New gun selection

Jerod I would only buy older remington guns. I love my 870's and I had a sweet 1187. I bought a super mag 1187 last year. I shoot it well but it does not cycle very consistant. I went back to my sbe 2. Probally just keep shootin it. Has more recoil than a gas gun but it goes bang every time. I have a beretta 391 that is a cycling machine. I saw the versa max and thought it would be a good gun. Than I saw the recall.Sticking with my sbe. I will take more aspirin for the recoil.I have no use for a gun that does not function. I hate buying single shots that look like auto's. Some times they act like doubles, with an extra shell you can wiggle in the chamber. I just want to hunt and shoot. My dog wants to go get ducks.
My sbe got rust on it the first year. I have quit using a case for it. I just don,t worry about it. Lay it in the boat toss it in the truck. It will handle the abuse. I have shot thousands of rounds with it. ( 5000 or more, I have a couple addictions)The metal is better than a stoeger. I had a stoeger sxs. It cracked.Poor metal. Sent me a new one, that was my first and last stoeger.I did have 2 the replacement left when it came home. Next gun will be a o/u. Quality not price is the importance. John
 
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I bought the 887 at the beginning of the season and I love it. the only prob is that the choke tube that comes with the waterfowl edition shoots like a rifle so i changed it out to a mod. and was shooting blackcloud 3 1/2 number 3s after i changed it out i could not ask for a more accurate gun.

and its super tough!
 
I am sure it is a failed part somewhere in the loading mechanism. I am by far no gun smith, but I have thought about replacing the whole trigger assembly because I do love the gun it shoots great for me. I did not like the stoeger o/u because of the stockyness of them. I have been tempted several times and always shoulder one every time Im in the store but just can't pull the trigger.

I think I just need to have someone go thru the gun and replace worn parts. Yes I am hard on guns which is why I bought a synthetic but my complaint is that there are guns that have been through wars that don't get their barrels broken. It was the ring that slides over the mag tube and it was at the weld.

Remington was not very helpful and I basically had to pull teeth to get a replacement. Luckily we have a great local gun shop who helped me out
 
Buy a used gun. I like Old Remingtons and you can find good deals on old Wingmasters, 1100's and early 3" 11-87's. I have been thru a 3.5" 12 ga phase. Mossberg 835's don't fit me, Super X-2 did not seem to shoot where I was looking. Tried a few Berettas 390 12 ga 3", 302 20 ga, 1201F. The Berettas do not hit where I am looking. Tried some 10 gauges BPS's and Gold's. Swing like a club. Benelli Novas point good for me, but the safety is in the wrong place. A-5's point well and are fun to shoot. BPS's shoot well for me and are the best pump I know of for a lefty. I'm not a lefty. Citoris shoot nice, but I like killing triples and I shoot a pump just as good as an O/U. I went thru a patterning and choke tube phase. Now I shoot a factory rem choke imp cyl almost all the time, maybe I will choke it down and put in a mod.

I have seen 12 ga 870 wingmaster mags with rem chokes for $300-400, 11-87 3" guns matt finished SP's to Premiers from $225-450, 1100 LW 2.75" 20 for $275, 11-87 20's LNIB for $400, 1100 2.75" 12 ga for $225, clean old 870 wingmaster 2.75" plain barrels one for $145 and one for $150. I could buy a bunch of these for the cost of a new automatics.

I dumped the 11-87 and 870 super mags and sold all the 3.5 inch shells. Do not miss them one bit. I will take my old 870 with 3" shells and shoot just as many geese as my buddies with 3.5" Benellis and Berettas.

I had a buddy die and leave me 37 boxes of shells all 2.75". He did not own a 3" gun. I stomped the heck out of mallards this year from thanksgiving on. Most all of them with 2.75" shells that were made in 91 and 92 by the codes on the box. I shot a pile of geese with 2.75" #2 1 1/8 ounce loads that were 18-19 years old. When the birds are close they work great. If they aren't close, don't shoot. Maybe my buddies old shells got some mojo in them, but I think 3.5" shells are over rated and I am happy with 2.75" and 3" shells.

I like old Remingtons and if I would not have lost my job, I would own lots of them. I shot nothing but a 20 ga 870 Wingmaster Magnum 20 ga standard weight (built on a 12 ga frame) till we had to go to steel shot. Then I got an 870 3" express and have shot it to death (don't take the trigger assembly out). I have to keep it treated with Birchwood Casey's Sheath so it don't rust before my eyes, but if we are killing geese, I am probably shooting that gun.

Here is my theory: If you like something and it works for you stock-up on it! I am hoping to get a lifetime supply of old goose calls, duck calls, and hopefully one day stock up on old 870's. Stick with what you like. I have tried lots of different stuff and will probably try more in the future. For now, I am back where I started and having great success. Blowing a Big River Long Honker made by Mick, a Duck Commander original, hunting in the fields over 21 year old 1 piece Carry Lite goose decoys, Northwinds wind socks, 21 year old homemade shadows, and shooting an old 870 3" gun.
 
