Buy once cry once shotgun for water fowl

[Wassid82]

A400 for me. its been lights out good

 

[Jsmith410]

As I’m sure several have mentioned above, I recommend the inertia driven guns. I have used remingtons, berettas, and benellis and have had hunting buddies use several others.
The inertia guns tend to have less issues as they stay cleaner. We go to Canada every year and even the beretta A400 have had issues in the cold even though they are phenomenal shotguns. I personally shoot the SBE 2 but my M2 was great for up to 3” shells.

 

[Storman]

Hello,

I’m a fair weather bird hunter but I’m trying to get into it more and more. In the past I didn’t go much because I didn’t really know anybody who was into it. My bird hunting season consisted of a goose or 2 and ducks when I happened to catch them while jet boating on creeks.

I’ve since met a few guys who are all in, they have invited me on a few trips with them this next year to some real legit places for Brandt’s, geese, sea ducks etc.

My current shotgun is a beat up old Remington rust bucket, it works but I want to invest in a nice semi auto, I’m going to have to order due to where I live so I can’t really go and try a bunch. I’m looking for something I’m going to be happy with for years to come, price isn’t an issue but I’d like to stay under 2k.

What would you buy for a one and done waterfowl gun? I’m thinking a benelli super black eagle or maybe some version of the A5.

What would you get?

Thanks!!!

Love benelli ! No need for a super black eagle unless you really want to shoot 3.5inch rounds. Today’s loads there is no need. So I would go with the M2 and save the money for good shotgun shells.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I use a Browning Citori I bought in the 1980s as my main duck gun.
I also have a backup Remington 870 that I leave in my tent at camp.
Most of my shots are fairly close and I like the quickness of that over under.

---

 

[Biggie]

What's the difference between the M2 and the Montefeltro?

I for one like the Affinity as well and think it looks prettier than the Montefeltro but the name Benelli keeps calling to me.

Monte is a flat rib, M2 has a raised rib. M2 is only synthetic, monte is available in either

 

[Biggie]

BUT if I needed a one-gun duck and goose solution, I'd pick a 20 gauge Benelli M2 with a 26" pipe, and run one of the modern Bismuth/Tungsten loads through it. Easier to maneuver in tight blinds, layouts, boats, etc, lighter to carry in, shoulders like nothing else. Anyone who says you need a 12 gauge to kill ducks/geese on an industrial scale simply doesn't know wtf they are talking about.

This is the route I went though I only shoot steel. 4 years with the Affinity 20 and on my second season with the M2. I did have to replace the carrier latch on it and had the occasional click on straight overhead shots but that was quickly fixed with a wolff recoil spring. Frustrating to have to spend extra on a $1300 shotgun but it's bulletproof now. Rio 3" steel 3s through a light modified choke are throwing 85% patterns at 35yds. Will occasionally switch to 2s when I know I'm hunting big geese but have taken over 100 in the decoys with 3s. A dream to carry in the pheasant fields and turkey hunting as well. I will say I with it was a touch heavier though for a smoother swing.

 

[ianpadron]

This is the route I went though I only shoot steel. 4 years with the Affinity 20 and on my second season with the M2. I did have to replace the carrier latch on it and had the occasional click on straight overhead shots but that was quickly fixed with a wolff recoil spring. Frustrating to have to spend extra on a $1300 shotgun but it's bulletproof now. Rio 3" steel 3s through a light modified choke are throwing 85% patterns at 35yds. Will occasionally switch to 2s when I know I'm hunting big geese but have taken over 100 in the decoys with 3s. A dream to carry in the pheasant fields and turkey hunting as well. I will say I with it was a touch heavier though for a smoother swing.

Good point.

That's my only qualm with the 20g M2s, nothing in the forend so they can be squirrely. I like my Affinity because it has the goodies in the forend instead of the buttstock.

Now that I'm used to a lighter shotgun, moving to the M2 wouldn't be an issue.

 

[ssrhythm]

Well....I wrote an extremely long post on a 3 year old thread about this choice...Ill keep it short and say that after reading this, I'm pretty sure I just bought a lemon SBE2. I love it...shoots lights out...kills a lot, but it is a cycle-issue pain in the arse. I might take it to a very good, long in the tooth gunsmith near here and see if he can figure out what it's issue is, because I love it when it isn't failing to cycle and channeling its inner single shot. Maybe its something simple. If not, now Im back to leaning toward the SBE 3 after reading this thread. I must have just got a lemon.

 

[kpk]

Whichever one of the the big B's fit you best. All of them feel very different to me.

I was dead set on a Benelli until I actually handled one, it just wasn't for me. I went from a Remington to a Browning Maxus and it felt very familiar to me. The A5 had just come out when I bought mine and didn't want to be a guinea pig for it. Now - I'd look really hard at an A5 too.

