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What duck gun for next season?

frabillfisher

By frabillfisher
in MN Duck Hunting - Geese - Waterfowl-Sandhill Cranes

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huntnfish Mentor

huntnfish

Posted
Posted

I have a Super X2 that I wouldn't trade for anything, except for maybe a SBE2. Those things are very well balanced and fit me perfect. I haven't seen one of the new Remington's but I had heard that they ran into a few snags which were delaying shipment of them. Looking at the specs, they look like they will be a good gun, although kind of spendy.

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fisherking01 Proficient

fisherking01

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I don't think it matters what name brand you buy, you either end up with one you like or don't. I've had Rem 11-87, benelli sbe, franchi, win sx2, win 1400, stoeger, and beretta 390. Of all I liked the sbe the best, but sold it and continue to shoot my o/u. With the meger amount of waterfowl, excluding geese, I think we will see restricted bag limits and a shorter season. The days of shooting cases of shells waterfowling in MN are gone. At least for now. Find any of the new waterfowl guns that fit you and try em out. If you don't like em, try another, I'm still looking for the one, Next try is the sx3 in 3 1/2". Of all the guns I've bought and sold, I'm only down about 250.00 over 10 years, pretty cheap for the abuse I put em through. If you have a chance, get to a gun shop with a shooting range and try out all of the models you are considering. Pulling them up inside a bldg may feel way different with a target flying in front of you. Just my opinion, Brent

Oh yeah, I forgot about the S$W 3000, rem 1100, might be others from a long time ago, Beretta ? Browning B 2000... I've had a lot of autos.

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Ryan Berger Community Regular

Ryan Berger

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Quote:

I already owned a bennelli nova and didnt like it due to the size of the bead...the only thing i like about it was the 3 and a half capability..my dad just bought a superx3 a month ago and thats a pretty dang nice fitting gun too, just added another gun to my choices...another advantage i see to the gold is the price, its top of the line yet it still has a lower price and there offering the 100 rebate...still have to come up with the money i geuss i'll be "window Shopping" untill about spring.

yeah you can take the bead off and put on any bead you want I take off all my factory beads and put on the smallest hivis that they make

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ccarlson Experienced

ccarlson

Posted
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frabilfisher,

After just reading back on a couple of your posts, you seem too hung up on beads and ribs and such. None of these things really means anything to how well or accurate you will be able to shoot the shotgun. As a matter of fact, I believe that if you are concentrating on the that bead, you are taking the focus off the important thing which is holding the shotgun correctly and getting on the bird.

The old saying is that a shotgun is better pointed and shot rather than aimed and shot. Get your head down on the stock, point, follow and shoot. keep both eyes open etc. The bead and rib are about 10th on the list of important factors.

I'll second the post above about the M1 or M2 benelli. Great reliable shotguns that seem to fit a lot of hunters.

Get a gun that fits you, learn to shoot with correct technique and you won't need to worry about beads and ribs. Heck, back in the day, very high shooting success was achieved with no ribs and a small metal bead at the end of the barrel. Not that that set up is better, it just isn't any worse. Just ask any old schooler that can outshoot us newbies any day!

ccarlson

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huntnfish Mentor

huntnfish

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I broke the bead off the end of my SX2 about a week after I got it and ever since then I have been shooting much better. Any time you look away from the target and at the bead it stops your swing and you will more than likely miss.

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zachp Collaborator

zachp

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I got a SBE2 a couple years ago and love it, i got it when i was heavily into waterfowl, but since the ducks have not been cooperating these past couple years and my 2 year old golden lab won't swim i have switched over to hunting pheasants which my dog is extremely happy about. I have long arms and being able to shim the stock to get the perfect fit helped a lot. A couple times during cold weather hunts my gun wouldn't eject the shell all the way so i brought it up on a different forum and was told that when i clean the gun make sure to spray the oil on a rag and wipe the parts down rather than spraying directly on the parts which can lead to gumming up and also collects dirt and weeds, since then i've wiped everything down with a rag and have had no problems.

