I am planning on retiring the Browning Gold Hunter this year and looking to get a new auto loading shotgun. My current search is taking my to Browning and Beretta websites a lot but I would be open to any recommendations at this point.
I am trying to keep the budget under $2,000 all said and done.
Main interests are hunting and sporting clays.
For Beretta I can’t make up my mind between the A400 Xtreme Unico and the Xplor Unico.
If anyone has personal experience shooting both of these guns I would really appreciate it. I can’t seem to find a single article on line directly comparing the two.
For Browning I like the Maxus Hunter.
Feels the closest to the Gold Hunter but if I’m going to experience a leaning curve with a new gun I want it to be worth the hassle.
[quote]JLone wrote:
I am planning on retiring the Browning Gold Hunter this year and looking to get a new auto loading shotgun. My current search is taking my to Browning and Beretta websites a lot but I would be open to any recommendations at this point.
I am trying to keep the budget under $2,000 all said and done.
Main interests are hunting and sporting clays. [/quote]
Personally the best autoloading shotgun I have ever shot was a Benelli SuperVinci. The Browning A5 is nice if you are more used to that high back receiver. My Remington 11-87 has never let me down on the budget end and I have heard mixed reviews on the Versamax. The Winchester SX3 and the Beretta A400 always seem to be talked about favorably. Franchi and Mossberg also need a look. Just get out there and swing some guns around. See what you like the feel of.
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
My Remington 11-87 has never let me down on the budget end and I have heard mixed reviews on the Versamax.[/quote]
My brother has the Versamax and feeds it strictly 3" shells. Always complains about spent hulls not ejecting. Because of that I haven’t looked to strongly at Remington so far.
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
My Remington 11-87 has never let me down on the budget end and I have heard mixed reviews on the Versamax.[/quote]
My brother has the Versamax and feeds it strictly 3" shells. Always complains about spent hulls not ejecting. Because of that I haven’t looked to strongly at Remington so far. [/quote]
With a $2000 budget I probably wouldn’t either. With that budget I would probably go Benelli, Browning, or Beretta. I would also give some consideration to the upper end Franchi’s, never shot one but I have always heard great things.
Benelli Ethos. It’s the pretty sporting version of the M4, which is allegedly a breaching weapon in the Army, but many, many guys preferred it when clearing a house in Iraq. Never, ever, misfeeds. And if you get the ugly black one, you can clean it with brake cleaner.
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
Benelli Ethos. It’s the pretty sporting version of the M4, which is allegedly a breaching weapon in the Army, but many, many guys preferred it when clearing a house in Iraq. Never, ever, misfeeds. And if you get the ugly black one, you can clean it with brake cleaner.
[/quote]
I would love to shoulder the Ethos and see if it fit the bill but my local gun shop said he would be lucky if he could get an Ethos in before September. That’s only relevant because he usually comes in 200-300 under MSRP which would put the Ethos in my price range.
He told me I was more than welcome to order direct but that means I am paying $2,000 (Max Budget) sight unseen.
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
Benelli Ethos. It’s the pretty sporting version of the M4, which is allegedly a breaching weapon in the Army, but many, many guys preferred it when clearing a house in Iraq. Never, ever, misfeeds. And if you get the ugly black one, you can clean it with brake cleaner.
[/quote]
I would love to shoulder the Ethos and see if it fit the bill but my local gun shop said he would be lucky if he could get an Ethos in before September. That’s only relevant because he usually comes in 200-300 under MSRP which would put the Ethos in my price range.
He told me I was more than welcome to order direct but that means I am paying $2,000 (Max Budget) sight unseen.[/quote]
right here, in stock, $1700
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=391712325
I love Benellis because my fingers are too big to fit in many rifles. It has a great, large trigger guard designed to shoot with gloves
$1699
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
$1699
[/quote]
Thank you for your help. I spent last night reading articles on the Ethos and trying to decide what I need out of my boom-stick. Unfortunately I am one of those, “one gun to rule them all” type of people. Can’t decide if the Ethos it too pretty to take ducking.
It has definitely made my short list though, thanks again.
are you going to stick with 1 barrel or switch depending on the use?
on another note anybody down in the Charleston area FEB 14-16 southeastern wildlife expo
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
$1699
[/quote]
Thank you for your help. I spent last night reading articles on the Ethos and trying to decide what I need out of my boom-stick. Unfortunately I am one of those, “one gun to rule them all” type of people. Can’t decide if the Ethos it too pretty to take ducking.
It has definitely made my short list though, thanks again. [/quote]
I still would give the Super Vinci and the SBE II consideration. I know they are pretty much the gun of choice for duck hunters around here. I am partial to synthetic over wood stocks though for my hunting guns.
[quote]silverblood wrote:
are you going to stick with 1 barrel or switch depending on the use?
[/quote]
I would be sticking with a single barrel for the new auto loader.
I have a 870 set up with a riffled barrel for deer hunting. So i guess to edit my earlier statement, “one gun to rule: upland, clays, flyways, and turkeys.”
