelli's. I also have a Franchi Affinity in 12 and 20 gauge and shoot them more accurately than my other shotguns. They are used for dove and quail. When shooting heavy loads I switch to a Maxus or SX3 because their recoil is much softer. I too have no use for 3.5" shells and don't own a shotgun chambered for such.
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