I have no idea how many shells have gone through my Maxus but it LOTS. I've had exactly 0 failures. I'm typically shooting light target loads or 3 1/2" BB and I've shot WAY more of the 3 1/2s. Mud, water, blizzards, snow, ice, forend full of corn husks - 0 failures.

 

[EATELK]

For what it's worth, do some googling on the SBE3's shooting high. I was looking for a new shotgun recently and was all set on an SBE3 until reading the many reviews about point of impact. I ended up going with the A400 Extreme and am very happy with it

 

[Ehiggins]

I bought an SBE3 a little over a year ago, shoots 60/40 POA no issues with shooting high at all. Has ~1,500 rounds through it and has yet to have a hiccup regardless of load size/weight. Couldn’t be happier with it.


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[Rusty Shackelford]

Just picked up a Franchi Affinity Elite 3 and I'm really happy with it. I haven't taken it duck hunting yet, but I patterned it and shot about 100 rounds through it at the sporting clays course. It's basically a benelli M2 with a few differences 1) spring is located around mag tube 2) oversized features like charging handle, bolt release 3) Lengthened forcing cone to reduce recoil and 4) factory cerakote. Really stoked on this gun.

 

[Tilley]

I have never had my Beretta A301 not work, and it has been hunted in some harsh salt water and has its fair share of fine swamp mud go through it.

 

[TheGDog]

I’ve shot a Benelli super nova for 15+ years. Great for river or field hunting. Great for ducks or geese. Everyone I hunt with shoots some kind of Beretta or Benelli semi auto, but that super nova pump action keeps up and hasn’t jammed yet. Great all around weapon that doesn’t need pampered. Plus, you can invest the remainder of your budget and fill a trailer with quality decoys.

RE: Super Nova - Great gun. Seems very solid. Bought mine used. Ugh... with the angular trigger guard... ya gotta remember to seat the butt stock firmly into your shoulder pocket and also remember to grasp it firm enough with your trigger hand. I'm kinda bad about that because I'm more focused on the gamebird. Otherwise, when ya shoot the recoil makes it rock back a lil... and over the coarse of the day... those little smacks to the back of the middle finger with that sharp edge on the trigger guard start to add up.

This photo is from the next day.

 

[kevin11mee]

Hello,

I’m a fair weather bird hunter but I’m trying to get into it more and more. In the past I didn’t go much because I didn’t really know anybody who was into it. My bird hunting season consisted of a goose or 2 and ducks when I happened to catch them while jet boating on creeks.

I’ve since met a few guys who are all in, they have invited me on a few trips with them this next year to some real legit places for Brandt’s, geese, sea ducks etc.

My current shotgun is a beat up old Remington rust bucket, it works but I want to invest in a nice semi auto, I’m going to have to order due to where I live so I can’t really go and try a bunch. I’m looking for something I’m going to be happy with for years to come, price isn’t an issue but I’d like to stay under 2k.

What would you buy for a one and done waterfowl gun? I’m thinking a benelli super black eagle or maybe some version of the A5.

What would you get?

Thanks!!!

I like the Browning Maxus chambered for 3.5'' shells. I shoot skeet, doves, pheasant, chukar, quail, ducks, and geese with it. It cycles everything. I use a Kicks High Flyer choke for waterfowl with the Maxus.

 

[BirdHunter91]

Is there anything besides Benelli? 2021 Benelli has some new offerings. Currently shoot a Benelli Performance Shop Cordoba 12ga. Best shotgun made in my opinion! I don't have a need for a 3.5" autoloader just yet. Benelli is offering a SBE3 in 12ga 3" this year long with some new ethos offerings!

 

[hutty]

Benelli and don't look back. Upgraded 4 years ago to a SBE 3 from Franchi. I use my gun pretty hard. Canada, Wyoming, divers, sea ducks, salr marsh and body booting here Maryland.

 

[BlakeyD]

Bought an SBEIII paired with Carlson's Cremator MR and LR chokes this past season to retire my SBEII and would do it again every single time.

 

[blacktail sniper]

I have been shooting my benelli SBE for 15 years and I shoot a lot. Maybe have cleaned it twice. Never had a jam, always goes boom.

For sure i never should have let my original HK version go..ugh. have two SBEIIs now like but dont love. Not to change the subject but anyone know if they addressed the POI issues with the first gen SBEIII? Trying to find a LH SBII for my 12 year old all im finding are 3s. want a LH 26"

 

[Ehiggins]

For sure i never should have let my original HK version go..ugh. have two SBEIIs now like but dont love. Not to change the subject but anyone know if they addressed the POI issues with the first gen SBEIII? Trying to find a LH SBII for my 12 year old all im finding are 3s. want a LH 26"

I have a RH SBE3 that is a little over a year old and shoots great, 60/40 POA


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