Which to choose for clays/dove

[Sharing246]

Hello from Houston.
New to the Forum
In the market for a 12 ga semi auto for clays and maybe dove.
Looking at 3 possibilities...
1. New Beretta A300 Ultima 28"
2. Used Beretta A400 Ulitma Xtreme Plus 28"
3. Used Beretta AL391 Teknys 28"
I previously owned an A400 but had to sell it during COVID.
It was nice, but i don't shoot that often to pay new prices again.
The AL391 has only 1 available for purchase and looks to be in great condition.
How is support for discontinued AL391? parts and service?
Thanx

Note... Budget is $850-$1200, as These are priced in that range.

 

[mdwest]

I’ve got an a400 in the safe that is used for waterfowl and has been taken out for sporting clays a few times just for fun… it’s been a reliable shotgun… if you can get one used in really good shape in your price range I don’t think you could go wrong with an a400

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I’d personally pick A400, AL391, A300 in that order. There’s a fair amount of parts out there for AL391’s and given your proximity to Briley you could call them and see what their gunsmiths might have on hand.

Given your usages are dove and sporting clays, you might find a decent deal on a used Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon or Browning Citori within your budget.

 

[chashardy]

Buy the A400 extreme plus. I have one and it's my waterfowl gun, but would be great for clays or doves. It's a great shooting semi-auto.

 

[mdwest]

Given your usages are dove and sporting clays, you might find a decent deal on a used Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon or Browning Citori within your budget.

If youre not planning on going after ducks, geese, etc (looking specifically for a clay and dove gun.. and not an "all around" gun).. I concur with @Mtn_Infantry ... A nice, used O/U like a Silver Pigeon would be where I'd personally go..

I prefer "field" versions over "sporting" versions (principle difference is a field gun will auto safe when you close the action, where a sporting gun will stay on safe or fire (wherever you last put it) when you close the action... and sporting versions will typically have a few things done that lighten the weight of the gun a few ounces).. but either will work just fine for both clay games and dove/quail, pheasant, grouse, etc etc etc..

I love the way a Citori swings and shoots.. they balance really well for me right out of the box... but Im a little hesitant to buy one after being heavily involved in skeet/trap/sporting clays/etc for the last few years.. Its not that they arent great guns, or that I havent seen them in the hands of some great shooters, etc.. they just seem to need more maintenance and make more trips to the gunsmiths for minor repairs than the Silver Pigeons do.. (mind you, we're talking about guns being shot by high school students upwards of 1000 times a month, for 8-9 months out of the year.. they are getting A LOT more use than a gun owned by the typical guy that hits the sporting clays course once a week and maybe dove hunts 4-5 times a year..)...

Watching the Rizzinis, Brownings, etc go down a little more often that I like, led us to being a Berretta family (and Webley and Scott)... between my wife, youngest (the HS shooter), and myself, Berretta and W&S are all we shoot anymore..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I'm an old guy who prefers old guns in the field and at the range.

However, I have shot Beretta autos at clays and skeet and they are fine guns. Very slick. A word of caution: the fore end wood is very thin! My son-in-law has had two crack and he doesn't shoot a lot. Another guy at the club also had one break. Must be an issue because it's become very difficult locating replacements for older models. The guys at your clays club may look down their noses but you might want to consider sythetic.

 

[mdwest]

The guys at your clays club may look down their noses but you might want to consider sythetic.

Ive been surprised to see it.. but over the last year or so, I've seen some very nice O/U's and semis at the range (Im talking Zolis, higher end berettas, etc..) with synthetic stocks on them.. .

While the traditional crowd might still prefer highly figured wood.. the kids are more concerned with "looking cool" and with winning..

I think as time goes on, we're going to see more and more plastic on the trap fields..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I would stay away from 3.5" Beretta autos. They have longer receiver and I find they don't point well. Also a bit of extra weight you don't need. Generally, I prefer a heavy shotgun for pointing and less felt recoil but even relatively lightweight Beretta are very easy on recoil.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Ive been surprised to see it.. but over the last year or so, I've seen some very nice O/U's and semis at the range (Im talking Zolis, higher end berettas, etc..) with synthetic stocks on them.. .

