Best Semi Auto Shtguns

I've spent a lot of time in the field with a lot of different guns. i may not have been the shooter, but I've seen it first hand.

If money means nothing to you...go the benelli. Dad and a few friends have them...extremely reliable and will feed anything. I personally couldn't fork over that much for a shotgun.

If you want a little cheaper....go the winchester sx2. everyone i've seen functions just as well as the benelli. and their great shooters at a little over 1/2 to 3/4 of the price.

In my personal experience stay away from remmies and brownings in autos. better off being used as canoe paddles. the brownings do not run in cold weather. and Ive seen about 6 occasions of an 1187 igniting the primer before the round was chambered...in different guns. i don't know about you, but I really don't want a 3" mag blowin up in my face...no injuries that Ive seen, but still...

that being said, I haven't seen anyone with a berretta....if your gonna spend that much, get a benelli.
 
I have a Remmy 11/87 and a Belgium Browning A-5, both 12 Ga. Years ago I used to shoot a 1100 as well.

I'd have to say there's just something about that Browning that satisfies me when I through it to my shoulder. Personally I'd recommend a nice used Browning Auto-5 in a Lt20 gauge as they handle so sweet and light. Nice ones will start at about $700 though and go up from there.

No it's not one of the super Italians, but they are just a little bit special in their own right.

Whatever you end up with, enjoy!

Oh, to the poster above, I've been hunting close to 40 years now and have never seen anything you describe with either Remingtons or Brownings. Our Auto 5s have seen many sub freezing mornings for ducks and geese, they never froze up once. Maybe it's something with the newer models, I don't know.
 
IMHO:

#1 = Benelli 12ga inertia - any M1/M4/Super 90/Montefeltro/etc. (stone reliable)

#2 = Remington 1100 (EZ/lite recoil)

#3 = Franchi AL-48 - especially in 20ga or 28ga (under 5lbs)

.
 
+1 for Beretta

I have two Berettas. An older model 1200 and a fairly new Xtrema II KO. The interesting thing is that the 1200 is built on the Benelli recoil operated action. It is a carbon copy of the older Benelli Montefeltro Super 90. Everything from the barrels to the forends will interchange.

I make this point because even though the 1200 can only chamber 2 3/4 shells it kicks harder than the Xtrema II does with 3 1/2 inch steel duck loads. For high volume shooting I would go with a gas gun from any manufacturer over an inertia driven action.

That being said I haven't shot the new Vinci from Benelli yet. Trying to convince a buddy to pony up that cash so I can sample it.
 
I make this point because even though the 1200 can only chamber 2 3/4 shells it kicks harder than the Xtrema II does with 3 1/2 inch steel duck loads. For high volume shooting I would go with a gas gun from any manufacturer over an inertia driven action.
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Inertia guns have a harder recoil than a gas gun. They are usually lighter, adding to that recoil effect. If the stock doesn't fit you as well, that will also add to that effect, giving you the 'cheek slap' one often hears about
 
Benelli

I have a Benelli Super Black Eagle II and I love it. The comfortech stock is a shoulder saver with the 3.5" magnums. Its been 100% reliable with anything from light dove loads to the big magnum loads. A great gun.
 
Another Remington 1100 fan. Lots of them around, affordable, well proven design, very light recoil.
 
Personally, I like the Benelli - my favorite is the Super Sport
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HELL YEAH. Not really my kind of shotty but I was blown away handling and firing this baby. Gimme one of these over a Perazzi any day, seriously.

Heather, for the money, the Mossberg 930 action can't be beat. I'm a riot gun man and the SPX model can hang all day with it's 3 or 4 similar competitors, all of which cost 3-4x as much though my former roommate had a Charles Daly Field Tactical poorman's M4 that looked and felt solid. I dunno what you have in mind, the clay/hunting and turkey setups should be just as good. The Benelli M2 series are butter smooth (and have a full defensive model selection), and the auto I'd really love to own on this particular day is the Remington 1100 Tac 4, intended for 3 Gun comp but would also be nice for HD, and shotgun plinking, a favorite pastime of mine...but I got a Saiga 12 for that already.
 
best sa shtguns

I agree with JWT the Rem 1100 #one all time, followed by the Browning B2000 in my opinion.
 
Several of the ladies that I have shot with like and shoot the Remington 1100.
The best advice has already been given, try to shoot as many different guns as possible and see which feels/shoots the best for you, no one can pick a shotgun for you. Good luck and shoot safe. Bill
 
Mossberg 930

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, etc. 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. For me? I'll take lots of power, quick chambering, and the ability to load whatever type round I have handy... RIGHT NOW!

BTW, round type is important. We live in a single family home, so penetration is less of an issue than in an apartment. Some folks like #4 or #1 buck, since it won't take out a lot of your house along with the bad guy. I like my wife's attitude: "We load 00 buck. We'll worry about renovations after we're safe."

One final note. I would never buy a new Mercedes. That little corporate symbol on the hood isn't worth the extra thousands. That's my basic attitude about Benelli too.
 
well, in light of, more rounds, reliable, eats anything, designed for home defense

i recommend a benelli m4 if you can afford one and get your hands on one.

yes, id also like to echo the sentiment, there is no BEST anything. Honestly, I'd have multiple shotguns for multiple purposes. one for HD one for clay/hunting

I mean i have multiple firearms, one for conceal carry, one for the range, one for hitting stuff at 100-300 yards, one for hitting airborne stuff, etc.

firearm ownership would be really boring if you got some magical firearm that fulfilled all purposes. youd just have one gun that does everything, and thats that :P
 
to me, you cant beat the remington 1100, easy to shoot,never jams,easy to clean,,less kick,not expensive
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Never jams? That might be true for you...but it most definitely is not true in general.

Some folks like #4 or #1 buck, since it won't take out a lot of your house along with the bad guy. I like my wife's attitude: "We load 00 buck. We'll worry about renovations after we're safe."
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I think the home renos are going to be about the same no matter if you use #4, #1 or 00 Buck...so you should use what you feel works best. From what I have read, #1 buck is supposed to be pretty hard to beat.
 
I had a Benelli Super Black Eagle version 1 for several years and dealt with the recoil and tendency to not cycle 2 3/4" target loads and finally got sick of it enough to trade it in.

I now have a Winchester Super X3 and just bought a Browning Silver lightning both in 12 guage and for me, the browning gas sytem guns just kick the butt of the benelli I had. The recoil is noticeably lighter and the winchester will digest everything I have shot through it - 3.5" heavy steel to 2 3/4" light stuff. The Winchester has the dura coating stuff, which is surprisingly grippy and is great out in the duck blind. I just love this shotgun.
 
After almost a hundred years of production one cannot simply write off the A5 They feel just right and point like an arm extension! If you don't want to spend the money on a belguim A5 you can always go for a remngton copy they are reliable as hell also!
 
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