Sidearms & Scatterguns Shotgun - repeating or auto, which one?

[Jayjay1]

Hey guys,
I´m all new to the game of shotguns and have nobody around me with experience, my gun club has mostly pistol shooters.

So my shotgun should be
1. reliable 110% (if cleaned and maintained once or twice a year)
2. accurate (as someone can speak about accuracy with shotguns)
3. sexy as fuck

If I can save up some money, I will be not to angry, but I have learned that sometimes saving money is to expensive for me.
So budget-friendly would be nice, but not a must finally.

I did some research in the www and found the Mossberg 590 (not A1 because of the weight) as a repeating shotgun, the Beretta 1301 Tactical as an auto shotgun and the Benelli M3 being both.

Is the Benelli M3 the way to go, being "the best" of both worlds?
Are auto shotguns reliable?
Should I go with a repeating shotgun and forget about the auto?

I´m in trouble here and need some help.

 

[striped1]

good auto shotguns are very reliable. My Benelli M2 that I shoot in 3 gun has 750 + rounds on it without a detailed cleaning and it runs like a sewing machine. The Benelli M2 will do all you need. Unless you want box fed and then Dissident Arms is the way to go.
I don't want to call the M3 gimmicky but the pump / semi combo isn't needed 99,9% of the time.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Browning, A5, Made in Belgium..... At least handle one before buying anything else...

Hobo

 

[RTH1800]

Odd selection criteria..

 

[308pirate]

Hey guys,
I´m all new to the game of shotguns and have nobody around me with experience, my gun club has mostly pistol shooters.

So my shotgun should be
1. reliable 110% (if cleaned and maintained once or twice a year)
2. accurate (as someone can speak about accuracy with shotguns)
3. sexy as fuck

If I can save up some money, I will be not to angry, but I have learned that sometimes saving money is to expensive for me.
So budget-friendly would be nice, but not a must finally.

I did some research in the www and found the Mossberg 590 (not A1 because of the weight) as a repeating shotgun, the Beretta 1301 Tactical as an auto shotgun and the Benelli M3 being both.

Is the Benelli M3 the way to go, being "the best" of both worlds?
Are auto shotguns reliable?
Should I go with a repeating shotgun and forget about the auto?

I´m in trouble here and need some help.

A little terminology lesson: repeating shotguns (and rifles) include manually operated (pump, lever, bolt action) and semi automatic ones.

I love it when people jump in to give answers without knowing what the fuck the user wants to do with the gun.

So, what do you want the shotgun for?

If this is all you care about

1. reliable 110% (if cleaned and maintained once or twice a year)
2. accurate (as someone can speak about accuracy with shotguns)
3. sexy as fuck

Then get this

 

[kl3309]

Mossberg (or any pump shotgun) will run any shotshell (of the appropriate length for the chamber).
Beretta 1301 is gas-operated and is claimed to work with light or heavy loads.
Benelli M3 is pump/inertia-operated. In manual pump mode, it'll do as above. As a semi-auto, it'll run only the hot stuff unless you can change out the recoil spring, then it'll only run the light stuff.

 

[MNhunter1]

If you've never owned a shotgun, I'd pick up a Remington 870 and put it through the paces until you figure out what you really want/need. Grab a 26-28" smooth bore and a 20-22" rifled barrel and you will cover all your bases.

 

[Leftie]

Your selection criteria seems a bit misleading, and I kind of agree with @308pirate: first, answer the question of "what do you want the shotgun for?" Many people dismiss an over-under as being outdated, which is a bit of a pity, because they are straight-forward, reliable shotguns. Depending on your intended use, there may be better options.

When it comes to accuracy - what do you intend to be shooting out of the shotgun? If you're talking birdshot and a cylinder choke (chokes add another dynamic), the gun will pattern very differently than with 00 buck. If you're considering shooting slugs out of the gun as well, that's another factor.

Also, if you haven't handled many shotguns, I think that it makes a good deal of sense to get out to your local gun store and shoulder as many variants as you can. Some will point more naturally for you and feel better in hand, others won't, which will narrow down your selection. You should also take stock of the control layout (safety etc.) as some shotguns are set up substantially differently than others. It's worth mentioning that you may develop a preference towards or away from the "pistol grip" found on many "tactical" shotguns.

