Best Semi-Shotgun for hunting

[patrick0685]

Im looking at buying a semi shotgun for hunting like it says. I have been looking at Browning Silvers, a used Browning Gold, Benilli SBE or something or maybe a Remington 1100 or 11-87. Any thoughts?

[Hoser]

Sbe.

[patrick0685]

Sbe.

...any reason?

[TriggerHappy]

S uper B lack E agle.

In case you were unaware.

[patrick0685]

S uper B lack E agle.

In case you were unaware.

thanks had that one, just wandering why his choice is the SBE

[Hoser]

They are built like a tank with very few moving parts, yet they dont weigh that much. And with the SBE you can shoot 3.5 inch shells if you want.

[JohnTRourke]

If i wanted a shotgun for hunting.
It would never be a semi-auto

I like semi-autos, they shoot nice, etc

but damn, they ALL jam.
and in hunting, you only get one shot.

If you really really really still wanted a semi-auto, I'd 2nd the Benelli.

[nontactical]

I own an SBEII, a Browning Gold Fusion (alloy reciever, weighs nothing), a newer Browning Auto 5 with choke tubes, and a Beretta AL391 and have hunted with all of them. I guess I have been either lucky or diligent with my cleaning (or a combination thereof) but none of them have ever jammed up on me after the normal breakin period.

All four of them are superb weapons, and a joy to hunt with. Like women, they each have their own personality and I love them for different reasons. The SBEII is sexy because its state of the art, probably the most reliable out of the bunch, and the black polymer thing allows me to lean it against fenceposts without sweating. They are also stupid expensive, and kick considerably harder than gas guns.

The Browning Fusion is a slick, no-nonsense little auto that has the lines of a Model 12. It points really well, weighs even less than the SBEII, has nice wood, and if you look around for a month or so you can find one for around $500 in as-new condition I bought mine for $500 even about 6mos ago. This may be the best thing about the gun. In fact, CDNN has the SL (another alloy frame gun, but Im not sure how it varies from the Fusion BRAND NEW for $699 right now; you can buy two for the price of an SBE.

The Auto 5 is a classic almost in the same way that my Model 12 or my sxs guns are. For me, the thing points like my own finger, it has a warmth to it that only older Browning and Winchester products have, and I dig the funky humpback design. Its new enough to be Japanese which bothers me exactly none. While it is limited to 2 3/4" shells, that is just fine with me. I't not a big believer in the huge candlestick shells anyway. In good shape, they are starting to commmand a premium, but if you look you can get a nice one for $600.

The Beretta is, well, a Beretta. There is a reason that it is the most shot semi-auto in the pro sporting clays ranks. I actually shoot my AL391 in factory configuration as well as I shoot the Citori Special Sporting that I had professionally fitted to me. Recoil wise I'd call it a toss-up between this and the Browning for softest shooting.

Honestly, if I was in the market right now, I'd hop all over the Browning at CDNN, as long as you are looking for a hunting specific gun. Sure, you could shoot clays with it, but I wouldn't purposely buy a 6lb gun for this. I bird hunt about twice a week for the entire season, and more and more I use my Browning Gold for ducks and geese and my 28ga sxs for everything else.

Sheesh... that turned into a book in a hurry.

[jmg8550]

I have a Tri-Star Viper that works quite well for me. It doesn't like light loads though. Here is a link for a test of this shotgun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVInopUELnU

[gcrookston]

Built using the same mechanicals as the M1 Super 90 tactical shotgun, the Benelli Montefeltro has one of the fastest actions in the shotgunning world. I picked mine up gently used years ago for half the price of a new one. I've never had a jam in either it or my M1S90...