New to Shotgun Semi-Auto Questions

[Unobtanium]

The 1301 beat your shoulder up? It's been pretty successful in the 3 gun world and those guys shoot fast. It and the Remington Versamax are gas guns which will be softer on the shoulder and have done well in 3 gun. If you go with a Benelli the Vinci is a newer design. Mine feels noticeably softer than the M2 I had running the same loads. It'll be hard to beat a Benelli for reliability with it's inertia operated action but they aren't as soft shooting as the gas guns and have to have a certain power level of shell to even work. My Vinci will shoot the low recoil buck and slugs but I doubt it would go any lighter than a 1oz load at 1145 FPS. The comfortech stocks on the Benellis do help with the real heavy loads but I'm not real sure they do much with bird loads. I'm sad to say that the Italian Beretta and Benelli shotguns are head and shoulders above anything American made I've seen when it comes to build quality. If it were me I'd look hard at the 1301 again or go to a Benelli Vinci.

I'd avoid versamax. Everyone on the vm forums is trying to replace the guts with benelli parts that fit. Remington is not known for holding up.

[peterb]

If the goal is just low-cost shotgun fun, I'd buy a decent used Wingmaster, put a good recoil pad on it, and shoot light target loads. An extra 18.5" barrel is an easy and inexpensive swap for the "tactical"/HD role.

For semi-autos, Remington 1100s and the Beretta 300-series used to be standards in the clay target world. There are a lot of good used ones out there.

[JAD]

Your experience is not unlike mine, and my world changed when I took a class from Rob Haught.

You do describe a good reason to buy an A5, though.

[GJM]

If I wanted a dual, hunting and defense set-up, I would get a Benelli M2 26 inch, with the shorter youth LOP Comfortech stock, and then source a shorter barrel and add an Aimpoint S1 on the rib. Now you have a perfect shotgun to hunt and bust clays, and a shorter defensive barrel with a dot. Since the S1 mounts to the rib, you can easily switch barrels and keep zero.

[Hambo]

I have never liked shotguns, especially 12 ga.

I am admittedly a recoil weenie.

M2 20ga gauge for hunting/clays; M2 Tactical (with GJM comfortech stock) 12ga with low recoil slugs/buck for defense.

[Doc_Glock]

M2 20ga gauge for hunting/clays; M2 Tactical (with GJM comfortech stock) 12ga with low recoil slugs/buck for defense.

This sounds like the ticket. That way the defensive one can be set up with sling, optic and light.

I assume since they are M2 models they both load and fire identically except for ammunition, recoil, etc.

[GJM]

In 20 gauge, the M2 24 inch barrels comes with the shorter LOP Comfortech stock option. 12 and 20 function the same. M2 Tactical is 18 inch barrel and drilled to take the Scalarworks mount and T2 over the action. You do loose the shorter LOP stock, though, and that stock is crazy expensive to buy as a part.

[StraitR]

If I wanted a dual, hunting and defense set-up, I would get a Benelli M2 26 inch, with the shorter youth LOP Comfortech stock, and then source a shorter barrel and add an Aimpoint S1 on the rib. Now you have a perfect shotgun to hunt and bust clays, and a shorter defensive barrel with a dot. Since the S1 mounts to the rib, you can easily switch barrels and keep zero.

^^^ This would be my approach if I wanted to shoot clays for fun and have that weapons handling and shooting transfer 1 to 1 to my defensive shotgun.

The issues I see with buying one 20g and one 12g M2 are...

Cost - $2500+ worth of base shotguns.
Desired Training value - The size and weight differences between the two are noticeable. While the MOA is identical, the feel is not, so reps with the smaller lighter weight 20g will not necessarily transfer 1 to 1 to your defensive 12g.
Ammo - Having to source and keep two types of ammo. IME, 20g targat/clay ammo is more expensive and harder to find, at least in my area.
Chokes & Parts/Accessories - Should you want aftermarket chokes, they will not interchange. Nice ones are not cheap. Trigger parts, stocks (compact Comfortech for 12g will run $400). Mag tube extensions, small parts, etc, etc are not cross compatible.

The cost of the two gun option would be exponentially more at a decreased training value, which seems to be the point of having the same gun for both. Even better/cheaper, just buy and set up the M2 of your choosing for defense and then use it for clay sports.

[Doc_Glock]

In 20 gauge, the M2 24 inch barrels comes with the shorter LOP Comfortech stock option. 12 and 20 function the same. M2 Tactical is 18 inch barrel and drilled to take the Scalarworks mount and T2 over the action. You do loose the shorter LOP stock, though, and that stock is crazy expensive to buy as a part.

So better to use the 12 ga M2 field model with Comfortech and source the shorter barrel as you said

[Doc_Glock]

Even better/cheaper, just buy and set up the M2 of your choosing for defense and then use it for clay sports.

I am not opposed to that, but in my limited experience I can’t seem to hit anything thrown with an 18” tactical shot gun compared to an old 26” barreled pump.

I am not sure if this is simply a skill issue or choke or something else? Does 8” in barrel make that huge a difference in aiming and pattern?