PS: All shotguns are sexy

 

[308pirate]

Yeah, asking about shotgun "accuracy" is nonsense unless one is asking about smoothbore shotguns shooting rifled slugs or rifled shotguns shooting saboted slugs.

Anyway using shotguns for big game hunting is either very unpopular or downright illegal in Germany so I'm pretty sure slugs isn't what the OP has in mind.

 

[Moose]

I know you are new to this but if you plan on shooting like a-lot of folks on this forum you will need to clean and maintain your gun more then 2 times a year.If this is your first shotgun do yourself a favor and handle and shoot as many different shotguns as you can so you can get a feel for what works best for you.And do not be shy about talking to shooters about there weapon most of us are happy to share a little wisdom.

 

[308pirate]

I know you are new to this but if you plan on shooting like a-lot of folks on this forum you will need to clean and maintain your gun more then 2 times a year.I

Yeah maybe 3 or 4 times.

I field strip and clean my competition pistol every 2000 rounds or so. By cleaning I mean scrub the bore and wipe off and relubricate the slide rails and sear. That works out to be 5 - 6 times in a year, with a once a year deep cleaning and inspection.

When I was competing heavily in sporting clays, I would clean my shotgun (Beretta 686 over/under) maybe 3 times a year unless I had to shoot in the rain. I was putting, at the time, at least 25,000 rounds a year through it in practice and tournaments. By cleaning I mean scrubbing out the bores and taking off the stock to clean the lockwork. I do wipe it down with an oily rag and refresh the grease on the pivot trunnions after every use.

 

[RTH1800]

One like this might work.

 

[Kir]

It all depends on what you want to use it for. Skeet, Trap shooting, Home Defense...? I understand the longer barreled ones are better for clay targets, whereas short barrels are better for Home Defense as they are easier to maneuver with around a home.
Do not fall for the old adage of a pump, which you rack/load will scare off home invaders because of the noise they make. They only alert the invaders to your position in the home. Semi-autos have come a long way and depending on how much money you want to spend (it's your life on the line), a quality firearm should be your first thought!
As for a sexy shotgun, what kind were you looking for? ...blonde brunette, redhead? Everyone has their own choice, but looking sexy does not necessarily mean that it works well.

As for me, I wanted a shotgun for HD and so picked out a Benelli (higher priced but quality) M2 shotgun. To each his own. Do some research and choose wisely for YOUR needs.

 

[kl3309]

PS: All shotguns are sexy

Nope

 

[hlee]

Reliable, accurate, and SAF? I've been on a side by side kick recently. I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but my next will be a sxs. Classic, reliable, dead sexy. I just wish that those gorgeous damascus steel barrels were as strong as modern steel barrels. There's a Lefever local that has been singing a siren's song, but I can't bear to bring a gun into the house that can't be shot...

 

[308pirate]

Reliable, accurate, and SAF? I've been on a side by side kick recently. I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but my next will be a sxs. Classic, reliable, dead sexy. I just wish that those gorgeous damascus steel barrels were as strong as modern steel barrels. There's a Lefever local that has been singing a siren's song, but I can't bear to bring a gun into the house that can't be shot...

404

www.beretta.com

 

[Baron23]

uh, never mind! LOL.

lousy reading comprehension morning.

 

[Jayjay1]

Hello guys,
have hit some nerves it seems to me, nice that you have answered that much anyways.

Like I wrote in the first post, it will be either a repeating one (a pump action actually), or a semi auto or both.

My major goal is, that it has to be 110% reliable, no matter what, like I wrote in the first post as well.
Reliabelity is numero uno.

Being not sure, if there are semi-autos which work absolute reliable, I brought in the pump-action if so, or the "both of it" to be able to switch from semi-auto to pump action if a failure occurs.

If function is given, I wanted as the 2nd criteria that it should be accurate (of those who are 110% trustworthy) and finally that the look matters at last a bit as well.

And I added SAF to bring in a bit of humor, sorry for that.

And not only that, I even named examples for every type I´m thinking of, the Mossberg 590 (not A1) for the pump action, the Beretta 1301 Tactical for the semi-auto and the Benelli M3 for being both.

At last the 590, the 1301 and the M3 are examples of one kind I think, that everyone who wants to could know in which direction I´m aiming, not?

So for those who through in an over-under and other stuff and were arguing that I brought to less infos:
If you would have read my first post here correctly ...

To answer your question what I want to do or shoot with it.
I want to use it for matches where slugs and buck shot is required and for HD if necessary.
7+1 or above would be nice as well.

