Author Topic: Auto Shotgun Opinions Please (Read 1167 times)

RWH24 · « **on:** November 24, 2003, 03:05:32 PM »

Browning Gold Hunter, Beretta AL-391 Urika, Remington 11-87 or the Sporting 12 1100???
I would appreciate anybodys experience with each, even thou I have some with the Browning already and read/added to the Post below. I hunt Dove, Quaill, Crows, maybe a Duck or Two, little round clay birds and a lot of field larks. I want a 2 3/4" or 3" chamber, no 3 1/2's. The barrel; 26" or 28" and it will be wood stocked. What is back bored/over bored or what ever some Mfg's write about and what does it do for the shooter?
Thanks again.

Randy

Bullseye · « **Reply #1 on:** November 24, 2003, 04:18:49 PM »

My wife has a Browning Gold, all I can say is jamming POS. I was talking to a gunsmith the other day and asked him if he had ever worked on any, he shook his head and said he worked on about 20 of them in the last month all for jamming. Was in a gun store the other day and someone asked if they had any Browning Golds, the guy behind the counter said they sell them but would not suggest buying one because after a little use they are very prone to jamming.

The Browning Gold is the only auto loader I have fooled with so while I do not know which one is good, I do know which one is bad.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #2 on:** November 24, 2003, 05:32:12 PM »

Out of that list???

The Beretta 391 is the only way to go.

RWH24 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2003, 11:30:45 PM »

OBG:
If you have experience with any/all, good/bad let me hear it. Recoil, felt or perceived? Why the 391?? There has got to be some Rem fans here.

Randy

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #4 on:** November 25, 2003, 05:09:57 AM »

As far as recoil----the gas operated guns will be better than the others----generally accepted top 3 choices in gas guns are the Beretta 391----Browning Gold and Winchester X2.

This is the first I've heard of Browning problems---so you'll have to decide for yourself on that one---good or bad----I've only heard good things till now.

Remington these days are generally poor quality(overall---not just shotguns)---the 11-87 has an inferior design compared to the others listed using a PITA(and easily damaged) O-ring.

Remington will really have to get their act together before I'd ever consider buying another---of any kind---rifle or shotgun-----because right now all they produce is junk.

My 391 is flawless and very lightweight.

If you are concerned about recoil---you might want to look at the Winchester as they are a bit heavier----cost a little less the the Beretta or Browning-----and in my case---they fit me very well----but I don't own one.

RWH24 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 25, 2003, 03:54:23 PM »

:eek:
Believe it or not guys and gals, the Win X-2 is a Browning gun, so I have been told. A few differences to make it DIFFERNT a little. I like the way the Browning fits me and shoots. It mounts well anad feels like an extention of me. I have probably narrowed it down to the Al-391 or the Browning anyway. I have been a Rem 870 guy for umpteen years and I want a little less recoil and a smooth shooter. The good looking wood helps too. For what I don't know it just looks great.
Would love a stack barrel but they are just too pricey. Thanks for the info so far.

Randy

Bullseye · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:54:58 PM »

Know what you mean about the Browning feeling good. That is why I keep fighting it and not selling it, my wife loves the gun and will not let me get rid of it.

Bob_K · « **Reply #7 on:** November 26, 2003, 04:47:46 AM »

Although I have been converted to an O/U fan for Trap & Skeet, I still have a few Remington 1100/11-87 shotguns. The 1100 is their matt finished, synthetic stocked Sportsman model that I have a Hastings barrel on, with a scope mounted in a Damar mount on the receiver. It is my dedicated deer slug gun, and performs quite nicely in that role. Another I have is their 11-87 Supermag for ducks, geese, and turkey. Only hiccups have been trying to use 2 3/4" shells in this 3 1/2" gun, even with their special barrel seal. Have not had problems with 3" ammo, nor have there been any problems in the longer stuff. My last one is an 11-87 Skeet grade shotgun that I was using before I got into Browning Citori's. Again, no problems or complaints, save a broken extractor which Remington replaced for free. The Remingtons are straight forward, well known designs that don't take any magic to maintain or repair. I've heard that their lower cost Sportsman models are not finished as well internally, and consequently don't always perform reliably, but I have not seen it.

