Ultimate Auto for Dove!

[Gun Geezer]

Well, I've decided life is too short. i am gong to buy me a new autoloader. it'll be 12ga, 28" barrel.

I prefer a wood stock, but i might let that go.

I'll shoot only 2 3/4" shells in light (1oz) to heavy (1 1/4 oz) game or field loads. Whatever I get needs to cycle that with 100% reliablilty. This gun will never see a duck pond or goose spread.

What shotgun have i just described?

 

[JRs12Valve]

Brand new: No.
Tried and True: Yes.

Browning A5

 

[AKElroy]

Hard to find a dedicated 2 3/4" auto. This 1100 is my primary dove gun. 1973 DOM, I found it on GB advertised as NIB. It shipped in the original box, and I could find no evidence it had ever been fired. They are out there if you look.

 

[AKElroy]

I find the action on the 1100 dampens felt recoil the most of any auto I have fired, and I've tried a bunch. This one is fixed modified, 28", 2 3/4" only. Very soft shooting. I have no intention of even adding a pad to it. Does not need it if I keep my form right.

Another benefit of buying an older used? They are MUCH prettier than the new stuff. Better wood, better checkering, deeper blue, very high gloss. That all takes hand finishing, something modern manufacturers no longer do on affordable guns.

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.berettausa.com/products/beretta-a300-outlander-wood-12ga-28-mc3/

rc

 

[clang]

It's hard to go wrong with a Beretta. I have an AL-390 that has never jammed or misfired on me. The 3901 is very similar. Both can be had on the used market with wood furniture in the $600 range.

 

[jrdolall]

Beretta gets the nod from me in 12 g. Expensive but a great gun.
I have an older 1100 that has killed many a dove, deer, duck and rabbit and it always travels with me as a backup gun now. Kind of like the old retriever.
I started using a 20g auto a few years back for dove but I flip flop as the season progresses. The gun I shoot best is a Mossberg 20 gauge bolt. 185k-A I think is the model. It was my grandfathers and is absolutely a dove slayer probably because it is a one shot per group gun though I have gotten the occasional double.

 

[jmr40]

Virtually all new semi's are setup for 2 3/4" and 3" shells. Don't have to shoot them if you don't want to. You didn't give a budget. Prices are all over the place. A Remington works as well as ever, which is pretty good, but they are a 1960's design. There have been lots of improvements in more modern designs. Hard to go wrong with Beretta or Benelli. Just have to decide if you want gas or inerta operated. I prefer the Benelli, but I believe the Beretta might be better fit for you.

 

[oneounceload]

Benelli (pick one) or the Beretta A400

 

[Gun Geezer]

All dandy replies.

The budget is less than $1500, which should be easy to do.

I've enjoyed many Rem 1100 and 870. Great guns. But my old 1100 was a tad finicky on the shell you fed it, and had the occasional jam.

I'd sure like to find a Baretta 300 Outlander to hold. That's a fine looking gun!

 

[AKElroy]

I sold a beautiful Beneli montelfeltro to buy the 1100 pictured in my earlier post, and have not regretted it once. Recoil operated semi's kick like a break-action, especially the uber lightweight beneli's. If recoil is an issue, I would stick with a gas operated gun. I'm not recoil shy at all, but having that long, clunky action of the 1100 really spreads the energy over a longer period of time. All the modern guns are designed to cycle as fast as lightening, and I simply don't need that for dove IMO. it goes bang as fast as I can re-acquire anyway.

It seems like all the manufacturers are in a race for the lightest, fastest rig they can build. When I'm backing my truck under a tree and sitting in a lawn chair to hunt, the weight of my shotgun is not really important to me.

 

[jgh4445]

Benelli Vinci. Very light. Fast to swing. Never jams even with the lightest loads. Shoots fast as lightening. Breaks down into 3 parts really easy and fast for cleaning.

 

[PabloJ]

Brand new: No.
Tried and True: Yes.

Browning A5

Unless you're talking about the new Browning-nelli the requirement for use of light & heavy game loads interchangeably would tend to eliminate old Browning A5.

 

[loose noose]

I agree with AKELROY, You won't find a better, well balanced, reliable gun, than a Remington 1100. The newer up dated 11-87 is also a nice semi-auto, but if I remember right it is a bit heavier. At my age every little bit of weight matters.

 

[VA27]

Dove only? Get a 20ga. Benelli Montefeltro (wood) or a M1 Super 90 field gun (synthetic).

 

[Double_J]

Elmer Fudd's shotgun would be a good one. He never had a problem shooting LOTS of shells without reloading, nor jamming.

I would vote for the 1100/11-87 line if I were to buy one. I would also look real hard at a 20 gauge due to lighter recoil, and some really nice shot shell loads for dove. I think one of the beretta/benelli lines would be good too but at a higher price point.

 

[rbernie]

Montefeltro.

 

[AKElroy]

I could not get my montefltro to fit. Tried every shim and angle, still got slapped in the face. Way to light for a dove gun IMO. For upland hunting requiring a bunch of hiking and walking around without a lot of shooting, I guess it would be fine. On my texas lease, we just sit in the shade next to water and wait on the birds to fly. A nice heavy 12 swings steady and shoots soft. Your experience may vary.

 

[rcmodel]

I sold my new Benelli M2 after one turkey season.

Very hard kicking SOB with turkey loads.

And the shell cut-off do-dad totally confused me in the dark while setting decoys and then shooting toms with an empty gun, twice.

Went back to my old Browning A5.

It kicks far less.

And the mag cut-off is so simple even a caveman can do it in the dark!!

rc

 

[MCgunner]

It's no longer made, but you did describe my Winchester 1400. I'll add, it shoots so soft that it doesn't need a recoil pad and it fits perfectly, me, anyway. Get a gas gun, for sure. I sometimes burn up a lot of rounds on a good dove hunt extended weekend. The soft recoil is NICE.

EKElroy says..."I find the action on the 1100 dampens felt recoil the most of any auto I have fired, "

Don't guess you've ever fired a Winchester 1400. It's softer by MY calibrated shoulder. But, they don't make it anymore. Funny thing about gas guns, to me, the hotter the load, the softer it seems. But, that might be due to the fact that in winter when I'm shooting fasteel heavy steel shot loads, I have on a thick coat, usually. Not always, though. I've seen it 90 degrees here on Christmas.

 

[browningguy]

Although I have plenty of 12 ga. guns, for dove hunting I use a 20. For your budget you can get a very nice gun, the Benelli Montefeltro Silver, a better shooting shotgun can't be found.

 

[45crittergitter]

I find it impossible to call any 12 gauge the ultimate gun for a 4 oz. bird.

 

[BigBore44]

I agree that a 20 is more enjoyable for dove hunting. But you said 12. My vote for looks...Benelli. My vote for function/recoil....Rem 1100 or Win 1400. Both are just down right fun to swing on those little birds.

 

[Deer_Freak]

Unless you a disciplined shooter you might be better off with a single shot. I have seen shooters shoot more shells and kill less doves with a single shot than I did with a pump.

Gauge doesn't really matter. A 12 ga will be heavier and you can get light loads for a 12 ga. I would recommend a 12 ga if this is your only repeating shotgun. Every gun manufacturer has one gun that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The Beretta A300 is head and shoulders above the rest of the semi auto shotguns.

 

[Virginian]

No 12 gauge can be an ultimate dove gun. 20 or 28 is plenty.