2 guns or 1 that does it all?

[300 RUM]

My 2 options are:

Option#1 Buy a used 1187 for sporting clays, doves, pheasants and rabbits. Shooting mostly lighter field loads with occasional high brass. Buy a new Mossberg 935 for Geese and ducks. Shooting mainly 31/2" mags with an occasional 3" mag at ducks.

Option #2 buy a new Winchester SX2 that does it all (or should) shot all loads from lighter 23/4" field loads the the big 31/2" mags.

I am leaning towards option #1 because it means 2 new guns instead of one. Also it seems sometimes when you try to get something to fit all your needs it never fits anyone of them really well. Also a two friends have had to send their SX2's back for minor repairs. I know anything mechanical can fail, and a small percentage always will, thats another reason the 2 gun option looks good, a back up gun.

[M.T. Pockets]

Why buy one gun when you have a perfect excuse to buy two ?

I think you'd be better off with two guns if you want one that shoots 3 1/2" loads. My Super X 2 handles the 3 1/2" and 3" loads just great, but will not consistently handle anything less than a heavy 2 3/4 load. It says so in the manual and it's true.

I'd get a lighter field gun and a heavier 3 1/2" gun.

[tjwatty]

As someone who shot an 1100 and 11-87 for years and years for all my shotgunning needs what I am going to say probably goes against my grain a bit.
Instead of buying 2 marginal quality guns, why not buy the higher quality X2, Browning, Bennelli or Berretta. I have a Bennelli, my son a Browning Gold, and my best friend an X2. All of these guns work quite well for everything, as a matter of fact my son shot skeet on Sat. for the first time in a year and shot 23 with his Gold. (with my reloads)
In my younger years I looked more at cost than quality and longevity but even then I got lucky with my 1100's and 11-87's all of which were sold for more than I paid for them. I don't want to offend the Mossberg folks but I don't think they will hold the value.
I now recommend buying the best gun you can afford, that fits as good as possible, and I don't think you can go wrong.

[M.T. Pockets]

tjwatty, would you mind sharing the recipe for your reloads that you shoot through the 3 1/2" magnums ? I haven't reloaded for mine yet and was curious what the experienced shotgunners are using with good results in the Browning Gold or Super X-2. I was thinking of a 1.5 oz. load in the red Wichester wad, inside a AA hull, over some 571. It's been years but it's the load I used to shoot at ducks in the pre-steel days. Thank you.

[tjwatty]

I use a real simple load.
I shoot 1 1/8oz. #9's for skeet and 7 1/2's for trap and 5 stand.
For both I use 16.5gr of 700X with Claybuster wads(white)and Winchester and or Remington STS hulls. I like the 700X because it's clean. Several of the guys I shoot with use Clays but the price is so close it's a wash. According to the chart that gives me about 1150fps. I check about every 15 or 20th for charge on the scale and it stays pretty close.(16.1 to 16.6) All this through a Mec 9000G.
I used to make a 1oz. load for skeet but they wouldn't cycle through some of the autos. My old M1 Super 90 will but it's been 3"mag'ed to death and the ole springs are pretty weak. The kids Browning would usually cycle but not regular enough to not be a pain in the rear, and I'm too lazy to change the bar in the loader.

P.S. I like the Remington STS Gold hulls the best. seems like they last longer. Might be my imagination tho.

[Hi Ball]

Whooooa Hoss!.........Now first off there is NO SUCH THING!

I have a Browning Gold in the 3.5 for geese, it is OK for those birds. However, it is far to heavy in reality to use as a duck gun in the flooded timber, simply to heavy for that kind of use and it will not suffice on a sporting clays course giving you good scores either in all probabillity.

Your best bet is to purchase 2 shotguns that will #1 let you become proficient on the course (which will add to your score hunting birds or rabbits etc) #2 Purchase yourself a shotgun best suited for the harvesting of geesee, weather that be a 10 gauge or a Browning Gold like I have in the vault. I by the way use the Hevi Shot, it is worth the extra money on a goose hunt.

Now there is another option which you can take also! Buy the shotgun strictly for "sporting clay work" with the ported barrels and then go by yourself a model 1100 Rembington Upland model.
Browning Gold would be for geese only. Now you have 3 well defined shotguns for a taylor made use.

[tjwatty]

Well if as in my younger years when I had a young family I couldn't justify spending the 3 or 4 thousand dollars I now have wrapped up in three different guns. The one gun I was able to afford was a 1100. That old gun shot ducks, geese, quail, pheasants, doves and any other thing I could at the time. It was even seen on the trap and skeet fields a few times before it moved on to the big gunsmith in the sky.
As I've grown out of two sons and I no longer have college/support I now have a nice Browning XS that does my trap and skeet, a Bennelli that does just fine on ducks and geese and if my legs would still allow a really neat berretta 20ga for upland stuff. Whoops, I forgot the Black powder cannon for deer.
If, I was still in the position that I had to choose 1 shotgun for all my needs, I like the Bennelli or Browning or Berretta Xtreme. Which ever one would fit my me and my pocket book the best.
Not everyone can handle 3 or 4 different guns when they start out, what I suggest is buy the best you can afford. Good quality shotguns don't loose value as bad as some of my stocks..

P.S. In a normal duck season I'll use over a flat of steel shot. Hevi-shot is out of my price range, except for those dedicated goose days.

[fabsroman]

There are some guns that can do everything, but there really isn't one gun that can do it all. The first gun I bought was a Browning Citori in field grade and I used that for everything, including trap and skeet. I was just over 18 years old when I bought that. Now, I hate Browning as a result of that gun. The story is a long one, so I will leave it out, but some of you already know it.

