Crow Busters Forum

8fishermen · Guru

Looking for a new gun.

Mark · Guru

I looked at a new beretta the other day.. wow.. really sweet....I shoot a Maxus.. and love it...it has given me some trouble.. it's really fast and recoil is the softest I've ever felt from any shotgun I've hunted with..I havn't shot the beretta ( forgot the model) not sure who is claiming softer felt recoil.. I know there are some well read guys here and will chime in.. best of luck in your search.

-- Edited by Mark on Saturday 28th of June 2014 02:05:47 AM

Bob · Guru

The Beretta model 391 Urika 12 gauge is what (I own two) I have used for the past 6 or 7 seasons. Soft shooting and very reliable, it will shoot anything you feed it. I don't think they make that model any more but Beretta is a very good semi auto. I have the walnut butt stock & for end on mine. I would recommend them highly.

Butch · Guru

8fishermen,

My son got a Rem Versamax, light gun and mild recoil. He's ran about 10 cases thru it and really likes it. I've shot a few boxes thru it and it fits me well and will probly get one but I do won't to try out some others in this price range. I have several auto's but I alway's hunt Crows with a Winchester 1400 with the Winchokes, light,cheap and mild recoil and it just fits me.
In the thread on Favorite Shotguns there are some great guns Members have posted on. Hope you get to try out a few before you buy and post what you get.

Butch

10gacrowshooter · Senior Member

Remington 1100.

Mark · Guru

Yes, sorry I missed that. make sure your new gun will shot 6's... : )

10gacrowshooter · Senior Member

Mark wrote:
Yes, sorry I missed that. make sure your new gun will shot 6's... : )

that goes with out saying

Big Honkers · Guru

Hey 8!

Good luck with your gun search and let us know what you end up with.

Glad to see you around the boards!

BH

Crowslayerking · Veteran Member

Franchi affinity works for me check it out see how it fits you!

motiondecoy · Guru

I'd tell ya but i have not enough experience to recommend mine! As it is it doesn't cycle wally-world rounds! I am talking the Remington 11-87 and i am not the only one who says this too! But it has a great recoil system that is unbelievable! better than the pachmyrs I used with 12 ga. field loads in a Rossi double years ago!

Mark · Guru

I went back to the local Beretta dealer and looked at the extrema 2 with "kick off" system and cammo. Very sweet feeling gun. $1658.list. Guy said he would take off 5%.. good luck...

8fishermen · Guru

The Beretta is on the radar. Skeetshooter shoots crows with a 391. Before it was his designated crow gun he shot skeet with it for 5 years shooting 12 ga and doubles with it. He estimates he has shot 70,000 - 80,000 rounds through it plus what he has shot hunting. Beretta designed several of their guns with the competitive shooter in mind. There is one here now that I may get a good deal on. If I do I will probably jump on it. If not I will continue to look. It's not like I need to be in a hurry as the Benelli will still kill them as far as I can shoot.

KOB · Member

The Beretta A400 is awesome. That being said I got an old Super X-1 Winchester that shoots really well. And a Benelli M2. But the Beretta won't kick ya hardly any.

BUZZ · Senior Member

A little over a full season on the A400 Beretta, and it has not skipped a beat. Nice shooting, low recoil, and no issues like I have had with most other shotguns I had, including a new SBE ii . My buddy liked mine and has one full season on his with zero issues as well. He got rid of his Benelli, and the versa max, both were nothing but trouble. My vote goes hands down to the Beretta.

-- Edited by BUZZ on Tuesday 1st of July 2014 01:30:22 AM

Mark · Guru

Which model? Xtrema?

motiondecoy · Guru

Bob has shot shotguns in many areas of the country and south america..he'd be the one to ask...no disresepct intended to any one else..I liked the remington 1100 so long as you kept that action clean...the 11-87y doesn't like the wally world rounds too well...12 ga..and someone across the country said the same thing...I will be looking at another myself if I want to shoot world famous wally world rounds...

Bob · Guru

I was surprised years ago when I tried the Wally World Federal & Winchester ammo, I prefer the Federal ammo but they both are a 3 dram trap load. I got a good deal a year ago on a bunch of Federal trap loads in number 8's. Dick was so impressed with that load that he stocked up for this up coming season with the 1 1/8th ounce load of # 8's .

M12Shooter · Guru

One has to be careful when shooting the older Super X Wincheters. They dont handle heavy loads too well.

Ted

Mark · Guru

FYI.....The guy at gun store told me for the month of July... 10% off on Beretta Xtrema with "saw grass" cammo....

8fishermen · Guru

An good friend of Skeetshooter has a Beretta Techny that he may want to sell. I think I am going to get to shoot it whether I buy it or not. I have been looking at these pretty hard and really like the changeable ribs and the adjustable comb. I may do a little trap shooting also with this gun so I would serve me well. Nothing wrong with a little bling in the crow blind is there?? After all, Bob has custom wood on his. LOL

james · Veteran Member

I own a Beretta new mod extrema. I had an older model which I should have never gotten rid of. I then decided that I wanted the Benilli Super Black Hawk. I shot one box of shells and sold it. Thats when I got the new 12 ga. The Benelli to brake the gun in you had to shot 1280 fps to make the gun cycle and eject. That sucked I want a soft recoil. I reload and very seldom for skeet or trap shoot anything over 1100 fps. The new B shoots everything I load.

