Like several other posters recently, I've been look for a reliable autoloading shotgun that doesn't break the bank. My sole use for the candidate gun is home defense. I know the Benelli M2 is the correct answer, but it's hard for me to justify tying up roughly $1200 in a shotgun that will spend most of its time in a safe except for a monthly or quarterly trip to the range to practice.
I've dismissed a number of other cheaper contenders including the Mossberg 930 and the Remington 1100/1187 (I know they work for many - I've had two dogs and won't try a third).
One gun that hits the sweet spot for price is the long-discontinued Beretta 1201fp. The reputation seems good everywhere I check but here. In a
post on pistol-forum, one well-qualified member referred to it as abysmal. Since they share some design principles (and possibly even some parts) with the Benelli M1, this comment confused me just a bit.
What is the consensus on these guns? Avoid at all costs? Or a total sleeper that will do what I need.
Thanks in advance.