# Firearms and Shooting > Shotgunning >  Best 12g shotgun

## ari123

Hi there,

Currently in the the market for a semi auto 12g shotgun. Been looking at the Benelli M2, Mossberg 940 and Beretta 1301. (Cant afford the m4 unfortunately) 

Keen on hearing peoples thoughts and opinions on these guns, good and bad experienceswhich they would recommend or is there another? 

Thanks.

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## Carpe Diem

If you can find a 12G Fabarm XLR these too are well worth looking at. Sister company of Caesar Guerini I think 

Soft Shooting, Track really nicely, come with case, full set of chokes and sling swivels. Mine also has fore and rear sights that glow in the change of light making (red front dot and a green patch at rear to line up) making opening and closing of the day aiming so much easier.  

Even as a lefty I bought a right-handed one and it runs (touch wood) without fault. I'm actually still keeping an eye out for a lefty of this at some stage they are that good. So if you can find a second-hand one you may get a great deal.

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## Bonecrusher

Benelli M2  :Thumbsup:

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## yerimaginaryM8

you can fall in the pond, grovel out, shake the water out and keep shooting with the M2 as it's recoil operated, the 1301 is gas operated so a bit more fiddly to clean and won't cope with a full submersion without a strip down/clean. 1301's were well regarded by sporting clays shooters as a nice pointing well balanced gun if hitting the target every time was the priority and both guns fitted OK I'd go 1301 if a functioning gun mattered over all else I'd go M2

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## Howa1500

1301

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## Micky Duck

the best shotgun is the one that fits you and shoots where you are pointing it...EVERYTHING else is just window dressing.
I currently using a bereta semi but would be jut as well served by the H&R pump it replaced...or the old mugica SXS the pump replaced.
I shoot just as well with bakail u/o and my shell per bird ration is lower than the semi.

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## PeteD

Agree with Micky Duck about fit of shotgun being the most important thing. 
I now have an M2 but I went with the wooden stock version as it fitted me better.
However I  have used much cheaper guns that just fitted me well.

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## MB

I like my Browning Maxus a lot. Zero complaints. Is it the "best"? No idea.

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## sikaduk

Benelli M2 Had mine for over  15 years great gun never had any issues.

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## jakewire

You may find this some help.
https://www.randywakeman.com/shotgun.htm

Also these are back in production
https://www.remarms.com/shotguns/aut...3-field-sport/

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## tetawa

Really like 11/87 in 12g, fit is great for me plus I shoot better with them than my M2 which I find is great gun but not as easy to do my bit with.

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## Rushy

The first question needs to be what do you intend to use the shotgun for (as there are so many things one can do with a shotgun)?

Now the Rushy answer (without knowing what you need it for) - Benelli M3.  Inertia driven Semi Auto but converts to Pump Action to get you out of the shit if and when it happens.

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## Baz036

As has been said before the one that fits is the best. 

Personally I am a Beretta fan as 'grew up' through the semi range from 300, 302, 303 to 391's and just rate them (although did not like the 391 Extrema). 

I am sure other manufacturers have a similar system but the shim system in a 391 makes it easy to get a better fit to an individual. 

Last piece of advice is to get out and try the variations before you buy as much as possible.

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## jakewire

I hated the  extrema, tried to trade it after one weekend, couldn't hit shit with it , too big for me.
Traded back down to the 391 Urika, over engineered but at least I could hit shit with it. Birds as well.
Traded on a Browning Maxus which was in turn traded on a Stack barrel Miroku.

When I decided I couldn't live without an auto I bought a V3 , came with 4 chokes, it's never missed a beat.

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## muka88

Look into your mount, get some advice from someone that shots alot of clays and find one that fits.
Dont listen to the salesman he normally doesnt give a shit just wants to sell you $3600 A400. 
I have wasted thousands on shotguns that i ended up being unhappy with.

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## jamie

Like all the guys have said, get the gun that fits best, most of the 1s you mention are good quality. Somebody who’s a trap shooter will be able to check it fits you properly, and you will know if it’s comfy. I brought a beretta xtrema last season, mucked around getting stock fittment right, missing birds, and wasting ammo, and still hit less than I do with my old baikal 153. This season I’m going back to the baikal. Nice having a good beretta, even better when I point my cheap baikal and birds just drop out sky. Fittment is the key, not the brand…

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## Beaker

Versamax....

