Duck gun

wcasey755

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
120
I'm getting into duck hunting this year, I have a stoeger M3000 but even when shooting 3 inch heavy loads it will never be able to cycle a full tube without at least one failure. So with that. What recommendation for a sub 1000 dollar semi do you guys have?? Or if anyone knows what to do to fix the cycling issue!
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
882
Winchester SX3 if you can find one. Mine has been through some wild rides. Keep it reasonably clean and it runs like a top. Retay Masai Mara has treated me good the last couple seasons as well. The boys I hunt with in Canada all run Berettas and they are freaking tanks, they never clean them (like literally never) and they simply wont quit running. They dont fit me well unfortunately. They are above the $1000 mark as well.


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Joined
Jun 7, 2018
Messages
716
Location
Tennessee
Save your money, do some research and get an idea of what you're looking for (gas vs inertia, lightweight, etc.), go to the store, shoulder all the guns that interest you, buy the one that feels right.

FWIW I went in thinking I'd buy a Benelli SBE3 but walked out with a browning A5. Just felt right. I shoot it better than any other shotgun I've ever owned. It does sometimes have trouble on really light loads but the manual even says there's a minimum payload for the 3.5" guns. On 3" or 3.5" it has never missed a beat.

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wcasey755

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
120
Much less about money and much more about what wife lets me spend. So far I'm not a fan of inertia driven haha.
 

ianpadron

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,720
Location
Montana
Best sub $1k inertia gun: Franchi Affinity
Best sub $1k gas gun: Winchester SX4 (honorable mention to the very soft shooting but oh so heavy Remington V3)

For a bit more you could get into a Benelli M2 or SBE3, but holy mother of God do those guns have issues. Don't know a single owner that hasn't sent their Benelli in for extractor work, faulty shims, shitty firing pins, etc.
 

ianpadron

WKR
Joined
Feb 3, 2016
Messages
1,720
Location
Montana
Winchester SX3 if you can find one. Mine has been through some wild rides. Keep it reasonably clean and it runs like a top. Retay Masai Mara has treated me good the last couple seasons as well. The boys I hunt with in Canada all run Berettas and they are freaking tanks, they never clean them (like literally never) and they simply wont quit running. They dont fit me well unfortunately. They are above the $1000 mark as well.


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SX3s are the best Winchester auto ever made...such great duck guns. The SX4s are nice but just not the same.
 

Wags

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2021
Messages
688
Location
California
Best sub $1k inertia gun: Franchi Affinity
Best sub $1k gas gun: Winchester SX4 (honorable mention to the very soft shooting but oh so heavy Remington V3)

For a bit more you could get into a Benelli M2 or SBE3, but holy mother of God do those guns have issues. Don't know a single owner that hasn't sent their Benelli in for extractor work, faulty shims, shitty firing pins, etc.

My M2s have never failed a single time and I beat them like they were free & I've never seen or heard of an M2 having issues. MY SBE 2 on the other hand was one issue after the other.

Both my son's have Affinity 20s and out of the box they suck. However once you get a few cases through them they've been fine. I think some of the fit and finish is off and it takes the coatings on the gun to wear a bit before they functioned well. They fail to feed & extract a lot out of the box for some reason. I haven't owned a 12 ga version though.

SX3s are the best Winchester auto ever made...such great duck guns. The SX4s are nice but just not the same.

You must have gotten one of the good ones. My primary hunting partner had massive failure to feed issues with his. I'll give it that it was probably a one off gun that had issues. But those issues ended up being unrepairable and ended up getting his money back.. he has a SX4 20 now and that thing is a sweetheart to shoot. If they made a lefty I'd own one.
 

GreenNDark Timber

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 22, 2017
Messages
278
Location
Arkansas
Winchester SX3 is my primary duck gun. I also have a Franchi Affinity 20 that I use in the timber. Really like them both. Go to a store that has several and see what you like. Lots of guys love the M2s and SBEs but I found I much prefer the feel of the Affinity with the recoil spring in the forearm as opposed to being in the stock on the Benellis. The rib is also higher on the Benellis which doesn't fit me as well. Just personal preference, but you won't know until you've handled a few.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,243
Get a Wolff +25% recoil spring. That gun will cycle just fine.

Then decide if you need one that says Benelli.

Edit: I'm not sure if Wolff makes a Stoeger specific spring. I understand them to basically be Benelli clones though... Either way try a new recoil spring.
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2020
Messages
613
Location
Eagle River, AK
budddy shoots and X3 loves it, other buddy shoots a M2 loves it, i shoot a Extrema and i love it. i have put thousands of rounds through mine mostly because i shoot sporting clays weekly and havent had any issues even down to -15 degrees. All 3 guns go on many sea duck hunts a year in alaska and have performed great. Theres always going to be some lemons just like anything else. Get your price range and go hold some guns see how they fit you. any auto loader over $800 will generally perform great. With autoloaders it can take some time to see how they like to be ran, some like it a little wetter some like to be bone dry. I went with a berretta because i liked the winder feel on the stock. the SBE and X3 felt much narrow and i didnt like it much.
 
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