Cheers,
Jay

 

[schmi015]

Rock the 1301. Its the go to for a number of state LE agencies these days. Add one of these and the magpul stock and you have a great tool. https://www.aridusindustries.com/products/asa-1301-stock-adapter/

 

[308pirate]

Like I wrote in the first post, it will be either a repeating one (a pump action actually), or a semi auto or both.

Semi autos are repeating shotguns. They repeat the loading sequence.

Even with english as a second language, that should be easy for you to understand.

If you think pump shotguns are 110% (or even 100%) reliable you haven't used one enough.

 

[Jayjay1]

Even with english as a second language, that should be easy for you to understand.

If you think pump shotguns are 110% (or even 100%) reliable you haven't used one enough.

A repeating rifle over here is a manual operated rifle, the others are semi-autos or full-autos.
Even with German as a second language, that should be easy for you to understand.

Guess why I´m asking here and writing in the first starting post here: "I´m all new to the game of shotguns"?

I highly appreciate any help or info, but answers from people who even haven´t read the first post actually don´t help much normally.
That´s a waste of my and your time.

 

[Leftie]

I would suggest that if 110% reliability is your main concern, then a reasonably clean, properly lubed and maintained shotgun of any reputable brand will suffice (I'm not trying to be smart with the remark, but I know that from experience keeping any machine inside their tolerances and specifications generally means that the machine will perform properly to the 99th percentile, every time). By reasonably clean, I don't mean that you need to scrub every rail, nook, and cranny with a brush, but rather that you break the action down, do a mild clean/lube, and then run a boresnake through the barrel a couple times. Unless you are exposing the shotgun to water/lots of dirt/grime/foreign objects, this should be more than adequate to keep it functioning. If you really want to, every few thousand rounds or so, you can break the gun down and start scrubbing, but you definitely don't need to at all. Case in point, I saw someone finally clean the fire control assembly of their shotgun that had been in field use -WITHOUT a comprehensive cleaning- after north of 30k rounds through the gun. They only cleaned it because they had nothing better to do that afternoon after a hunt. The gun was functioning just fine without the additional care.

From there, it really is personal preference. Beretta 1301s are great guns, as are Mossberg 590s, Benelli M2s, and older vintage Remington 870s and 1100/1187s (I have literally shot the barrel off of a newer model Remington 20 gauge 870, but that's another story). I do not have enough experience with the Benelli M3 to have an opinion, but I do again encourage you to try some of the pistol grip models compared to a more traditional shotgun stock model. I find that I not only shoulder the "normal" stock models faster, but I also think that they are more comfortable in the hand for reloading.

As others have said, get out and try/shoot the shotguns that you're looking at - and also run reload/malfunction drills with them. I can't emphasize this enough, as clearing a more complex malfunction from a semi-auto shotgun can be totally maddening, depending on the brand. Shotguns are lots of fun, and it sounds like for your uses, either a pump or a semi-auto from a reputable company will fit the bill.

A final consideration is that each shotgun (in many cases, literally each barrel) may pattern differently depending on the buckshot load that you are shooting, and prefer one load over another. Test a number of manufacturers' loads and decide which is "best" for your uses (in reality, probably most of them will perform fine for your purposes).

 

[Jayjay1]

Rock the 1301. Its the go to for a number of state LE agencies these days. Add one of these and the magpul stock and you have a great tool. https://www.aridusindustries.com/products/asa-1301-stock-adapter/

Yeah, I think it will go somewhere in that direction.
What I´ve read about the 1301 it seems to be the most reliable semi-auto on the market right now (even though the Benelli and Mossberg owners don´t like that statement), it runs with almost any ammo, is the fastest and lightest semi-auto shotgun nowadays as well.

What I like too about it, is that it has already a ghost ring and a rail for other options.
Probably I will run a red dot on the gun and have the irons as secondary/back up.

Here in Germany there is not such a big gun market and here are unfortunately not so many and then no big gun stores, where I could step in and handle some different shotguns, not to speak about trying them out and shoot them.
There are myriads of guns around, and a little store can´t have everything for sure.

Shotguns itself are more a hunter tool over here, where most sport shooters shoot handguns, then rifles and at last shotguns.
So you have to have luck to find one guy who has a semi-auto.

But there is always a way and someone who knows someone or a match anywhere and so on.
I will see.

