Best New Pump & Semi-Auto Shotgun Advice

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SmokeyVol

New member
I have been out of circulation for a long time and now that we are empty nesters, I want to get back into shooting. I just joined a local gun club with skeet, trap, & 5-stand and I am waiting on my club credentials to arrive by mail.

I have a 12 Ga. Winchester Model 12 that I have had since I was young that was passed down from my dad. I belive it was made sometime in the 1940's and has been in my family for well over 50 years. I helped my dad make the custom walnut stock and forearm around 1970 and it was teflon coated about the same time. It is a great gun and has served me well, but it is getting a bit old and I need something new for skeet/trap and some occasional dove hunting. Too bad Winchester is not what it used to be and the Model 12 went out of priduction a long time ago in the early 1960's.

I never really liked double barrels, O/U, or Mossbergs and I am not into the synthetic stack camoflage or home defense models. I always admired Remmington 870 pump models & Remmington 1100 semi-auto models that some of my dad's friends had. I hear Brownings are good, but never have used one. I am looking for a nice looking and shooting traditional blued gun with a walunt stock.

What are the best quality pump and semi-auto shotguns on the market these days?
 
The Remington 1100's are still hard to beat, and they look great too! I believe you would be better served with a semi-auto based on clay shooting alone. If you desire a pump, you are right on with the 870. Drop a few extra dollars and get the Wingmaster version. I have seen some of the prettiest wood lately on new 1100's and Wingmasters. Both timeless classics.
Remember though, shotgun fit is very important, so be sure and shoulder some, or better yet shoot a few if you can. Remingtons generally fit everyone pretty good in my experience.
 
It is hard to beat a Reminton 11-87 in an auto. IMHO, the Browning BPS (pump) is the best you can get. It is a little heavier and costs a little more but is solid and has the dual action bars, a very good shotgun
You can get one camo or black if that is what you want.
When you get to OU's, too many choices, just figure on a $1000+-.
There are some in the $500 range, but some of them can be a little on the rough side until you get them on broken in.
Hope this helps some.
 
I did forget to mention that the blueing and wood are what make Browning's a step above.
Key thing on any shotgun is fit. Try 'em all and see which one feels the best.
 
Not trying to play devils' advocate, but what specifically do you not like about Mossbergs? Is it a general dislike, or a model specific issue? I only ask because my Mossbergs have by far been the most reliable of all my shotguns, or any of the shotguns in my circle of friends, where-as Remingtons(especially 1100's) have been pretty "hit or miss" quality-wise within our group. Not trying to start some Moss vs Rem debate or anything, just curious.
 
Another fan of the Remington 1100. Well proven design that's very reliable - just change the "O" ring every so often and keep the gun clean. There's also a good selection of different barrels available if you want to change things but that's not really necessary with todays choke tubes. Lot's of varients of the 1100 to look at and it's not too difficult to find good used ones available.

Browning, Benelli, Franchi, and others also make very fine guns.
 
The best pump gun out there is a Browning BPS - and in a pump I would go with a 28" or 30" barrel and make sure it has screw in changeable chokes. Cost is around $ 500

In terms of semi-autos - Beretta makes some nice gas operated guns - but so do Remington, Browning, etc. For inertia operated guns - I really like the Benelli - but I prefer them in a synthetic stock / and on a model that has the comfort tech recoil system in it - if you go with a wood stock Benelli it'll give you about 25% more recoil than a gas operated gun. Most semi-autos these days are around $ 1,000 - $ 1,750 .

Over Unders and very good guns - and I think Browning makes some of the best - and one of the most versatile is in the Citori line, the XS Skeet. I like it was an adjustable comb and 30" barrels - but it retails in the $ 2,750 range. The XS Skeet is my primary gun for sporting clays, skeet and in the filed in 12, 20, 28 and .410 . It has a lot of adjustment for proper fit.

Since you already have a good pump gun - I would probably go with a semi-auto like the Beretta 390 / 391 series. It really depends on what fits you / Gun Fit is the #1 issue when you buy a gun - if it doesn't fit, it will not hit where you look / or it may beat the stuffing out of you - but you can add comb pads, butt pads, etc and work most of that stuff out. On an Inertia gun - look at the Benelli Super sport - synthetic stock - it also has a lot of adjustability.

Personally, I wear glasses - not that we shouldn't all wear them - but I don't like the gas blowing by my glasses - especially behind the lenses. Benelli Super Sport is my travel gun - do everything - from quail, to skeet, sporting clays, etc. If I travel with more than one gun (not on the airlines) then I will take a couple of my Browning XS Skeet models ( I really like the 28ga for quail ) - but these days you can make a 12ga behave like a 20 or a 28ga balistically by changing your loads down to 3/4 oz of shot - but I reload too.

No matte what - have fun with your search.
 
I assume my dislike of Mossbergs is hereditary. My dad swore by Winchester Model 12's and we had several of them. We did have one down ejecting Ithaca Model 37 when he tried to get me to switch shooting shoulders to the left because I am left eye dominant. The Model 12's all ejected on the right side making left shoulder shooting impossible. It didn't work because I was already far too accustomed to shooting off my right shoulder. None of his friends used Mossbergs which they deemed inferior and I guess it just stuck with me. Most of his hunting buddies used Model 12s, Remmington 870 or 1100s or O/U.
 
