Hi guys,

I am in the market for an autoloader shotgun for sporting clays, goose and duck hunting.

I think I've narrowed down my choice to the Beretta extrema2, the Benelli Super Black Eagle and the Winchester SX3.

I don't have the option here to shoulder any of them, just order so I'd be going strickly on other people's opinions on how they shoot recoil wise and function. I'm about 6 feet and 225 lbs if this helps for size comparison to a particular gun.

Any help is appreciated.

Mike

Fit is so very critical that I don't think it is possible to make any recomendation that makes sense without addressing it in some way.

You mentioned recoil-- no question a gas gun wins in that dept., meaning Beretta or SX3.

They would be two different ways of looking at things here, but if you gave me the choice of those three I would take the Beretta without hesitation on the basis of trigger, recoil, and the ability to handle the widest array of loads.

http://www.berettausa.com/product/spotlight/spot_xtrema2_main.htm

I thought I had my mind made up for the SBE2 because on their site, it comes drilled and tapped for a base which I'd like for deer hunting. I heard that beretta has alloy receivers which cannot be drilled.

How do they compare for ease of take down for cleaning purposes?

Now I'm more confused.

So am I! I tried to give you an opinion, but my opinion of how a gun might fit you is meaningless.

I based my reply on the sporting clays / waterfowl use you were talking about, not slug barrels or deer hunting.

So, if that is the case . . . get a Browning Gold 12 ga. with an extra rifled barrel (cantilever base is on the barrel) and be done with it. Or, this fellow, the Rifled Gold Slug Hunter with an extra smoothbore Inv. Plus barrel.

I don't think I've ever shot that model of Winchester, but I have shot several Benelli SBE's.

Recently I got to play with an Extrema 2 and I was shocked. I know recoil has a lot to do with preception but I'd swear its has CONSIDERABLY less recoil than ANY 12 ga. I've ever messed with. Maybe less recoil than any 20 ga. I've shot. We only had target loads but it seemed like it kicked less than my O/U with 28 ga. tubes!

I was really impressed (and if you've read many of my posts I generally don't care for autos).

Hope that helps,
Kyler

I would go Beretta. The SBE is a great gun, but they kick a bit more than the beretta does. I have never shot the winchester you mentioned.

The reason I never mentioned deer hunting at the first post was because I had intended on keeping my 870 slug gun. A friend at work made me an offer I couldn't refuse so now my new semi of choice would need to multitask. Since I cannot afford a second barrel, smooth bore slugs are my next option.

I am left handed so in a sense I lean toward the SBE2 LH but since I've been using right handed pumps my whole life I can't really say that it's a necessity to shoot a lefty, more of a novelty and safety.

If you find I'm rambling and talking in circles it's because I am!!! I don't like dishing out this kind of money on something I cannot test drive so I keep googling away at the pros and cons trying to come up with a definite answer of some sort and not regret the decision in the future.

How would these choices be for maintenance and cleaning? Sounds so far if recoil were the main concern, the Extrema wins.

Thanks again guys,
Mike

Regardless, you might want to rethink the "second barrel" part. Overbore barrels "marketed as backbored" and slugs don't get along that well.

I'm just not following-- it is not usual to consider a $1562 MSRP shotgun (SBEII LH), wanting to scope it, and then says they can't afford a barrel.