what is the best choice for a shotgun?

My personal opinion is that the new Browning shotgun doesn't have enough time under its belt to deserve your money.

It is pretty new and doesn't offer anything the well established Italian brands have offered for many years. The Italian brands have an excellent record of reliability on the range and in the field. I also don't see a kick-off shock absorber on the Browning offering which puts it even further behind the Italian guns.
 
@HK guns

Interested to know it you own any of the "Italian guns". I own a Browning Maxus and it is a great gun. When I was looking I held and shouldered a lot of guns before buying one. I would have liked to shoot a few more before buying but I doubt it would have changed my mind. I wasn't going to buy something that didn't feel right or shoulder right on me, and wouldn't have shot several anyway cause I didn't like the feel. Overall the weight, feel and shouldering of the Maxus was great. Now that I have a bunch of rounds through it...dove hunting, skeet field, and duck hunting I can still say I love that gun.
 
Not a gas - Rem 1100 and 1187

Early in the post someone said the owned Rem 1100 and 11-87 but didn't own a gas gun. Since I own an 1100 and was pretty sure it was gas operated, I did some checking. Chuck Hawks review of the 1100
http://www.chuckhawks.com/rem_1100.htm In the first line he states it is a gas operated shotgun.

I also own a Franchi AL 48 in 20 guage. I dearly love that gun for close, quick shooting. It is a recoil operated gun but in 20 guage the recoil is reasonable. My Rem 1100 is 12 guage and the recoil in that gun is about the same as my recoil operated 20 guage.

Just my 2 cents.

Neither of these guns will set you back $1500.
 
@HK guns

Interested to know it you own any of the "Italian guns". I own a Browning Maxus and it is a great gun. When I was looking I held and shouldered a lot of guns before buying one. I would have liked to shoot a few more before buying but I doubt it would have changed my mind. I wasn't going to buy something that didn't feel right or shoulder right on me, and wouldn't have shot several anyway cause I didn't like the feel. Overall the weight, feel and shouldering of the Maxus was great. Now that I have a bunch of rounds through it...dove hunting, skeet field, and duck hunting I can still say I love that gun.
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@Deerhunter

Yes, as a matter of fact I own the following Italian shotguns at this point in time, with no plans of selling any.

Beretta 391 Urika 3" 12
Beretta 391 Xtrema2 3.5" 12 Camo w/KO
Franchi AL48 28GA

-I have used the first two on my list at the range extensively for Trap, Skeet & 5 stand. Both have shot 7/8 oz reloads without a single jam or mis-feed.

-I have hunted Duck, Goose, Turkey, Quail, Pheasant and Dove, shooting normal field loads up to 3.5" 2.125oz Goose and Turkey loads.

I had one issue with my X2 while in the field, it was acting like a single shot. I couldn't believe it as it was the first malf I'd ever had with this gun.

Upon closer inspection, I had failed to re-assemble 100% correctly after my last cleaning. A 30 second re-assembly and it was running perfectly again. My fault, not the guns fault.

Brownings are great guns, if it fits you and you shoot it well, that is what counts. I prefer to let a shotgun season a bit and given the perfect reliability of my Beretta's it would be extremely difficult to pull me away from them.
 
Quote:
I'm someone who never saw the utility of a semi automatic shotgun for hunting.
You've never been to a big dove shoot have you?
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I'm betting he's never duck hunted in Canerda either.
 
I've never been to a big dove hunt or shot ducks in Canerda, but I've been told that CO law prohibits hunting with more than a 2-shot magazine capacity. With that in mind, I don't see the utility of the semi, as I can bring down three birds with three shots of my pump. Again, it's just me. My friend loves his semi, and I try not to bother him too much about it...
 
I looked at the 11-87. I am a good size guy, spent 8 years in the Army humping a ruck around and going on patrols in Kosovo and Iraq in full gear. I just couldn't bring myself to wanting to carry an 11-87 around in the field all day. The weight difference between the Maxus and the 11-87 is noticable when holding them (one in each hand).
 
Thanks again for your help. With your help and some research I have narrowed my choice down to the sbe2 and the xtrema2. I picked up the others (Browning, Winchester, and Remington) but the sbe2 felt the best. The only other shotgun that I have not picked up yet is the extrema2. I don’t want to rule it out until I at least pick it up. I have also heard good reviews on the extrema2. So, while I'm waiting to pick up the extrema2 what do you guys think about the sbe2 and the extrema2?
 
"Picking it up" is one thing, shooting it is another. You would best be served by going to a gun club and renting/borrowing all of those you are considering and seeing how well each fits and shoots for you.

Buy the gun that fits and that YOU shoot the best
 
I'd find an excellent used Ithaca Model 37, or buy a new one with a 26" VR barrel and a slug barrel. Even new, that should cost you 'way less than the alternatives you suggest, and they are classic, excellent guns.

Spend the excess, if any, on shells and shooting practice and gas and all the extras that you need to have to maximize the experience.
 
I finally decided on the Benelli Super Vinci... Max 4. WOW!!! What a gun! (And price). They were selling the super Vinci for the same Price as the SBE2. IMO it is balanced perfectly. I love the break down procedure and cleaning it is amazingly easy. I got to shoot it the other day and I shot 1 1/8 load all day. It was a dream to shoot. At the end of the day I shot 3.5" shells. You can definitely tell the difference. I personal can’t tell you that the Vinci had less recoil than a gas operated shotgun because no one had one there for me to compare it with. I did shoot the SBE2 with 3.5" and I can say that I thought that the recoil was less with the super Vinci. The SBE also had more of a downward push and the Vinci was more lateral. Overall I am extremely impressed and if they weren’t so expensive I would by another. Thank you everyone for your help.
 
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Maybe pick up an older Benelli M1... THough it won't shoot 3 1/2" loads , it will shoot up to 3" with no problems and shoots like a dream.... I have actually owned both the M1 and the new M2 Benelli shotguns and they are awsome shooters... Almost industructable and they actually shoot when the temps get below freezing, unlike some of gas operated type shotguns...
 
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