There are around 75 members in our hunting club. We have 8200 acres of hunting paradise. Our members have just about every brand of gun there is. So far as I am concerned there is no best. There are favorites and more expensive guns but best? As long as they cycle reliably, as almost all of them do, what else can you ask for. There are more Remington pumps and autos than any other brand. Next are the Brownings. Then around 20-25 Stoeger 2000s. IMO, none are better than another if they are reliable. There are a few complaints during the hunting season from a few of the guns, usually gas operated guns that haven't been cleaned properly. A few Benellis that won't reliably cycle light loads. A new Stoeger 2000 sometimes that hasn't been broke in. Really, I believe that there is no better gun if the gun you have does what you bought it for.

I have determined from experience that the Mossberg 930 and the Stoeger 2000 are excellent inexpensive guns. You can pay more and get better looking guns. I will get flamed but good from the higher priced brand owners but facts are facts. These members do a lot of shooting and have almost zero problems due to gun manufacture. The problems they have are caused by neglect.

We need to get over this idea that a more expensive gun is automatically better. It may be your favorite gun but it can't be better than the less expensive guns. Our members put guns to the test in every kind of environment and most of them can't begin to afford the higher priced brands.

All we have to pay for these 8200 acres of hunting paradise is the property taxes. Divided up 75 different ways, we have a heaven on earth for hunters. We are average Joes that don't have a lot of surplus money who lucked up in finding this property 15 years ago. We really put our guns through purgatory in all kinds of weather almost year round.

I have a favorite gun but it may not be the so called "best gun" but it has never failed me. That is the true test of a best gun.

What say you?
 
+1 on the Beretta 390 or 391 that BigJim suggested. I have both and love them both they have never let me down. If anything I do not shoot well enough to do them justice but I do enjoy trying.;)
Clint
 
Decision Made

I went out looking today and the decision was made foir me. They did not have the 870 Wingmaster I was looking for in stock, but they didi have a NIB Remington 1100 G3 12 Ga. w/ 28" barrel and it was on sale for $849, so I bought it. Several 1100 G3's were going for $900 on Gunbroker, so I think it was a pretty good deal at $900 including sales tax. It has a really nice figured walnut stock and forearm. I was hooked once I picked it up and put it to my shoulder.
 
I also have just purchased a 1100 g3. I bought some Winchester universal 20 gauge 7/8 oz 2 3/4" #5 shotshells. They are jamming. Is there a adjustment I can make to shoot lighter loads? Thanks
 
Why not look for one of the Re-issued Model 12's from the 90's? I'm sure you can find one that's seen little-to-no use. I really, really like the Model 12.
 
Revicm

It's a Remington, there's no adjustment like some other guns.Traditionally, with 1100's, the weakest link is the gas system. If the rings (piston seals) muck-up, or the barrel seal leaks you'll have troubles. If the piston seals (rings) aren't replaced in the proper orientation, you've got trouble. Hold your gun vertically and turn it end to end. If you don't hear the rings freely sliding on the mag tube, then it's time to un-muck. Either way, take off your fore-end, and check the O-ring (barrel seal) for deterioration and the rings for proper orientation (Check your manual! When I guess on my 1100, I'm usually wrong). Clean the gas vent, inside the barrel's gas cylinder, with a 1/16-inch wire for special purpose punch.
 
Revicm,

I've had nothing but trouble with the Winchester Universal Ammo... It gums up the works pretty quick... In order to keep the price down the quality has suffered a great deal... I will not shoot it through my 1100 because it's so dirty and fouls everything... I don't like shooting it through my pumps either because it gets everything fouled quickly.... Try the federal and remington budget ammo... I've had much better luck with those two....
 
The 1100 G3 I bought on sale was a good find. I still have my Winchester Model 12 Deluxe Field, SN: 1361772. It was made in 1953, the same year I was born and is still in excellent shape and has matching serial numbers on receiver and barrel. I wanted something different since it is 55 years old. I saw a similar gun advertised on gunbroker.com:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=110081900

The difference is that mine ifs fitted with a polychoke and was teflon coated sometime around 1968-1970. The stock and forearm are identical to the one shown on Gunbroker as far as shape and checkering, but mine has a fancy figured walnut.
 
Thanks guys,I have only shot approx 30 rounds and have cleaned it twice already (12 rounds of remington ammo, cleaned,then the rest the cheap winchester ammo), I am thinking it does have more to do with the ammo as .300 Weatherby Mag says. I have another 175 rounds of the winchester shells to shoot(lol!) Then I think I will stick with the remington ammo. Thanks again!
 
Mossberg 935

Asking what shotgun is best is like asking what vehicle is best. It depends on what you want to accomplish. In the case of a vehicle, is it good mileage? Hauling capacity? Load towing ability? What's better? An SUV? A four wheel off-roader? A two seater sports car? A long bed truck? Well, it depends what you want to do. Same with a shotgun.

My main purpose to own a shotgun is personal defense with the obvious secondary mission of having fun shooting competitively with friends. In a defensive situation, you don't have time to deal with chokes. You need something that can fire pretty much whatever you shove into it that is handy, from rifled slugs, to buckshot, to sabot slugs. The center-bored Mossberg 935 meets that requirement. Side by side or over/unders have two "ready rounds" available. Not a good thing if SHTF. The 7+1 of a Mossberg is much better. Pumps are great to scare away cat burglars with the sound of chambering a round. But in a real fight, that chambering noise tells the bad guys where you are. Again, I'll take semi-auto. They won't hear a thing if you're on target.

Hunters have different requirements. Professional competitive shooters have even other requirements. Forme? I'll take lots of power, quick chambering, and the ability to load whatever type round I have handy... RIGHT NOW!
 
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