Straight Shooter
Well-Known Member
Also, if shooting heavy loads there is a big difference between gas operated and inertia operated shotguns when it comes to recoil.
Looking for my first semi-auto shotgun
- Thread starter Kmccord
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J E Custom
Well-Known Member
+1 for the Beretta Extrema.
It will handle any load from 1oz 2 3/4 light dove to 2 1/4 oz 3 1/2" Turkey loads without any adjusting or spring change without any issues.
It is a large shotgun that was specially built/designed for 3 1/2" shells, unlike many others that were/are modified 3" guns to accommodate the 3 1/2 inch shells.
This is my go to shotgun for the salt marsh.
J E CUSTOM
It will handle any load from 1oz 2 3/4 light dove to 2 1/4 oz 3 1/2" Turkey loads without any adjusting or spring change without any issues.
It is a large shotgun that was specially built/designed for 3 1/2" shells, unlike many others that were/are modified 3" guns to accommodate the 3 1/2 inch shells.
This is my go to shotgun for the salt marsh.
J E CUSTOM
460 magnum
Well-Known Member
^^^ Like I said only thing I've seen stop mine is a truck running it over and that really didn't stop it put a new butt stock and spring on it and it shot again. But some other things came up after that incident that may or may not have been related cant really say for sure.
Kmccord
Well-Known Member
This is another area I was looking into, gas or inertia? I have only had pump shotguns, I read with gas, problems could come from gas tube or ports getting dirty and causing issues with ejecting, is it really that much of a problem or just another scare tactic?? How much of a difference in kick with be between gas vs inertia?
Kmccord
Well-Known Member
Speaking on large shotgun, this past duck season I started back into shotgun hunting, last time was mid 80s, so I pull out my old Mossberg 12 gauge pump, screw on my 36 inch Goose barrel, my grandson laughed the whole time we were hunting. It looked like a Howitzer, hehe. I just told him if you want to stop the quack you got to send up some flak..
He was shooting a Berreta A300.
460 magnum
Well-Known Member
There is a big difference in gas and inertia. In my opinion almost as much as a pump and a inertia. I liked my gas driven gun never had a problem with it getting to dirty to shoot. I have went all season long hard duck and goose hunting in boats on the Mississippi river (lot of sand), pits, lay out blinds, standing in waist deep water in the timber and swamps gun half in the water at that point if using a sling even dropping it in the swamp a couple of times, crawling ditches sneaking on snow geese and not once had the gun so dirty it wouldn't shoot. I know it sounds like I don't take care of my stuff but I bought the gun as a tool to be used and I would say that waterfowl hunting is as hard as you can get on a gun.
Creedmoor shooter
Well-Known Member
I grew up shooting an inertia. I'd much rather have gas driven. Ya its alittle dirtier but I've never had issues. My shoulder likes me better too
Personally, I like the Berretas, but their are many quality shotguns for your price point. One I have is an older Berreta A303 trap gun that has fired countless thousands of shells, and not once, has it has ever failed me. The others have not either, but they only come out for hunting.
I grew up shooting an inertia. I'd much rather have gas driven. Ya its alittle dirtier but I've never had issues. My shoulder likes me better too
Ugh. Reminds me of my youth and using my brother's 11-48 Remington during a couple of seasons on the dove fields. I hated that thing.
I have had both. Kept the gas gun. Recoil is quite a bit less with heavy loads in my experience.
My gas gun has had literally thousands of round through it, from doves to turkey to pheasants, chukar, quail, hungarian partridge, sharptail grouse and prairie chickens. I have shot quite a bit of clays with it. Never a hiccup. I tend to keep it pretty clean though, wiping it down after a hard day and if it has been wet, snowing or muddy I will do a basic dissassemble at night and wipe the seeds, dirt and moisture out of it. End of season it gets a thorough cleaning. Browning Gold. Has never jammed on me.
I have several double guns too, but in all honesty, I shoot the semi a touch better and it recoils less.
My gas gun has had literally thousands of round through it, from doves to turkey to pheasants, chukar, quail, hungarian partridge, sharptail grouse and prairie chickens. I have shot quite a bit of clays with it. Never a hiccup. I tend to keep it pretty clean though, wiping it down after a hard day and if it has been wet, snowing or muddy I will do a basic dissassemble at night and wipe the seeds, dirt and moisture out of it. End of season it gets a thorough cleaning. Browning Gold. Has never jammed on me.
I have several double guns too, but in all honesty, I shoot the semi a touch better and it recoils less.
FIGJAM
Well-Known Member
I purposely didn't clean my versamax for the entire upland and waterfowl season to see if I would have problems with the gas system - so 4 months and close to 900 rounds varying from target loads to 3 1/2s it went bang everytime I pulled the trigger and cycled everything I fed it...what more can you ask for? A lot of those rounds were fired in nasty weather and super cold temps. I was a credit card swipe away from an SBII, so glad I went with the versamax. I am a big guy, 6'5" 250, so maybe I just didn't notice how 2x4 ish it is - if you are in to skinny jeans and flat bills, something like a benelli or beretta would probably fit you better
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
From a functional stand point, The Extrema has a different gas system than most that functions a lot like the AKs. It has a piston but it operates in a cylinder that automatically vents off any excess gas not needed to function. (It only uses the amount of gas needed and vents the rest under the fore end, keeping the action clean. This system is more common now than it was in the past when the first Extrema was built.
This system is very dependable and enables you to shoot all different loads without failure to function. I'm sure that some of the better manufactures have gone to this gas system and rightly so.
Not pushing the Extrema, But it would be/is my first choice for water foul hunting, and is devastating on Turkeys. with the shot count of the 3 1/2" magnum 2's or 4's I have cleanly taken Turkeys between
60 and 75 yards.
J E CUSTOM
This system is very dependable and enables you to shoot all different loads without failure to function. I'm sure that some of the better manufactures have gone to this gas system and rightly so.
Not pushing the Extrema, But it would be/is my first choice for water foul hunting, and is devastating on Turkeys. with the shot count of the 3 1/2" magnum 2's or 4's I have cleanly taken Turkeys between
60 and 75 yards.
J E CUSTOM
imartin
Well-Known Member
Pick the gun that fits the best and feels right. A lot of good suggestions already. When I'm thinking about semi-auto shotguns, it's going to be a gas gun, otherwise I will just grab my BPS. My Weatherby SA-08 weighs next to nothing and is a joy to carry. The gun is super reliable and you will shocked at how a sub 7 lb gun can have so little recoil (thank you gas system). Just another option. If I was looking at buying a new semi auto, of the two you mentioned, the A300 would be on the shortlist. For me, if you keep any of the newer semi's clean, and feed them the ammo they were designed to handle, they will all run.
geo4061
Well-Known Member
The Remington Versa Max is as good or better than any thing out there. Plus it is made in the U.S.A.. Mine is my favorite gun. Just pick one up. Add an EO Tech and you have the ultimate weapon.
