# Firearms and Shooting > Shotgunning >  What shotgun for bulk rabbits and occasional wallbies?

## 300_BLK

As per the title, I shoot the EBS most years and wallabies a couple times a year.

I'm after a reliable semi with 32gr 4's and buck shot / slugs.

I have looked at the JM pro, Versamax and Benelli M2 and would like the option to fit a red dot for the roo's but that's not a requirement, just nice to have.

JM Pro is around $1600 so are the other two second hand.

Any thoughts or experience?

Cheers.

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## res

I have the jm and a versamax, the versamax is the vastly better gun in my experiance. No real time on the M2 sorry so cant comment on that.

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## Max Headroom

> best one is the one that fits you as if it doesn't fit you you will not get a good success ratio on shots fired.i like a pump as I can fire it and not reload if I want to retrieve the target or do something and know the shotgun does not have a live cartridge in the chamber.


Same here re the pump. Keeps chugging. I dunno how reliable modern Auto's are but they used to be unreliable if not cleaned. Not all of them of course, but some of them definitely.

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## 300_BLK

Have you used slugs and buck in a pump for a day?

If you had you would understand why I am asking about semi's

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## hotbarrels

Beretta xtreama with kick off recoil system.  Way more comfortable to shoot for long shooting sessions.  
Safe auto system when operating in vehicles as well.  Push one button and pull back the bolt and it will eject the round in the chamber but leave the next round in the mag rather than gating it onto the lifter.  When you want to load again, throw the round into the open action and push the button and the action will close on the manually fed round.  Great if you want to throw a buckshot or slug into the gun without unloading the mag.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...818912e21d583f
https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...818912e21d583f

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## Tommy

> Beretta xtreama with kick off recoil system.  Way more comfortable to shoot for long shooting sessions.  
> Safe auto system when operating in vehicles as well.  Push one button and pull back the bolt and it will eject the round in the chamber but leave the next round in the mag rather than gating it onto the lifter.  When you want to load again, throw the round into the open action and push the button and the action will close on the manually fed round.  Great if you want to throw a buckshot or slug into the gun without unloading the mag.
> 
> https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...818912e21d583f
> https://www.trademe.co.nz/sports/hun...818912e21d583f


That is a bloody great idea

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## 300_BLK

> I have the jm and a versamax, the versamax is the vastly better gun in my experiance. No real time on the M2 sorry so cant comment on that.


 @res why do you have both?

which do you take out most?

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## 199p

45/70

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## Max Headroom

> Have you used slugs and buck in a pump for a day?
> 
> If you had you would understand why I am asking about semi's


Aaah. Right. Point taken

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## Husky1600

A 1oz slug, or 1 1/4oz buckshot load should kick no more than any other 1 1/4oz load, be it 4's, 7's or whatever. Often they kick less because they're going slower. My personal preference is for a Benelli, but I find the gas recoil system of the Rem 1187 absorbs more recoil.

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## res

> @res why do you have both?
> 
> which do you take out most?


I bought a decesed estate lot of guns that belonged to a guy who helped me a lot when I first got into pistol shooting, the JM was in the lot. I find I get a malfuntion a slab with the jm and only one ever(on a gun that has never been cleaned or oiled since I took it from the box) on the versmax tactical- the versamax is also MUCH softer shooting with feild loads, so I allway reach for the versamax and I just keep the JM as a back up gun rather than a pump.

If your passing through wellington Im sure we could sort a time for you to play with them both back to back as peoples fit comments are correct, allthough both have a certion amount of adjustability

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## 300_BLK

Thanks @res. Appreciate the feedback.

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## Towely

Dont agree with that husky. A 1oz slug traveling at 1600fps has a much stronger recoil impulse than the same 1oz slug traveling at 1200fps. I use the speed stated on the box as a loose guide to how much recoil im going to encounter with shotshells while taking payload weight into account as well.

And the answer to the OPs question is neither Jm pro, benelli or versamax. Its vepr 12  :Grin:

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## ChrisW

Beretta A400 Xtreme  :Thumbsup:

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## gonetropo

i have owned a benelli, a beretta, a winchester and even a saiga 12, my semi 12 is now a fabarm, its light but has less kick than any other i ever owned.

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## viper

I am no shotgun expert and don't own one anymore but agree with Gonetropo that the Fabarm is very soft recoiling. Light and easy to carry.
Mine when I had it was very pleasant to use.

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## mudgripz

I use a 90 year old Savage side by side.  Built like a tractor, long 30" barrels, kicks like a mule, and an absolute killer out to 55 meters. Paid $100 for it.  Lethal old girl  - has bowled an awful lot of bunnies and doesn't often miss.  Will never part with it. I seriously admire efficiency in a firearm. Don't rule out the golden oldies.. they can be a power of fun    :Have A Nice Day:

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## rewa

I'd echo the "fitment", and the stock ergonomics; they are not all created equal, even on identical guns (rifles included).I am a light-framed person, and after brownings, bennelli's,and many others, I now use a baikal u/o that doesnt even have a recoil-pad.People can bag them as much as they like, this one is beautifully made and even kicks-out on the stock for a right-hander. Try a bunch, as others suggest, and see what works. Any decent shop should let you try the second-hand stuff.

