Best autoloading shotgun?

B

BlueOrbit

Inactive
I am in the market for a good autoloader in 12-gauge.

What is the best, most reliable autoloader, which can handle any load (including light loads and slugs) without any problems?

I would be using it for trap, target practice and possibly home defence.

Benelli, Remington 11-87 are currently being considered. I also heard good things about a Russian Baikal MP153 autoloader.

Thanks for any input,

:-)
 
The Beretta 391 and it's predecesssor the 390 are the guns with the best reputation for handling a wide range of shells. My 390 shoots everything from light one ounce loads all the way through to the heavy turkey and slug loads.

The only drawback with the 390 is home defense. It is limited to three shells only.

If HD is the issue, the Remington 11-87 can with some minor modifications take an extended magazine and be fitted with a 21" rifle sighted barrel.

The Benellis are robust guns but the ones I've used tended not to like lighter loads and the mechanism doesn't reduce the recoil like the gas guns.

As for the Baikal, there aren't many of them around and I would stay with the proven designs.
 
Best autoloader

The best autoloader was last made 40 odd years ago,The Winchester MD50.Not the commercial success's that Remington or browning had, but a high quality very soft recoiling 3 shot autoloader.Like all great guns it cost too much to manufacture so it was dropped for a cheaper model.
 
IMO the Benelli Super90 is unconditionally the best semi auto shotgun in the world... period. It uses a unique inerta recoil system that is very simple, robust, and extremely reliable. I've got two Super90s - a 12ga M1 Field and a 20ga Montefeltro, and they've both been great hunting guns. I use the M1 Field for turkey and deer slugs and the Montefeltro for upland birds.

Regarding light loads - don't worry. It's an "Urban Legend" that Benellis aren't reliable with light loads. I've shot cases of light 7/8 oz target loads in my 12ga, in fact more light loads than anything else, and have never had a problem. I've even tried to make it miss-cycle by holding in limply and not against my shoulder and it always functioned 100%.

A lot of shooters like the Beretta AL391, it's a nice shotgun too. It runs about 3/4 to 1/2 pound heavier than a Benelli and it's gas operated. The combination of the weight and the lower muzzle velocity due to the gas system makes it softer to shoot.

Proving that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" Beretta even makes two Benelli copies, the 1200FP & ES100, that both use Benelli's patented inertia recoil system. The fact that Beretta bought Benelli 2 or 3 years ago simplifies the licensing agreement. -- Kernel
 
Once you've tried the Benelli...

you won't go back. Not as soft shooting as some of the others, but very reliable. A joy to clean and disassemble, the thing literally falls apart. The M1 is a nice gun, I noticed they're making a 20 gauge version (M1) this year with a synthetic stock. The Super Black Eagle is very nice but a little expensive for many folks.
 
Kernel:

Your Super 90 must be one of the good ones, but mine would not handle light loads or function while "limp wristing". My M1 Super 90 would regularly malfunction with 1 1/8 oz. field loads even when properly shouldered. Limp wristing the gun would cause 100% malfunctions. I could even get it to malfunction full house buckshot when severely limp wristing it.

I had recently purchased a Mossberg Jungle Gun and shot them side by side. The reliability from the Mossberg was just incredible when compared to the Benelli. That experience plus the testimony of many others in regard to light load reliability made me sell the Benelli and keep the Mossberg.

This is just my experience, YMMV.

Steve
 
hmmm....

A Benelli topped by a Mossberg on reliability! That's one I've never heard before. Usually it's just the opposite. The quality and function problems with Mossberg semi auto shotguns are legion. Mossberg doesn't even catalog a semi auto shotgun anymore because the near 100% warrantee return rate was causing more trouble than it was worth.

Benellis would not have the high degree of acceptance they do with law enforcement and the military if they had systemic functioning problems, just the opposite - it's because they are so reliable that they are nearly universally acclaimed as the world's best semi auto shotgun by men you put their life on the line every day. I don't doubt your post but I'd guess there was something whacky with yours Steve. Dunno what else it could be.

