3" chamber, 26" or 28" barrel. Factory box & chokes. 90%-95%.

What is the value (seller is asking $600)?
Are they reliable for light skeet/trap loads?
Do they shoot as soft as a 390 or other soft-shooting auto?

Anybody?

Patriot


My wife has one she has had for about 5 years. It has shot everything from cheap Rios to high brass loads just fine. It probably has 500 rounds through it with out a hiccup. It kicks her like a mad mule but she won't admit it. Her dad had the stock cut down for her on it so it really kicks me.

The price seems about right. We bought hers for about $700 used at a gun shop.

Thanks Boone. Bought it today for much less than he was originally asking. He needed cash and it wasn't in as good of shape as I had hoped. Will report once I have gotten it out to the range.

Golds have the reputation for being soft kickers.

That's good news. Doesn't need to be super soft. I just want it to be softer than my pump. My Beretta AL-2 is actually pretty close to the pump in recoil. Really reliable with any shell that has a brass case and a beautiful old gun, but it kicks like a mule for a semi auto.

The Browning Gold, Siver and Winchester SX-3 are the same internally and all are known for their soft recoil. For whatever reason the two Beretta's I've owned had more felt recoil than the Browning, Winchester, Fabarm, Franchi, Weatherby and Mossberg semi's I've owned. Fit could play a part in that.

Update - had a chance to shoot it. It's incredibly soft, handles lightly, and cycles smoothly. I do have a few small issues that I'm working to resolve, but nothing major. The mag follower was worn and causing the bolt release button to be ineffective, but I sanded it down just a bit and that issue is resolved. I thought I lost some safety related parts, but it turns out that they just add provision for the safety plunger & spring on both sides in case you want to switch the safety as a left-handed shooter. And I'm still working to determine what the thread in the front sight base is. It came with a fiber-optic base, but I can't figure out what light pipes go in it. I bought a bead that I thought would fit, but it doesn't. Hoping to get a resolution on that tomorrow.

Overall, I think it's a fantastic gun for $450 plus the $20 in parts I have in it, and maybe $10 more I'll have by the time I'm done. Looked pretty rough when I picked it up and it needed the most thorough cleaning I have ever performed on a firearm, but it cleaned up really nicely and shoots great.