Since I was shooting a lot of trap and skeet after I got out of undergrad and I had a decent job, I saved up and dropped $2,900 on a Beretta 682 Trap Combo that I am still using to this day and I started using my old Browning BPS for most of my hunting. I bought a Beretta 686 o/u right before starting law school. In law school, I met a guy that introduced me to waterfowling and since I wanted a third shot I decided to use my old Browning BPS that my dad gave me as a birthday present when I was 8. Found that I wasn't doing too well with it even though I was breaking skeet left and right with the 686. So, I shot the BPS at skeet one day and found that I couldn't pump the gun quick enough and get back on target for the second bird. Hence, my decision to buy the Benelli SBE. I figured I could use it for all my hunting needs and I did so for about 4 years, but I bought a Beretta 682 Gold E for my skeet and sporting clays shooting and it came with a free Beretta 3901 auto. I like both guns. Then, after starting my own practice, I bought a Beretta 391 Teknys sporting clays gun in both 12 ga. and 20 ga. and I can shoot both of them pretty well. I use the 20 ga. on early season doves and for upland. Right now, I think I have enough of a selection of guns to adequately cover any specific shooting situation, but it took a little time to get to this point. Of course, a nice 28 ga. o/u would be nice for upland hunting and a pretty $10,000 o/u with all kinds of game scenes would be nice for the safe. Don't see that happening anytime soon.

Now, my opinion on the question is almost the same as TJ's. Buy good quality guns that will last you a life time. If you get the Benelli SBE, Beretta Extrema, Browning Gold 3 1/2, or Winchester X2, you will have a really good starter gun that can do just about anything. Granted, it isn't the best at everything, just goose hunting and some duck hunting, but it can still shoot almost everything out of it and you don't have to worry about what shells people have on them to lend you.

My SBE will not cycle really light loads of 1 1/8 oz. shot. What I can get to cycle on warm days is 1 1/8 oz. at 1150 fps and on cold days I need 1 1/8 oz. at 1200 fps. Now, my brother has an SBE that will cycle the crapola 1 oz hunting loads put out by Remington and Winchester. Haven't tried them in my gun yet because I refuse to shoot that stuff. My brother uses those loads out of his SBE to shoot trap, skeet, sporting clays, doves, and crows and they seem to work just fine for him.

If you can afford two quality guns, buy one of the 3 1/2 guns mentioned above, except for the Browning and Winchester LOL, and buy something else that is lighter and can be used for clays, doves, ducks in timber, etc.

[Ruddyduck]

Thankfully we don't have to be saddled with the burden of only one shotgun, whew that's a nightmare in my book.
But if pressed for me it would be a well made O/U with either 28 or 30" barrels. I'll settle for 2 3/4 " fodder between 1200-1275 for all target shooting and between 1250 -1375 for game.
If pressed for only one rifle , it would be a Model 70 in 375 H & H topped off with a 2-7 variable with european post and crosshairs with good tip off mounts.

[8X56MS]

One gun that does it all, or two shotguns? Oh my, I hate to see a guy put limits like that on himself.
I have, er, well, I guess you could say "several" shotguns, and I still don't have all the bases covered.

[gold40]

I would definitely buy either the SUPERX-2 or Browning Gold Hunter with 3" chambers. They are almost the same gun; the Browning is a bit prettier.

The 3"' will handle geese, ducks, and turkey just fine, and still shoot light loads for clay birds and upland game. The Browning Gold "Sporting Clays Model" comes with an second extra, lighter, gas cylinder for clay bird loads. The 3 1/2" model doesn't do well with light loads. Besides the 3 1/2" shell is un-necessary.

Chances are you will shoot dozens more 2 3/4" light loads than heavy ones, while shooting trap or clays for practice. You can find the light target loads for only $3 to $4 a box.

I've shot a 12 ga. GH for 4 years and am very pleased with it for an all-around shotgun. I probably have 10,000 shells through it, with no problems. I sometime break 25 straight at skeet with it.

Both the Winchester and Browning currently have $100 cash rebates.

A person that always shoots the same gun is much more likely to be a fine shot. Better to be good with one gun, than mediocre with 2 or 3.

[Catfish]

1 or 2 guns????????????? I have 3 BT99`s for trap. I have 7 Win. mod. 12`s. I`m not the guy to ask about 1 or 2 guns. My vault has a rack that will hold 47 long gun down 1 wall, I have guns sitting in the corners because the not room for them, and your asking abt 1 or 2 guns???????????????

[buckhunter]

Some will disagree but don't det hung up on the 3 1/2 Mag thing. Ive shot duck and geese most of my life. Pre steel shot I never used anything more than a 2 3/4 #2 lead for geese and killed a ton of them. Now with steel I steped up a a 3" Mag.

Get what you can afford and don't worry about a 3 1/2" Mag. With Hevi Shot and other on toxic shot it takes a 3" mag and really turns in into a Pre-steel shell.

[gold40]

So......after all this wonerful advice, what did you choose to do?

[300 RUM]

gold40

I purchased a new SX2 31/2" and so far have really enjoyed it. It cycles 2 3/4"- 7/8oz- 2 3/4 dram - 8 shots with no problems. I have been shooting sporting clays with it using 23/4"- 1 oz.-3 dram- 7 1/2 and have had not a single misfeed or jam. I have shot over 1500 rounds so far of various lighter loads witn no problems.
I have not shot but a handfull of 31/2" thru it but it did cycle those ok as well.

I would higly recommend the SX2 to anyone looking for a 3 1/2" autoloader.

I stuck with the 31/2" thats what all my hunting partners shoot and hey a few more pellets in the air cant hurt.

My father-in-law buys 31/2" hevi shot by the case and gets offended if I dont come when invited or try to bring my own shells or decoys for that matter, so why buy a gun that wont shoot free shells?