Looking for a gun store

[huntandfishguy]

Hi all, Long time duck hunter looking to buy a new shotgun so I thought I would register and ask for suggestions on a store in the easy bay. The last gun I bought was from Traders in San leandro Looking for a Beretta A-300 and would rather support a local shop rather than a big chain if they have Semi-reasonable prices.

Thanks,

[MeatyMac]

Why the A300 vs. the newer A400?

Imbert & Smithers across the Bay in San Carlos is a stocking Beretta dealer. When I bought my A400 Xtreme Unico I bought it on Gunbroker and had it shipped to Kevin Smith in Martinez, he's a kitchen-table FFL (he works out of his house), when it was all said and done between Kevin's $75 for receiving it, the tax and DROS I only saved about $80 as opposed to buying it from a local stocking dealer.

Welcome to CGN, BTW, where do you duck hunt?

[huntandfishguy]

Ill check Gunbroker. Kinda new to all this FFL who can ship to California even the 10 day waiting is foreign to me. I have about 8 family guns Browning A-5 Winchester model 12....2 mossburg 1000's Remington 1100 but they are all getting long in the tooth The reason for the A-300 is mostly weight. I don't really have a need for the 3&1/2 and very seldom will use even 3 inch. Reviews on the A-300 look pretty good?

Thanks for the welcome

[MeatyMac]

The new Guns & Fishing store in Dublin has the A300 Outlander in Max4 camo listed for $799 in their ad in the latest California Waterfowl Assoc. magazine, the ad says the price is good through Sept. 30. A lot of people will tell you to stay away from Guns & Fishing for several reasons, but I'm somewhat indifferent to them as I've never bought a firearm from them, so I've got nothing to base an opinion on.

Have you looked/shouldered a Winchester Super X3? I just bought one for my 14 y/o son, he's put about 400 rounds through it between clays and dove and he's really taken to it well.

[huntandfishguy]

Lots of bashing of that store on the hunting forums too. Dicks didn't have the camo or I probably would have gotten it there. Imbert And Smithers looks like a nice shop on their website I might call them tomorrow. Never looked at the Winchester. A buddy had one can't remember the model but from the 80's and said it was the worst gun he ever owned so I am a little shy of them....My go to gun now is my grandfathers Remington 870 no choke tubes full choke from the 60's still shoots every time but looking for the light semi Well that and it looks like it has been sitting on the bottom of the bay for a year . loved my mossburg model 1000 a take off of a smith and Wesson design have one of those too. a little cheap but very reliable right up until they weren't

[MeatyMac]

The SX3 is made in the FN plant in Belgium, same as the Browning auto shotguns. It's a light gun for a 3.5" auto, that's why I mentioned it to you.

My first duck gun was a Remington 11-48 w/a Full choke barrel, a family gun that belonged to my Grandfather, I still have it. The A400 is my first Beretta auto, I love the thing, 3" #2's are like 2.75" quail/dove loads outta that gun and it eats everything I've put in it from steel low-base trap loads to 3.5" BB goose busters.

[huntandfishguy]

The A400 is a little pricy like 1600 but probably worth in in the long run. Probably the way I would go for one gun... I hunt from a boat so I usually carry 2 guns a duck gun and a mossburg 500 3&1/2 inch pump for the occasional goose. That way no switching back and forth of shells. I hear great things about the Beretta's I hope the A300 is as good as what I have heard.