Which autoloader should I buy.

[Max4Gooser]

I am seriously thinking about upgrading to an autoloader 12 gauge 3.5 inch. Right now I am leaning toward the Browning Gold. I will probably stick with one of the three B's (Browning, Benelli, Beretta). What do you all think of Gold, the other options would be the SBEII or ExtremaII.
Just wanting to get some opinions. I know I am not interested in the Remingtons or Mossbergs. Winchester is not out of the question either. Any opinions would be appreciated.

[Mark Spence]

If I were to buy another auto...I wouldn't hesitate to buy another SBEII, but if I was concerned with price - the SX2 would be my go to gun.

I love my SBEII !!!! Swings nice, mounts nice...and actually fits me the way a shotgun should. But, I wouldn't hesitate a bit at looking at the SX-2 or even the new SX-3!!!

[h20fowler]

I love these questions... They are almost as good as "What truck should I buy?"

My vote, Benelli. Been shooting them for almost 20 years, and here is to another 20!

[kswaterfowler]

My vote would be for the Benelli. I love mine. Fits well, shoots well and not a whole lot of recoil.

[SMOKE]

Just picked up a superx2 and it was a hard choice between that and the extrema 2 but in the end i went with the x2. i thought it shouldered better and swung better. a browning gold and a superx2 arent all that much different other than price and the ribbin on the barrel. all 4 guns mention are all good guns but as spence said you can get a superx2 for a pretty reasonable price. i payed 740 dollars for mine and you could almost buy 2 sx2s for the price of a sbe2 or extrema. not tryin to take anything away from either gun cause i have shot them all and are all good guns. jeff the discount house gun sale is still goin on so let me know which gun you are gonna go with and ill stop in and see what kinda price i can get you.

By the way welcome to the dark side :twisted:

[Max4Gooser]

h2ofowler, I am glad my question amuses you, I was hoping to get some honest feedback on performance, and malfunctions, or drawbacks. I currently shoot Benelli Nova's for my 12, and Browning BPS for my 10. I am an old holdout on making the switch to an autoloader for waterfowling, but am starting to think about making the change.

As Far as trucks go, I am seriously considerring switching back to Ford from Dodge :wink:

[h20fowler]

Settle down Jeff. If i was trying to get you riled up I would have posted something clever. It was a general response directed at a general statement. And if you wanted "honest feedback on performance, and malfunctions, or drawbacks", then don't ask for opinions. As those are two totally different things.

My opinion is benelli. I do not like gas guns. My Opinion. There are to many working parts that can freeze, gum up, and get dirty, all causing jams. Not saying that Benelli's don't jam either so don't read that into it. I am hard on my waterfowling equipment. It gets used and abused. I expect the most with the least amount of maintenance. I am the consumer that companies hate, but I never blame he product as I know it is me causing the damage should it fail. Not the manufacturer.

Having said that, I clean my SBE maybe, big maybe, three times a year. Typically around the opening day of duck, and then again whenever the gun tells me it's time. Usually this is around the end of the season in February. I have broken it down and taken the garden hose and sprayed it down in the driveway a couple times. Still works like a charm!

And welcome back to the FORD family and the oval of trust! :wink:

[Thurman]

my vote goes to Benelli, had nothing but good luck with my SBE

[Travis Wood]

Winchester SX-3s are coming out in June...

[Duck Hunter Paul]

I have both Browning Gold and SBEII. In all honesty the SBEII is a better gun in the field. I have never had problems with either gun and I enjoy shooting both. But the Benelli fits just a little better and I believe cycles faster than my Browning. Oh and I drive a Ford and my wife drives a Dodge. So probably not much help at all to ya.

If you are ever in the Indy area I would be glad to let you shoot both guns and see if one feels better than the other.

Good Luck

[SGTSLTR]

My vote would go for which everone that you pick. They are all great guns, that have proven themselvs time and time again. My choice goes to affordability and comfort. They are all reliable and dependble.

I shoot a Browning Gold Hunter 3.5,Synthetic with a 26" barrell. I like it, just got it, so we'll see how the season goes. Trap and skeet with it is as smooth for me as it is with my O/U.

I hunt with guys that have all three B's and no one has complained.

It's all your choice brother.

[Jayson Wilt]

cant go wrong with a benelli, it took my a while to convince myself about the price it took me one day of hunting to realize that it is truly preformace worth the price......

[B Miller]

All the guns you mentioned are all great guns. Here is my 2 cents. If you lay your gun down on the ground and get sand or dirt in the action and don't like to clean your gun stay away from any of the gas auto loaders. I have 2 browning golds (one 20ga and one 3 1/2 12ga) If you are going to shoot 3 1/2 in shells you need to keep your gun clean. I shoot mainly 3" shells in my 12 and it can get pretty dirty before it needs a good cleaning but, it will always warn ya by cycling slower.

