# shotguns for waterfowl



## westbay (Jun 29, 2000)

I was set to buy a Stoeger 2000 (because of the Benelli action at a good price) until a dealer warned me of jamming problems. My hunting buddies have Benelli's, Baretta's, Remington's and Mossberg's. All have perform well. I don't want to continue to carry my Baretta 390 walnut stock around in the duck boat and fields because it's going to get beat up.
I want to go to a synthetic camo shotgun in 3 or 3.5". What do you guys recommend?? BTW, thanks for all the input on my duck boat thread! You guys rock!


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

It amazes me that you guys buy a nice wood stocked gun then dont want to use it, I mean yes I like nice trap guns [like in the 4 digit numbers] but I used those for making money.

Hunting guns were made for hunting. If your going out in the duckboat I think you made the wise decision, buy something that can be used as a boat oar, walking stick, dunked in the mud or whatever an work for you.

I use Benelli SBE and others with synthetic stocks, and could care less if its all scratched up as long as it works. Same for the Browning gold 10ga.

One other option for you 390, would be buy the synthetic stock/forearm set for it. Rich


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## KrazyKletus (Feb 6, 2002)

I use a Benelli SBE, and yes it's wood not synthetic. It is beat up? Yes, actually this adds character as I have stories for most of the dings in the wood. Is is worth less $? maybe to a gun collector or a pawn shop. I don't have any intention on selling the gun, so to me it's worth more than what I paid for it. I bought the gun for dependability in all "hunting" conditions. And that's what I use it for.


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

What Iam trying to say. If its too nice to hunt with, whats the sense in buying it?. Duck and goose hunting probably are the hardest types of hunting for a gun to work in. Rain/sleet/snow/mud/ and all the bashing they take, not to mention dunkings.

Now, I love fine Wood firearms as much as the next guy. However Iam not the type to shoot a 100,000 Purdey or similar Holland & Holland. Those are for dopes that have more money than brains.

Synthetics dont look as pretty, but again I dont cringe when I scratch them either.

I think this was passed on to my daughter also when we picked her 1100 auto out. I gave her the option of wood or synthetic. She looked at me and said the black one, I dont want to worry about scuffing it up. [smart kid].


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## stacemo (Oct 23, 2003)

I chose the benelli sbe II because I tried one and liked it, because many people on this forum recommend it (some don't), and because I did not want another gas auto.


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## explodingvarmints (Jul 1, 2004)

super black eagle here guys.......... hmmm i didn't now that there was another waterfowl/upland/trap/sporting clays/ whatever gun made. i guess you learn something new everyday:lol: .


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## flavo (Aug 30, 2004)

go to wal-mart they have the beretta 390 not 391 in black plastic for 549.00

i love mine, never a jam!!!


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## Jethro (May 8, 2003)

Westbay-
So, a dealer told you of Stoeger 2000 jamming problems?  
And did he then suggest a Benneli for a mere $700 more?
I've owned a model 2000 for a while and never had a burp out of it and I would recommend this gun to anyone.
It has the same components and action as a Ben. @ less than half the price.


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## Capt. Lucky (Jun 22, 2002)

i love my 835 Mossberg synthetic stock takes the beating i give it every year and if something happens to it i can afford to buy a new one there cheep :lol: :lol:


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## Mike L (Sep 8, 2003)

westbay said:


> I was set to buy a Stoeger 2000 (because of the Benelli action at a good price) until a dealer warned me of jamming problems. My hunting buddies have Benelli's, Baretta's, Remington's and Mossberg's. All have perform well. I don't want to continue to carry my Baretta 390 walnut stock around in the duck boat and fields because it's going to get beat up.
> I want to go to a synthetic camo shotgun in 3 or 3.5". What do you guys recommend?? BTW, thanks for all the input on my duck boat thread! You guys rock!


Yup ! Thats exactley the gun I bought this year. After using side by's all of my life I went to the semi-auto and the M-2000 full camo with a 28" barrel is what I have. I just absolutley love it. Jam ? Not once ! I have shot everything from sheet loads to hevi shot. I was at FP on Turkey Day with the actual temps around 26 degree's and it made Ice all morning and the gun never failed me. I dohave a couple issues tho, the camo did flake just a little by the upper ribbed barrel and the mod choke is defective and they are in the process of replacement. I felt like you and that's why I bought it, because of the binnelli action. All I can say is I love mine.............


