It's kind of like BRD but I more confusing. I currently have 2 shotguns a Mossberg 500 my dad won at a DU defense and gave to me anda 835 he gave me for Christmas back when I was in high school and thought 3 1/2 inch shells were necessary to kill ducks. Dad died 7 years ago from a sudden aneurysm at age 52 so it would be hard to get rid of one of these pumps.

I would prefer a gun less than $1000 but could go a little over it would be used to shoot dove, ducks, geese, clays and just range fun. I don't have a dedicated defensive shotgun so an ability to fill that role would be nice but with the exception of Stoeger 3000 & 3500 shorter barrels for autos are about the price of a Mossberg 930 home defense at Walmart. I would also like the option of using 3 1/2 inch shells if for no other reason that I have about 100 shells already.

Guns I've handled (haven't been able to shoot any of them): Winchester Sx3 I like how it feels and handles the black shadow is under $1000 it's over bored so no shooting slugs. Versamax feels cheaper than the Sx3 but the bolt looks to be a good design. Beretta exterme feels about like the SX3 but cost quite a bit more and the benelli SBE 2 and Super-Vinci both feel alright I think I prefer the SBE but they're almost if not double my $1000 goal Mossberg 930/935 feel ok but not as polished as the others and finally the Stoeger 3500 and 3000 which looks to be the best value and I had talked myself into buying a3500 then chickened out the feel a little more clunky and less sleek and streamlined than the others but are the least expensive and a defensive length barrel isn't that expensive.

Of course for the hd shotgun I can get a shorter barrel for the 835 and the pump would be fine. Another option is something like the 930 field/defense combo and use the 835 when I feel like I have to shoot the big shells.

What does everyone say?

Buy a used beretta. They are worth it.

Benelli montefeltro, best upland gun for the money in semi-auto's.

I haven't seen many around here. Any particular model?

Why. What makes it any better than the other Benelli models.

Lower rib helps most people focus on the bird and keep their head down on the stock.  Light weight enough that the gun is a joy to walk many miles with but not so light that it swings past birds.  Excellent weight balance for a field gun, works well from snap shots in the grouse woods to long leads on the prairie.

M2, super sport, ultralight, and SBE 1&2 have a high rib.  M2, SBE 1&2, and ultralight balance is thrown off by the non full length forearm.

Ultralight is far too whippy for long lead shots.

Mossberg 935 will shoot 3" & 3.5" shells, but NOT 2-3/4" lighter loads, like field loads for doves or trap loads. It's not designed to, it even says so in the owners manual. If you want to shoot  clays or doves, you're better off with the 930. I bought it to shoot the 3.5" shells, so I don't care that it doesn't like 2-3/4" shells. For 2-3/4 or 3", I have a Beretta Pintail ES100, that I bought used on Gunbroker for $375, that shoots everything. It's a Benelli recoil action, and almost identical to the Benelli 123, the 3" forerunner to the 3.5" Super Black Eagle.

One of my 3 duck hunting buddies has an SX3, and it pretty much acts like my 935 with light loads also. Great with magnum 3" or 3.5" duck or turkey loads, but trap loads don't have enough recoil nor gas to cycle it reliably.

Don't know much about the 3000 or 3500 Stoegers, but the 2000 was a real craphoot. Either you got a good one that works, or a bad one that no amount of "fixing" will make reliable. Another guy I share the blind with has one, it's been back to the factory 3 times. Works for about 2 boxes of 3" duck loads, then starts stovepiping and misfiring. We started calling him "2 guns", because he has to bring his Nova as a back-up gun. Stoeger's service has been great... his gun is long out of warranty now, but they've replaced virtually every part but the rear stock & receiver for no charge. Supposedly, the 3000 series has worked out the bugs of the 2000, but I'd research it before buying.  

The other guy in our blind has a Benelli M2, 26" barrel, in camo, it shoots everything he feeds it, but it's a 3" gun... and recoil is noticeably more than the 935 or SX3 gas-operated guns with 3" shells. So is my Beretta Pintail's recoil.

I liked my SX3 so much I picked up a second one.  Why I have no idea other than it fits me like a glove and shoots everything from my 1oz sporting clay load to 3.5"

You can pick up a Beretta AL391 Urika 2 NEW for right at $1K, in a kit that includes a full set of chokes.  (On sale right now for 999.99 at Cabelas)  I rarely see them for sale used in our area. There is also a 3901 that does appear on the use market occasionally that is very similar to the 391.  It can be found for a couple of hundred less, with synthetic furniture.

