Thread: Gas operated auto

Looking a a new auto probably a beretta h&f say A400 are the shit any one use one ? , is there anything else worth looking at ? Cheers Munsey

I have an A400 extreme and love it. Yes they are pricey and other shotguns go bang, but I have days where myself and 4 others shoot close to 300 geese. No other gun i rather use. I also have a benelli vinci, great gun, lighter that beretta but more kick.
No doubt people will say whatever fits, but most mid-high end semis have shim kits so you can make anything fit within reason.
I have a mate who has shot 10 slabs through his this year alone! hasn't cleaned it once and it works every time. You don't get that kind of reliability on the cheaper autos.
You won't regret it.

This photo kind of says it all.
A400 Unico Action, A400 Extreme, A400 Extreme, A400 Extreme, Armsan, A400 Extreme, Benelli Super Black eagle.
Attachment 21670

Thanks mcche , how is the kick off in the stock ? Does this do what they say it does . I kind of like the wooden stock fell and shape , tbh the 3 camo designs (wtf) doesn't sell itself . Other that they say it protects the gun from rust ? Would that mean even lake ellesmeres corrosive salts ?.
The photo attachment won't open for me ?

the A400 is a great gun.i have the unico and it is very versatile.i think it is the best of the semi auto's.i have shot with a benelli vinci which i liked,and i also own a benelli ultralight 20 ga.also a great gun.it depends what you shoot. if you just want one gun and shoot mainly duck/geese then the A400 is a brillant choice.i prefer the wood stocks or it the case of beretta laminate stocks,they look better and have better resale. briley also produce some custom parts for these guns, so you can personalise them, should that appeal.

The thing Is it's not just waterfowl , the extrema is a big gun . Maybe a mud pie shooter could be kind enough to explain how a large heavy gun performs .At lot of money to spend on a gun , I want to get it right

Originally Posted by Munsey

The thing Is it's not just waterfowl , the extrema is a big gun . Maybe a mud pie shooter could be kind enough to explain how a large heavy gun performs .At lot of money to spend on a gun , I want to get it right

I had an extrema for a season, biggest piece of crap ever, kick off is a have, with 3 half inch shells you'd feel the recoil then the kickoff would cycle.
Brought a Remington pump and never looked back.
I think me and that gun just didn't fit each other.


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Thanks brads , was it the kick off mid stock or the stock butt type ? . I never shot one and it's all a bit gimmick looking to me . I am buying a gas for less or little recoil .

Originally Posted by Munsey

Thanks brads , was it the kick off mid stock or the stock butt type ? . I never shot one and it's all a bit gimmick looking to me . I am buying a gas for less or little recoil .

Pretty sure it was butt type mate.
It was maybe 3 years ago now when they where around 4g.
Sold mine just before h&f sold them new for 2500
Yes I brought mine after shoulder surgery thinking the recoil would be less.
I'm sure some proper shotgun shooters will point you in the right direction


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Old man just got one, I never liked Beretta shotguns to big and awkward for me. This one tho was great fairly lightweight pretty soft shooting and I never missed a clay! I would deftly check one out and have a shot with one.

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Munsey, go try everything on the demo stand at one of Humping and Fishing shoots. Beretta - They are a bloody good semi. Kick off is good but does take some getting used too,

I personally prefer a U/O for mud pie shooting (still a learner) picking up your empties becomes a pain the arse after the first station. Try the versamax too

I haven't been duck shooting in 20 years, maybe this year. I do have a 870 with an extended mag if I need something which holds more shells

Originally Posted by mcche171

I have an A400 extreme and love it. Yes they are pricey and other shotguns go bang, but I have days where myself and 4 others shoot close to 300 geese. No other gun i rather use. I also have a benelli vinci, great gun, lighter that beretta but more kick.
No doubt people will say whatever fits, but most mid-high end semis have shim kits so you can make anything fit within reason.
I have a mate who has shot 10 slabs through his this year alone! hasn't cleaned it once and it works every time. You don't get that kind of reliability on the cheaper autos.
You won't regret it.

well if your mate has put all that through the barrel and not cleaned it then more bloody fool him.Id have thought it fairly obvious that if one is forking out substantial moola for a n italian job,then a spot of maintainence in ones investment ,albeit even a quick pullthrough after shooting with a periodic fullstrip and clean was warranted.I know others who are of the same opinion ,but often todays hot shots seem to disregard this untill the gunsmith demandsa hefty chunk of whats in your wallet..the stock shim kits are almost a universal feature now.
me .i shoot a 15yrold escort magnums/a 12g ,the butt of many jokes and derision on the other side ,but in a 7+yrs Ive had it its given SFA problems ,due largely to myhabit of cleaning after every outing.yes a few geese, feral and canadas ,ducks ,hares ,and even a pig,have faced its wrath(the pig escaped)and taken a final ride in my beloved 20yr old gooserolla pathfinder.
shes even suvived periodic dips in the immortal ellesmere.total disassembly under 10mins.
Im also of the school try before you buy,take your time ,and rest assured your good old gut feeling willtell you when youve made the right choice.
Munsey-Im a heavy gun fan for two reasons-a beefy stock means you have a lot to grab onto securely particularly in the foreend. secondly that weight does counter some of the recoil,be that real or perceived.yesterday after not firing the escort for 2months i was out on a recce mission and let a 3shot burst go.the old girl stayed anchored like a bairn on a full tit!
Another option besides italian is the trusty rusky Baikal s/a in 12g.built like a brick shithouse,eats anything fed to it ,ultra reliable and can take the harsh punishment ala ellesmere.
If I decide to replace the old girl this would be top of the list .

Munsey, if you are after a mixed use shotgun, I have a deal for you:

Fabarm H4, two years old, about 400-500 shots though it. Nice timber, very light and great handling. Only a 3+1 but ideal for Upland and carrying all day in the hills chasing Chukar and Quail and being able to put steel though a 1/2 and 3/4 tube on the big water, makes it a nice long range gun too. Nice looking gun too. Only $750 and then you could buy a dingy, more decoys, new waders and/or jacket with the money you will save.

More than happy for you to test fire and couple of boxes of ammo.

Hi again, the kick off is good for large days on geese where you are shooting large numbers of high powered rounds in the high country. if you are just shooting ducks then its probably not overly warranted. The wooden stock unico model is great. My brother has one and is a lot lighter than the extreme. I won my A400 so i can't really talk on price. Another few points to think about it that the wooden stocked berettas cannot accept a mag extension, and it is all fine and dandy having a gun that can shoot 3.5" shells, but who the hell can afford to shoot those. So if you like the wooden version have a good look.
Benelli also make a great gun and if for ducks, clays etc they are great.
As above the beretta day is on the 6th of april, you will be able to fire pretty much everything in the beretta and benelli line. i would hang off until after then

Beretta day 6 th April WTF ! Right smack on the button for the roar . Just tried a 20 unico man that was nice 2.6 grams as opposed 3.5 grams extrema . So will have to do some homework on 20g very tempting . They do a 12 g light unico 2.8 grms that nobody stocks .