Looking for a new all around Shotgun

[dreamhunt]

I'm in the market for a good all around semi auto shotgun. Mainly for turkeys but with the ability to swap over to upland birds or ducks then maybe put a slug barrel on it for deer. I was leaning toward the Benelli SBE and was all set to pull the trigger till I seen that Cabelas has a sale on the Winchester SX3.
They have a "Black Shadow" model and a "Waterfowl" model. Besides the color does anyone know the difference between the 2. Also are these drilled and tapped to install a red dot?
My main reason is even though my old Mossberg 835 is accurate the dang muzzle rise is getting old. If I do miss, like I did this past weekend on a turkey, I can not get a follow up shot. The **** thing flys up and out of my forward hand with 3" turkey loads. Doesn't bother the shoulder a bit though. I guess I could get the barrel ported but not sure what something like that would cost.

 

[codyadams]

I'm in the market for a good all around semi auto shotgun. Mainly for turkeys but with the ability to swap over to upland birds or ducks then maybe put a slug barrel on it for deer. I was leaning toward the Benelli SBE and was all set to pull the trigger till I seen that Cabelas has a sale on the Winchester SX3.
They have a "Black Shadow" model and a "Waterfowl" model. Besides the color does anyone know the difference between the 2. Also are these drilled and tapped to install a red dot?
My main reason is even though my old Mossberg 835 is accurate the dang muzzle rise is getting old. If I do miss, like I did this past weekend on a turkey, I can not get a follow up shot. The *Rule 4 Violation* thing flys up and out of my forward hand with 3" turkey loads. Doesn't bother the shoulder a bit though. I guess I could get the barrel ported but not sure what something like that would cost.

I have an SX3 Waterfowl. The difference between it and the black shadow is the waterfowl has a 3.5" chamber (vs. 3") and a piston set up for magnum shells.

I love my SX3 for waterfowl, and wouldn't hesitate to use it for turkeys. It is not drilled and tapped however. It runs like a top, can't recall the last malfunction I had, and I have used is for 4 or 5 heavy waterfowl seasons now, including some intense snow geese hunting up in Canada. As far as follow ups....I can nearly empty this extended tube on a flock of snows before the last ones are out of range if they come in tight!! Ha ha

However, unless it is spotlessly clean or heavily oiled, it does not cycle light trap loads very reliably, I found out on my first pigeon shoot with it. The magnum piston does not let enough gas through to cycle. So, IF you get this shotgun and want the 3.5" chamber for turkeys, but also want to use it for trap, get the waterfowl model then buy the standard piston, it is about a 30 second swap, keep it in an oiled zip lock bag in my blindbag. May be too much of a hastle for you, but I really like my SX3.

 

[geo4061]

Versa Max

 

[codyadams]

Versa Max

My cousin got one about 6 months after they came out, he loves it. Nearly 10 years with it now, he had the link assembly on the back of the bolt break on a -20 degree hunt one morning 3 years ago, remington got him a part shipped within 3 days, and recently it has been having feeding issues, but the gun has had somewhere in the area of 5 cases of duck loads and probably 5-8 cases of trap loads a year through it. Also, no worry about pistons. A very good all around shotgun.

 

[dreamhunt]

I have an SX3 Waterfowl. The difference between it and the black shadow is the waterfowl has a 3.5" chamber (vs. 3") and a piston set up for magnum shells.

I love my SX3 for waterfowl, and wouldn't hesitate to use it for turkeys. It is not drilled and tapped however. It runs like a top, can't recall the last malfunction I had, and I have used is for 4 or 5 heavy waterfowl seasons now, including some intense snow geese hunting up in Canada. As far as follow ups....I can nearly empty this extended tube on a flock of snows before the last ones are out of range if they come in tight!! Ha haView attachment 158370

However, unless it is spotlessly clean or heavily oiled, it does not cycle light trap loads very reliably, I found out on my first pigeon shoot with it. The magnum piston does not let enough gas through to cycle. So, IF you get this shotgun and want the 3.5" chamber for turkeys, but also want to use it for trap, get the waterfowl model then buy the standard piston, it is about a 30 second swap, keep it in an oiled zip lock bag in my blindbag. May be too much of a hastle for you, but I really like my SX3.

