Softest recoiling and most balanced semiautomatic shotgun

[midlife]

I think balance is a personal matter. I had an 1187. It balanced like a telephone pole in my hands. Have a supersport now. Great balance. And recoil no issue at all. I can shoot whole case in a day. And never notice any hard recoil. Despite lack of gas piston. The stock and but plate are designed to lessen recoil.

[rubbman]

Sorry guys, I meant to specify that this will be for clay sports (trap, skeet, sporting clays, etc.)

Again I say Benelli M4, although, sometimes when I get caught in the moment a flying clay can be pricey(7 rounds 1.3 seconds you do the math)!

[Iskra]

1100 and 1187 will break down. Not reliable. Lotsa maintenance. Ask your gun shop.

They're good pointing guns and have knocked down a lot of ducks. But clays sports put tens of thousands of rounds through guns every year. For that you want a Benelli Semi-Auto (or maybe a Franchi - same design, same factory), or an OU. Not much else.

[bcsquare]

1100 and 1187 will break down. Not reliable. Lotsa maintenance. Ask your gun shop.

They're good pointing guns and have knocked down a lot of ducks. But clays sports put tens of thousands of rounds through guns every year. For that you want a Benelli Semi-Auto (or maybe a Franchi - same design, same factory), or an OU. Not much else.

Don't know where you got that from but they wouldn't have made the 1100 for over 50 years if it was that unreliable.

They do need their maintenance as with any other gun. Everyone has their own preferences, what may be great handling to me may feel like a 2x4 for someone else.

Benelli's and Beretta semi autos have taken over the market with their newer designs. The 1100/1187 are largely the same design for decades.

[fastpowerstroker]

This year I picked up a Winchester sx3, in 20gauge though, for upland hunting. Very light and easy to swing. Haven't found a load that won't cycle yet. Very happy so far.

[CSACANNONEER]

Proper fit will minimize perceived recoil more than anything else. When my stepson was 11, I bought a youth stock (off a 20g) for my 12g 391. It fit him and he could shoot AA Xtras light loads all day from it. He was pretty recoil sensitive and could tell the difference between X-tra lites and just Lites when I couldn't. Anyway, the problem I see with the new Beretta is that you can't modify the stock too much without the risk of damaging the recoil reducing system in the stock.

[ysr_racer]

Beretta A300's are really nice, and only priced at $675. Turner's and Triple B Clays have them in stock.

[sargenv]

Used Browning Golds can still be had.. One of my favorite scatterguns ever made.. the Maxus is also nice.. and both can cycle loads that most any other gun save the Beretta would choke on and stop working on the first round..

[ERdept]

I had many Benelli's M2's and M4's, and Berettas, and two 1187's.


To me the Beretta and 1187 had the softest recoil.

[stitchnicklas]

love my remington model 11 ,low recoil and accurate and made in 1943

[Newshooter]

For you Benelli owners, any issues with cycling 1 oz, 1145 fps target loads? I have a few friends with SBE that have had issues with light loads and was curious if other models had issues.

[ElvenSoul]

I think balance is a personal matter. I had an 1187. It balanced like a telephone pole in my hands. Have a supersport now. Great balance. And recoil no issue at all. I can shoot whole case in a day. And never notice any hard recoil. Despite lack of gas piston. The stock and but plate are designed to lessen recoil.

Listen to this guy!

You can down to a smaller gauge but you can not make up for a gun that does not fit you and balance right in your hands.

What Gauge are you shooting now?

If your in competition, then what Gauges do they allow.

[bjl333]

1100 and 1187 will break down. Not reliable. Lotsa maintenance. Ask your gun shop.

They're good pointing guns and have knocked down a lot of ducks. But clays sports put tens of thousands of rounds through guns every year. For that you want a Benelli Semi-Auto (or maybe a Franchi - same design, same factory), or an OU. Not much else.

Anything will break if proper maintenance isn't done! I've competed with an 1100 for a long time and the only time it failed was me failing to clean it ... usually after a lot of rounds through it!!

[otteray]

Winchester SX2 has been discontinued since they now have the SX3. They should have deep discounts.

[midlife]

Listen to this guy!

You can down to a smaller gauge but you can not make up for a gun that does not fit you and balance right in your hands.

What Gauge are you shooting now?

If your in competition, then what Gauges do they allow.

Hey. Thanks for the shout out! I think recoil is more of an issue for people shooting at paper. When you are watching clay break I don't even notice I've just shot a gun at all.