Big · « **Reply #8 on:** November 27, 2003, 02:37:24 PM »

The Remington 11-87 I bought last year, and the left-handed 11-87 I bought for my lefty girlfriend this year, have both performed flawlessly, both on clay targets and on game. OBG's opinion of Remington products aside, I am pleased with their workmanship, as well. I chose the 11-87 after using and carefully considering Benellis, Berettas, and Brownings, and price was not an issue.

daddywpb · « **Reply #9 on:** November 27, 2003, 03:48:50 PM »

The 11/87 is an inferior design? Give me a break! Mine is 12 years old now, and I'm still waiting for the first jam. It feeds everything, every time, from 2 3/4" cheapo dove loads from your favorite "Mart" store, to 3 1/2" turkey and waterfowl loads. By the way, that fragile little "O" ring is the same one that was on it when it came out of the box. Whether you need a rifle or shotgun, you won't be disappointed with a Remington.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #10 on:** November 27, 2003, 05:57:22 PM »

Not just me:

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=9740

http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/showthread.php?s=&threadid=179912

urika20 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 28, 2003, 02:08:58 AM »

Go with the Berreta. Although I have been hearing good things about the Benelli auto.

urika20

Graybeard · « **Reply #12 on:** November 28, 2003, 03:33:11 AM »

Gonna hafta say that anyone who thinks the Remington 1100 and 11/87 is an inferior design needs to wake up and check what is being used by serious competitors. For the past 30 years or so more of them have been used by competition skeet, trap and sporting clays shooters than all other brands of auto loaders combined. That must mean something.

I've been using them about that long and they are brute tough. It really takes a lot to stop an 1100 or 11/87. Once back in the mid 70s when me and another fellow owned a skeet/trap range we both used 1100s as this was well before the 11/87 came along. One day we were holding a match and his 20 ga stopped on him. I handed him mine and offered to take his inside and see what was wrong and get it back to him as soon as possible so he could finish with his own gun. I have NEVER in my entire life seen such a filthy gun. It had crud build up from many many thousands of rounds fired without cleaning. It was HORRIBLE.

I opened a bottle of Hoppes and soaked a rag. Cleaned off the magazine tube and rings. Then used Hoppes on a brush to clean out the gas chamber and in 5 minutes had it back in his hands working again. This was the single most deglected gun I've ever seen and he got properly chastised about cleaning it from time to time in the future. The 1100s and 11/87s just seem to go on working almost forever without breaking or stopping. Anyone who says otherwise just hasn't used them.

GB

RandyWakeman · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2003, 11:04:43 AM »

Quote from: RWH24

Browning Gold Hunter, Beretta AL-391 Urika, Remington 11-87 or the Sporting 12 1100???
I would appreciate anybodys experience with each, even thou I have some with the Browning already and read/added to the Post below. I hunt Dove, Quaill, Crows, maybe a Duck or Two, little round clay birds and a lot of field larks. I want a 2 3/4" or 3" chamber, no 3 1/2's. The barrel; 26" or 28" and it will be wood stocked. What is back bored/over bored or what ever some Mfg's write about and what does it do for the shooter?
Thanks again.

Randy

I've had universally good luck with Berettas, from A302 / Browning B-80 / A303 / A390, to the tune of 30,000 rounds per year. I've also had some 7 Browning Golds, with no problems (every single one needed a trigger job, most broke in excess of 7 lbs.)

I've also had horrid results with Remington 1100's, from two cracked receivers, and three 20 gauges with chambers far too tight to reliably cycle. As to their O-ring eating-- it varies. Remington obviously has some huge quality control problems, and has had-- whoever RACI Holding is. Some have eaten O-ring with regularity, some just never do. They are not popular at all in this area, and they would be my last choice.

There never has been such as thing as an "all-around" shotgun: maybe that's why I still own 20 or so. For upland game, I'll likely stick with an A-5.

When it comes to high volume wingshooting / skeet / sporting clays, it will be Beretta. I've not had Browning Gold problems-- the Berettas just fit me better, and fit is the first thing that matters to me.

The back-boring is more hype than anything, it is just a larger OD barrel with a larger ID in concert. The late Stan Baker made a few of his heavily back-bored barrels for the 303-- the wads still sealed well, and it did pull some weight out of them. True back-boring is a matter of pulling a foew ounces out of your barrel to get better balance, more common in O/U's than anything.

I'd pick either a Gold or a 391, whichever fits the best. When it comes to shooting several cases a day-- Beretta product is a very easy preference for me. The Beretta made Browning B-80 in this picture has well over 90,000 rounds through it, with annual stock recoil spring replacement as the only maintenance.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #14 on:** December 04, 2003, 11:11:41 AM »

Dang----You shoot all those yourself??? Or did ya have some help???----lolololol

RWH24 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 04, 2003, 01:27:50 PM »

:-D Now that is SOME TESTIMONY!
Thanks

Randy
RWH24