I mean I seriously tried to make my M1 malfunction with light loads. Like violently jerking it backwards while shooting - to reduce the inertia effect even more. Still functioned 100%. The only thing "special" I did was lightly lube the locking lugs and bolt cam with a quality synthetic gun grease every time I did a detail clean, maybe every 400 to 500 rounds. -- Kernel
 
Not a big auto fan, but....

If I were getting an auto(and stranger thngs have happened) I'd get either a used 1100 Rem or a Pizza gun. The Beretta 390 and 391s have garnered a very good rep for reliability and durability. According to the gurus over on Shotgun Report, an 1100 that has not had any new parts will wear out in about 35,000 rounds. The Berettas last well past that.

The Pizza guns also come with enough stock shims and spacers to give a decent fit to anyone bigger than Tinker Bell, and smaller than Dennis Rodman.
 
Kernel:

Like I said before, you must have one of the good ones. Or, I just have one of the few bad ones. And, it is not just mine, here are several posts I found in just a few minutes of searching that also talk about the problem.

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=11569
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=10141
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=10376
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=10748
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=65218

I really wish mine was more reliable with light loads, because I really liked the way it handled. I do see that Benelli has switched to gas operation for the new military M4 shotgun. When it finally becomes available I will probably give that one a try.

Ah, the continuing quest for the ultimate shotgun.

Steve
 
Steve, Thanks for the list of post. I didn't have time to read them all but the first few I did just confirmed my position on the reliability of Benellis. It seems some people do have difficulties after doing some questionable modifications -- like an over torqued side saddle mount which caused the receiver to flex and interfered with the action of the bolt ... stuff like that. The posts all read about the same: "My Benelli was 100% until I added these half a dozen Nija Warrior aftermarket do-hickys...."

My Benellis are 100% stock. I use them for hunting which is one of Benellis strong suites. The inertia recoil system works well in subzero temperatures when gas guns tend to be stiff, balky, and jam prone. After sitting in a snowbank all day waiting for Bambi to walk by it's nice to have a chance at a quick follow-up shot on Bambi's mother too (in case you've got two tags).

Plus Benellis are about the lightest repeating shot gun made, if not the lightest, which is nice when your're walking around all day. Duck hunters like Benellis because they will function after being fully submerged in water for long periods of time (like at the bottom of a duck boat). Gas guns are iffy because their tiny internal passages become clogged with water and muck. -- Kernel
 
Looking at the internals, Franchi 612 (and, I sespect, Beretta 391) seem like the best bet. The gas system feeds off two vents and the stainless (chromed?) pistols look similar to Garand "self-scraping" rod.

In my experience, 11-87 worked far more reliably than Benellis and had less kick, simpler manual of arms...but also heavier and that reliability may go away after 500 rounds when the gun gets dirty.
 
I have a Benelli SBE and a A-5 16 Ga. Both are flawlessly reliable but the Benelli isn't as pretty so it leaves the gun cabinet more. Pretty guns are nice in the cabinet but not in the field.
 
One of the top shotty 'smiths (I think Hans Vang) is said to really like the Mossberg Jungle Gun. It has an excellent reputation at a much lower price than the Benelli. However, the Reminton 1187 is the gun Scatttergun Technologies uses as their base which I think is telling.
Ya'll stay safe.
 
I agree with Kernel. My Super 90 eats everything I feed it.2.75" 7/8 oz skeet loads to 3" 1 7/8 oz turkey blaster loads. Gotta admit though the skeet loads are MUCH more pleasureable to shoot the turkey blasters.
 
Kernel said:

"The quality and function problems with Mossberg semi auto shotguns are legion."

I'm sure glad that my Jungle Gun wasn't familiar with those anecdotes.:D As to their sporting version of the 9200, THAT may be another matter entirely.
 
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