Best Semi-Auto

S

Skeetin'870

New member
I realize that this is a odd post but I must know, Which is better?
Now I have a friend who will sell his 11-87 because he got a new beretta.
All chokes would come with. I am concerned about reliability.
I dont like o-rings.
The stoeger also has all chokes and the benelli system making it reliable.
Another issue is cost. I realize they cost about the same but I could pay off the 11-87 (he is a good friend :) ) I dont know your advice and experience will help!
Thank you in advance,
Skeetin'870
 
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The best semi is the one you're happiest with. That will vary with each shooter.
You might want to expand your search to make sure you're buying "the one" for you. If you buy enough guns you will regret at least some of your purchases, as have most of us. When you find the right gun, the price won't matter as much as you might first think.
I've gone through a beretta 390 and a Weatherby SAS before settling for good on my Fabarm H368 L/H. I don't know about o-rings; none of my guns used them. The 390 was clanky and didn't balance right for me. The Weatherby was heavy and I couldn't hit a thing with it.
My Fabarm is a left-handed, synthetic stock field gun with sling swivels. It's light (6.6lbs), well-balanced, and a breeze to clean. It's one of only two shotties I've bought (out of 8) that fit me perfectly out of the box. Most importantly, it feels like an extension of my body, and that shows in broken clays and dead birds. For $550.00 NIB it's the best money I've spent on a semiauto.
 
Also a friend of my mother is sellin a beretta 3901 for 600 dollars never fired.
I guess it was given to him as a gift but seing as he already has a plenty nice gun it was reduntant. (you may have heard of him his name is John Michael McGrath) Is this a good deal?
 
I guess the question is, what will you be mainly using it for? On a clay course or skeet or trap field, a recoil operated gun like a Benelli is rarely seen. Beretta 390-391's are all over as well as Remington 1100's and the odd 11-87(myself included). Iv'e had virtually no problems with my 11-87, but there was some quality control issues that has left many lemons out there. Why is your friend getting rid of his 11-87? Winchester SX2's are another option as well. I don't like any of the recoil operated guns that I have shot, but that is a personal preferance. Get what feels best to you for your particular purposes.
 
After a lifetime of shooting gas autos I made the switch a while back and picked up a Benelli Supersport. With it's Comfort Tech stock the recoil is drastically reduced for an inertia gun. Not to the level of an 1100 or 390 but much softer then any pump or O/U.

I'd look long and hard at the Stoeger. When properly set up it'll be more reliable and dependable then any gas gun.
 
I've been through just about all of the mainstream autoloading shotguns and only two really stand out as being worth every penny they cost. The Beretta 390/391 and the Winchester SuperX2, everything else is second rate compared to these two in my experience.

My third choice would be a Browning Gold. I do not like the Benelli's, and the 11-87 is near the bottom of the list.

If you are going to spend the money on a nice shotgun do yourself a favor and buy a quality gun first, it is a LOT cheaper than finding out the one you saved some money on doesn't work well. Eventually if you are serious about shooting you will end up with a quality gun so you might as well start there.
 
Beretta is considered the "best" by most people in the clay target world.

"Best" means firing lot's of shells without cleaning, reliable function and few parts breakage.

The Remington 1100, for example, is a reliable shooter, but you will clean it more(lot more) and more parts will have to be replaced at high round counts.
If you like the way it shoots, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. Just clean it more(10 minutes) and replace some parts and springs BEFORE you need to! :)
 
Well the vice president of the board at my range said he would sell me his 1100 sport made in 2000 with an adjustable comb for 500. With the extra o-rings, springs, and extended chockes he had. is this a good deal I think it is.
 
1100sporting12.jpg


The 2005 1100 Sporting is a nice looking gun and the list price is $901. What's an adj. comb worth?

Get what you like.

JT
 
I don't know if this helps, but the best semi-auto is the benelli...hands down. Those who say otherwise just can't afford one...not trying to be a jerk, but that is the truth.
 
why do you say the benelli is the best semi-auto? i think that berettas and benellis are about the same. i guess i dont really understand the inertia (sp?) system much. i was thinking about a beretta AL391 teknys. its a good gun and it fits me well. any reason i shouldnt buy it? not tryin to hijack your thread.
 
The benelli is the simplest, most reliable, easiest to clean and fast functioning semi-auto on the market. Berettas are fine firearms, but the only thing they have over the benelli is less recoil...everything else on them is more complicated...
 
mathman, I have owned TWO Benelli's and hunt with guys that have them. It has been my experience that they are much less reliable than the Beretta, SuperX2, and even the Browning Gold. Everything is fine with the Benelli when you can get solidly behind the gun, but on high angle or awkward shots where you cannot get solidly behind them they short stroke. Even with 3.5" mags I have seen this happen time and again. A gas gun doesn't care if it has something behind it to hold it strongly enough to cycle, but the recoil operated guns NEED the support.

Try shooting a couple shots from yours from the hip with both arms extended fully or a light grip, you'll see what I am talking about.
 
Actually, I have shot the benelli from all angles (I hunt waterfowl as well) and never have had a problem...go figure.
 
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