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## 7mm Rem Mag

I think a lot of the problem with missing when using a semi is the fact you have so many rounds, when you are using an over and under you know you only have 2 shots so you make them count.

I started with a single shot and got bloody good because you made the shot count, I upgraded to an over and under and although not bad wasn't as good as I was with the single shot.

I now have a Barretta A300 and I am guilty of rushing my shots because I know theres another one to chase it and so on, great fun but shooting % goes out the window.

The moral of the story is take your time and pick your shots no matter what shotgun you are using.

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## gonetropo

fabarm, soft recoil. i have had beretta, benellis etc. rate it higher

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## csmiffy

Had a guy at the gun club tell me the old A5 that I was using was putting me off because of the big square bit at the back. This is a shotgun that even with full choke and dominant left eye, worked pretty well for me back in the day. Even said he had an A5 just so he wasnt biased I suppose. Told me I should have a U/O and that would cure my shooting.
My issue is get told, eyes a bit naff, dominant left eye for a right handed and crap technique.
Pretty much told him that lol.
Anyhoo those Fabarms do look a good thing

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## gsp follower

> The first question needs to be what do you intend to use the shotgun for (as there are so many things one can do with a shotgun)?
> 
> Now the Rushy answer (without knowing what you need it for) - Benelli M3.  Inertia driven Semi Auto but converts to Pump Action to get you out of the shit if and when it happens.


buy a second hand remy 870n and the shit will never happen gunwise.
  if it does hunting wise you can use it to dig yourself out of holes and club zombies to dath with it when you run out of ammo :Thumbsup: 
semis ? 
i liked the fabarm to but shit theyre light for a gas gun.
 like the benelli is  but the benellis no fun with heavy loads

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## kidmac42

I use an a5. I love it.
And when I'm not really in the mood, I'll use the double-auto as a change about. :Thumbsup:

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## Quackers

Have a few of the b named guns. My fav is my 1950 sxs Stevens 311a priceless and I can shoot just aswell with it to some people disbelief. The 2 trigger thing people are fascinated with. Off topic spend the most amount you can afford and look at guns in your price range.

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## Pook

m2 mate!

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## Got-ya

> I use an a5. I love it.
> And when I'm not really in the mood, I'll use the double-auto as a change about.


Yip love the Browning 2 shot ( Double Auto ) I have 2, one is the steel reciever standard weight with vent rib and factory poly choke and the other is an alloy action twelvete solid rib gun. 
I take them along to the duck shooting eye openers and very few even know what they are!.

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## kidmac42

Mine is a vented rib and steel receiver.
The barrel is a bit pitted so, lead only (rabbits don't care bout lead or steel like the ducks do). I've shot mine a bit, yea, luv it.
Wouldn't mind finding a barrel in better nick for steel shot tho.

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## schwen

I started shooting shotguns about a year ago. First with a borrowed Winchester 140. Heavy and only two shot mag. Then tried a mate's M2 and was really happy with it's lightness and ease of use. He adjusted the stock shims for me and I was even more impressed with the way it came up on target for me every time. So now I've bought one and am really happy with it. Highly recommended.

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## Jukes

Anyone have experience with a Girsan mc312?

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## kotuku

my array(all  12g)are from the budget shelf ,but hell i love em to bits and frankly enjoy shootin all the buggers.the escort s/a (an original)is me goose gun bein a 3"chamber .given its a 20yrs old any malfunction Ive been able to   fix. 2nd is the nifty wee soviet princess the baikal O/U.shes the allrounder but forte feral geese put bead on gooses clacker" boom" its lights out . this will do for now.

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## TeRei

Met a dude out last night . Both of us chasing the same cock. He had a Stoeger with a red dot scope. He was pretty happy with it but the cock flushed my side and got smoked with the 20g Benelli with patternmaster choke.