Thanks for the infos and help.

 

[RedDogN8]

A little terminology lesson: repeating shotguns (and rifles) include manually operated (pump, lever, bolt action) and semi automatic ones.

I love it when people jump in to give answers without knowing what the fuck the user wants to do with the gun.

So, what do you want the shotgun for?

If this is all you care about


Then get this
View attachment 7435343

That 692 is a workhorse and meets all 3 of the criteria!! I have probably 10k+ rounds thru mine and it still shoots like brand new!

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Benelli M4 > everything else. Put an RMR on it and it’s a true do all shotgun and there’s no arguing it’s reliability and track record.

 

[theLBC]

ime, it is more about ammo once you have chosen any number of good shotguns.
when you say accuracy, i assume you mean hitting a target at distance with an effective number of pellets (or a slug).
assuming you choose a cylinder bore (smooth) shotgun, i recommend federal flitecontrol buckshot and their truball slugs. impressive range.

i like mossberg 500/590 for pumps. the 870 is also nice and smooth running, but i have seen extractor failures that i have not with the mossberg.
that said, it is probably rare enough that either are a good choice.
for a fully semi-automatic shotgun, decide if you want gas or inertia.
both are reliable, if you are behind the shotgun.
inertia driven actions require your shoulder (or something) to keep stock from moving backward. if you have to shoot it one handed, it may not cycle.
of course, this is not of concern for most, but if this is your zombie gun, it could matter and you might choose the M4, or FN SLP over the M2.
autos are also lighter recoiling, if that matters. you can always get low recoil loads if your missus needs to use it.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

For a do it all shotty you really don’t want a cylinder bore, ideally you want something with a choke system so you can use the appropriate choke for what you’re doing. Cylinder bores work ok for tactical shotguns that will only see slugs and buckshot, but still aren’t completely ideal and certainly not ideal if you want to go shoot duck or turkey loads, or trap or something. I’ve got a handful of chokes for my M4 and I can literally do anything and everything with it and do it well. 80% of the time a modified choke is what I’ve run in it though.

 

[Don Dial]

Hey guys,
I´m all new to the game of shotguns and have nobody around me with experience, my gun club has mostly pistol shooters.

So my shotgun should be
1. reliable 110% (if cleaned and maintained once or twice a year)
2. accurate (as someone can speak about accuracy with shotguns)
3. sexy as fuck

If I can save up some money, I will be not to angry, but I have learned that sometimes saving money is to expensive for me.
So budget-friendly would be nice, but not a must finally.

I did some research in the www and found the Mossberg 590 (not A1 because of the weight) as a repeating shotgun, the Beretta 1301 Tactical as an auto shotgun and the Benelli M3 being both.

Is the Benelli M3 the way to go, being "the best" of both worlds?
Are auto shotguns reliable?
Should I go with a repeating shotgun and forget about the auto?

I´m in trouble here and need some help.

You evidently haven’t much background with smoothbores so here goes. Don’t blow a wad on anything without first shooting them. Go to a Gun Club that is deep into Skeet, Sporting Clays, or Trap. Get someone there to fit you to a shotgun and show you how to mount it. Then try a round of Skeet, or Trap. Pump Guns can be found in lots of conditions, venues, and price ranges. A 870 Remington plain Jane about $230, but Competition Grade $750-$1000. There’s sometimes a great deal on a Mod 12 Winchester and they can run from $100’s to $1000’s. But whatever you decide try them first.

 

[Grant77]

One like this might work. View attachment 7435387

Well there’s your “sexy as fuck” factor

 

[rottenruger]

Hey guys,
I´m all new to the game of shotguns and have nobody around me with experience, my gun club has mostly pistol shooters.

So my shotgun should be
1. reliable 110% (if cleaned and maintained once or twice a year)
2. accurate (as someone can speak about accuracy with shotguns)
3. sexy as fuck

If I can save up some money, I will be not to angry, but I have learned that sometimes saving money is to expensive for me.
So budget-friendly would be nice, but not a must finally.

I did some research in the www and found the Mossberg 590 (not A1 because of the weight) as a repeating shotgun, the Beretta 1301 Tactical as an auto shotgun and the Benelli M3 being both.

Is the Benelli M3 the way to go, being "the best" of both worlds?
Are auto shotguns reliable?
Should I go with a repeating shotgun and forget about the auto?

