Under $600 Clays, waterfowl?

[axxell33]

It's time for a shotgun. I have plenty of other guns, but just getting around to the shotgun purchase. I initially thought a combo like the 870 would be a good buy, but I'll have these guns for many many years so I want to buy a different gun for each purpose.. slug, homedefense, and fowl/clays.

I'm sure you can get into a lot more specifics for the needs for each purpose, but I don't have the luxury of that kinda cash right now. So my goal is to pick out a good clay shootin/water fowl gun with a 28" barrel in the sub $600 category.

So far I've looked at Mossbergs, Remington 870, Beretta 3901 standard, and the Benelli Supernova comfortech.

The Mossbergs feel cheap to me. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but they feel cheap. The Remingtons of course are great guns.. most shooters I know have one. The Beretta looks great and has a great reputation to go with it.. just not sure if I like the semi vs the pump. The Benelli is slick, sounds dependable, lightweight.. and Benelli claims a 52% less recoil.

Are there any obvious BIG differences I'm looking over in these guns? They're all in the same basic price range, all seem dependable, and are all popular amongst shooters I know. What does one offer better than another? I'm headed down to Dulles to the show tonight.. hope to get my hands on a few and get a feel.

Tell me watcha know.. or have a suggestion for one that I missed?!

 

[Semper Noctem]

You should buy an 870, and different barrels for slug, home defense, and fowl/clays.

 

[Buck]

You should buy an 870, and different barrels for slug, home defense, and fowl/clays.

I second the recommendation for the 870 in that price range.

 

[PJDiesel]

Nice used 1100. I don't think mixing target, waterfowl AND home defense is going to work out well (at all).

 

[axxell33]

Nice used 1100. I don't think mixing target, waterfowl AND home defense is going to work out well (at all).

I like the idea of going to the range and taking my slug, home defense, and my fowl gun and shooting them all. I'd rather not have to change out barrels. Sure, it's a short term fix to have all 3 in a combo, but I would eventually like to have all 3 anyways. So, I'd rather buy one tailored to each purpose.. if that makes sense.

Thanks for all of the suggestions..

 

[haoleboy]

Get an autoloader for shooting Clays, your shoulder will thank you. An 870 is a great gun, but it's not a good clays gun. You will frequently be shooting 2 birds per station and unless you are an expert, racking the slide between shots will make you lose time on the 2nd bird.
I'm sure you could find a used 1100 or new 11-87 for $600 or less.
A Mossberg auto would also be easy to find for less than $600

Good Luck.

 

[PJDiesel]

So, I'd rather buy one tailored to each purpose..

Thats exactly what I was trying to convey. Lots of guys will tell you how great they shoot with their 870, but, in all reality, I can't think of a worse suited gun for clay sports, unless you brought a single break action.

 

[possumman]

For the $ buy the Beretta for sporting use - and a Mossberg for home defense - they work ok and there are a million aftermarket pieces for them.After I bought a used Beretta 391 I stopped looking. You want an autoloader for sporting and the Berettas are stone reliable and not hard to clean like people claim. The other B-gun,Benelli makes a nice one too but the Nova is a pump.

 

[-Z/28-]

I had a Benelli. Great guns. Very light and easy to point. Only sold mine cause I wasn't using it and needed to fund a .45.

 

[Semper Noctem]

I like the idea of going to the range and taking my slug, home defense, and my fowl gun and shooting them all. I'd rather not have to change out barrels. Sure, it's a short term fix to have all 3 in a combo, but I would eventually like to have all 3 anyways. So, I'd rather buy one tailored to each purpose.. if that makes sense.

Thanks for all of the suggestions..

Too bad, because changing a barrel out is stupid easy/quick. Good luck finding your white whale!

 

[tigmaned]

GREAT choice!! Beretta 3901 standard..
funny Dick's sells these for $599.... Gander Mt up in York $499.

 

[ALBY]

For waterfowl, the Benelli SBE is the king. I think the Berretta Exrtrema is a close second.

I think you can find used Benelli shotguns all over for leass than $600.

I have my trusty old 1100 that I use for everything and it is great, but you better be a pretty good 1100 armorer if you plan to shoot it much. I ran mine in 3gun for a few years where I ran upwards of 10,000 shells thru it. I keep my pristine and it always goes bang, but i also have a box of parts, 2 barrels and configure the gun for whatever i am doing with it. You can find used 1100's for under $400 if you look.

OTOH, my dads Benelli always goes bang and has never been cleaned to my knowledge.

My eastern shore guide buddies all favor the Benneli.

YMMV

 

[axxell33]

Thanks again for all of the opinions and helpful info. It's interesting to see so many opinions.. some complete opposite of each other.

It feels like I am choosing between blonde or brunette.. both are a good time

Keep em comin.. I'm still looking and trying to decide.

 

[Redneck]

Since you said $600, 3901 hands down. If your budget was $400 Id say 870.

 

[retrorichard]

I bought a nice miroku charles daly for clays on gunbroker for400...

 

[blackthorne]

If you end up shooting mostly sporting clays (and you will), you would be better served with an autoloader. I would recommend a used 391 Sporter over a new 3901. The sporter more easily doubles as a duck gun than a duck gun doubles as a sporter. If you go to a few sporting clays shoots, you will see that 8 out of 10 (my guess) autos are 391s.

 

[Boom Boom]

For waterfowl only, a pump or O/U is perfect. If a pump, I like the Wingmaster and BPS. For O/U, Citori all the way. Beretta makes fine choices, too. I always see Charles Daly O/Us at local shops, often in beautiful condition, for $500-$600.

Nothing is finer on a clays course, especially a large sporting clays course, than an O/U. After you walk a long sporting clays course with a semi or pump for the umpteenth time, you'll get tired of everybody constantly eyeballing the gun (rightly so) to make sure it's unloaded. No such concerns when carrying a cracked-open O/U. As often as I've gone shooting at a private sporting clays course (stations stretching out for about half a mile), I've seen a non-O/U once. Somebody brought an 28" 870 pump. The person used it for two or three stations, realized the futility for shooting doubles, and borrowed a shooting partner's O/U the rest of the way.

 

[hvymax]

A good semi is what you want for fast shooting clays and waterfowl. Pumps can be good but for clays a semi or O/U for fast followups. Semi's also kick less in general.

 

[blackthorne]

A repeater is safer in a blind, especially with many of today's occasional hunters with limited experience.

 

[axxell33]

After doing a lot of reading, I think I may drop the $600 limit. I'm really liking the idea of an autoloader. After spending countless hours scraping carbon out of an M16 with a q-tip, I'd also like to stay away from the gas systems. The Beretta Urika2 is a gas system.. but self cleaning.. and they are fine looking guns. I think I'm leaning towards the Inertia system in the Benellis right now tho.

The Benelli Montefeltro is on sale at Gander Mtn right now for $1149 and the M2 runs about the same price. I think the Beretta runs about $1300.

Any input on those?

Decisions.. decisions..