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Hookmaster Mentor

Hookmaster

Posted
Posted

Quote:

frabilfisher,

The old saying is that a shotgun is better pointed and shot rather than aimed and shot.

Get a gun that fits you, learn to shoot with correct technique and you won't need to worry about beads and ribs.

ccarlson

I totally agree with ccarlson. When I grew up, my dad hunted deer and a few pheasants. Firearms safety class teaches you to shoot a rifle, aim and squeeze. When I started to duck hunt, I was aiming down the barrel and struggled to hit with consistency.

I read a book by Bruce Bowlen, a former teacher at the Orvis shooting school on instinctive shooting and it was like night and day. The book’s title is “The Orvis Wing-Shooting Handbook”. Basically, get a gun that, when shouldered, points at what you’re looking at.

Have you ever "snap" shot a teal buzzing you're decoys and wondered how you ever hit it because you just shouldered the gun and shot? That's instinctive shooting.

Oh, by the way, I've been shooting a Benelli M1 for about 9 years. Awesome, gun. I did need to change the shim to get it to hit where I was pointing. You don't need to get the SBE. 3.5 inch shells. You don’t need no stinkin’ 3.5 inch shells. Fast (1500 fps or higher) 3 inch shells in the proper shot size that pattern well out of your gun will bring down anything within range. You just need to get your pattern on it. Heck, on close shots over decoys (less than 30 yards), I will often use 2 3/4 inch, 5 shot with velocities over 1500 fps.

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frabillfisher Rising Star

frabillfisher

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Quote:

frabilfisher,

After just reading back on a couple of your posts, you seem too hung up on beads and ribs and such. None of these things really means anything to how well or accurate you will be able to shoot the shotgun. As a matter of fact, I believe that if you are concentrating on the that bead, you are taking the focus off the important thing which is holding the shotgun correctly and getting on the bird.

The old saying is that a shotgun is better pointed and shot rather than aimed and shot. Get your head down on the stock, point, follow and shoot. keep both eyes open etc. The bead and rib are about 10th on the list of important factors.

I'll second the post above about the M1 or M2 benelli. Great reliable shotguns that seem to fit a lot of hunters.

Get a gun that fits you, learn to shoot with correct technique and you won't need to worry about beads and ribs. Heck, back in the day, very high shooting success was achieved with no ribs and a small metal bead at the end of the barrel. Not that that set up is better, it just isn't any worse. Just ask any old schooler that can outshoot us newbies any day!

ccarlson

Not concentration on the rib and such...just basic parts that make up the gun and make it "the gun for you" that fits rite and you shoot well...any input on the sx3?...nice fitting gun...

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  • 4 weeks later...
Ben1022 Collaborator

Ben1022

Posted
Posted

I'd gladly buy the SX3 for upland but it's a little too light, IMO, for a waterfowling gun. The SX2 is an excellent gun in my experiences from a cycling stand point. Waterfowling is dirty business and any gun that holds up to muck, grime, dusty field shoots and moisture is a gun I'm going to pick irrespective of looks, marketing support etc. However, the guns I've bought were used by a wide variety of waterfowlers from sea duck hunters, tons of field hunters and a fair share of those hunting water.

Gas operation has been my choice and never had a shell not cycle. Had fellas along w/the inertia operated guns and have had some issues. Nothing that kept them from finishing a hunt but they ate the lion's share of crow.

Somehow my SX2 was a piece of garbage until their high dollar guns hung up on them because of some dirt.

All I can say is I have two SX2's and I use them hard. I do a mediocre job of cleaning them and they haven't let me down once. So, for a guy that cleans his guns when he feels like it's about time and uses them hard, I would consider the Winchester.

No doubt others are very similar so check the other's out and see what people that have them have to say.

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Bassboy1645 Proficient

Bassboy1645

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im with ufatz, Rem 870....same gun Ive had since I was 12 same gun ill have till im dead. Its used for anythign and everything with wings, pads, fur or horns!!!!!!! grin.gif ssry

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