Beretta A350 vs. A400 shotgun

I'm looking hard at upgrading my shotgun to a Beretta A350 or A400. I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a shotgun guy. I have been shooting a Mossberg 500 pump for years just fine. The new Beretta will be my go-to shotgun for dove, duck, and some sporting clays. The last 2 years we have been doing a lot more dove and duck hunting. Our deer lease has a 40+ acre lake that has excellent duck hunting.

I'm looking at the A350 XTREMA 12 gauge 3.5", 28" barrel MAX5 or the A400 XTR KO 12 gauge, 28" barrel, 3.5" MAX5, both in Realtree camo. With my FFL dealer pricing, I can get a good deal on both. But the extra $550 for the A400, is it worth it?

Are you doing a lot of goose or crane hunting? Do you really need 3.5"? But to answer your question, no the extra cash isn't worth it.

No, never. The 3" would do me fine, but they don't make the camo model I want in 3".

Have you considered the A300? Have a Max 5 and a max 4

Chad
I don't know much about the A350 but I do have the A400. I like that shotgun very much. Dependable and light recoiling. I have not used 3" in mine so can say nothing about that. This is my first Beretta and I am not sorry that I got it. This is my first left handed shotgun so the safety was something I had to get used to.

g

I have a Franchi Intensity that I picked up on super sale at Cabela's, and I think it's exceptional in every way. It's not only a great value; it's a great gun.

DO NOT MAKE YOUR DECISION WITHOUT SHOOTING A VERSAMAX OR V3! That's all I have to say about that.

F a Remington....the 400is all the shotgun you will ever need. EVER

Most important thing is buy what fits you best. Doesn't have to be $1000+ shotgun. Find what shoulders the best and find a shell that patterns good. If you do those two things you'll kill more birds than the guy with sbe or A400 that hasn't done those things. No matter if you're shooting your mossberg or a beretta.

I agree with the "buy what fits you best" mantra. I bought a Beretta A390ST online and it just never fit me quite right. Ended up finding great deals on a Beretta AL2 and a Browning Fusion Gold and they both fit me well. Ended up selling the Browning just because it was more expensive and the AL2 is a beautiful gun.

Bottom line: shotguns all have very different fit and you should double-check before buying. I was 99% set on an A300 before trying it out in-store and it just didn't feel comfortable at all.

I really like my A400, had it for several years now with no problems.

You have a 12, why not look at a 20 for dove, clay sports, etc.. You will appreciate the lighter gun more than you might think. P_102

A300 Outlander and be done. I have some really nice, expensive shotguns but the A300 is the one I grab for the field.

If you like the fit, this is the answer. Comes in the camp you're looking for as well.

You can also get a shotgun you like fitted to you.

FIFY

How can you unequivocally recommend one shotgun model to someone? Doesn't work that way. As has already been mentioned it is all about fit when you are talking shotguns. Shims and spacers can only do so much. All of the shims I'm familiar with, and I'm familiar with most of them, only affect DAC 1/16" and DAH 1/8". Sometimes that just isn't enough. Take Beretta for example. I like them. Bought a 3901 a few years ago and it just didn't fit so I sold it. But I wanted a Beretta. Bought an A300, same issue as the 3901. I would highly recommend an A300 if it fit someone and advise against one if it didnt fit. I also(if it fit) would recommend an A300 over an A350 or an A400 unless someone wanted/needed the KO feature.

Affinity's are nice, I have two but for me 3" shells and inertia guns don't mix. When using 3" shells I prefer a gas gun.

The V3 and VersaMax are outstanding IMO. For strictly waterfowl I'll take a VersaMax or a FABARM XLR5 Waterfowler. For dove and ducks with one shotgun there are quite a few excellent choices.

Because people get far to caught up on "fit". I have 5 shotguns and have no clue if they "fit" me. I just shoot them. The ones that feel good to me I shoot horribly and the ones that feel stupid to me I can shoot lights out, go figure. We're not competing in the Olympics and majority of shotguns are plenty capable these days. Like majority of us, I learned to shoot with dads shotgun that certainly didnt "fit". Nobody Im related to or hunt with gives a crap about "fit" - its all about how well you shoot. So instead of getting caught up on all the frills, gadgets, and "fit" requirements how about just shoot it and see how it works?

Chad,
late in responding, but the dialogue we have all the time about not needing uber mags, but to focus on practice and shot placement applies equally here. A 3 1/2" is no more needed than a 338 is to shoot a deer. If you are making a good shot, a 2 3/4" will kill it just as dead, just as often, maybe more so due to less punishment. Back when I really was serious about shotguns, I used a 20 guage with 3" shells for ducks and geese. A 12 guage may help a little, but the vast majority of people should use a 20 guage, take real lessons on a real skeet range, and then practice. Exactly the same advice we give all the time for rifles. A 3 1/2" will only punish you and your wallet while making the hunt less fun.

Bottom line - for ducks on a pond and dove, a twenty is plenty and will be more pleasant to shoot.

Fwiw - one of the great goose hunters in the 60's and 70's out around Eagle Lake and Altair was Jimmy Reel. I had the chance to hunt with him a few times. Guess what he used? A 410. He knew how to shoot really well, he waited until the bird was inside 40 yards, and aimed for the head, not the body. Aiming a shotgun uses the a similar level of precision in aiming as a rifle. The key is to pick a makeable shot, focus, and use skill. One box of ammo would easily bring in a limit.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Don't mean to steal this thread but I'm also looking at getting an a400...to those that have one do you recommend the ko feature?

I have both the A300 and also the A400. I really wanted the A400 but due to the cost, I went with the A300. It was my first semi-auto shotgun and I love it. Not long after, the A400 went on sale plus Beretta ran a promo so I got it at a sizable discount. I really love that shotgun. I'm keeping both. The A400 is more versatile between the shells sizes and weather conditions. I run both for waterfowl, dove, and quail; hoping to add turkey to the mix next year.

If I had to do it over again, I'd just go straight to the A400 and call it good. The old adage "buy once cry once" applies.

Beretta currently is running a promotion where you get "Beretta bucks" for various shotgun purchases.

I went with the A350. Should be here tomorrow.

Want me to learn ya with a couple skeet rounds?

P_102

I'm actually kinda serious here Chad....I owe you and Jason a great deal from rifle shooting, I would be happy to offer my assistance to get you both settled in with shotguns. I'm no true teacher but I'd bet I can help a bit...no charge!

P_102

Chad, let's shoot tomorrow or Sat, call Buzz