While the traditional crowd might still prefer highly figured wood.. the kids are more concerned with "looking cool" and with winning..

I think as time goes on, we're going to see more and more plastic on the trap fields..

We should more synthetic shotguns at the range, especially for guns that will be shot a lot. I have a nice Citori that rarely comes out of the case. Once in a while I will try it at clays and never seem to make it past station two before running back to the vehicle for the old black Browning A5. The stock on the Citori is noticeably thicker and LOP is not the same. I can shoot it okay high gun at trap but skeet and clays it's a waste of ammo. And no way am I risking wounding birds with a gun that won't work on the range.

 

[AimSmall]

A400 has been a real performer

 

[skydiver386]

Any of those you listed would serve you well. Companies like Midwest Gun Works have both parts and Service for Beretta shotguns much older that those.

The best part of the Beretta semi -auto shotguns is the stock shim or spacer that fits between the receiver and butt stock. Have this fit to your personal dimension and you'll be a happy camper.

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have an A300 Outlander (it came camoed) I got for coyotes and turkeys. Only shot a round of trap with it so far. Seems to work well, but probably going with a number of other guns to the auction since I never use it. Too many guns and not enough life left, so it’s reduction time.

 

[HankBuck]

Hello from Houston.
New to the Forum
In the market for a 12 ga semi auto for clays and maybe dove.
Looking at 3 possibilities...
1. New Beretta A300 Ultima 28"
2. Used Beretta A400 Ulitma Xtreme Plus 28"
3. Used Beretta AL391 Teknys 28"
I previously owned an A400 but had to sell it during COVID.
It was nice, but i don't shoot that often to pay new prices again.
The AL391 has only 1 available for purchase and looks to be in great condition.
How is support for discontinued AL391? parts and service?
Thanx

Note... Budget is $850-$1200, as These are priced in that range.

@Sharing246 - I notice Beretta A400s at Sporting Clays courses (more then most others semi autos and also some new Fabarms semi’s…and some top shooters use them - if they weren’t highly reliable and long lasting then they wouldn’t be seen that much in competition. But it’s whatever you shoot well, fits & feels good to you and what gives You confidence. I have read & heard (very unreliable way to verify) that the A400 is an improvement in reliability over the A300 and less likely to jam Especially in cold/wet weather….but I have “zero direct experience“.
If you don’t like cleaning your gun research a Benelli Montefeltro or Ethos, slightly more recoil as they are Not gas operated (inertia) but simple and reliable. I own two Montefeltro and one Super Black Eagle 1- both purchased in the late 1990s - all 3 have approx 20,000 rounds thru each and outstanding cycling ability in any weather, I clean them after shooting in wet weather to prevent rust but otherwise they are good for 500-1000 rounds and still don’t jam. My Son has shot the Montefeltro 12ga in skeet competitions and placed 2nd in a State Championship event 10 years ago using it. He prefers that semi auto for Doubles competition because it is very light and feels handles fast and easy to ‘change direction’ vs his OUs. BENELLI also makes hunting models Super Black Eagle 3 and I have heard (again No experience) that the SBE2 is NOT as reliable as the SBE1 or SBE3. My Son owns the SBE2 and it has had several needed repairs to the trigger assembly during the first few duck hunting seasons he used it — more “plastic” on that model then my SBE1.
If you skeet or clays shoot and see someone shooting a gun you are interested in - ask if you can try it? Most shooters would let you try a few shots (with Your ammo of course).

 

[HankBuck]

Any of those you listed would serve you well. Companies like Midwest Gun Works have both parts and Service for Beretta shotguns much older that those.

The best part of the Beretta semi -auto shotguns is the stock shim or spacer that fits between the receiver and butt stock. Have this fit to your personal dimension and you'll be a happy camper.