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## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

Italian Stallion,,,aka SBE II


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## Big Daddy Benelli (Dec 13, 2004)

I have a SBE and I won't Hunt without it.. There is nothing it can't do or hunt...


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

Jethro said:


> Westbay-
> So, a dealer told you of Stoeger 2000 jamming problems?
> And did he then suggest a Benneli for a mere $700 more?
> I've owned a model 2000 for a while and never had a burp out of it and I would recommend this gun to anyone.
> It has the same components and action as a Ben. @ less than half the price.



YEP YEP YEP


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## andy capp (Aug 14, 2002)

I have a beretta extrema...It has a few scratches. I am very hard on my stuff, that is why I buy $30 fishing poles. Any way I love the gun and would not trade it for anything. I would like to switch barells though I got the 28 by seller error. I wanted the 26. They also make a shorter butt stock for guys who are fat and have short arms ME hehehe. $97 shippe dto your door


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## DuHunterMallards (Oct 13, 2004)

Bought my 390 there too, hunted ducks three years so far not a jam.


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## Wall-llard Willie (Sep 10, 2004)

I'm with KK and Huntsman, NEVER sold a gun yet, but then I use all mine too so they're not the prettiest.
I shoot a Beretta 390 Gold 26" barrels and love it, no problems EVER! My bro-in law dropped it out of the truck on its second hunt :tdo12: and cracked the forstock:16suspect . Was I PISSED for about 5 minutes now its just a good memory. I would definately go camo syntetic on my next just for ease of care and the abuse they take duck hunting.
My daughter shoots the Beretta 390 Silver (black composite). Never had a problem.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

Uh....35 yr old A-5 Mag that I bought new....

I did add synthetics a few years back, not that I was worried so much about looks but, I got such a great deal on them I couldn't pass them up.

Nova for field geese.

Sometimes, my flame thrower, an H&K O/U with 20" tubes but, I never had it out this year.

If money is an issue, a Nova can take the abuse, just be careful when unloading cuz if you do it wrong, you have a jam that is a beech to clear.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Man, you can always tell when the season isn't open, because we start talking about these things.....at least once each year.

I don't do much formal range shooting, so never had a need for the real pretty guns. My guns are strictly tools.....and they take a beating. For personal reasons, I prefer a pump. I've had Mossbergs, Remingtons, and Winchesters....I prefer the Remington...again, just my choice. So my duck gun is a Rem. 870, 3 1/2" in advantage camo synthetic stock/forearm. I shoot 3" shells for ducks, but got the 3 1/2" for turkeys in the spring. My reason for going synthetic is two-fold.....most of my duck hunting is done standing in the marsh, and often up to the family jewels in water. So when I used to use regular wood stocks, they sometimes got so swelled up from hanging in the water that they were splitting. After years of this, I decided to go synthetic, and wouldn't go back.

One other thought about synthetic versus a typical blued finish...the shine. It's amazing to me the amount of attention guys will pay to their camo gear and clothing, but go out in the marsh with a typical blued metal finish gun. I often hunt with guys who have those, and they're like a mirror, especially on bright days, and constantly flare ducks. Just go across the marsh 100 yds from someone with such a gun and look at how it shines. When I used to use a standard blued gun, I'd actually rub marsh mud on the receiver to knock the shine down.....now if that ain't obsession, I don't know what is. The synthetic ended all of that.

This again is one of those "no right or wrong answer" questions. Personal preference, comfort and fit when you shoulder the gun, and what you actually shoot better, are the important things here.


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## bvd7 (Oct 22, 2004)

O.K. I have a gun that has not been mentioned. It is the Verona. A gas operated semi auto that has only failed me when I used Remington dry lube. The dry lube is a powder teflon and it caoted all the functioality of the gun and caused the magazine release spring to hang up. That being said the price is the most attractive part of this gun. I picked it up for a mere $249.99. It was right around x-mas two years ago now I think you can pick one up right around $300.00 at Dick's. Worth looking into and like I said before the price is right.......


Great thread guys......I am looking for a 12 gauge that fits my wife and this thread has me leaning toward the Stoger 2000. She has small hands and the gas repeating systems make the forarms of most 12 gauges too big for her. An enursha operation is what she likes....(She has shot the Benelli and she wants one, but I can not afford the price tag).


