Suggestions on new Auto Loader Purchase?

[Mollyontherun]

I'm looking at the Mossberg 930 Waterfowl. It seems to have both quality and affordabilty.

I would be grateful for opinions on this and other similar priced guns.

P.S. I only want to consider an autoloader.

[mcbosco]

They are very popular with duck hunters in NJ. I have only heard that they require more break-in than some other guns before they cycle smoothly. There is a guy at my skeet club that says his wont cycle Winchester shells, but you hear stuff like that all the time about certain shells just not Winchesters.

Seems like a good value.

[northern cajun]

Played with my brothers Benilli Super Black Eagle a little this year those guns are very nice.

[nikegundog]

I was loaned a mossberg 20 gauge for a day of hunting (not sure the model but it was two years old). The thing I disliked about it was it didn't seem like the magazine tube had a tapered end. So when I tried to feed the shells in blindly they got held up and took a small amount of effort to feed them in. The guy who loaned me the gun said he felt the same way about it. I hope this makes some sense. You might try to find someone who has one and trying feeding it shells because a large gun shop isn't going to allow it,

[Ryman Gun Dog]

Mollyontherun,
The only auto loader I would ever own was an old 1100, it worked smooth as glass for the entire time I owned it, however for a single BBL Duck Gun I much prefer the old Win, Model 12 which is a pump gun, that I could operate faster than any semi-auto, and much more reliable in the blind and the forest. Just my experience with the shotguns.
RGD/Dave

[Mountaineer]

Beretta, Benelli, Browning.

Any shotgun can have issues.

[jarbo03]

Have never shot one, but have read and heard a lot of good things about the 930. The other Mossbergs i have hunted with or around have been good guns.

[gsp3333]

The best auto I have ever owned is the Beretta 390. Not a 3 1/2" chamber but cycles anything anytime anywhere. Everybody has parts for them if needed. Can pick up a good used one for about $400.

[mcbosco]

http://www.berettausa.com/products/3901 ... synthetic/

This is interesting I didn't realize a new B 3901 was this price.

[Mollyontherun]

Mollyontherun,
The only auto loader I would ever own was an old 1100, it worked smooth as glass for the entire time I owned it, however for a single BBL Duck Gun I much prefer the old Win, Model 12 which is a pump gun, that I could operate faster than any semi-auto, and much more reliable in the blind and the forest. Just my experience with the shotguns.
RGD/Dave

Thanks Dave,

I also like the reliability of the pumps. We own a Winchester 1300. We also own an 1100 magnum. I just bought a steel shot barrel for it. However, my son wants it back Unfortunately, I have a neck issue that does not allow a lot of recoil. So I need to stick with semi-Autos.

[B BUG]

I love my Benellis and would highly suggest looking for a good used one. The ease of operation ie: take down is unmatced . This really comes into play for duck hunters. The only negative I have on the superblack eagle is in the upland woods they tend to collect debris in the chamber causing the occasional cycling problem.
Les

[nj gsp]

I have several autos and without question the best one I've ever owned or shot is the Winchester SX3 I bought last year. The gun is just awesome - handles great, and comes with a complete shim kit for fitting the stock to you. I have friends with 935's and they all have issues with 3-1/2" shells jamming. But I'd say wait a bit, save up a few extra bucks, and spend the $1200 on the SX2, or a SBE. I'd pass on a 930.

[nikegundog]

I hate the SBE for the simple reason that they killed the price-point on semi-autos, not to mention the syn. stock fad. I say you need to shoot a lot of friends guns and see how they feel on you, or a least go to a gun shop and throw them up on your shoulder. There are a lot of reliable shotguns on the market, its about finding one the fits you. I have a Browning Gold that I bought used and it has some issues, but when a pheasant flushes and I throw it to my shoulder the bead is right wear it should be. When looking be sure you check how many shells it will hold because they vary. I know there will be people who don't care how many they hold because anything beyond two is enough, but my five shells have come in handy on many occasions.

[millerms06]

I own both a Benelli M1 super90 and just recently bought a Winchester Super X3 28 inch barrel 3 1/2 inch chamber Composite. If you were looking for pricepoint and a great handling brand spanking new 12 gauge, the Winchester is the way to go. I have patterened the gun with 2 3/4 and 3 inch shells and I have not had it jam yet (Winchester Xpert 3" 1 1/8, Kent 3" 1/14oz #2, and Federal Pheasant Forever 2 3/4 inch #5 had the best patterns with a Trulock precision hunter choke). I even shot "rapid fire" with some shells for fun and it cycled perfectly. Took it out on one hunt last month to a game farm and it worked great. The Benelli is a great gun and the M1 cycles everything I have shot. But the Winchester has performed, so far, exactly the same way. It feels, shoulders, and swings nearly identical to my Benelli with the weight very little in front (gas operated) rather than the back(inertia). Recoil is lighter with the Winchester being gas operated. My dad has a Super Black Eagle and it has a "bulky" feel to it.