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## nzrob

i have a Bellini m2 that i brought for duck shooting this season and i haven't had any issues with it.great gun

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## gonetropo

> i have a Bellini m2 that i brought for duck shooting this season and i haven't had any issues with it.great gun


i had a beretta 1201. same inertia system as the m2. great gun till you fire off 200+ rounds in a day then they hurt like hell

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## nzrob

yea i have used it for clay bird shooting and fired 200 od rounds i was using 40gr #2 as that was all i had and the shoulder wasn't to bad at all mind you the previous shotgun i was using was a baikal under over so the shoulder was used to it

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## ChrisW

> i have owned a benelli, a beretta, a winchester and even a saiga 12, my semi 12 is now a fabarm, its light but has less kick than any other i ever owned.


Curious what kind of Beretta / Benelli you owned?
edit - nevermind, I see it was a 1201. That's a far cry from the current A400s with kick-off system, which are the softest shooting shotguns you will find  :Have A Nice Day:

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## csmiffy

A chopper pilot I did opening morning with where we absolutely slayed a lot of parries, was a big fan of Benelli M1's. He had an M2 there but preferred the older model.
Ive got a Mossberg 500 with a home/workshop made thumbhole/pistol grip stock. I ported the barrel and I reckon its got less kick than my lads ATA semi. Cant quite get my head around that.
My tick would go to an old Browning A5. Cheap as at present, reliable as, don't boot much especially with a recoil pad.
The browning was the day gun and the Mossberg with the aimpoint and miners cap lamp fitted as a spotlight for night shooting was my go to for my trups to the EBS like you.
Only time I got a sore shoulder was the year we got 600 and I shot approx. 80 myself. All 1 1/4 lead. Only just sore and hardly a bruise. A lot of ammo went down range that 24 hours so I didn't think it was too bad.

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## mawzer308

Benelli m2 mate, 24 inch barrel handy on the quad or ute and still good for the ducks. Handles 32gr loads well and slugs no dramas. The A400 is good but alot more expensive and there's no real requirement for 3.5shells imo.

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## Micky Duck

> best one is the one that fits you as if it doesn't fit you you will not get a good success ratio on shots fired.i like a pump as I can fire it and not reload if I want to retrieve the target or do something and know the shotgun does not have a live cartridge in the chamber.


yip agree 100%    re ammo for rabbits try some falcon sp36 in size #3 and you wont ever look back...they take wobblies if you are close too but you just cant beat #2s or #BBs for the hoppers.

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## hotbarrels

> Dont agree with that husky. A 1oz slug traveling at 1600fps has a much stronger recoil impulse than the same 1oz slug traveling at 1200fps. I use the speed stated on the box as a loose guide to how much recoil im going to encounter with shotshells while taking payload weight into account as well.
> 
> And the answer to the OPs question is neither Jm pro, benelli or versamax. Its vepr 12


Try some of these - 1 1/4oz doing 1700fps!  They even hurt using the Xtreama with kick off.  I have a part box here that I have given up trying to shoot.

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## Micky Duck

NO DONT DO IT...... those hurt just looking at the box.....naaasty in a pump action thats for real,the only time Ive short shucked gun since Ive owned it and it happened more than once in the half a box.

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## csmiffy

@hotbarrels where are ya, I'll have them..

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## ChrisF

You could try a Girsan 312 , HF had them for $699 new , basically a Turkish Beneli , recoil spring in butt stock , I got one for $650 , or maybe a 2nd hand Stoeger M3000

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## 300_BLK

> You could try a Girsan 312 , HF had them for $699 new , basically a Turkish Beneli , recoil spring in butt stock , I got one for $650 , or maybe a 2nd hand Stoeger M3000


Made in the same factory as the Ranger M5?

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## gsp follower

if you dont mind a bit of yakka remington 870 fool proof easy to clean fix and usually great value.

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## 40mm

> Have you used slugs and buck in a pump for a day?
> 
> If you had you would understand why I am asking about semi's


Shit, I shot bout 17 slugs PRONE  with my pump mossberg. 
That sucked.

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## 40mm

bloody AA12

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## jakewire

The Remington V3 is getting great reviews, a  step down from the versamax in that it only takes three inch but heck when do you need bigger
H/F are /were selling thm at a very good price @1299 damn near 600 less than I paid for mine
Mine has never missed a beat.

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## kawhia

Benelli m2, I bought one off wirehunt a decade ago that had done a season on bunnies and it’s still going strong... on perminate loan to a mate at the moment as I upgraded to a camo one when his old m1 required a barrel band weld and forgot to return the Black Death.
Looking at a 20g now for bunny work as it’s even lighter.
The number of jams in the benellis has been less than a half a dozen in all that time... and a few of them were with trap loads

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## gadgetman

> I am no shotgun expert and don't own one anymore but agree with Gonetropo that the Fabarm is very soft recoiling. Light and easy to carry.
> Mine when I had it was very pleasant to use.


