# Firearms and Shooting > Shotgunning >  Semi auto shotgun

## Mistral

Ok, looking for a duck gun, browning maxus, beretta xtrema2, benelli or versa max?
Who's shooting what and why?
Also thoughts on inertia vs gas?
Thanks and sorry if it's a beer & popcorn question, I know you'll all have your favorites. :Have A Nice Day:

----------


## jakewire

Ok, I'll give it ago.
I have owned M2 Benelli, Beretta xtrema and Urika.
For me the xtrema was too big a gun, the Urika overly complicated/engineered and a bitch to clean compared, and the Benelli, well I just didn't like it.
So I bought a Maxus before last duck season, never been happier with a shotgun,easy to completely dismantle [ I know this as I dropped it in the river], and  clean ,takes 5 x 2&3/4shells. 4 x 3" 
As you say each has his favourites, that's mine.

----------


## Mistral

Ta Jakewire, that's what I'm looking for really, the brochures & salesman don't really tell the story.
Keep it coming thanks Guys!
Also, not having played the bird game before, when do you start using 3 1/2 inch rounds?
Do I need to worry about that?

----------


## Spanners

Xtrema 2 for last few years - best shotty ever owned - softer and lighter than the Urika. it may feel long to some people as the breach is 3.5" but it just puts the start of the handguard out a bit further + can fit mag extension to it where Urika you cant.

I have a nice Rem CTI for sale  - fathers gun -softest shooting shotty out there

----------


## Philipo

With shotguns, fit is the most important feature & the 2nd is buy one that starts with a *B* preferably a Browning  :Thumbsup: 

For ducks 3.5" shells are over kill in most situations & hard on the wallet & shoulder, But if you are looking at a new gun & they come chambered in 3.5 take it to future proof yourself

If going after ducks just run 3" 3,s & 4,s & you're be set  :Have A Nice Day: 


As for Spanners old mans Remmy, some of those were good guns ( depends on what the serial #'s are ) & he sounds desperate to sell, so maybe you could screw him over  :Yarr:

----------


## Spanners

It just becomes another year older without being shot.. then again its been that long since I fired my Beretta

----------


## slayer

Hi. I was in the same situation - not knowing which brand gun to buy.
I did a lot of reading and finally walked into Hamills Rotorua and put $1600 on the table for a brand-new Fabarm H68 in 'can't see me' colour.
Why a Fabarm? It can shoot steel through all of the 4 or 5 chokes that come in the sexy case, it handles nicely, comes with a mag extension (8 shots) etc. AND ...it's Italian but not as expensive as the other Italian brands.
Have a read about it here http://http://www.nzammo.co.nz/fabarmH68.pdf

----------


## greghud

ok, i am far from an expert but having pulled a few to bits, i will say, once you get out of the "price point" $999 specials. and start looking at the better quality models you are onto good things.
all have their ups and downs but, what ever you buy, FFS learn how to strip it down and clean it.
you could spend a bucket load of coin on a shotty. but if you dont look after it it WILL fail!
ok, so bypassing the sales bullshit, inertia shottys are "cleaner" than gas, but they are harder on your shoulder.
if your a softy and dont want to get belted arround when shooting, consider a gas gun.
if you go gas, then accept that you WILL need to clean it. ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!
any gas gun will foul up soon enough, so learn how to clean it.
greg

----------


## NZShoota

As others have said the most important thing with the a shotgun is it has to fit you. Ideally try as many as possible before laying out the $$$. As for gas or inertia, generally the inertia guns are lighter compared to the gas guns. Downside is you tend to get a bit more felt recoil. I had a Browning Gold and had no problems with it except for a couple of light loads not cycling at the very start. That had a very simple and easy to clean gas system. I've since changed to a Benelli M1 Super 90 for other reasons and it has been 100% reliable in the couple of thosand rounds I've put through it. Thats with every thing from 1oz trap loads to 3" magnums. You do notice the recoil a bit with 1oz slugs buts its not too bad. As with most firearms, if you look after it it will look after you.

----------