I´m in trouble here and need some help.

What's your use?

Hunting? Self Defense? Or just getting acquainted with shotguns?

Get something like a used Mossberg 12 gauge pump or semi.......can't go wrong if the gun is halfway decent.

I've got a used surplus police Mossberg pump, simple and effective, keep it in a sorta OD green scabbard (cost me 20), stock has a shell sleeve with five shells which show above the scabbard top, does look pretty sexy. Won't be sexy as f as you put it until I put five-ten years of wear and tear on the scabbard. I'm 70, don't know if I'll get the job done!

Good for self defense and fun, don't hunt or skeet yet.


Now if you want an ultimate in a self defense shotgun that is fn sexy, try the Rock Island VR80 or 100. Semiautomatic, MAG fed. Comes with five round mags, nine round AND 19 ROUND mags available. Said to be very reliable, where so many semi's hang up some. Hard to find. Buy one for me! MSRP 600, mostly selling for $850 up on Gunbroker and such. Larger mags will cost you another 125-175.

Good luck.

 

[hermosabeach]

For hunting geese?
For shooting trap?
For shooting skeet?
For being a PH and backing up gents hunting lions?

how many rounds between cleaning, not time?

shooting full power loads of 00 buck and slug?

for shooting mosquito fart 7/8th ounce reduced recoil rounds?




The Benelli M2 has some issues when you attach weight to the gun out of the box.
The Benelli M4 was build to fix these issues.
M3 would be a pass for me- I want a semi auto to run. I can train to clear stoppages- I don’t need. Hybrid pump/ semi


the mossberg A1 has a lot more steel parts so it is heavier.
steel breaks less often than MIM and plastic.

how long is the shortest arm of the person shooting the gun?

many semi autos have a long stock that holds a recoil spring. These cannot be shortened.

the M2 is too long for some

tell us more and we can possibly give a better answer

 

[bluegrasspicker]

My everything-shotgun is a Benelli M2 with a 24" barrel.

It's lightly modified for 3-gun (stippled by yours truly, redneck bolt release, extended bolt knob and safety, dovetailed for rear sight, extended mag to barrel length, little flashlight/sling mount/mag reinforcement). It never fails with cheap ammo, buckshot, or slugs. It rarely gets cleaned and isn't treated the best. It can turkey hunt, shoot clays, and serve stashed away in a clever place for home defense.

I don't really know what else I'd look for in a shotgun.

 

[rottenruger]

My everything-shotgun is a Benelli M2 with a 24" barrel.

It's lightly modified for 3-gun (stippled by yours truly, redneck bolt release, extended bolt knob and safety, dovetailed for rear sight, extended mag to barrel length, little flashlight/sling mount/mag reinforcement). It never fails with cheap ammo, buckshot, or slugs. It rarely gets cleaned and isn't treated the best. It can turkey hunt, shoot clays, and serve stashed away in a clever place for home defense.

I don't really know what else I'd look for in a shotgun.

But is it sexy as F?

Jes kiddin.......think you have the important characteristics covered!

 

[bluegrasspicker]

But is it sexy as F?

Jes kiddin.......think you have the important characteristics covered!

Depends on which shoes I'm wearing.

 

[rfcompton]

Benelli M4. Had one for about 10 years. Hardly clean it. Always shoots and is accurate. Beat the crap out of it. Sexy as hell with collapsible stock.

 

[Moose]

I had the M4 and loved that shotgun they are a great shotgun.

 

[Davo308]

Beretta 1301 tactical or comp.

They eat everything and recoil is modest.

 

[Jayjay1]

Tactical or Competition is mostly about the sights, right?
So, the Tactical has a ghostring with a front post and the Competition has that rail.

I know that they use the rail mostly for shooting trap or skeet.

For 3gun or IPSC, which sights will be better?

 

[Davo308]

Tactical or Competition is mostly about the sights, right?
So, the Tactical has a ghostring with a front post and the Competition has that rail.

I know that they use the rail mostly for shooting trap or skeet.

For 3gun or IPSC, which sights will be better?

No. Its about action length and capacity.

If you care about reloading and capacity, go comp.

We all aren't from hamburg and any question from germany isn't sexy.

 

[Jayjay1]

We all aren't from hamburg and any question from germany isn't sexy.

Thanks for your answer.

Me too, I´m from the opposite end of the country.

But Hamburgers aren´t that bad at all.