+2 for Fabarm, I have one and they are so light with very soft recoil due to a compressible piston system. Mine has fired 10,000's of rounds and just keeps going. They are from the Benelli/Beretta group but cost a heap less. I'm a soft weedy wimp and have happily fired off hundreds of rounds in a day.

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## Mooseman

My old Rem Mod 1100 has done a lot of work and can't ever remember it jamming, it did break an extractor out night shooting one night but an easy fix. Mine is only 23/4 inch but that's all I need I don't chase ducks etc.

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## A330driver

Versamax.......you can leave it in the creek with the eels for a fortnight.....it’ll work just fine.....a great allround ,fair priced shotgun...

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## gonetropo

> +2 for Fabarm, I have one and they are so light with very soft recoil due to a compressible piston system. Mine has fired 10,000's of rounds and just keeps going. They are from the Benelli/Beretta group but cost a heap less. I'm a soft weedy wimp and have happily fired off hundreds of rounds in a day.


yes he is right, he is a soft weedy wimp  :Psmiley:

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## 7mm Rem Mag

I use a Beretta A 300 Xtrema with 2 shot on the wallabies and it knocks them down good no problem. I have shot a shit load of rabbits with it as well and it never misses a beat, and I don't find it too hard on the shoulder either.

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## gadgetman

> yes he is right, he is a soft weedy wimp


Hey, ... I resemble that remark.

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## Shearer

> I use a Beretta A 300 Xtrema with 2 shot on the wallabies and it knocks them down good no problem. I have shot a shit load of rabbits with it as well and it never misses a beat, and I don't find it too hard on the shoulder either.
> 
> 
> Attachment 94025


Ooooohhhhh. They're cuddling.

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## gsp follower

> Hey, ... I resemble that remark.


no you dont  gadge.

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## gsp follower

if you dont mind a bit of yakka remington 870 fool proof easy to clean fix and usually great value.

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## 40mm

> Have you used slugs and buck in a pump for a day?
> 
> If you had you would understand why I am asking about semi's


Shit, I shot bout 17 slugs PRONE  with my pump mossberg. 
That sucked.

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## 40mm

bloody AA12

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## jakewire

The Remington V3 is getting great reviews, a  step down from the versamax in that it only takes three inch but heck when do you need bigger
H/F are /were selling thm at a very good price @1299 damn near 600 less than I paid for mine
Mine has never missed a beat.

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## kawhia

Benelli m2, I bought one off wirehunt a decade ago that had done a season on bunnies and it’s still going strong... on perminate loan to a mate at the moment as I upgraded to a camo one when his old m1 required a barrel band weld and forgot to return the Black Death.
Looking at a 20g now for bunny work as it’s even lighter.
The number of jams in the benellis has been less than a half a dozen in all that time... and a few of them were with trap loads

----------


## gadgetman

> I am no shotgun expert and don't own one anymore but agree with Gonetropo that the Fabarm is very soft recoiling. Light and easy to carry.
> Mine when I had it was very pleasant to use.


+2 for Fabarm, I have one and they are so light with very soft recoil due to a compressible piston system. Mine has fired 10,000's of rounds and just keeps going. They are from the Benelli/Beretta group but cost a heap less. I'm a soft weedy wimp and have happily fired off hundreds of rounds in a day.

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## Mooseman

My old Rem Mod 1100 has done a lot of work and can't ever remember it jamming, it did break an extractor out night shooting one night but an easy fix. Mine is only 23/4 inch but that's all I need I don't chase ducks etc.

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## A330driver

Versamax.......you can leave it in the creek with the eels for a fortnight.....it’ll work just fine.....a great allround ,fair priced shotgun...

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## gonetropo

> +2 for Fabarm, I have one and they are so light with very soft recoil due to a compressible piston system. Mine has fired 10,000's of rounds and just keeps going. They are from the Benelli/Beretta group but cost a heap less. I'm a soft weedy wimp and have happily fired off hundreds of rounds in a day.


yes he is right, he is a soft weedy wimp  :Psmiley:

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## 7mm Rem Mag

I use a Beretta A 300 Xtrema with 2 shot on the wallabies and it knocks them down good no problem. I have shot a shit load of rabbits with it as well and it never misses a beat, and I don't find it too hard on the shoulder either.

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## gadgetman

> yes he is right, he is a soft weedy wimp


Hey, ... I resemble that remark.

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## Shearer

> I use a Beretta A 300 Xtrema with 2 shot on the wallabies and it knocks them down good no problem. I have shot a shit load of rabbits with it as well and it never misses a beat, and I don't find it too hard on the shoulder either.
> 
> 
> Attachment 94025


Ooooohhhhh. They're cuddling.

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## gsp follower

> Hey, ... I resemble that remark.


no you dont  gadge.

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