Mike,
I have never shot anything smaller than 3in for waterfowl. Maybe its time I give it a try and save some money. Still think I will use 3.5 on geese late in the year though(to stubborn to change everything) I do like the close shots but late in the year up here the geese like to land on the edge of the spreads. If you try to tighten em up they pass on to the next place. So I try to leave a hole no more than 40 to 50 yds wide. Its a longer shot than I like to take most of the time but late in the year you adjust.

Thanks for he help
 
I will never again own a semi. I had a Berretta Pintail. I gave me fits. Sold it. Once bitten, twice shy. I have no need for a semi. Pump or double, better yet.
 
If I'm not mistaken the Pintail was built on the Montefeltro action and was comprised of parts that had not gone through the final finishing process that the Benellis got. So, in essence it was a true POS from the get go. Shocker....
 
Since reliability counts, I have always been surprised that over-unders were not the predominate waterfowl gun.

When bag limits were 25 or more, additional firepower made sense. Then the autos and pumps were throttled back to allowing only three shells and the duck limits have tended to range between only 4-6 ducks, making autos no longer the best choice. Price is not the big issue as autos now can cost in excess of $1000.

I personally like the traditional sxs, but then hey, I also like wooden decoys and boats.
 
I own the 390 pintail and love it, my opinion it's the greatest gun ever made.

First gun I bought was the 870, hated it, stock was too short and action was sticky. Saved up some money and bought a 12 and 20 390, neither gun has ever jamed up me and they fit me without any modification.

If fact, I lost my 12 two years ago in a boat accident, it was lost in the bay from Sept to May or June and some guy found it. I sprayed a little WD 40 and shot several rounds of skeet with it, workeds perfectly, might need to have the barrel reblued, but all in all, I love it.

My wife bought me a 391 the year I lost the gun, it's ok, but I still favor the old 390.

I also owned a Black Eagle, didn't like the recoil, wasn't that much, but felt like the gun going forward, instead of back.
 
Another vote for 870's. Find an older one with Remchokes and 3" cyl. Shake the can well and spray it!! Not only have the 870's been going strong since 1950 but so have I!!.Now for a bit of a challange- You auto guys are just soft. There I said it, I don't like being beat up either but I don't like having to baby a gun and hope it fires next time I pull the trigger. If you are really shooting that much at waterfowl you won't get any sympathy from me. I would never shoot trap or skeet with 3.5s but I do believe the option is OK. Most of my duck shooting is with 3" Bismuth or Faststeel. I loaded up so much Bismuth when I could get it that it will keep me going for quite a while. Don't get me wrong about the gun choice thread because I enjoy a good hot stove gun chat better than most but when it comes down to packing for a trip there will be 2 guns that always get along and they are both OLD 870's, 1 20 and 1 12 well painted and lubed. then I can worry about other things. My $.02
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I do have a really great duck conservation tool now, I only lost 2 ducks all fall thanks to my lill budd Booker T. Rite on Travis or should I say Write On. haha
 
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Don't buy an Remington 887, the guys at BPS gun counter swear its the biggest POS that they sell, and they have several used guns on the racks to prove it. I cycled one when looking for a new gun and it was very stiff, I know it was new but when I grabbed a Benelli Nova it felt like butter. I can cycle my Nova about as fast as some semi-autos. For a very reasonably priced gun and very reliable buy a Nova. I have had mine for several years and know of guys that have had theirs for 10 years and no problems. You don't have to worry about having the right load or ammo brand, just throw whatever you find into it and shoot, NO Problems. They have a chrome barrel on the inside, very easy to clean, won't rust and a breeze to take apart. Good luck
 
First day of the season this past year and im dying to shoot my new CSMC RBL 12ga sxs. I brought my trusted old 870 express super mag with me just incase the weather got bad. I'm sitting next to four other guys all shooting remington products. One guy had an 870 and at the advice of one of our less experienced hunters the other to rookies bought that piece of junk they call the 887. The two newest 887's didnt shoot the whole day. One of the guns' firing pin was hitting the rim of the primer way away of center and the other gun's pin didnt work at all. The "expert" that suggested they buy that gun cause he loved his so much, didnt have an issue with his. good thing i brought my 870 or five guns would have been just three.

I'll never buy a new semi or any new fangled pump. my 870 exp super has been in the lake i dont know how many times has sat days inside soaking wet guns cases been in the mud and whatever else ive put it through is missing half of its ejection system and still has yet to jam or not fire for me. My gun was made in 2000. If i wear it out im going to find another gun made in that time frame and buy it.

I've also owned three M700's and my dad has four all of different manufactured years and have yet to have a problem with any of them. The one model seven i owned however had a tendancy to let go of the bolt when pulling back to load another shell.

eddie
 
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