Help making a decision.

[Judge Mental]

Looking to purchase a 12ga auto. Looking to spend $700-800, and believe I have narrowed the field to Beretta A300 Outlander and Franchi Inertia Drive Affinity. Like to get your collective advice. Experience with these? Others in this price range?

 

[Neil09]

What a coincidence. I was in the exact same boat as you, until yesterday. Picked up my first auto, the Beretta a300 outlander. Haven't shot it yet, plan on it tom. Read lots of good reviews on it.

 

[slogoat]

My dad picked one up this year (a300) and I made a few teal hunts using it. Really enjoyed it! Feels real light coming from the Remington 1100 I normally hunt with, and proved to be very reliable. No failure of any kind yet that I'm aware of.

 

[Judge Mental]

Thx guys. Neil if I had found your question, I wouldn't have posted. Please update with a quick review?

 

[Neil09]

This is my first auto, so honestly have no experience to compare it with. I pretty much went strictly off of reviews. I had to settle for the 3" chamber, but chances are I'll never need the 3.5". I'm going shoot a few skeet this afternoon, and will let you know how it does. I will say this, the finish isn't indestructible (camo). While trying to punch the pin out to remove the trigger group, the damn punch slid to the side and scratched the finish pretty good. I will admit I was pushing pretty hard because the pin didn't want to budge.

 

[Labeeman]

I have the Beretta Outlander (my son and I both bough one last year) and I've hunted with it a good bit and like it. We duck hunt, mostly woodies, and the gun has been perfect. I'm still getting use to the safety in front of the trigger guard but that's not that big of a deal. I've not killed many ducks with it as I have just not shot that good this year, but we made a late season dove hunt last year and I lit them up. I have hunted with pumps my whole life ( Remington 870, Ithaca Model 37) and there is no comparison for follow up shots and the recoil is much softer. For the money you can't go wrong. It's not the newest technology, but it's damn reliable and for an average shooter like me I can't tell the difference between this gun and a 1500 dollar gun. I would bet most other people couldn't either.

 

[Theta36]

Sir you can never go wrong with a benelli shotgun they are widely known threw duck commander but this is a fact. Benelli have the fastest cycle shell ratio of all semi auto shotguns. An they are in your price range depending on if you want cammo, or synthetic black. Good luck with your gun of choice but id recommend a benelli sir. Sincerly Dana Bass

 

[dad-e-o]

Sir you can never go wrong with a benelli shotgun they are widely known threw duck commander but this is a fact. Benelli have the fastest cycle shell ratio of all semi auto shotguns. An they are in your price range depending on if you want cammo, or synthetic black. Good luck with your gun of choice but id recommend a benelli sir. Sincerly Dana Bass

But, BEWARE the "Benelli Click"!!!

 

[dad-e-o]

This is my first auto, so honestly have no experience to compare it with. I pretty much went strictly off of reviews. I had to settle for the 3" chamber, but chances are I'll never need the 3.5". I'm going shoot a few skeet this afternoon, and will let you know how it does. I will say this, the finish isn't indestructible (camo). While trying to punch the pin out to remove the trigger group, the damn punch slid to the side and scratched the finish pretty good. I will admit I was pushing pretty hard because the pin didn't want to budge.

Watch out with mosquito spray around the camo finishes. I have an SBEII who's barrel had a close encounter with some and is very ugly now.

 

[kz45]

But, BEWARE the "Benelli Click"!!!

What's the Benelli click?

 

[Neil09]

Watch out with mosquito spray around the camo finishes. I have an SBEII who's barrel had a close encounter with some and is very ugly now.

I sure didn't know that, thanks for the heads up, I would be a little angry lol.

 

[Magdump]

+1 on the deet! It will melt nearly anything plastic or rubber!

The only auto shotgun I own is an old Franchi light bird gun so I can't speak from experience, but I know 3 people with the A300 and they love them. Another great offering is the Benelli super black eagle. I'm told that the A300 will eat any load with no issues.

 

[Neil09]

+1 on the deet! It will melt nearly anything plastic or rubber!

The only auto shotgun I own is an old Franchi light bird gun so I can't speak from experience, but I know 3 people with the A300 and they love them. Another great offering is the Benelli super black eagle. I'm told that the A300 will eat any load with no issues.

There is a super black eagle 1 and a super black eagle 2. The 2 gets lots of good reviews. I found a 1 at a pawn shop in lafayette, but couldn't find any reviews on it to know if it was a good gun or price. The price they were asking, and prices on the 2 had a pretty big difference, so you may want to pay attention to that.

 

[Michaelm0268]

+1 Benelli

 

[2011Corvette]

Beretta A300 +++

We have 3 and really like them.