12 gauge suggestion

[Yukon Brett]

Looking to purchase a 12 gauge to use for ducks, chickens etc. Any suggestions?

[Jr hunter]

Looking to purchase a 12 gauge to use for ducks, chickens etc. Any suggestions?

Not an expert by far but my beneli nova pump has never done me wrong.

[Birdstrike]

Anything but a cheap Remington 870 Express. The 870's themselves aren't bad, just don't buy the cheap Express version.

[GrassLakeRon]

Anything but a cheap Remington 870 Express. The 870's themselves aren't bad, just don't buy the cheap Express version.

I take it you had a bad experience with one? I have had one for 20 years and never had an issue. You peeked my curiosity.

[AK Ray]

They don't call them "rustpress" for no reason. The ejector can be just barely staked to the receiver and jam when it pops out. And they are heavy. I own two and like them as the simple tools they are.

[AK375HH]

hunted an 870 express super mag for years...got sick of jamming (through multiple 870s over a those years) and used a citori 3.5" hunter for awhile... now Im using a versamax. Really like my auto.

[tons0fun]

Not an expert by far but my beneli nova pump has never done me wrong.

I have a winchester sxp with a 28 inch barrel with modified choke and an 18 inch barrel for bad guys lol.i love my gun would prefer it over an express 870 or mossberg or any other entry level pump. But the guy up their who has a benelli Nova I'd get that their awesome and at a great price I think 599

[Yukon Brett]

Yes, sounds like 870 have gone to crap...Super Nova looks good.

[Halibut Chaser]

Love my Benelli SBE II.

[a2thak]

Been very pleased with my Browning Maxxus. Had it for 2 years now, no jams, or any issues. Went in planning on buying a SBE, after shooting my buddiy's but ended up with the Maxxus. I've cycled 2 3/4"-3.5" and anything from turkey to dove rounds.

[c6 batmobile]

I also shoot a winchester super x pump. Comes with a duracoat. A super simple bolt group that is easily taken down and put back together in the field and best of all affordable. I've dropped mine in the water, run it over and used it for all sorts of things it was probably never intended to and it just keeps going. A few other members here have had to borrow it when there guns jammed up

[FarouT18]

I love my Benelli SBEII. I have also shot Winchester SXP & SX3, as well as Benelli nova. All are great guns.

i worked at gun shop for a while (until I got tired of rude people freaking out about ARs). Anyways, Remington has gone down the drain. They are mass producing guns and the quality has gone out the window. We would send brand new guns back all the time. And when I say that, I mean multiple in a week. They are doing the same thing to all the gun companies that the own now too.
It seems that if you have a mid 90s(ish) Remington or older, you have a good gun. Anything newer is junk.

[kevin476]

I'm glad you started this thread because I too am looking at buying a new shotgun. I would really like to stay away from remington even though I have bought two new Marlin 1895's recently that are just fine. BUT from what I have heard the versamax is the only shotgun that will actually cycle all loads from the cheapest 2-3/4" to 3-1/2" mags. A guy I worked with for awhile shot 3 gun every weekend and had a versamax that was awesome, when he switched to a SBE 2 he said it would not cycle the cheap shells that were $6-$7 a box. This makes me really not want a SBE 2 because me and the lady shoot a ton of clays and I don't want to have to spend even more money on ammo. Does anyone have experience with any other shotguns that have the best of both worlds? Sure would be nice to have something dependable for anything from clays to ducks to turkey's..

[a2thak]

Kevin-I've shot ~2000 rounds of cheap clay ammo through my Maxxus. I have only have one load fail to cycle ever, and it was because the ammo was bad; it never fired. Howver, I've read that there can be issues with the spring if you are consistantly shooting larger 3 1/2" loads like turkey or geese rounds. I have only shot ~50-100 3 1/2" loads through it, and I've yet to have any issues. I mainly shoot 3" duck loads through it. I'm super happy with it. Real easy to tear apart and clean. Only complaint could be that it seems to need more regular cleaning. The gas chamber seems to dirty up pretty fast. I haven't pushed it to see how much I can shoot it without cleaning it, since semi's are so dang expensive I clean it after just about every shoot.

[FarouT18]

My SBEII has never failed me. I have shot duck/goose loads, lead shot, slugs, buck shot, you name it and I have shot it through my gun. No fails. The Remington versamax is based on benelli's bolt design. The patent has come up so now other companies can use that design without getting sued.
I have killed duck, goose, turkey, grouse, ptarmigan, hare & rabbits, deer, pig, dove, quail, and probably other things I can't think of right now. Never had a fail with my SBEII.