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
$1699
[/quote]
Thank you for your help. I spent last night reading articles on the Ethos and trying to decide what I need out of my boom-stick. Unfortunately I am one of those, “one gun to rule them all” type of people. Can’t decide if the Ethos it too pretty to take ducking.
It has definitely made my short list though, thanks again. [/quote]
I still would give the Super Vinci and the SBE II consideration. I know they are pretty much the gun of choice for duck hunters around here. I am partial to synthetic over wood stocks though for my hunting guns.
[/quote]
I have a SBE II, and it is a fine shotgun. The Ethos is a slightly reworked version of the SBE II with some of the handling kinks worked out. It is also available in full synthetic, I believe.
Both are very balanced weapons and easy to carry. I think the Ethos may be a hair lighter.
I bought a Ethos to leave in my truck as bird hunting or sporting clay opportunities arise randomly far from home when I am doing my oilfield thing.
I really can’t tell much difference between the two, but the Ethos gets a lot of “damn that’s a pretty gun” comments.
Also the Ethos has different colored front sites (I prefer yellow for contrast) which the SBE II can do, but I think it’s after market.
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
$1699
[/quote]
Thank you for your help. I spent last night reading articles on the Ethos and trying to decide what I need out of my boom-stick. Unfortunately I am one of those, “one gun to rule them all” type of people. Can’t decide if the Ethos it too pretty to take ducking.
It has definitely made my short list though, thanks again. [/quote]
I still would give the Super Vinci and the SBE II consideration. I know they are pretty much the gun of choice for duck hunters around here. I am partial to synthetic over wood stocks though for my hunting guns.
[/quote]
I have a SBE II, and it is a fine shotgun. The Ethos is a slightly reworked version of the SBE II with some of the handling kinks worked out. It is also available in full synthetic, I believe.
Both are very balanced weapons and easy to carry. I think the Ethos may be a hair lighter.
I bought a Ethos to leave in my truck as bird hunting or sporting clay opportunities arise randomly far from home when I am doing my oilfield thing.
I really can’t tell much difference between the two, but the Ethos gets a lot of “damn that’s a pretty gun” comments.
Also the Ethos has different colored front sites (I prefer yellow for contrast) which the SBE II can do, but I think it’s after market.
[/quote]
I was unaware that the Ethos came in a synthetic. I though it only game in the really ornate style which I love but I find myself half feeling guilty for taking through the muck ha
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
I have a SBE II, and it is a fine shotgun. The Ethos is a slightly reworked version of the SBE II with some of the handling kinks worked out. It is also available in full synthetic, I believe.
Both are very balanced weapons and easy to carry. I think the Ethos may be a hair lighter.
I bought a Ethos to leave in my truck as bird hunting or sporting clay opportunities arise randomly far from home when I am doing my oilfield thing.
I really can’t tell much difference between the two, but the Ethos gets a lot of “damn that’s a pretty gun” comments.
Also the Ethos has different colored front sites (I prefer yellow for contrast) which the SBE II can do, but I think it’s after market.
[/quote]
I was unaware that the Ethos came in a synthetic. I though it only game in the really ornate style which I love but I find myself half feeling guilty for taking through the muck ha[/quote]
Okay I give up, thethirdruffian knows more than me about guns so if he says the Ethos come in synthetic I believe it but I can’t find it anywhere online.
[quote]JLone wrote:
[quote]jbpick86 wrote:
[quote]thethirdruffian wrote:
I have a SBE II, and it is a fine shotgun. The Ethos is a slightly reworked version of the SBE II with some of the handling kinks worked out. It is also available in full synthetic, I believe.
Both are very balanced weapons and easy to carry. I think the Ethos may be a hair lighter.
I bought a Ethos to leave in my truck as bird hunting or sporting clay opportunities arise randomly far from home when I am doing my oilfield thing.
I really can’t tell much difference between the two, but the Ethos gets a lot of “damn that’s a pretty gun” comments.
Also the Ethos has different colored front sites (I prefer yellow for contrast) which the SBE II can do, but I think it’s after market.
[/quote]
I was unaware that the Ethos came in a synthetic. I though it only game in the really ornate style which I love but I find myself half feeling guilty for taking through the muck ha[/quote]
Okay I give up, thethirdruffian knows more than me about guns so if he says the Ethos come in synthetic I believe it but I can’t find it anywhere online. [/quote]
Well I can’t find it online, but I held one in my hand at the TMP Truck and Trailer in Midland, Texas before the salesman talked me into the wooden one. Black with nickel receiver. Very sharp.
In case anyone has interested I ended up buying the Beretta A400 Xtreme UNICO last weekend. Found a deal too good to pass up so I pulled the trigger.
If anyone has questions about the Xtreme, feel free to ask, I will do what I can to answer them.
[quote]JLone wrote:
(Stock Photo)
In case anyone has interested I ended up buying the Beretta A400 Xtreme UNICO last weekend. Found a deal too good to pass up so I pulled the trigger.
If anyone has questions about the Xtreme, feel free to ask, I will do what I can to answer them.
[/quote]
That’s a bad-ass boom stick. Looks easy to maintain, too.
