New Gun for Christmas

[sodfather]

The wife says I can get a new shotgun after Christmas so lets hear it what should I get? I want another 12 gauge and use it for Ducks, Turkey, and maybee Deer if I get another barrel. Thinking about the benelli super black eagle, can anyone here have one or can anyone recomend something else. Thanks for the replies. 

[nyantler]

Nothing beats the old Remington 870 dollar for dollar its a great shotgun... that is unless you're an automatic guy. I have a friend that is one of the top trap shooters in the northeast and he uses a 30 year old 870. Not that the Winchesters and Ithaca's aren't nice shotguns.. but for the money.. 870 for me every time.

[sodfather]

I have an 870 already an yes I love it but looking for a semi auto. Thanks

[jr.deerslayer]

its hard to beat the SBE i personaly own a beretta but my friends all hunt with the benelli's. they never had a problem with them other than personal error when someone would hit the slide with their hand, not letting it shut right.

[16. ga hunter]

if you would not mind a used gun my sportsman 48 cycles shells well and is a pleasure to carry/clean shoot inertia operated too so no issues with being dirty

[132 eight pointer]

Check out shotgunworld.com        they have forums that you may find helpful.

[sodfather]

Ill check that out thanks.

[WNYBuckHunter]

If you are spending the money for a Benelli, take a look at Beretta. The 391s and 400s are nice shotguns and can run a few hundred less than a SBE depending on the exact model. You can get a rifled barrel for the 391 for under $300 right from Beretta, so for what you would spend on an SBE, you could have a nice American made 391 with a deer barrel.

[sodfather]

Ya I will check that out the sbe is around 2 g's and thats a little high, it just felt good.

[WNYBuckHunter]

The biggest difference besides the price is the Beretta is gas operated, not inertia driven. They just require a little more cleaning, but if you are letting a $1k plus shotgun sit around dirty, you dont deserve to own it lol. 

[sodfather]

Right on I clean my gun now everytime I shoot and I had my 870 for some time now.

[sodfather]

Does the Beretta shoot the heavy 3 an half inch loads for turkey?

[jr.deerslayer]

Are you talking about the new one?

[sodfather]

yes

[WNYBuckHunter]

The 400s will, but they are a little more pricey than the 391s. The 391s will handle 3" loads, which do fine on turkey.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

All this talk and no mention of the 1187?

[steve863]

All this talk and no mention of the 1187?

Yup, I've had one since 1989.  Never had one single jam or problem with it.  For the price, which is a good bit less than a Beretta or Benelli it can't be beat.  The one advantage the others might have over the Remington is weight.  These newer Beretta's and Benelli's do weigh considerably less which may not be great when one shoots a magnum turkey load, but it sure helps when one is lugging one around. 

[Doewhacker]

I don't know steve, the price on auto loading remi's has gone way up to damn near the same as the others. You are right about the weight though, I handled a really light weight auto loader that makes the Remington feel like a sand bag..I don't recall the brand but the guy used it for bird hunting. It made me want one!

[steve863]

Yeah, none of them are cheap these days.  I do think you can still get a no-frills "sportsman" 11-87 for a good deal less than the others.  Whether one wants to pay an extra $500 for less weight is one's own choice I guess.  Light weight surely does help when you carry them around a lot, so if I were buying a new one maybe I would go for it.

[Dinsdale]

FWIW;

I have a Beretta 391 with both 28" bird and slug barrel(cantilever scope) in 12 ga and have had excellent results with both.

Had 2 other gas operated guns and this requires far less maintenance(ie. easy to clean) and is by far the most reliable I have owned.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have the 11-87. cantilever mount and bird barrel. I love it but to be honest I don't use it for deer anymore, just turkey, duck and goose. I carry my encore ML. I actually like a heavier gun and they just seem to handle better for me. especially on ducks. the tendency to stop the swing on a heavirer gun  seems less likely to me. just my opinion. I have shot all kinds of loads and never had a jamming problem. one thing i have noticed ...just like the old 1100....light oil and wipe dry. they do not like heavy oil...especially in cold weather.

so until the heavy 1187 gives me an arm ache as I age.....I am sticking with her...lol. Matt black with black syn stocks  with 26" VR barrel and a Cant rifled barrel was out the door under a grand in 2001

[steve863]

so until the heavy 1187 gives me an arm ache as I age.....I am sticking with her...lol.

Same here!  I need a new gun like I need a punch in the nose, so I won't be spending $1200 on any new gun any time soon!!

[First-light]

My 1187 has been very very good to me but she has put on a few pounds the last couple of years! Man those guns are heavy, I need to work out some more!

[jr.deerslayer]

Our hunting group has owned and used 1187's for years. When you're hunting in cold weather and its wet, you tend to see the problems. We have never seen a 1187 that worked flawlessly. I can remember one, brand new that would not cycle the third shot, and the second which on close inspection had a cracked reciever. Both were returned to the company and fixed but when you are out in the field , you are pretty much screwed for the rest of the month waiting on a shotgun. Not trying to bash Remington, we have owned a few too. Just saying none of them are without their problems.

[steve863]

I can remember one, brand new that would not cycle the third shot

Burt, Culver and I actually don't know if our 11-87's would cycle the third shot or not because we have always bagged something with the first or second shots.  LOL

Just kidding there!