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## Wingmaster22 (Oct 29, 2003)

I love my 870.........


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## duckcommander101 (Jan 14, 2003)

I myself shoot a BGH 3", 28" barrell, Black Synthetic Stock. I do not baby this gun at all and after five years of at least 20 days of ducks, and quite a few for geese it is still hammering them like day one. Just so Branta knows, it is what Phil shoots!

My sons both shoot Mossberg 9200 Autos. While these guns get a bad rap for jamming they do just fine as long as they are kept clean. That being said these guns were cleaned once during the duck season, and they were quite dirty (my boys like to shoot!) but neither gun had a jam at all this season.

Both started with a Mossberg 500, 20 GA Youth Model. Oldest used it one whole season and killed some ducks and geese. Youngest used it about three hunts and moved to my Model 12 16GA that the oldest dumped in favor of the 12 Auto. In a month the youngest went up to the 12 Auto as well (he's a larger framed kid). It is nice to buy 12 ga shells only now, sure was a pain figuring our what was needed for each of us when three different gauges were being utilized.

I do occasionally shoot my Citori O/U, but it is a target gun with glossy finish and gold engraving and all that stuff, so it only makes the "nice day" trips.

A couple of my buddies shoot 11-87s, and they haven't had any problems either.

My Dad shoots an old, early 60s Wingmaster and I can't remeber him ever having a problem (except recoil before he bought an in-stock reducer), and the glossy finish has not made a difference as we hunt from a blind or out of a layout and it is not exposed except the tip of the barrell.

I have always been a fan of the saying "stick with the three Bs, Benelli, Beretta and Browning" and I would guess that the Stoeger since it is made by Benelli would fall into that category as well but I don't know anyone who has one and have never seen one other than in a magazine.

I have also been told the Verona O/U is a nice gun as well, never heard anything about the Auto though.


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## estack (Sep 30, 2004)

ive used my remington 870 for the past ten years and loved it, very reliable gun. i do use an 11-87 for goose cause its a super mag and that has never given me a problem either. they are bith great guns


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

just ducky said:


> . It's amazing to me the amount of attention guys will pay to their camo gear and clothing, but go out in the marsh with a typical blued metal finish gun.



Uh....I guess I forgot to mention that my pump and O/U are camo and the Belgium A-5 Mag, the tool that it is.....has had the rattle can taken to it so it is pretty close to battleship gray for layout hunting.


It isn't the shotgun that matters, it is the person pulling the trigger.


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## Bow Hunter Brandon (Jan 15, 2003)

I love my 11-87 and man it was a nice looking gun untill this duck hunting obsession got ahold of me now well............ lets just say I should have purchased a soft case to take into the marsh sooner. The gun is kept clean and I have come to terms with its blemishes 
I really do love this gun its taken two baths this season along with me. :lol: and so far this season its killed 32 ducks. Like they said its a tool and it works well for me.


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## quackassassin (Oct 15, 2004)

My son and I both use Mossberg 835, shadowgrass camo. Like alot of you, its been dropped int eh lake and mud a few times. I am happy with it. Its no different than any other gun, it does require a good cleaning on occassion. 

Hesitant to use the autos because they can become tempermental if dirty and I have had problems with them in the past in cold conditions with them getting sluggish. 

Everybodys got an opinion, you could have every gun available but if you dont find the ducks or can't shoot straight it wont matter what your holding. 

Cannot agree enough on going out with guys that have blued guns. They shine, the guys are so careful not to scratch'em or get them dirty. Hang it on the friggin wall if its for show. I liked the referral to our guns as "tools". 

Justifys the abuse they take and the rewards they bring.


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

How the old duck hunters used those shiny new Model12 Heavy duck guns, the Rem 31s, and old Win 97s.............Camo everything now. 

Yep gotta have the latest and greatest. We have come a long way from wooden decoys, blued guns, and the old days. Now we have robo ducks, camo of every discription, and a host of wonder gadgets. Rich


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## quackassassin (Oct 15, 2004)

H27
Going to assume from your prior two replies on this thread that you are in agreement that you should expect some abuse of your gun and that "hunting guns were made for hunting." And that synthetic stocks were the way to go. They could be considered a "latest and greatest". 
Not too sure if I understand your third reply on this thread. Sounds like you approve of some equipment improvements (synthetic stocks) and disagree with some others. 

