My thoughts on semi auto shotguns

[danebrewer10 6]

Hi all, I just thought I'd share my thoughts on semis, first off, I think they're great guns, great for clay busting or pigeon shooting, but why don't we see any on the driven shoot? even wood stocked ones? I think there's a lot of taboo regarding semis, on the continent and in the states, people use them for pheasant shooting.... OK they don't have the same type of formal driven shoot as we do, but a gun's a gun... isn't it? I might frown on a plastic stocked gun on a driven shoot, but a wooden stocked one, though not something you see every day I wouldn't have a problem with...

 

aand just a though on the two actions...

really (in my opinion), there are two premium auto shotguns in the country, the Beretta 391 and the Benelli of whatever model, they seem all to have the same action within the same brands, they just wear different clothes.

 

 

I would choose the Benelli over the Beretta any day, principally, because it's easier to clean, no gas tube, piston, fiddly *twang* bugger lost that bit.. springs only the bolt body, bolt head and recoil spring, (and the barrel) also the Beretta recoils unbelievably softly, I shoot an old English s/s with a 1" pachmayr decelerator pad, and the Beretta hardly seems to have any recoil at all, that really put me off, I much preferred the Benelli, though there's a bit of a more mechanical sound when the gun is fired, it does push you back a bit which I preferred, but the Beretta would be good for people of smaller stature, children, or guys who do a lot of wildfowling with heavy cartridges....of the Benelli line? I would have to choose the M2 with the comfortech stock, purely for ruggedness and a lower price then the other premium autos on the market.

 

anyway there's my opinion, and I'd love to hear what you guys think, especially from the users of these guns themselves!

 

heres' to warm barrels!

Edited February 24, 2009 by danebrewer10

[SportingShooter 0]

I've always preferred the action on the Benelli, its smoother and far more pleasing to the eye for me.

 

If I were to buy one now, I'd buy the Super Sport with extended chokes

 

The issue of Driven shoots and Semi's is an old one and one I can't really see being resolved anytime soon. I wouldn't have a problem with it on a Driven shoot of mine, but I do prefer the Double Gun, three shots seems a bit much, if he's had two shots, deserves to get away

[cyclonebri1 8]

There's always the safety aspect as well in any group situation, ie, the gun is never obviously safe, and did he put 2 in or 3 etc.

 

Yeah you can get flags and stuff but not the same as a broken gun.

[danebrewer10 6]

There's always the safety aspect as well in any group situation, ie, the gun is never obviously safe, and did he put 2 in or 3 etc.

 

Yeah you can get flags and stuff but not the same as a broken gun.

 

well, an interesting thing on safety, there's a clay shoot i've been to that allows autos, but not pumps??? a pump (to me) is just an auto with a sliding fore end! and it can be shown that it's empty, by keeping the slide back... but i think that autos can be just as safe as double guns, what about rifles, especially on driven shoots, they don't seem to have any problems there... but i reckon that as long as you behave safely, not waving the muzzle around then people should not feel uneasy just because someone has a fixed barrel gun....

[tom1cameron 1]

Beretta every day, cleaning is easy and rarely necessary, allows cycling of a greater variety of shells with ease, when you want a gun that can fire clays and then fire super steel loads at a goose while minimising recoil and muzzle jump (important on the big loads) then the A391 system wins every time. And looks, the A391's all have a much better profile than any of the Bennelli guns, granted the Bennelli's can cost less, and the plastic used on the synthetic guns might take a bigger bash, as it is harder, but you cannot beat an A391 for design, innovation, looks etc etc.

 

To me it comes down to versatility and recoil reduction; recoil, muzzle jump and inter-shot time is reduced with the gas operated system and therefore it is a winner

[SportingShooter 0]

Beretta every day, cleaning is easy and rarely necessary, allows cycling of a greater variety of shells with ease, when you want a gun that can fire clays and then fire super steel loads at a goose while minimising recoil and muzzle jump (important on the big loads) then the A391 system wins every time. And looks, the A391's all have a much better profile than any of the Bennelli guns, granted the Bennelli's can cost less, and the plastic used on the synthetic guns might take a bigger bash, as it is harder, but you cannot beat an A391 for design, innovation, looks etc etc.

 

To me it comes down to versatility and recoil reduction; recoil, muzzle jump and inter-shot time is reduced with the gas operated system and therefore it is a winner

I'd say personal preference to that Tom

 

You can fire Any shell through a Benelli, I know because I've done it courtesy of Mid Wales S.C.

 

I was using the Super Black Eagle II which has 3 1/2" chambers and I put 5, 3 1/2" 40gr loads through it. I can't say I that I saw a difference.

 

As for inter-shot time, the fastest shooting, ten hand thrown clays with 10 shots was shot with a Benelli.

 

JMHO of course.

