Good General Purpose Shotgun

[Rick R]

And it's still truckin' along so it must be pretty good. You looking to retire it?

Nope.

It’s kind of my “Barbecue” shotgun with walnut stock, cut checkering and deep Winchester blueing. It has a special place in my safe due to the circumstances that led to its acquisition. As a PSA, the Mod 1’s have a synthetic bumper in the back of the receiver that needs replaced every couple thousand rounds. I think I have a spare, I hope somebody still makes them...

[Redhat]

What’s too tactical about the 1301 Comp? It’s basically a black A400 duck gun with a shorter barrel (21” or 24” instead of 28”).

Ok, from Beretta's web site:

- "The Beretta 1301 Comp semiauto shotgun is designed to win tactical competitions right out of the box."

- "Tactical stock"

- etc.

MSRP: $1275


I have no doubt it's an excellent gun for it's stated purpose.. I'm just looking for something else: a simple, reliable semi-auto that isn't likely to have a lot of rounds put through it.

[Redhat]

Nope.

It’s kind of my “Barbecue” shotgun with walnut stock, cut checkering and deep Winchester blueing. It has a special place in my safe due to the circumstances that led to its acquisition. As a PSA, the Mod 1’s have a synthetic bumper in the back of the receiver that needs replaced every couple thousand rounds. I think I have a spare, I hope somebody still makes them...

That sounds pretty cool. My cousin has his Dad's Browning A5, Light 12.

ETA - Just looked it up...that's a great looking shotgun.

[mmc45414]

The outlier might be a quality used Remington 1187, plus whatever people smarter than me recommend.

I think folks tend to overcomplicate this, I know I sure did when I started out!

This is not the ultimate gun, but IMO you would have a hard time finding something you could not do with this:
https://gunprodeals.com/product/REMI...ource=wikiarms
And Remingtons are like Legos. Chokes are like $20 and readily available, alternative stocks are like $80 and readily available.

I now have two Berettas, but before I did I had an 1100 version of the above that I shot thousands of targets with.

The A300 is probably better, and the same price, if cheap accessories are not important to you:
https://gunprime.com/products/sale-b...331e-863900669

ETA: There also seems to be some tendency to feel equipment inferiority when starting out doing clay shooting. In my experience, nobody cares. You are going to be a beginner and people will be helpful no matter what gun you have, unless they are assholes, and those people would still be assholes if you had a Perazzi.
ETA Again: Yeah, what he said!

I know that the Remington 1100 and 1187 are not on your list, but they would certainly do the job.

Okie John

[okie john]

I think I can find what I want under $500. I usually look for a good used deal first.

I can do pump, as I have spent considerable time back in the day with those, but I want a semi to try out. Heck the last one of those I got to hunt with was a Browning Auto 5.

I know that the Remington 1100 and 1187 are not on your list, but they would certainly do the job. I'd look for a deal on one that's cosmetically acceptable, then sell the existing barrel and put that money into the barrel(s) that you want.

I have a good LGS who has a ton of stuff on hand, and will sell just a stocked action plus as many barrels as you want. Can't do that under quarantine, though...


Okie John

[Redhat]

I know that the Remington 1100 and 1187 are not on your list, but they would certainly do the job. I'd look for a deal on one that's cosmetically acceptable, then sell the existing barrel and put that money into the barrel(s) that you want.

I have a good LGS who has a ton of stuff on hand, and will sell just a stocked action plus as many barrels as you want. Can't do that under quarantine, though...


Okie John

Re the 1100, I always wanted one of those since I was a kid. Is it true you have to change barrels to accommodate different weight shot shells / charges ?

My younger brother has a 1187. Says it runs fine unless he cleans it, then it short strokes...

[okie john]

Re the 1100, I always wanted one of those since I was a kid. Is it true you have to change barrels to accommodate different weight shot shells / charges ? My younger brother has a 1187. Says it runs fine unless he cleans it, then it short strokes...

I think so, but I know very little about the 1100. Back before the Remchoke system came along, that would have made sense. You'd change barrels to change chokes, so the gas port got changed at the same time. I think that the 1187 was designed to address that.

There are some good 1100 threads here, and much wisdom has been dispensed.


Okie John

[Gearqueer]

So during my quarantine boredom I've started to consider a general purpose 12 ga semi-auto shotgun. I am interested in the least costly yet reliable model that could be used for limited wing shooting and maybe some clays shooting (since the National Shooting Complex is not to far from me).

Since I can't really go to the LGS's to put hands on any right now, thought I'd ask the forum what they like. Unless I find a really good deal, I'll probably try to hunt down a good used model.

From my on-line scouting, I think I may have it down to 3 choices:

Stoeger M3000

Remington V3

Mossberg 930

Any info on these or others appreciated.

Redhat,

I’d urge you to wait until this pandemic dies down so that you can at least put hands on some samples at a LGS. Wingshooting shotguns are mostly about fit, and without getting into custom fitting, you may find that one brand may give you a warm fuzzy gun mount whereas another doesn’t fit you well. JMO since I haven’t shot either of the three you mentioned. With handguns and rifles I don’t think fit is essential, but with point-shooting shotguns it’s paramount. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mmc45414]

Re the 1100, I always wanted one of those since I was a kid. Is it true you have to change barrels to accommodate different weight shot shells / charges ?

I think so, but I know very little about the 1100. Back before the Remchoke system came along, that would have made sense. You'd change barrels to change chokes, so the gas port got changed at the same time. I think that the 1187 was designed to address that.

The 1100 is strictly 2-3/4" gun, the 1187 is 2-3/4" and 3" gun and the gas system is more broadly accommodating. I have not owed the 1187 personally, but the 1100 I had ran and ran and ran. Until you might choose to reload you will not have a worry. I ran a bunch of 1oz reloads through mine, and I may have also ran some 7/8oz loads, but that might have been fuzzy (might be twenty years ago).

My younger brother has a 1187. Says it runs fine unless he cleans it, then it short strokes...

All of the gas guns are a little sensitive to not having too much lube, it causes the crud to collect. Also, the 1187 might have one of the gas rings that can be flipped for heavier loads, not sure but might be worth some research.

[JTMcC]

If you have good pawn shops in your area, then cruise thru frequently. Some of the older semi's are solid reliable guns.
1100's and 11-48's do it for me, because I have them around and like the reliability with the loads I shoot.
Auto 5's and variants deserve some attention, so do 11-87's. I like the vintage look.

I trust Mossberg 590's but their semis are just to much of a crap shoot. I avoid Turkey made guns like the plague, on principle if nothing else.

Some of the Italian made guns already mentioned are very, very good but I tend to buy American made.

Older Remington 1100's are sleek, reliable, and awful purty to my eye. They mount/point better for me than any others, but I'm no wingshooter guru.