I've settled on an autolader...

[cppilot89]

Now, I just have to figure out which one. However, I stumbled across an AWESOME website with great prices on guns. So, looking there, these are (I promise) the final 3.

Browning Gold Sporting Clays
Beretta AL391 Urika 2
Remington 1100 G3

Thanks,
Adam

[JPglee1]

I say shoot as many guns as you can before you make your decision. We can't make that kinda decision for you.

I personally would go for the 1100, more common I believe and easier to get fixed if need be... at least I think.


J

[stator]

Now, I just have to figure out which one. However, I stumbled across an AWESOME website with great prices on guns. So, looking there, these are (I promise) the final 3.

Browning Gold Sporting Clays
Beretta AL391 Urika 2
Remington 1100 G3

Thanks,
Adam

The most important evaluation criteria for a shotgun is fit, or as in which one fits your shooting style the best. A poor fitting shotgun makes for a difficult time to hit anything.

Next that to is reliability of cycling various loads. With that said, here's what I observed my skeet shooting sessions with my buddys:

1- The Browning Gold gas system has a love or hate relationship with most. It is complex and needs careful and consistent cleaning in order to cycle reliably. Most suggest using a pure silicon spray, or a dry lube.

One of my regular skeet shooting buddy as a Gold Fusion which gives him fits regularly. It does not like to cycle the WalMart cheap, promo light loads at all and the piston rings like to come undone. So, for light target loads, he has to shoot the expensive stuff like AAs and STSs. He is currently looking into reload to keep the costs in check.

Other than this issue, Browning's Gold line of autoloaders are awesome. I enjoy shooting my friends when it is running great. Search the web for "browning gold issues" to see what I mean.

2- The other buddy has a 1100 which cannot cycle the WalMart Winchester Universal loads, but does okay on WalMart's Remington Sport loads (these are their promo shells). He also has port clogging and broken ring issues that pops up every now and then. A good deal on a used Remington 1100 is a great backup shotgun, IMO. For some reason, Remingtons tend to fit me well out of the box. Plus, there are tons of used 1100 out there which equates to great pricing for buyers (well maybe if we were in a free state).

3- Those of us with Berettas (Urikas and Technys) never skip a beat. These are the vastly more reliable of the gas-operated autoloaders. We cycle just about anything including the two cheap WalMart promo loads mentioned above. We can run them lightly oiled or dripping wet with CLP with no issues. Plus, there are no o-rings or piston rings to break or come loose. This is a good reason why Beretta is the #1 in gas-operated autoloaders right now.


So to conclude this accidental Beretta advertisement, if the Urika fits you well, do not hesitate in getting it. It will, then, outshine the other two on your list. BTW, you missed a heck of a good deal on a Technys here in the classified forums.
Some poor dude purchased it and will probably have tons of fit problems, hate it because of that, and forced to sell it to me shortly.

PS. Look for a good deal on a closeout of the Urikas. I do not think the Urika 2's are worth passing a closeout on an Urika. The only exception that I can think of is the Urika's Xtra-Wood versus Urika 2's Xtra-Grain stocks. Man, that Xtra-Wood with the plastic laminate looks hideous to me up close.

Also, check WalMart's pricing on Berettas. Too bad WalMart exited the CA market due to a settlement deal with the CA-DOJ. In fact, one of the big offending WalMart that brought this on is the one on Monterry Rd. in San Jose. Some guy working there forgot to DROS and just did the Federal requirements. This went on for a couple of years as I am told.

Shotgunners in the free states were taking advantage of WalMart's closeouts on Beretta 390's last year at $399 to $350 each.