My advice would be to pick up a bunch of guns at a local shop and see what feels great to you. I had looked at a Beretta Xtrema 2 and a Super Black Eagle II and chose the Winchester. Duke Ellington made the following comment about music, "if it sounds good, it is good." One could replace sound with feel when talking about shotguns. We all have to clean our guns and if you do they will do what you demand of them. I haven't been plagued with a gun that has ever jammed on me: maybe religiously cleaning the gun everytime has something to do with it. Cycling shells is another important factor and I can tell you the two guns I owned haven't jammed on me yet with the shells I use.

[B BUG]

Just curious, How is the Winchester when it comes to cleaning over the Benelli? Les

[millerms06]

They both clean the same way after every time I shoot them: easy to break down and clean out. I am assuming your question as a clever way of saying you HAVE to clean a gas operated gun more than an inertia. An inertia gun has less parts and based by design appears to be cleaner after the same amount of rounds shot, But I clean my inertia gun when I use it and do not wait a few months so such questioning, if assumed correctly, does not pertain to me. If I was lazy, not saying that you wait until the end of gun season like my dad, perhaps the inertia gun might be cleaner but I do not conduct such testing with my guns.

If you are like my dad (trash talking is part of the family and he would call me a clean freak with guns) you wouldn't worry about any of the important concerns observed by myself between the two guns I own. The main selling point wouldn't be fit, swing, and patterns but unequivocally based on how many times you can shoot it and not have to clean it.

[B BUG]

Well I guess I was miss read, I actually wanted to know how it was as for cleaning? The reason being I have never owned a gas operated semi, but a friend of mine did and when we went to the sporting clays course he would be done after about 150 rounds and it had to be taken down and cleaned up or it would start malfunctioning often. As far as on the range clean up, it was a good scrubbing of the magazine tube where the gas would leave residue and your back at it. However aren't there some O rings that need replacing or something to do with the gas operation that needs special attention? If so is "this" something who maybe does not have mechanicel abilities is going to have an issue with or is it a walk in the woods? I understand that the gas operation is going to reduce recoil and I am sure the X3 is a very nice gun, I am just trying to get the finer points, sort of like the difference between a red and gold delicious.
As far as fit, there is'nt anything that is going to make you a better shot than one that fits you correctly. A gun that fits you will shoot where you look, and the recoil is going to be precieved as deminished. Les

[Mollyontherun]

What about the Weatherby SA-08? Any opinions

[Mountaineer]

Well I guess I was miss read, I actually wanted to know how it was as for cleaning? ..

Gas-operated guns require more cleaning...but I would never expect one to malfunction after 150 rounds for a lack of cleaning.
Sounds more like a rough chamber, poor shells or running too much lube/wrong lube.
A Beretta 391 runs well wet but most guns balk at much lube and dirty shells....some Italian shells can be very dirty-shooting and don't mix well with lube in a gas gun.

My Benelli Ultra-Light was just cleaned completely after two years of use.
The outside was taken care of and the barrel swabbed but over 6 week-long pheasant trips, 2 of grouse, innumerable day trips after grouse and pheasant, two summers of weekly skeet, SCs and the occassional starling...the trigger group and receiver were never touched.
Very little build-up.... some weed chaff.
I may well wait two years again.

Ease of cleaning is a fine selling point and one reason I prefer Beretta O/Us as opposed to Brownings.
My Perazzi Trap was barrel cleaned every 3-4000 rounds...whether it needed it or not.
The detachable trigger I did blow off but only because it was easy.
Gas guns kick less...fact and another selling point.
Fit, finish, MOI, swing dynamics, balance, ad nauseum...along with cleaning are all reasons to pick one scattergun over another...nothing is unimportant when it comes to a personal choice.

[mcbosco]

We have several 391's at the skeet club for lessons and guests and I can pretty much GTY they never get cleaned and shoot flawlessly with Remington Gun Club shells. I also think they did service in salt water before going in the rack.

[ultracarry]

I picked a Vinci up for 850... didn't think I could beat the price for being shot 2 times by a friend. Has been a good gun and loan it out to friends when I'm not going duck hunting. Very easy to clean and not much for recoil.

[barthowes]

I personally have a mosber 935 in 12ga. shoots great when you don't break the forend retainer.which they do often. cheap little piece of plastic, but without it other things will break. if you get a good one it'll last years. others only weeks. if you are going to stay under $1000 and not shooting 3.5" go with a remington 11-87. it's too early to tell how their "new all shell shooting 12ga" is.If you want to spend buy, a benelli.

[Britguy1]

plus 1 on the Beretta A390

[thelast2]

if you are going to stay under $1000 and not shooting 3.5" go with a remington 11-87.

I own 2 11-87's first one i bought 16 years ago synthetic stock 3 in chambers, have fired thousands of rounds thru it, only thing ever replaced on it was the o-rings for the gas system once when I completly disassembled it for cleaning, mud and water, while out duck hunting never had any problems with it. This last fall I bought another one with camo finish and 3.5 in chambers while it hasnt seen many rounds as of yet, im sure i will get the $800. I spent on it back out of it before it ever fails me.