Hard to tell just reading a reply, sometimes comes across different than how someone would voice it. Maybe I am reading too much into it.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

quackassassin said:


> H27
> G
> Hard to tell just reading a reply, sometimes comes across different than how someone would voice it.


I couldn't quite figure it out myself but, either way--the points he made if discussed would hijack the thread.

Just imagine life before the Wright Brothers....hehehe...


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

going to be abuse for sure. God knows Ive beaten my guns up. Even got to watch my brother blow up a Browning A-500 once duck hunting.

I think it best to use the synthetics and lower cost wood for just that reason.

What I was wondering is how far weve come from the old days. I think some of it is good, and some bad I suppose. Sorry about the confusion there.


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## lwingwatcher (Mar 25, 2001)

Hey, just for grins and giggles, start a thread on "old days" equipment. That might be enlightening.


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

lets see there was the Army surplus coat [not waterproof I got soaked], the old style waders rubber jobs which seemed like I was always falling over in them. We could use lead back then, so shells were ok. As I remember we used Winchester 1200 pump guns, and the cheapest decoys we could buy [naturally they were water keels] so we had to right them in the water often. I dont think any of us had a boat, so we swiped a friends dads canoe [unpainted aluminum, stuck out like a sore thumb]........Then there was the friend we invited on a 1st duck hunt.

He shows up in a red and black plaid deer hunting set-up OMG did we laugh to death over that one. He tried to tell us it was ok, his dad said ducks were color blind.............again laughter. We did our best to cover him up and managed to kill a few ducks.

Last the calls were off the shelf jobs and we did the best we could. Man, we were a bunch of hack duck hunters. Been hooked ever since, Rich


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## Steelslinger (Oct 13, 2004)

I am currently shooting a 835. I am a big guy and it just fits me, not too light and I love the oversized barrell. My question is has anyone on this form heard about good/bad, or have one of the new mossburg 935 semi's? From guy's I have talked to at my local gun shop they can't keep them in stock or get enough of them. Just wondering. SS


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## flavo (Aug 30, 2004)

Mossberg? Thats a boat paddle right! :lol: :lol: 
[/color] 
just play'n


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## bvd7 (Oct 22, 2004)

flavo said:


> Mossberg? Thats a boat paddle right! :lol: :lol:
> [/color]
> just play'n


 
Our buddie's Mossberg cuts out the middle man. It puts the whole shell in the bottom of the swamp without having to pull the trigger. That way the ducks can not eat it:lol: :lol: 
Enviromentally friendly Boat paddle...

and I don't want to talk about the Verona and it's auto reloading during the middle of the season. All I can say is don't use Remington's dry lube!!:rant:


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## Steelslinger (Oct 13, 2004)

Come on now, I know that my sholder is probally a little tolugher than you guys and therefore I can handle a 835, but what is the deal here. Are you guy's baggin the old stand by or just like to shoot a undersized squirt gun? Let's compare barrells any day.:evil: Just wanted to know if anyone had any good or bad about the 935.


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## thedude (Jul 20, 2004)

browning gold 3.5 28" barrel. Shadowgrass synthetic stock.
I would definitely go synthetic on any gun for waterfol. I hate looking at a nice wood finish go to crap.

They had a few bad batches of Golds about 2 years ago, mine certainly did not come from one. I clean it once or twice a year and beat the crap out of it. I've used it for an oar also. No problems with cycling and it shoots everything from $1.50 lo-brass 2 3/4 9s to 3.5" BBB. It is in my furnace room right now thawing out from the last week of duck season in northern Indiana. It spent about 4 of those days coated in ice and it still worked just fine. Doesn't kick much either

BVD - for your wife look at a beretta - not sure of the model i looked at, think it was the pintail. The 3" models are quite light and accomodating to a young hunter or lady.


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## quackassassin (Oct 15, 2004)

Westbay, 

Go to www.Shotgunworld.com , register and go to their forum "Gun Opinions". They have threads in there already discussing Stoegers, 935's, Berettal Pintail, and more. You can see what some others offer as to the pro's and con's of different guns.


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