This is a soft shooting gun, that can handle everything from 3" duck loads and 7/8 oz target loads.

Spay if full of RemOil before shooting, clean it once every four cases of shells, and give it a set of springs every 20 cases or so, and it will last a lifetime for most shooters.  This is the gun many of the Cordoba Argentina outfitters use...they consider it a  75,000 - 100,000 round gun.

You can change the cast yourself by just pulling the stock bolt and changing the included shims, to get that perfect fit that is usually reserved for custom guns.

Only drawback is that being gas operated, its a little dirtier than a recoil gun, but anyone that tries to tell you they must be cleaned frequently is full of s5it.  I have personally put 1500 round through one in a day, with nothing but a few drops of oil during the breaks.

If you shot a lot, replace the bolt release one of these Bolt release to save our thumb.

The only gun I can think of that will shoot all shells from 2 3/4 target loads up to full house 3 1/2 without having to screw around with polishing, swapping parts, breaking in etc is the Versamax. However, I dont think i would want a gun that heavy for dove hunting. if it was me I would buy a beretta or weatherby for dove/upland and a stoeger m3500 for 3 1/2' turkey/goose/duck/whatever you wanted 3 1/2 for. just my .02

Remington 11-87 or Versa Max

If you want a premium shotgun, look at the Beretta A400 Extreme with Kick Off butt pad

I love my sx3 also.  Never had a problem with it cycling 2-3/4, 1 Oz loads. Have yet to have a jam on anything actually.  The winchester sx3 is made by FN Belgium.

The Maxus is reallllllllly nice. However I bought the benelli super black eagle II because it fit me better and was more comfortable.

My Maxus will do this.
Op as already stated you can't go wrong with the 3B's. Had a Beretta AL390 silver mallard that was a great gun. Now have a Maxus.  Had a Stoeger m2000 and it ran great too as it was similar to a Benelli.

WINCHESTER SX3! I have one and it has NEVER JAMMED. It cycles any load ive put through it from 1 1/8 oz dove loads all the way to 3.5 in turkey loads. The recoil isn't even noticable. You won't regret it.

Personally I'm a fan of the Benelli M2. You've got 3.5s covered already so you don't need an auto loader bigger than 3". Mine runs very well and points naturally for me. The weight and balance are great. You can find LNIB for less than $1K and the Benelli warranty, should you need it, is supposed to be very good.

I have a Browning Gold 3.5 that will load and fire every shell I try to use.  I use it for sporting clays, Geese, ducks, turkeys and pigeons.  And anything else I need a shotgun for.  I bought it used for $699.  I love that shotgun!

12 ga I assume.... AFAIK, Browning now only makes the Gold in a 10ga.

My hunting partner needs a new duck gun, but he cannot afford a $1000+ shotgun. We saw a used (LNIB) 12ga/3.5" Gold at a gun show over Labor Day weekend, asking price was $675. I told him it was a decent price and a good gun. My buddy was interested, but didn't have the cash with him (nor did I... only about $400 between us), seller didn't take plastic, banks were all closed by then & he doesn't do ATMs (doesn't even have a PIN).

Same experience here.  Bought my used for $650.  It is a duck killing machine.

an 1187 would be an option for that kind of $$$

Saiga 12

I recently bought a Beretta A400 Xplor 20ga with the kick off.  Love that thing.  Very light recoil.  I mostly upland game hunt so it will be perfect.  On the rare occasion I do waterfowl, I have a Winchester SXP 12ga that I am less afraid to drag around in the muck I would use instead and would feel a little better about on geese.

Basically, I have gone through a progression of cheaper shotguns that worked, but I ultimately wasn't super happy with, and finally just but the bullet on the A400.

My 11-87 Supermag is a pile of shit. I'm just about done with Remington between this piece and an 870 I bought about 4 years ago.

Doesn't surprise me. The only Remingtons I would buy are the older ones; and in a semiauto shotgun I would skip the brand altogether.



 

I have a Franchi Affinity 20 gauge I use for upland birds. I like it so much I've been thinking about getting a 12 gauge Affinity too, even though I don't really have much of a use for it.

My choice after that would be a Benelli M2.

SX 3 / Browning Maxus.  They're pretty much the same gun; the Browning has a couple extra features.  I have the Winchester and love it.  Light, reliable, low recoil.  Got it less than 1000 at Cabelas.

My SBE II was about $1200 when I bought it, they should be less than $1000 for a gently used one.