Good luck with what ever you choose and let us know what you decide to go with. Brad

[hoosierhunter]

Another vote for the Benelli SBE 2 here, I love mine, I got rid of my Browning Gold 3 1/2 in mossy oak, I had nothing but problems with that gun, mostly when it would get cold, and you had to clean it way too much for a waterfowl gun! That Benelli goes thru some crap, and still shoots! I absolutely love this gun! I don't know a whole lot about the Beretta, I know a few guys who shoot them and like them, but you're almost the same cost, and with the inertia recoil system, instead of the gas, it is a more forgiving gun as far as cleaning it regularly. It definitely cycles much faster also. I would probably rather have a Winchester SX2 vs a Browning Gold hunter 3 1/2. Maybe I just had a bad gun, but I will never buy another one, and I definitely couldn't recommend it either. Good luck to you!

[SMOKE]

i have a friend who shoots a sx2 and he cleaned his gun right before last years turkey season and then never cleaned it again untill after this turkey season and it only jammed one time and thats when we were shootin lead 2 3/4 trap loads. i cant wait to get out and shoot mine. its hangin on the gun rack goin SHOOT ME SHOOT ME SHOOT ME :twisted:

[Max4Gooser]

Settle down Jeff. If i was trying to get you riled up I would have posted something clever.

And welcome back to the FORD family and the oval of trust! :wink:

h20fowler, My friend it takes far more than that to ruffle my feathers, thanks for the the feed back though, I am not worried about cleaning and maintnance, I usually clean my guns after every 2 or 3 hunts, unless conditions dictate sooner, I was going with the Browning idea, because I like the way my BPS shoulders and swings, and figured theGold would posses similar characteristics. I am not committed to any one of the guns yet, and do plan to make an educated decission.

As far as the Ford thing goes, I haven't completely settled their either. :wink:

[SMOKE]

buy a chevy and get out of the oval of rust :lol:

[Max4Gooser]

Where I work, Friends don't let Friends drive Chevy's

[hoosierhunter]

Amen to that brother! :lol:

[Travis Wood]

I think you can pick them up at the dollor store..

[IowaMigr8tor]

I just had the same decision that you face now. I had a Beretta Extreama and ultimatly made the decision to UPGRADE to the Benelli SBE 2 in MAX 4. The Beretta's are nice guns but here is the list of things I didnt like about them:
1) Heavy, if you got pheasant hunting or have to walk a long distance they are horrible.
2) Problem shooting light loads.
3) Hard to Clean
4) Doesnt Shoulder easily.
5) Hard to swing from side to side.
6) Extreamly bulky, you KNOW you are shooting it
7) Cycles SLOW

My new SBE 2 is SOOOOO much LIGHTER and Smoother to use. Cylces extramy fast, so fast that it is hard to tell that you are ready to shoot again. With my Extreama I would have to wait on it to cylce.
I am extreamly glad that I traded it in and got a Benelli. With the trade I only had to add another $700 to upgrade. You will kick yourself down the road if you dont buy the benelli. I bout the extrama hunted it for a season and just got my Benelli last week and I wished I had bought it a year prior.

It is hard to justify buyin a 1300 dollar shotgun to lie in the mud and shoot ducks and geese but it id WELL WORTH IT! I havent shot the SX 2 so I cant tel you wether it is better than the Benelli. But I would definatly tell you that if you are lookin at spendin $1200 on the beretta you might as well spend an extra $100 and get the Benelli, It is far superior to the Beretta.

Now me, KillerMiller, and Jclasen shoot benelli and I have heard nothin but good things (i.e. hunting with a gun full of sand from the river and fields). Dont sacrafice performance for $$$, you can always make more money!

Just my opinion from my experience.

[migrator00]

not to argue..but i've had a beretta 390 for like 7 years chambered in 3" and it's the cats ass. Pulls awesome...light..cycles any load w/out problem..and is a slayin' machine. I have no need for a 3 1/2" w/ that gun..does anything I need it to. If I can't kill 'em w/ 3" I might as well not be shootin' at 'em or spending the extra cash on the big shells!

[Max4Gooser]

Thanks IowaMigr8tor,
That is the kind of info I was looking for.

[IowaMigr8tor]

Anytime, I'm here to help.

[h20fowler]

Remember the 390 and the 391 are entirely different from the extrema.

The extrema has a block feel to it and the grip is squared with the butt of the gun. The 390 and the 391 still have that "euro" styling. The exrema has a good feel if you are a larger guy. But that comes down to personal fit.

[Duckman4Ever]

I've been shooting the Beretta Xtrema for a few years now and it 's been a great gun. I'll shoot 3-4 cases through it during duck and goose season. I huntes with it lying down in muddy bean fields in AR to sub zero temps in Idaho last december. The reason I went with Beretta was from shooting them in Mexico ducks and doves. Thousands of rounds in threee day with out fail. But also one of the big factors was that the gun fits me and is comfortable to shoot. Good luck!


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/Duckman4ever/100_0052.jpg

[SMOKE]

nice kill man

[SMOKE]

The extrema has a block feel to it.

That was one of the things i did notice while i was checkin out extremas it had more of a long blocky feel to it. i know a few guys who shoot them and have had no problems with them the sx2 just fit me better.