 

SS

[danebrewer10 6]

Beretta every day, cleaning is easy and rarely necessary, allows cycling of a greater variety of shells with ease, when you want a gun that can fire clays and then fire super steel loads at a goose while minimising recoil and muzzle jump

 

Cleaning rarely nessecary ? I clean my gun every time I use it, oil the barrels and action even if i don't fire it, the benelli, as SportingShooter said will fire anything you put down the tube. The benelli dosen't need adjusting between cartridge types either. the recoil's greater, granted, but i found the berettas' lack of recoil off putting.... well i guess it's a preference thing, which you were introduced to first, and how much time you want to have to spend cleaning the thing

 

on the looks front, the beretta wins there, but i like the rugged simplicity of the benelli and there being so few parts to clean....

 

and IMHO,muzzle climb really isn't an issue with any type of shooting unless you're shooting at a show and shooting 10 hand thrown clays or in a defensive/offensive position in law enforcement or the military....

Edited February 25, 2009 by danebrewer10

[SportingShooter 0]

Beretta every day, cleaning is easy and rarely necessary, allows cycling of a greater variety of shells with ease, when you want a gun that can fire clays and then fire super steel loads at a goose while minimising recoil and muzzle jump

 

Cleaning rarely nessecary ? I clean my gun every time I use it, oil the barrels and action even if i don't fire it, the benelli, as SportingShooter said will fire anything you put down the tube. The benelli dosen't need adjusting between cartridge types either. the recoil's greater, granted, but i found the berettas' lack of recoil off putting.... well i guess it's a preference thing, which you were introduced to first, and how much time you want to have to spend cleaning the thing

 

on the looks front, the beretta wins there, but i like the rugged simplicity of the benelli and there being so few parts to clean....

 

and IMHO,muzzle climb really isn't an issue with any type of shooting unless you're shooting at a show and shooting 10 hand thrown clays or in a defensive/offensive position in law enforcement or the military....

I've owned a few Beretta's now and got rid of every one of them, the last to go was my Auto, AL391 Urika 2. I liked the gun, but a) I wasn't using it, I don't think a box had been through it in 12 months and I shot reasonably well with it, but like all Beretta's and me it seems they just don't quite bode well.

 

If I were to buy a new Auto for Clays or Game it would be the Super Sport Over any other.

 

As you say, Preference.

 

SS

[claybusers al 9]

i take it no one shoots a browning semi auto

as for shooting them on game days its because most game shooters need to come into the 21st century on the continent semi autos are very common for formal days its just in this country they need to pull there heads out there arse 20 years ago it was the same about over and unders

just my opinion im sure i'll get a slagging for it

[danebrewer10 6]

i take it no one shoots a browning semi auto

as for shooting them on game days its because most game shooters need to come into the 21st century on the continent semi autos are very common for formal days its just in this country they need to pull there heads out there arse 20 years ago it was the same about over and unders

just my opinion im sure i'll get a slagging for it

 

nope, no slagging.... I agree entirely! no, i forgot about the brownings, but that's probably because they're so uncommon, i've never seen one here.....

[tom1cameron 1]

Of course it is my opinons, don't know what SS means about the Beretta's, "they do not bode well"??

 

What I mean about cleaning is that apart from the barrell and a general wipe down I dont need to strip the gun that often, once a year usually when the action starts to get a bit sticky with dirty oil.

 

The Benelli guns have no recoil reduction, only the structure of the synthetic plastic they use.

But as you say that might not be important.

 

Also, what about the remingtons, the 11-87 and the wingshooter series, they look nice and are one of the most popular guns stateside. I have the catalogue and they do look nice.

 

T

[danebrewer10 6]

Of course it is my opinons, don't know what SS means about the Beretta's, "they do not bode well"??

 

What I mean about cleaning is that apart from the barrell and a general wipe down I dont need to strip the gun that often, once a year usually when the action starts to get a bit sticky with dirty oil.

 

The Benelli guns have no recoil reduction, only the structure of the synthetic plastic they use.

But as you say that might not be important.

 

Also, what about the remingtons, the 11-87 and the wingshooter series, they look nice and are one of the most popular guns stateside. I have the catalogue and they do look nice.

 

T

 

 

yeah I had a look at the Remington, they just seem heavy and a bit out dated when there are better/more modern guns out there, no denying that they are well enginered, and there are some old guns still working out there, but they are (to my taste) over engineered, that said it's an opinion and i've never actually even held one much less shot one... so it's an opinion and not an observation....the Americans seem to like "made in the USA" stuff and seem not to like European stuff as much... the Benelli does reduce the recoil, possibly not reduce it by much (i shot a wood stocked supersport model), but spreads the recoil over a much longer time... it's a much more of a shove than a hit......

Edited February 26, 2009 by danebrewer10

[SportingShooter 0]

don't know what SS means about the Beretta's, "they do not bode well"??

If you look, it says Beretta's and me don't bode well

 

I've always been told, not just by ordinary shooters, but by Gunsmiths to run Semi Auto's dry, no oil in them whatsoever, it just leads to small pieces of dirt clogging up, and you'll get the same effect as the Kings Cross fire, oil clad dust that is flammable

 

But just my opinions