OMG! That's one beautiful shotgun, I love the finish and the American flag on it just makes it more appealing to me. Thanks, I'll be get one of these.

 

[cacsrx1]

I've been burned too many times on gas operated guns. I now own 2 super black eagles and a super Vincci. Super Vinci is better balanced of the two. I use these for trap, upland birds, ducks/geese, and the occasional coyote.

 

[460 magnum]

Beretta Is my favorite shot gun brand. Only down side to them is they are so dang expensive. But they shoot so good I've killed turkey out to 60 yards (using a Primos choke) ducks and geese that far. Coyotes with BBB at probably 45 yards with a Kicks High Flyer, I believe its a improved cylinder for the bigger steel shot. I do like the SX3 it would be my second choice.

 

[codyadams]

OMG! That's one beautiful shotgun, I love the finish and the American flag on it just makes it more appealing to me. Thanks, I'll be get one of these.

The mag extension is made by Nordic components, with that I can hold 13 rounds of 3", 14 if I float one. With my pattermaster choke tube, the choke is flush with the end of the extension.

 

[Orange Dust]

It's been my experience that the Browning-Winchester guns pattern non toxic shot better than Beretta-Benelli if that matters. The VersaMax will run dirty better than ANY semi auto including the Benelli SBE, which is recoil operated and kicks pretty hard. The VersaMax generally patterns well also.

 

[codyadams]

It's been my experience that the Browning-Winchester guns pattern non toxic shot better than Beretta-Benelli if that matters. The VersaMax will run dirty better than ANY semi auto including the Benelli SBE, which is recoil operated and kicks pretty hard. The VersaMax generally patterns well also.

Yup. The VersaMax gas port system is a combination of simplicity and genius that is somewhat laughable it didn't come out sooner

 

[Orange Dust]

Yup. The VersaMax gas port system is a combination of simplicity and genius that is somewhat laughable it didn't come out sooner

Problem is Remington had so many failures with gas guns since the 1100 no one will buy one and try it LOL. I have a Waterfowl Pro. Only auto I ever owned that I could leave in the SxS all duck season, guiding every day, and not clean, or even wipe it down all season. I would only bring it in and stand it on its muzzle and let it dry if drenched with rain LOL. It MIGHT even get wiped with an oily rag when that happens. One tough shotgun. My kid shoots it now. All the camo is worn off.

 

[Backcountry sports]

I'm in the market for a good all around semi auto shotgun. Mainly for turkeys but with the ability to swap over to upland birds or ducks then maybe put a slug barrel on it for deer. I was leaning toward the Benelli SBE and was all set to pull the trigger till I seen that Cabelas has a sale on the Winchester SX3.
They have a "Black Shadow" model and a "Waterfowl" model. Besides the color does anyone know the difference between the 2. Also are these drilled and tapped to install a red dot?
My main reason is even though my old Mossberg 835 is accurate the dang muzzle rise is getting old. If I do miss, like I did this past weekend on a turkey, I can not get a follow up shot. The *Rule 4 Violation* thing flys up and out of my forward hand with 3" turkey loads. Doesn't bother the shoulder a bit though. I guess I could get the barrel ported but not sure what something like that would cost.

 

[Backcountry sports]

Get a benelli it works for all

 

[Orange Dust]

Get a benelli it works for all

Hardly anyone around here shoots one anymore since they fixed the carrier so you cannot do the "Benelli Shuffle" which was two in the magazine, one in the chamber, and another under the bolt carrier. It would feed all four shells and instantly became the "Arkansas Purdy" because of this. This was the only thing the Super Black Eagle had going for it. Not nearly as good a gun or as reliable as the M1. The feds caught on to this and made Benelli fix the carrier so you could only shoot it three times. They are prone to breakage, do not pattern steel very well, and they kick noticeably harder than a gas gun. I've had three of them. The last one I spent enough on the barrel to replace the gun. Had it back bored, honed, bent, because it shot to the left, and custom chokes made. Ended up with a gun that patterned as well as an Invector plus back bored barrel that you could cheat and shoot 4 times. The Versa Max feeds just like the old Benelli's if that tells you anything.