@skydiver386 - I’ve never had a gun serviced from Midwest Gun Works - how are they? My experience with Service from both Beretta & Browning - consistently HORRIBLE, months of waiting time for each. Beretta makes a good quality shotgun and so does Browning although recently they have frequent problems with their wood stocks “cracking” on the New model 725….and repairs based on what 3 shooters have told me this year - 5 to 8 months wait for repair. I know that is a small sample size I am quoting and I own 3 Brownings (all from 1990 - 2004) and hope others buying 725s have avoided this issue but meeting 3 random guys at Clays shoots this year and hearing about their issues (all their 725s were 1 month to 2 years old) saw one guys stock crack & chip during it’s first round ever fired….it was concerning. I’m guessing that Miroku is getting bad walnut blocks or kiln drying too fast??

 

[skydiver386]

Both Browning and Beretta products went smoothly at MGW, as long as they had the parts in stock. There was one particular set of grips that nobody could get their hands on for a while, but other than that no issues to report.

 

[HankBuck]

Both Browning and Beretta products went smoothly at MGW, as long as they had the parts in stock. There was one particular set of grips that nobody could get their hands on for a while, but other than that no issues to report.

@skydiver386 - thanks and good to know. My Son also had a fast repair made on a Beretta 687 at Coles Fine Guns in Naples FL, they did good work and returned the gun with in 4 weeks…..and that was AFTER Beretta repaired the gun, had it for over 3 months, and same problem immediately occurred again. I would use to Coles again if needed but good to know about Midwest Gun Works as well.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I've hunted with a Beretta Model A300. Good old Italian engineering at it's finest. The Model A400s should only be a step UP in quality.

If you can find a secondhand Browning Model A5 or Remington Model 11, then those strongly get my vote.

 

[Red Leg]

Hello from Houston.
New to the Forum
In the market for a 12 ga semi auto for clays and maybe dove.
Looking at 3 possibilities...
1. New Beretta A300 Ultima 28"
2. Used Beretta A400 Ulitma Xtreme Plus 28"
3. Used Beretta AL391 Teknys 28"
I previously owned an A400 but had to sell it during COVID.
It was nice, but i don't shoot that often to pay new prices again.
The AL391 has only 1 available for purchase and looks to be in great condition.
How is support for discontinued AL391? parts and service?
Thanx

Note... Budget is $850-$1200, as These are priced in that range.

A lot of clays courses will no longer allow the use of a semi-auto. I also think of a twelve as more gun than necessary for doves. For waterfowl or wild pheasants your list is pretty good.

 

[HankBuck]

A lot of clays courses will no longer allow the use of a semi-auto. I also think of a twelve as more gun than necessary for doves. For waterfowl or wild pheasants your list is pretty good.

@Red Leg
What Sporting Clays courses - in what States - don’t allow semi autos? Any Sporting Clays course that holds NSCA registered shoots allow semi autos, all State Championships, Regional, and National level tournaments allow semi’s…some Top shooters, especially women, shoot semi autos. I’ve never shot Sporting Clays at any course that prohibits but that doeesn’t mean they aren’t prohibited “somewhere”.?? I’ve just never encountered or heard of it.
I do know of some “shooting preserves” that ban them for bird hunting and because they don’t want empty plastic hulls left behind.

 

[Red Leg]

@Red Leg
What Sporting Clays courses - in what States - don’t allow semi autos? Any Sporting Clays course that holds NSCA registered shoots allow semi autos, all State Championships, Regional, and National level tournaments allow semi’s…some Top shooters, especially women, shoot semi autos. I’ve never shot Sporting Clays at any course that prohibits but that doeesn’t mean they aren’t prohibited “somewhere”.?? I’ve just never encountered or heard of it.
I do know of some “shooting preserves” that ban them for bird hunting and because they don’t want empty plastic hulls left behind.

There are at least five of which I am aware in Virginia, Maryland, and Texas. It is apparently a growing liability concern. And while not important to most here, no pigeon shoot on any continent allows them. I do shoot box birds a great deal. I know of no quail shooting operation that allows them, or anything heavier than a 20 for that matter.