Stoeger M3x00 vs A300

[TAZ]

Took my son out to shoot some skeet this weekend and he apparently loved it enough to want more. So now the budget needs to absorb a shotgun :)
We used 2 loaner A300 in 20ga. Both guns ran fine and fit us well enough to hit ok.

Went to look at Academy and see what they had. I didn’t find the A300 there, but google said the black synthetic can be had for around $650. Academy did have an M3000 and an M3500 for under $600.

Anyone have any experience with the Stoeger or preferably both. One seems to be gas driven while the other inertia. We would be shooting light target loads 90% of the time, since we don’t do too much hunting. Any advantage/disadvantage between inertia vs gas?

Also wondering about 12 vs 20 gauge. I’m assuming that a 12 ga target load won’t generate much more recoil than a 20 ga target load.

I’m trying to stick as close to the $600 arena as possible. It 100% set on a semi, just thought it would eat some of the recoil. Am also open to a budget O/U like the Stoeger Condor.

Any pointers would be appreciated.

[BJXDS]

I don’t think you can go wrong with the 12 gauge A300. I have shot many different loads from light target to buck and turkey loads in 2 3/4 and 3 inch with no problems at all

[NuJudge]

If you are not hunting waterfowl or Trap, a 20 gauge should do anything you need. Most of the 12 gauge shotshells I shoot are handholds and have 3/4 or 7/8 oz of shot, the standard shot charge for a 20, and they do fine in Skeet. If I use the 12 gauge US-standard ounce-and-an-eighth of shot, I will shoot fine for two rounds of Skeet, but my scores will suffer the third round. If I use 12 gauge with 7/8 oz, I can go 3 or 4 rounds without a problem. Two of the shotguns I have, have both 12 and 20 gauge barrel sets, and given the same shot charge and velocity, the 20 feels like it has less recoil.

Twenty gauge ammo is generally more expensive.

I have no experience with the shotguns you mention.

[TAZ]

Thanks for the replies. We shot skeet last week, but we may want to try trap and clays. Guessing a 12 has would be more versatile. May have to see if I can borrow one and use light target loads to see how it feels.

[Hambo]

The Stoeger is uses a Benelli style inertia system. I'm not sure if it's copied or licensed (might be now that Beretta owns Stoeger and Benelli), or if it's as durable as a Benelli. I'm also not sure what choke threads they use.

Inexpensive/cheap O/Us are usually a bad idea if you shoot them a lot.

[APS-PF]

Well recoil is always subjective but you will mostly find gas semi autos as opposed to inertia for high volume clay shooters. 20 ga guns can have more felt recoil depending upon the load used and the gun weight. Whitakers shows the Beretta a300 synthetic for $639.

[P.E. Kelley]

For clays use, of the two, the Beretta A300 is the choice.

The Beretta will run very light loads, the Stoeger will not.

If 3-Gun was in the mix the Stoeger gets the nod as it will accept a mag tube extension and the Beretta will not.

[ranger]

Used guns can be interesting for clays. Remington 1100s have broke a lot of clays - they may be old school but if kept lubricated they work and really have light recoil. Beretta 390s or 391s used to dominate the clay fields. Beretta had a 3901 that was sold through the big box stores. Get the 12 vs the 20 - you will end up with the 12 if you shoot clays in volume. In a few months - the big box stores will have "Dove and Quail" loads on sale - load up on the cheap 1 oz 12 gauge loads.

[Hambo]

The Beretta will run very light loads, the Stoeger will not.

Are you certain of that? I ask because people have told me for thirty years that Benellis won't cycle light loads, usually while my M1 Super 90 was cycling light loads. I've tested my SBE2 with a mix of cheap 1oz, 2 3/4" and 3" or 3 1/2" mags and it chugs right along. That said, the Stoeger might not even though the system is same/similar.

[P.E. Kelley]

Are you certain of that? I ask because people have told me for thirty years that Benellis won't cycle light loads, usually while my M1 Super 90 was cycling light loads. I've tested my SBE2 with a mix of cheap 1oz, 2 3/4" and 3" or 3 1/2" mags and it chugs right along. That said, the Stoeger might not even though the system is same/similar.

My fault, this forum is too smart for blanket statements.

1 ounce loads under 3 dram eq, are my criteria for the top end of light loads.
While some inertia guns will run 1 ounce payloads at 1150 fps, it is not to be expected.

Some gasser's like the A300 will run those quite reliably. Some will run subsonic loads too, like 1 1/8 ounce at 980fps.
That load is great for the new shooter, the younger shooter or anyone that recoil sensitive.

[willie]

If you buy the inertia gun, and if you first run a few 3 inch mag shells through it, this step will hasten break in time. Gas operated shotguns soften apparent recoil by spreading out the time over which the "kick" is occurring. My guess is that inertia or recoil operated shotguns are the least common type seen on clay target ranges. When at Academy, look at Winchester's semi auto guaranteed by FN and serviced at the great Browning Repair center. Price is right too. An outstanding shotgun would be a used a Rem 1100, which will run forever with an in-frequent 0 ring change. It may be the world's softest shooting shotgun.

[P.E. Kelley]

My fault, this forum is too smart for blanket statements.

1 ounce loads under 3 dram eq, are my criteria for the top end of light loads.
While some inertia guns will run 1 ounce payloads at 1150 fps, it is not to be expected.

Some gasser's like the A300 will run those quite reliably. Some will run subsonic loads too, like 1 1/8 ounce at 900fps.
That load is great for the new shooter, the younger shooter or anyone that recoil sensitive.

https://www.federalpremium.com/products/shotshell/federal-target/top-gun---subsonic/tgm123-75

[10mmfanboy]

I just found out about the Stoeger M3000 series. Does Benelli own Stoeger or something? My Dad sent it to me to look at, and it peeked my interest real quick at those price ranges. I am getting back into sporting clay and trap again, I sold my Beretta 391 teknys and hate my own guts ever since I did. I really like my Dad's Benelli Cordoba but I do not like the price tags on semi auto shotguns. My teknys was definitely a softer shooter than my Dad's Benelli but I found I could track faster with his since it was lighter, or at least felt that way to me. I'd like a shotgun that can do double duty and not necessarily a sporting clay only type set up, as I will be just doing it more for fun this time around.