Gun related question! Shotgun, all purpose

[Tigre_fish]

OK, in that rare instance, at least in recent times, I have an opinion poll for y'all that I will give heavy weighting in connection with an upcoming purchase. Without consideration of price, what is the best all around general purpose semi-auto shotgun out there today? Looking for something like the Remington Versa-max, Browning Gold, H&K/Benelli Black Eagle or similar. Grew up shooting the Browning A-5 and Remington 1100. Looking for a practical, all purpose Dove/Squirrel/Duck or even Goose semi. As a kid, I shot the same gun for pretty much everything, and would like to have something that might work in today's iron shot world. Interested in opinions & discussion. Oh, not worried about home defense, etc., have my folding stock 870 w/ 18-1/2" bbl for that.

Thanks!
TF

[BudT]

Hands down the Benelli.

[Art]

I'm with BudT, plus one on the Benelli. I doubt I'll ever own an autoloading shotgun but if I do buy one its the Benelli no contest.

[da gimp]

Bennies are good, but for all around ya might look at the Rem VM... friend has 1, loads any ammo & it cycles perfectly,

[UUURah]

I like my Rem 870, pump. Can you imagine what goes through a burglar's mind when he hears that "Chinnk Chinnk" sound?

[Emri]

Hands down the Benelli.

I'll second that. I've had one (SBE) as a waterfowl gun for 20 years now. They are very simple to disassemble and reassemble for nightly cleaning and drying. Mine has digested case after case of steel shot.

I won't say yea or nea to the Versamax, but am very leery of innovative ( read that as "complicated" ) ideas in firearms. Some are great ( system Glock ) some are screwy ( Benelli Vinci ). The innovation in Glocks is actually their simplicity. The Vinci may appear simple ( only 3 sub-groups ), but it takes two or three men to assemble one in a brightly lit store with the owner manual open on the counter. What happens when you drop it in the mud ? You can't disassemble the bolt or magazine tube without a workbench and tools !!

Good Luck !!

Emri

[da gimp]

If ya wanna make a coupla guys into statues, jack a round into an 870 riotgun & yell freeze.....

added: the only thing moving on em will be the lil yellow puddles at their feet getting bigger........

[Former Cav]

Default

If ya wanna make a coupla guys into statues, jack a round into an 870 riotgun & yell freeze.....

added: the only thing moving on em will be the lil yellow puddles at their feet getting bigger

sounds like a hollywierd stereotype to me!!

I'd go with the Benelli

[da gimp]

Our Mo. State Troopers love the Benneli's, but if he ever foresees the use of 3 1/2" shells... Go with the Rem VersaMax........... the SOB works, with powder puff trap loads 2 3/4" to 3 1/2" buckshot or rifled slugs ets, it didn't matter what was fed into the mag tube..........without resetting anything.......

[ebeeby]

I bought a Benelli M1 12 gauge in camo 10 or 12 years ago as a guest gun ("Oh here - you don't really want to shoot that old Parker or Fox, take this Benelli").

Dozens of guests have shot it and everyone, including me, loves it. Easy to disassemble and clean. In fact, those wingdings in South America where they shoot 10 jillion birds in 5 days - mostly all use the Benelli M1 action.

I started both my boys on the 20 gauge M1 (one had a camo, the other the Motefeltro) Low recoil the M1 cycles anything I've put in it from STS light target to 3 inch duck loads.

I did see a NEW benelli sporting clays auto in a store today. The store owner was messing with it and when he screwed off the magazine cap, a big spring and a plastic round limiter plug went flying. I do NOT know what new model Benelli it was and based on that alone can't recommend it.

But the M1 action is beautiful, simple and durable. If they don't make it anymore, get a clean used one.