8fishermen · Guru

Matt did not want to sell it but I shot his Teknys this weekend. It had the factory adjustable comb and an adjustable but plate. It shot very well except for the face slapping part which could be adjusted out. After shooting his and talking to him, I think I will take his advise and just buy a nice gun without all the adjustment installed. I can then have the comb and plate added. He said I can have higher quality ones installed for less $$$ than if you buy them from the factory. The after market ones the gun fitter will install has greater range of adjustments. That would help with the face slap.

Back to the drawing board.

Lone Star Phil · Senior Member

Greg:

"Shoots soft"?

Well, I just don't know what to say, other than two missives:

1. Just because its not new doesn't mean it can't do the job.

2. There is some satisfaction in experiencing that kinetic thump in one's shoulder, cheek, hands and arms that separates the physical field shooting experience from the latest video game. If you're old enough, it's kind of like Mercurochrome, the pain tells you it's working.

Note that in terms of weapon technology, I'm decades behind the other members of the TCP and I will defer to them for their counsel on your query.

But I'm there, standing shoulder to shoulder with my brothers, launching loads with them.

biggrin

Buckshot1822 · Senior Member

I shot a Browning Gold for a long time that I really liked.........

I picked up a Benelli Vinci 2 years ago(The plain Vinci, not the "super"), and I cant believe I ever hunted without it..........It is very soft shooting for an inertia gun, it is really comfortable for me, lightweight, and I have never had any kind of FTF or jam issues with it, I shot an SBE2 and hated it, but I sure do love that Vinci.............

It isn't the most "pretty" looking gun though, it looks about like something you would see in a 60's sci-fi movie

-- Edited by Buckshot1822 on Tuesday 8th of July 2014 01:05:53 AM

-- Edited by Buckshot1822 on Tuesday 8th of July 2014 01:06:52 AM

shaky · Member

I'm afraid I can't help you. My only auto loader is a '56 Browning A5 Light Twelve with a full choke barrel. It's built to handle 2 3/4" shells only and uses the very first auto loader system. I actually don't find the recoil to be excessive. It handles well, is well balanced and the engraving along with the wood furniture add a touch of class. While I generally hunt with my late model 870 Wingmaster I do on occasion take the Browning out to keep it from thinking I no longer love it. I have the money for a new auto loader, but there are too many other items I need to take care of lately. They make a new A5 now with a modern gas operating system, but still retaining the old school A5 look. It's supposed to be a nice gun, I just haven't gotten around to finding one to handle. Good luck.

Mark · Guru

I ended up purchasing the Beretta Xtrema two weeks ago. I shot it with some #8's x 1 1/8 oz and wow it felt like I was shooting 1/2 oz loads.. We are going to a peach orchard ( crop damage/ 50 CFR 21. 43) on Saturday to shoot crows..can't wait to see how she does with 6's x 1 1 /4 oz at 1290 fps...

-- Edited by Mark on Tuesday 29th of July 2014 02:20:04 AM

DODGEM250 · Veteran Member

I recently opted for a Mossberg 930, after much shopping and comparing, I found the 930 to be the best priced and best built. The old Remington 1100's were great, but, today seem very sloppy and lighter than older versions. The 930 came in at $598.00 total from Dick's in Waldorf, MD and is a nice heavy gun and well balanced. I don't like the light-weight feel of those plastic stock/forearm guns and other makes, such as the Beretta's for example just seem too expensive for my needs. I also considered the Winchester SXP, but, the price was not appealing for what it is. The Mossberg 930 has won me over and you simply can not pull the trigger fast enough for this gun. My old 500 will probably never get used again. Though the 930 is just a 500 in semi-auto, it's twice the gun a 500 is.

Buckshot1822 · Senior Member

DODGEM250 wrote:
I recently opted for a Mossberg 930, after much shopping and comparing, I found the 930 to be the best priced and best built. The old Remington 1100's were great, but, today seem very sloppy and lighter than older versions. The 930 came in at $598.00 total from Dick's in Waldorf, MD and is a nice heavy gun and well balanced. I don't like the light-weight feel of those plastic stock/forearm guns and other makes, such as the Beretta's for example just seem too expensive for my needs. I also considered the Winchester SXP, but, the price was not appealing for what it is. The Mossberg 930 has won me over and you simply can not pull the trigger fast enough for this gun. My old 500 will probably never get used again. Though the 930 is just a 500 in semi-auto, it's twice the gun a 500 is.

Eh, you get what you pay for in a semi.............The 930's are what they are, which is junk for the most part....

