Duck gun

[AK_Skeeter]

Save until you can afford any of the “B” guns that fit…. You’ll have it the rest of your life and it’ll afford flawless performance and since it fits, you’ll hit stuff.

Beretta or Benelli or Browning?

 

[Darryle]

Franchi Affinity, everything comes out the front, nothing in the buttstock to clean. Made in Italy along side the Benellis. The bore is the Beretta .729" versus the Benelli .723" and uses the Beretta Mobil Choke system.

Cheaper than any of the B-guns as well.

 

[WCB]

No love for the A5's ?

Where can you find one for $1000 or less? I have shot the new ones a bit and they are nice but I would never pay retail for that firearm...zero reason for them to be priced they way they are.

OP...For my job I deal with firearms and ammunition everyday and see what has inherent issues and doesn't. (I don't work behind a gun counter so I see real world issues and figure out what went wrong)

SBE of any variation for the amount of them out there you can't go wrong but no where near sub $1000

Sub $1,000 used to say M2s but they are like $1200-$1300 so drop those.
Winchester SX4 (just ordered one) can't go wrong
Affinity, A300s I also wouldn't hesitate to purchase
Stoeger...honestly I have shot a ton of them and never had an issue. See if a new spring will help.

 

[RockSlinger671]

These Stoeger M3000 are identical functionally to the MK3 that are used tremendously in 3-gun. The competition crowd really use and abuse these shotguns and have extensive knowledge on them. There are some fixes if you search on google “MK3 reliability fix” or something to that nature. If you can’t find a solution, I’d contact Stoeger and have them repair it if that option is available to you. If your just done with the gun, sub-1k Franchi Affinity for inertia or Winchester SX4/SX3 for gas, anything approve that price I’d get the Benelli SB3 or Beretta A400.

Here’s from a competition group, look at the second post

Stoeger M3K Freedom or FN SLP Competition - which is more reliable out of the box?

Mostly will be used for hobby trap/sporting clay, but I want it to be good to go for the occasional 3/multi-gun/shotgun match My main concern is whichever is most reliable without gunsmithing/permanent modifications; drop in parts are fine for customizing/upgrades, but not needed for reliability....

forums.brianenos.com

 

[LonghairDontcare]

Franchi Affinity. I'm on my 2nd one. Have also owned a Benelli M2, Stoeger M3000 & M3500, CZ Canvasback, Franchi Intensity, Benelli SBE2. Mossberg 930 and 935.

Affinity beats them all.

 

[balkodd]

My Benelli M2 is the first shotgun out of my safe unless I’m shooting trap. Incredibly simple design and ridiculously easy to clean.

 

[someter82]

Beretta 390 if you can find one.

Save up for a beretta a400 or benelli SBE3

Which ever camp your in.


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[bayoublaster7527]

Beretta 390 if you can find one.

Save up for a beretta a400 or benelli SBE3

Which ever camp your in.


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I’ll second that. 390 still one of the best autos ever made but hard to find these days. 391s are no slouch either. I have had great luck with my extrema2 and A400 if you can float the cash. Big beretta fan here.

 

[WRO]

The 391 is the pinnacle of Beretta's autoloaders.

The 400 is way too bulky due to being built for 3 5" shells.

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[Big Ern]

Benelli: sbe2/3, super vinci, M2. All great.
Beretta: A400
Browning: A5 wicked wings.

Try each and see what fits you the best.

 

[M-Wig]

I was originally doing the same budget. I was down to the Franchi Affinity, SX4, or A300. I actually went to buy an Affinity, but the store didn't have the one in stock I wanted. I ended up spending more and getting the A400 so I can't give any feedback. My hunting partner has the Stoeger mentioned above and seems to like it just fine.

 

[ltkasten]

You could find a deal on a beretta a300 outlander right now. Probably in the $500-600 range. I picked one up used and have had zero problems with it.

 

[RnnHntr]

Any particular reason you are tied to a semi-auto? I moved from a Benelli SBE 3-1/2" to a Browning BPS 3" and found that I was hitting and killing a higher percent of my birds.A pump is not better or worse than a semi-auto, but everything being equal, a pump is more reliable and less costly.

 

[southLA]

I've shot every kind of load in my A300 over many years with zero failures.

 

[Banded_spooney]

My old man isn't the killer he once was but he still duck or goose hunts more days than any man that isn't a guide (85+ days a year) and he only shoots A300 or 390. He's too cheap to get an A400 but really has never had a reason to upgrade even though he can afford it and it would obviously get used.

He runs them for a year without cleaning. Just sprays a bit of RemOil every few days. At the end of the first year he swaps out for a Sure cycle then runs that gun for several years sending it to a gunsmith once a year for a deep clean only.

First sign of trouble and they are few and far between, he replaces the gun. -- At this point my son will inherit a stack of cheaper Berrettas lol

Don't hesitate to go that route. Personally, I've extensively run all the flagship guns for the big 'Bs" and I've settled on Benelli's. I can tell you, I've seen less reliability from my SBE 2 and my M2 than I have from any of my dad's stack of Berretta's. The big thing for me is the fit. I haven't found a semi that fits me and shoots nicer than an M2.

 

[Wassid82]

I bought a Beretta A400 about 5ish years ago. Blows everything out of the water, sky, forrest, cliffs, anything anywhere it just works and cycles fast. I'm a good shooter but not competition elite......no one I've ever hunted with beats me to a shot or shoots as fast. The gun shoulders nice and never have the benelli "click". Trust me....I have both. A400 makes me a better shooter/hunter everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

[Cseaman91]

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!

I tried a Winchester SX4 for 2 years and finally sold it and bought a Benelli SBE 3. I had the exact same problem with the SX4. You may want to try cleaning the spring out in the stock, but even then it may not help. There are different stiffness springs you can try as well. I hope this helps.

 

[HoneyDew]

Not the semi you requested but my fathers Remington 870 wingmaster is the best gun I’ve owned to date. Older than me and I still outshoot most guys with their semis.

 

[arock]

Franchi Affinity. Pretty close to the same as the Benelli M2 I have and should be under a grand. One of my hunting buddies has one and its a nice shooter.

 

[slimC]

Beretta A300