huge, huge decision , please chime in.

[windsheer]

Hello fellow calgunners!

I need a shot gun for shoot'n clay pidgeons ,trap ,skeet , whatever . One of my friends has a benelli superblackhawk eagle, I do belive that what it's called and it is beautiful . It's a great shotgun but do I really need to spend that much . Of all the experienced shooters reading this ,if you were to get one shotgun for clay fun what would it be. Whats important to me would be

1) Reliabilty , no s**t.
2) Can shoot it all day, semi auto of course.
3) If need be I can buy parts to keep it running.
4) Decent quality at around 1000 or less . Less $ is good but I don't mind paying if its worth it.

With remington benelli berretta winchester browning Mossberg ect . I really dont know where to begin other than benelli but $1400 to 1700 is more than I want to spend at this time with the mindset I have. But ya never know. Any and all replies will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[uzigalil]

how about a benelli m2

[Asphodel]

If you are contemplating clay bird shooting at ranges, with relatively only occasional 'real bird' hunting, the third shot of a pump or semi-auto is not really worth the additional weight/balance issues.

In the price range you mention, or substantially less with a bit of careful shopping, you should be able to find a Browning superposed double in excellent condition.

I'd prefer one of the older Belgian ones myself, but I've read comments by owners of the later Japanese production Brownings, who say they are high quality......I've no direct experience with the Japanese Brownings myself, aside from handling some at gun shows......to me, the Japanese ones don't seem quite the equal of the older Belgian production.....but others may feel differently.

For clay bird shooting, the over/under double is so far superior to any pump or semi-auto, in terms of comfortable handling for accurate shooting, that there just isn't any real comparison.

You might ask, 'alright, you said Browning superposed, but what shotguns do you actually have for your own use?'

The answer would be that I have two Winchester M97 12ga pump shotguns, the high quality, reliable version of pump gun (no sheet-metal or plastic parts).......but I'd trade one of them, plus some $, for a nice Belgian Browning, in the proverbial micro-second, if a suitable deal were to become available.

cheers

Carla

[jafount]

Winchester SX3 is a great new gun. It's well balanced, light, fast and good for everything you seem to want to do with it and can be had for a shade under a grand.

[Black Majik]

I'd take a hard look at a Beretta 391, it's usually what I see mostly at the clay range if they're shooting semi-auto.

[Tallship]

If you are just getting into the sport (as it sounds) and want to get a semi-auto, I would get a used Remington 1100 or 1187. I guarantee you that if you find you like clay shooting, you're going to want to get a specialized gun. If you don't like it, you're proibably going to want to sell the gun. Either way, there is a huge market for used models of those two guns, and you won't lose too much, if any, when you resell it. My $.02

[Timberland]

The super black eagle is not worth it if your not going to use 3.5 mags. I could never make up my mind but if I could Id get the winny SX3, but am unshure about replacement parts. For extra parts a remington will be best, but I think they are overpriced (guns not parts). Do you want this to be versital, as in are you ever going to turn it into a 3-gun SG?

[BMC]

If you ask most dedicated clay shooters, based on their EXPERIENCE, what sub $1k gun would they use if they could only have one, it has been my experience that most will agree with Asphodel. The remaining would chose either a Beretta 391, Rem 870 or Rem 1100, in that order. The most durable, versatile and user friendly shotgun probably ever made is the Rem 870 and arguably the Model 12. Both are pump guns and both will generally outlast the owner. That being said, since the OP stated he wanted a semi, if you use statistics of what most trapshooters and sporting and skeet shooters use, it would be the Beretta 391. They are upgradeable and very durable. I've owned both a 391 Teknys and several 1100s in different configurations. The 391 doesn't need to be pampered like an 1100 does. If you plan on shooting a lot and aren't geared for cleaning the gun completely after every shooting day, then you will want the 391.
You can pick up a used Browning O/U for under $1k and do everything you would want to do clay-wise. The only advantage that a single barrel has over a O/U is POI. A single barrel will give you the same POI for both shots where as most O/Us the bottom barrel "typically" shoots higher than the top barrel. For trap this is actually a good thing. If recoil is an issue, the semis are a better choice. But with a lite target load in a O/U can be rather gentle too.
Having read and been asked this same question countless times I would pick an 870 first, but if you going to be shooting skeet, the 391 or a used Browning O/U are solid choices you can't go wrong with.
Remember this, what the gun looks like or the name on the side of it doesn't determine how well it will shoot or hold up over the long haul. Choose what fits you the best and which one you shoot the best.

[randy]

The SBE your buddy has shoots 3.5" shells no need for that busting clays.
Compulisve seems to have had problems getting parts for his Benelli The few parts I've bought for my Benelli came from Brownells and were in stock.

For your price range I'd get the 391 Beretta or a little more for a Benelli. No Remingtons for me, too much maintanence and parts.

Good luck and dust 'em.

[AJAX22]

If you want a reliable semi, get a Saiga 12

they work just fine for busting clays and hunting too

[Knight]

Glock.

. . . wait, what was the question?

[calixt0]

This is probably against popular opinion here and I can't speak for their price now. A few years ago I bought a stoeger semi auto initeria driven shotgun. it is licensed action from benelli and is now one of the partner companies. I paid 399 for it and have shot thousands of rounds through it. It is not a exact copy of a benelli but the ID rotating bolt is directly from Benelli design. I have heard that their quality has dropped but when i got mine it has done a bang up job and has never failed me. When I bought mine i was convinced after watching someone who I know, who frankly could tear up a metal ball with a rubber mallet, shot his and it just kept on going. I have a bad habbit of cleaning my guns but this guy never did. it just kept going and going and going.. you get teh point... as usual YMMV

[Legasat]

Benelli's are very nice, but expensive.

+1 to the Remingtom 1187.

[NoNOS67]

If you are contemplating clay bird shooting at ranges, with relatively only occasional 'real bird' hunting, the third shot of a pump or semi-auto is not really worth the additional weight/balance issues.

And 90% of the time, the third shot is usually a "miss" anyway.

[supermario]

This is probably against popular opinion here and I can't speak for their price now. A few years ago I bought a stoeger semi auto initeria driven shotgun. it is licensed action from benelli and is now one of the partner companies. I paid 399 for it and have shot thousands of rounds through it. It is not a exact copy of a benelli but the ID rotating bolt is directly from Benelli design. I have heard that their quality has dropped but when i got mine it has done a bang up job and has never failed me. When I bought mine i was convinced after watching someone who I know, who frankly could tear up a metal ball with a rubber mallet, shot his and it just kept on going. I have a bad habbit of cleaning my guns but this guy never did. it just kept going and going and going.. you get teh point... as usual YMMV

+1. I do not one own but i have read many good reviews about them. I think Martin B. Retting had them last time i checked for about $550? I held that shotgun and it feels nice. Plus you can use the recoil buffer from a Benelli and they sell extension tubes to get 8+1 Thats what i am getting next.