11-87 or 391?

G

gtomax

New member
Looking to get a semi soon. I've recently become quite interested in the clay sports, sporting clays and skeet. I was thinking of getting an 11-87 premier or a Beretta 391. Is the Beretta worth the extra $$ or will the 11-87 work just fine? Mostly will be used for light target loads as I do not hunt.

Thanks.
 
Well....my opinion is the

391 Beretta. Let me say this... I own ALOT of Remingtons from a 410 up to a 10 ga. Bought the Beretta to go to Argentina with and fell in love with them...go work the actions on them (ask first :D ) I think you will feel and hear the difference....Dont get me wrong, you can easily get by with the Remington....think you will like the Beretta better...Thats my 2 cents
 
I agree. A friend has a beautiful older 1100 that requires constant attention and is very finicky about shells -basically Win AAs -and goes thru O-rings like they were Kleenex. (I think it's a problem with that gun's piston). Another friend has a 390 that gives no trouble. We mostly shoot clays together, with the occasional upland and duck hunt.
Another option would be the 3901 American. A very handsome gun assembled in Maryland, and a little cheaper than the 391. Also, you might look for a good, lightly-used 390 or 391. They're out there and a real value. Be sure to look up the used values before buying.
I have a Fabarm H368 I bought last year for $550 NIB when the store owner stopped selling H&Ks. It's a great gun, a lot like the 390 internally.
 
I am very much like iudoug, I have 3 1100's and an 11-87. Love them all, but I have shot the Beretta 391 Parallel Target model, fell in love with it. I don't have one yet, but it is just a matter of time.
 
I have shot a 391 on many occasions but I own a 390.. I think I like the 390 better. I also own a couple of 1100's but not an 11-87, but again shot the 11-87 many times. I think the only thing about the 11-87that could present a problem will be with the really light loads not functioning as well in that gun as well as they function the older 1100 models. I think any of these guns will be fine for your purposes. I do tend to lean towards the Berreta slightly,,
 
My 391 is ultra reliable with light loads right down to 7/8 oz. at 1150 fps. My now departed Remington wasn't.

The only place where Remington beats Beretta is in 28 gauge and .410 autoloaders but only because Beretta doesn't make the 391 in those gauges. If and when they do I'll be fighting to be first in line to buy one in 28 gauge.
 
Guess I'm the only Remington fan. Started with a Sportsman 58, then a 1100, and now a 11-87. Only malfunctions that I remember were with the Sportsman 58, and that was with paper shells. When they switched to plastic the problems went away.
 
1187 all the way

I have owned the 1187 for two years with no problems. A friend owns a 391 which has a slightly slicer action. I say buy the 1187 in my oppinion it just is cheaper youll save money with nearly idetical performance. You wont be as sad if you get a ding on a 1187 because it didnt cost you a fortune. I bought mine used in good condition for 430 and its my favorie shotgun all around.
Have Fun
Rem1187
 
to point somthing out, remington has been using the 1100 style since the 60's. some of you might say tryed and true, but i say old and beat to death. there has been alot of changes in the semi auto world since 1995 or so. my thoughts are get a browning gold hunter
 
I like my 11-87LH, and would not trade it for a 391. It has less parts when you take off the gas cover, and *to me* seems easier to clean, and hasn't been plagued with problems that some people have had, even with target loads. I had three FTE's in one instance, cleaned gun and problems stopped.


But, FWIW : our shooting club uses beretta 391's (it may be 390, but i'm assuming that the gas system is the same. . . YMMV) as club guns. They are slick and reliable. We opened one up to clean, and it was nasty and all crudded up, probably hadn't been cleaned in 1000s or rounds, and it wasn't having "problems".

Which gun do you like the "feel" of?
 
Gtomax,

I've had them both. Either will work. Here are some differences:

391's cost more, have stock drop and cast adjustments, have a chrome lined barrel, and the two that I had patterned 70/30 high.

11-87's cost less, do not have adjustable stock drop, have zero stock cast off, do not have chrome lined barrels, and most will pattern 50/50.

The 70/30 pattern thing, once used to, is OK but doesn't match my other guns, so I no longer have a 391.
 
thanks for all the info guys.

steve - did you by any chance ever live in california? knew someone with your same name years ago...
 
After handling several, i'm leaning way over to the Beretta side. The 11-87 is a hell of a gun and would be better suited as a hunter in my opinion. It's heavier and feels like it's built like a tank, I have no doubt it would go the distance.

The Beretta is a lighter gun that seems more purpose-built towards the shooting sports. In fact, i think I'll save up (for a long time) and eventually go after a Beretta AL391 Teknys Gold Sporting. Now the only question I need to answer is 'where'd I stash that 'extra' $1500?' :rolleyes:
 
good choice, im a remington man myself, only hitch is they do jam above average, remingtons are designed more for hunting, "woodsmaster...", they do have a 11-87 skeet i beleive but they series is made simply for the woods... oh and I enjoy cleaning my guns so don't mind having remingtons that might become prone to jam when dirty :)
 
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