Looking into some new shotgune

[BobWalters]

Looking for a new shotgun. My spending limit is right around $1,000(ish). Gun will be used for turkey, dove, quail, and ducks. I'd like it to be gas operated rather than recoil inertia or anything else.

First off, my first question here is I'll be new to turkey hunting, so do I need or should I get a 3.5" gun or will 3" suffice? My aversion to 3.5" guns is the fact that I hear they don't always reliably cycle the 2 3/4 light load quail shells and mild skeet shells very well.
Now on to the options:

Remington V3 (3")
Beretta A300 (3")
Winchester SX4 (3.5")
Winchester SX3 (3" or 3.5")
Remington Versa Max (3.5")

I'm also gonna add 3 Benelli models. One is $900 the other two are $1300 at my dealer of choice.

Benelli Montefeltro (3")
Benelli M2 (3")
Benelli Vinci (3")


I know the versa max runs plus 1,000 but I can get a good deal on it through my dealer. If I need 3.5" for turkey and or ducks then people can eliminate the V3 and A300. I'm new to these two hunting types so I don't know how necessary 3.5" truly is. If 3" will easily suffice what I need or if it's true that 3.5" shotguns won't reliably cycle my light quail loads then scratch those off. Unless when comparing the versa max and V3 the versa max is a true better more reliable better stronger made shotgun.


EDIT: I know people are gonna suggest what fits me best so let me say and ask for help with that to, right now every single shotgun I own (5 models) are shotguns I inherited. Up until the last few weeks I never considered or even heard of this "fits you best" thing as I was just accustomed to opening the safe, grabbing an inherited shotgun out, and going on a hunt. I never once considered if it fit. Truth be told I don't know how to even judge if a shotgun fits me or not.

[CrustyRusty]

The Remington's will have drilled and tapped receivers so if you want the option of an optic for turkey hunting it may be your best choice.   I presently hunt with a SBE2 and rarely use 3.5" for waterfowl but will use 3.5 turkey loads because they happen to pattern best for me.  I predator hunt with my sbe as well and only use 3" dead coyote loads because they pattern best.  It's nice to have the versatility of the 3.5" inch gun but it really is not necessary.

The 3 inch will do most of what you really want  and if I were to get a new gun today I would probably get the Remington V3. Let us know which way you go.

[BobWalters]

Not sure if you caught my quick edit to the post or not, but:

"My budget is 1000ish as stated, HOWEVER I checked online with my dealer today and 3 models of Benelli's are actually more affordable than I thought. I know I said gas only and these are inertia, but how do people feel about these 3 Benelli's vs the guns I've already listed?

M2 field (3") $1240
Vinci (3") $1230
Plain walnut Montefeltro (3") $880

Whatever I get I'd rather have camo synthetic honestly, which is just a personal appearance preference and nothing more, but that Montefeltro comes in at a little under $900 I walnut which I prefer over just plain black synthetic.

Let me just add that if these benelli's are not 200-$500 better shotguns than the A300 or V3 then I'm gonna forget these. Basically I don't wanna pay 200-500 to basically have a shotgun marked Benelli and not beretta or Remington and nothing more."

[FL-Boss]

May want to also take a look at Weatherby Element ... I added one to the pile a few years ago, probably the best all around semi I ever had.. and I have had a lot.  Cost is also less than the others.
http://www.weatherby.com/products/shotguns/inertia-operated-semi-auto.html

[BobWalters]

May want to also take a look at Weatherby Element ... I added one to the pile a few years ago, probably the best all around semi I ever had.. and I have had a lot.  Cost is also less than the others.
http://www.weatherby.com/products/shotguns/inertia-operated-semi-auto.html

I've had a couple people recommend Weatherby, but is always been the SA-08

[Hsargent21]

I recently bought a Remington Versa Max Turkey edition and really like it. I mounted a Trijicon RMR sight and have it dialed in with Winchester Long Beard 3.5 #6.  I have shot some low brass shells through it....some will cycle and some won't.

[CrustyRusty]

Benelli is a solid choice,  especially the M2, which would be a great choice. For me, they are worth the extra money.  They are simple and reliable and well made shotguns.   Again, it is drilled and tapped for scope use as well.  I happen to like Benellis, they fit me well which is subjective however and honestly the reason I bought my sbe2 in the first place.  I like camo guns for the added protection and would lean that way.  Also, I don't know if the montefeltro has shorter barrel lengths that you may want for turkey hunting.  If I wasn't too concerned with money, I would lean to a M2 and after that the V3.

[FL-Boss]

SA-08 is gas..with pistons that need to be changed depending on the load. The element is inertia driven. I have them both, I prefer the element.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[BobWalters]

Benelli is a solid choice,  especially the M2, which would be a great choice. For me, they are worth the extra money.  They are simple and reliable and well made shotguns.   Again, it is drilled and tapped for scope use as well.  I happen to like Benellis, they fit me well which is subjective however and honestly the reason I bought my sbe2 in the first place.  I like camo guns for the added protection and would lean that way.  Also, I don't know if the montefeltro has shorter barrel lengths that you may want for turkey hunting.  If I wasn't too concerned with money, I would lean to a M2 and after that the V3.

The montefeltro comes in 26, 28, and 30. Most of my duck hunting friends run 28, turkey friends run 24. I had always planned to go 26. Kind of right in the middle and a good do it all length imo. The montefeltro only comes in black synthetic or walnut. At the start of this venture I said I wanted synthetic Camo for sure, so idk about going walnut and having it in a duck blind. The problem, currently, with the Benelli for me is I have about 3 gun stores within 50 miles of my house and none of them have the 3 Benellis in stock. So no handling them. I have friends with benellis, but not the models I'm looking at.

[mightyjoeyoung]

My 24" bbl SBE II shoots fantastic patterns with straight hevi, mag blends, heavyweights and longbeards.  It WAS a bit of a struggle finding chokes it liked for turkey, but it likes about every  waterfowl choke/load I feed it.   Its light, nimble and recoil just isn't as bad as the gas gunners would have you believe,  even with 3.5" turkey and heavy waterfowl loads.  It fits me too because it comes with a full shim kit.  It does shoot a European pattern, meaning it shoots high for going away (flushed) birds but that is easy to get used to and irrelevant if you're topping it with optics.  The steady grip stock is a nice add on as well.  Distributes even more recoil and is very comfortable for holding for long periods. 

[donjuan]

I'd throw in the Benelli m2 American. $999

[Eview326]

Check out the Franchi Affinity as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[turkeyinstrut]

+1 on the Affinity, I have a M2 Benelli and a Franchi Affinity and both are 20 gauge and the Affinity is just as good of a gun as the M2 IMHO. I ordered them at the same time and if I had it to do over again I would have ordered 2 Affinity's.

[BobWalters]

I'd throw in the Benelli m2 American. $999

Looking at benellis website all I see are the M2 field and M2 tactical. Is the American no longer made?

[BobWalters]

+1 on the Affinity, I have a M2 Benelli and a Franchi Affinity and both are 20 gauge and the Affinity is just as good of a gun as the M2 IMHO. I ordered them at the same time and if I had it to do over again I would have ordered 2 Affinity's.

Check out the Franchi Affinity as well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have an old 12 gauge Franchi 48al a late 60's model which I like the problem is I can't find any franchis near me to shoulder now.