----------


## jamie

Like all the guys have said, get the gun that fits best, most of the 1s you mention are good quality. Somebody who’s a trap shooter will be able to check it fits you properly, and you will know if it’s comfy. I brought a beretta xtrema last season, mucked around getting stock fittment right, missing birds, and wasting ammo, and still hit less than I do with my old baikal 153. This season I’m going back to the baikal. Nice having a good beretta, even better when I point my cheap baikal and birds just drop out sky. Fittment is the key, not the brand…

----------


## Beaker

Versamax....

----------


## 7mm Rem Mag

I think a lot of the problem with missing when using a semi is the fact you have so many rounds, when you are using an over and under you know you only have 2 shots so you make them count.

I started with a single shot and got bloody good because you made the shot count, I upgraded to an over and under and although not bad wasn't as good as I was with the single shot.

I now have a Barretta A300 and I am guilty of rushing my shots because I know theres another one to chase it and so on, great fun but shooting % goes out the window.

The moral of the story is take your time and pick your shots no matter what shotgun you are using.

----------


## gonetropo

fabarm, soft recoil. i have had beretta, benellis etc. rate it higher

----------


## csmiffy

Had a guy at the gun club tell me the old A5 that I was using was putting me off because of the big square bit at the back. This is a shotgun that even with full choke and dominant left eye, worked pretty well for me back in the day. Even said he had an A5 just so he wasnt biased I suppose. Told me I should have a U/O and that would cure my shooting.
My issue is get told, eyes a bit naff, dominant left eye for a right handed and crap technique.
Pretty much told him that lol.
Anyhoo those Fabarms do look a good thing

----------


## gsp follower

> The first question needs to be what do you intend to use the shotgun for (as there are so many things one can do with a shotgun)?
> 
> Now the Rushy answer (without knowing what you need it for) - Benelli M3.  Inertia driven Semi Auto but converts to Pump Action to get you out of the shit if and when it happens.


buy a second hand remy 870n and the shit will never happen gunwise.
  if it does hunting wise you can use it to dig yourself out of holes and club zombies to dath with it when you run out of ammo :Thumbsup: 
semis ? 
i liked the fabarm to but shit theyre light for a gas gun.
 like the benelli is  but the benellis no fun with heavy loads

----------


## kidmac42

I use an a5. I love it.
And when I'm not really in the mood, I'll use the double-auto as a change about. :Thumbsup:

----------


## Quackers

Have a few of the b named guns. My fav is my 1950 sxs Stevens 311a priceless and I can shoot just aswell with it to some people disbelief. The 2 trigger thing people are fascinated with. Off topic spend the most amount you can afford and look at guns in your price range.

----------


## Pook

m2 mate!

----------


## Got-ya

> I use an a5. I love it.
> And when I'm not really in the mood, I'll use the double-auto as a change about.


Yip love the Browning 2 shot ( Double Auto ) I have 2, one is the steel reciever standard weight with vent rib and factory poly choke and the other is an alloy action twelvete solid rib gun. 
I take them along to the duck shooting eye openers and very few even know what they are!.

----------


## kidmac42

Mine is a vented rib and steel receiver.
The barrel is a bit pitted so, lead only (rabbits don't care bout lead or steel like the ducks do). I've shot mine a bit, yea, luv it.
Wouldn't mind finding a barrel in better nick for steel shot tho.

----------


## schwen

I started shooting shotguns about a year ago. First with a borrowed Winchester 140. Heavy and only two shot mag. Then tried a mate's M2 and was really happy with it's lightness and ease of use. He adjusted the stock shims for me and I was even more impressed with the way it came up on target for me every time. So now I've bought one and am really happy with it. Highly recommended.

----------


## Jukes

Anyone have experience with a Girsan mc312?

----------


## kotuku

my array(all  12g)are from the budget shelf ,but hell i love em to bits and frankly enjoy shootin all the buggers.the escort s/a (an original)is me goose gun bein a 3"chamber .given its a 20yrs old any malfunction Ive been able to   fix. 2nd is the nifty wee soviet princess the baikal O/U.shes the allrounder but forte feral geese put bead on gooses clacker" boom" its lights out . this will do for now.

----------


## TeRei

Met a dude out last night . Both of us chasing the same cock. He had a Stoeger with a red dot scope. He was pretty happy with it but the cock flushed my side and got smoked with the 20g Benelli with patternmaster choke.

----------