My buddy had 1 that lasted about a year and a half before it started having issues, he sold it back to the gun shop, and got a new one that immediately had massive problems, so they exchanged it for another new one, which also had problems from the get go........he ended up getting a refund and buying a Browning, this was all after trading in a 935 that the barrel warped on, and had a ton of cycling issues

Mark · Guru

Dove season opened last Monday in SC..... I've shot doves on 5 occasions ( 3 fields) .. Limited (15) out every single shoot.... The new Beretta xtreme is deadly.. I'm using Kent 7.5's with 1 1/4 oz....The xtreme allows me to stay on target have follow up shots with ease. I"ve had multiple doubles due to the soft recoil....In my opinion A400 Beretta xtreme...I wish I had purchased it years ago..

Bob · Guru

Hi Mark, good report on your new Beretta.

Do you carry a jug of water with you so you can clean the doves right in the field? This way you can wash all the blood off your hands when you are done.

The new shotgun "is deadly because the guy behind it is deadly" but the gun itself is flawless!

Mark · Guru

Yes, we do "field" clean them.. We carry some jugs of water and soak them in a cooler filled ~1/2 way with water.. gets some of the blood out and most feathers off... then a 1 mile drive for final cleaning to be refrigerated or frozen... here's 68 we picked up on Tuesday afternoon... We have a wire ~110 yds strung across the 3 acre field .. This morning a Red Tail Hawk came in and hit one of the decoys we had on the wire.. I didn't actually see it as I was retrieving a down bird....My cousin told me about it...

-- Edited by Mark on Sunday 7th of September 2014 03:10:04 PM

Bob · Guru

I always cleaned them in the field, by the time I got home I would be to tired to mess with it.

Looking at that mess of doves you have there, what time did you say dinner was ready?

Mark · Guru

Grilled 4 last night.. with one slice of bacon.. yum yum...

Mark · Guru

More dove pics ( off topic/ sorry..) Anywho shot again this afternoon. 3 guns limited.. Here's my blind.. It's sweetgum trees buried in the ground~ 8"... My friend field cleaning the days harvest..

Bob · Guru

Hi Mark,

I like your makeshift blind.

I used to shoot many a duck out of a blind like that in northern Argentina. We would put up a blind like yours right in a flooded rice field.

Mark · Guru

Bob, yes it works well for dove.. I got bitten by ants for about an hour being in the blind.. I called the guy that lives about 250 yards away and asked him to bring me some gasoline.. you should have seen the looks on the faces of the other shooters when he arrived with his golf cart and a 5 gallon jug of gas. I soaked their mound with regular unleaded ( environmentally conscious or course). Thought for minute that I may ignite the vapor from the gas when I pulled the trigger..

Here's one I found in a tree..

Bob · Guru

The ants are bad down in Alabama and Georgia. They can sure bite!

Mark · Guru

I did some math on the weekly total for dove.. 282 doves harvested. Total of 5 shoots. 3 fields.. 19 total guns... avg. 14.8 dove per gun..very good first week... doves are really young and small.. only 1 Eurasian dove harvested and 1 crow (stupid / curious ) 65 yards straight up..

Bob · Guru

Your mind works like mine, I love stats as well!

That is a good average per gun.

motiondecoy · Guru

HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Mark · Guru

We shot doves again this afternoon.. We have rain showers on 3 different occasions.. Right after the rain stopped the doves would fly hard to the field...We both limited out.. Lots of fun..

motiondecoy · Guru

Looking at that mess of doves you have there, what time did you say dinner was ready?

This is what cracked me up!!

Mark · Guru

After 15 boxes of shells I cleaned ( for the first time) my new beretta..the engineering / design of this firearm is absolutely wonderful..the gas system was a breeze to clean and I can see how it cleans its self with the "scraper" and all the "crud" in the gas get pushed out...at this point in time i'm completely satisfied. I hope it continues to perform as it has..

Bob · Guru

Mark,

Get yourself some steel wool and keep it in your cleaning bag for your new Beretta. When you clean the gas system just tear off a small piece of steel wool and scrub out the gas system barrel under your shotgun barrel. Also pick up a good brass 10 gauge cleaning brush to really scrub out the plastic build up in your 12 gauge chamber, real important! My model 391 Beretta has a hole at the top of the system where I use a .30 cal. brass brush to keep the carbon from building up. I don't even think about cleaning mine until at least 40 boxes have run through it.

Mark · Guru

Yes, I purchase three 10 ga bronze bore brushes from Brownell's.. ( they were out of stock on 12 ga). I've got to find or make a rod to fasten the brushes to.. looks like 1/4-28 threads.. not sure will measure. Instructions calls for a rag with the oil that comes with the gun to clean everything and it's what I used.. It did ( at least I think) a good job.. I pushed a cloth with the Beretta oil on it to clean the inside of barrel..

Bob · Guru

Mark,

When you use that 10 gauge brass brush for scrubbing out your chamber just use carburetor cleaner in a spray can. Just spray the crap out of the chamber and then go to work with the brass brush, forget the oil! When you are done dry the chamber with a patch so it fits snugly and just push it on through to the muzzle of your barrel. A 10 gauge brass brush makes for an outstanding 12 gauge chamber cleaner!

SHANEDOG · Guru

Ahhhh,so many shotguns so little time....