3.5" 12 GA Opinions

Which one would you go with?

  • Remington 11-87 SPS Super Magnum 3.5

    Votes: 11 28.9%

  • Winchester Super X2 Universal Hunter 3.5

    Votes: 4 10.5%

  • Browning Gold 3.5

    Votes: 7 18.4%

  • Beretta A391 Xtrema2

    Votes: 5 13.2%

  • Benelli Super Black Eagle II

    Votes: 11 28.9%
  • Total voters
    38
F

FISHNFRANK

New member
All

I'd like some advice on a new 12 ga 3.5" purchase. Price is not a consideration, simply quality. I'd like to know which one you'd go with and why? Also - I know no one needs a 3.5 but I'm going to get one anyway for the added versatility. The gun will be primarily for Duck/Goose hunting.

Thanks for your opinions!

Frank
 
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From what I see with hunters and target shooters the 11-87 supermag is on par with the 3" 11-87, it isn't reliable and not worth nearly what it costs.

I own a 3.5" SuperX2, it is the best autoloading shotgun I have ever owned period.

I own a 3.5" Gold, it is a great shotgun. It is a little more sensitive to being clean than my X2, other than that it is a solid performer.

I had an original Super Black Eagle, I'd rather have an 11-87. It wasn't reliable at all. I see the same thing from the ones my hunting buddies have. You take a terrible beating on resale with them too, $1100 new and lucky to get $750 after one season.

The Xtrema looks to be a good shotgun so far but I don't have a lot of exposure to them yet. If I hadn't bought my X2 and found the ultimate hunting shotgun I would have bought a Beretta just to see how it shoots.
 
No personal experience but I have heard the 11-87's are prone to problems. Last three would be where my choice would come from. I voted Browning simply because that's where my experience lies.
 
My boss recently purchased a SBE II with all the bells and whistles :rolleyes: (max-4, recoil reducer stock ect..). He decided on that after his buddie's 11-87 froze in the duck blind, and ceased working. Mine had no problems however, but I take some extra care ahead of time and keep the dog off the gun.

Having played with both SBE II, and owning a 11-87, both are good guns. The SBE II has a little (not much) more felt recoil than the -87. But the SBE should be more reliable in colder weather and the crap associated with duck hunting, at least it has been for him.
 
I own a Benelli Super Black Eagle II and can say the gun shoots flawlessly. I can load a 3 1/2" in shell followed by a 3" and then a 2 3/4" and it shoots all 3 without any issues. Easy to disassemble and clean and very lightweight compared to other 3 1/2" guns. It makes an excellent duck/geese/turkey gun.
 
I voted for the SX2. I've been extremely pleased with my used SX2 Waterfowl over the past 5 or 6 six weeks. I doubt that I'll ever shoot a 3.5" shell, but the 8# weight soaks up what little recoil there is in a 3" Hevi-Shot goose load. I've also shot up two boxes of 2.75" HS 4s and 6s over decoys without a problem.

I can't say I've torture tested it, but so far so good. It's only been dropped in the bottom of our floating blind once and the receiver didn't go completely underwater. And it works in a downpour, and the lowest temp I've used it in is 22*F.

Money wasn't an issue, I bought the gun that felt and fit the best and I'd do it again based on my experience with it so far.

The Dura-Touch coating over the camo finish should be mandatory on all duck guns. :)

John
 
I voted for the 1187, but the Black Eagle II is just as excellent. I've shot both, and all things being equal, preferred the 1187 slightly. However, the fit and finish and general quality of both are top-notch. Not a problem to be had. The slight edge in that category might go to the Black Eagle... but the Remington felt more natural to me, just a more comfortable fit.
 
Thanks .......

This is tremendous input. I'll let the voting go on a little longer before I tip my bias...............I definitely like to solicit opinions before comitting $1,000 + towards anything

FRANK
 
The best advice I can give is to pick up all the shotguns you can and buy the one that feels right to you. That will help more in downed birds than anything we can offer.

That said, I own the Gold and the 11-87. Both are great guns, but I prefer the Browning. I don't clean them all that often, and shoot great even covered in mud, snow and ice. They have taken the beating only an avid waterfowler can give them. The Winchester is almost the same gun as the Browning, with a few differences, like the magazine cutoff, safety, and not as stringent build quality. The Beretta is also a great gun, and the only other autoloader I would buy besides those I have. I have used a few, and the owners loved them.

I am NOT a Benelli fan, and think they are overpriced, and they have more felt recoil than a gas gun. Recoil doesn't bother me, but it may make a difference in your selection. Reliability from what I have seen is not very good with the SBE or SBEII.
 
I'll fess up........went with Benelli, but the M2

Thanks for all of the advice on the 3.5" 12 ga shotguns, I'm a fairly new waterfowl hunter so I appreciate it - My Bias was the SBE, It looks like that was one of the crowd pleasers in the poll................

HOWEVER - I completely changed my mind and decided not to get the 3.5" SBE but went with the Benelli M2 instead. I just read too many posts that said that the 3.5" was unecessary (and there was a $350 difference between the SBE and the M2). I also talked to several other people personally about this issue; a buddy I hunt with said that if he had to do it over again he would have gone with a 3" Beretta instead of the 3.5" Extrema. The cost for the marginal benefit just did not add up. I just like the feel of the Benelli's. I have to wait 10 days to pick it up though.

Since it was bonus time I also recently bought a S&W 629 .44 Mag 5" - what a hoot that thing is to shoot.........

Thanks!

FRANK
 
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