Okay fellow shot gunners, I need your help in deciding which new waterfowl 12 ga, 3.5 in chamber 28in barrel shotgun will replace my smith & Wesson Model 1000M 12ga. 3in chamber with 30in. barrel at Xmas this year. 1st Beretta A391 Xtrema 2 . 2nd Remington 11-87 Sportman Super Mag. 3rd Browning Maxus. 4th S&W 1012 Super. 5th and last but not lest Winchester Super X3 all weapons are camo style. No I did not included the Benelli Super Black Eagle II or any other Benelli weapon because my father and his buddy brought one this year and they are both having problems with them after about 4000 rounds +/-. I am looking for what the manufactures are not saying about there weapons like jams, ejecting problems camo coming off to fast an so on ect,ect,ect……….please do not say “pick which one fits you better “I tried them all out I just want to know there defects, problems if they have any and your opinion, please help me out. I do not want to buy $1500+ shotgun and have the same problems as my father an his buddy or other fellow shot gunners does later. Or should I wait for the new Xtrema 3 that comes out in Jan. 2010 after the shot show and see what everybody thinks about it. Thank you John

Benelli Cordoba I have been shooting Berreta for 10 plus years and they are super good guns . But this one even better . Light ,thin forearm, palm swell,and will never give you any trouble. I hunt and shoot probable more than the average I promise you its the best I handled. Far as the 3 and 1/2 your wanting to shoot just buy ya some Blk cloud for those days . A buddy of mine after handling mine wanted one and found one at Cabelas for around 1400 bucks.

I can't speak to some of the others, but I have owned my Extrema2 for 2 years now, and have yet to have a single issue in the field. Love the gun.

Out of those I would go with the Xtrema hands down. But personally I would get the SBE II

I have an extrema 2 and have had no problems with it at all. It shoots everything from the heaviest 3 1/2 to the lightest 2 3/4 with no jams or misfires. So IMO extrema 2

Of those, the Extrema 2 or SX3

Talk to someone at a gun store or two about the Maxus. My understanding is it is the best shotgun on the market for shooting ducks.

The Maxus get's my vote. I'm getting one after the first of the year. I have shot it though. It the best feeling and pointing gun I've have shouldered. I have a Browning Gold that has been nothing but awesome since Day 1.

I like the Xtrema but its feels bulky and heavy to me.

extrema

Of the ones you listed I'd go with the Extrema 2. It's proven. I would consider the Maxus but IMO it's just too new...I don't like new guns because it seems there are often bugs that have not been worked out yet.

As for your benelli comment...it's second hand so I'll take it with a grain of salt. You just about never hear of someone with a SBEII post on here saying they are having problems with it and don't like it. I know probably a dozen guys that have them and the only problems I've ever seen come from user error...which is pretty common with any shotgun. People can't shoot worth shxx and blame the gun or shells.

I have read about the 11-87 jamming. I have not seen it first hand and honestly don't know one personally who has one so take it as hearsay cuz that is exactly what it is.

The SX3 and Brownings are now days the same gun with different badges and cosmetic changes between them. But the Maxus is new and I prefer to let a gun get out a little to hear about problems and issues.

Extrema and SX3 would be my choices on that list.

I have an SX3 and really like it (it isn't the 3.5") but would take an Extrema in its place without complaints. I like the feel of the duratouch coating the SX3 has on the stock, especially if it gets wet.

Remington 870.....I could make a commercial showing the durability with all the things that gun has been through...my buddies call it "Old Rusty", if thats any indication.....but it still shoots as good as new..

I have an 11-87 with a 3.5. I definitely have had some issues with the 2 3/4 shell cycling well. I have never had a problem in the blind with it cycling but always use 3 inches in the field. My cycling issues have been with the cheaper loads but I was out clay shooting- and how much to you really want to spend to shoot clays. I have been looking at up grading if you are intersted I could send you pictures- its in good shape

I have an 11-87 supermag and it's junk.

To Marcstar, if I offended you about Benelli comment I’am sorry! but its a piece of junk in my opinion. I was in a gun shop off 57th st. a few weeks ago you know the one I am talking about . They said some people are having some problems with them also maybe a user error maybe not!!!!. Benelli is sending jaybird my dad’s buddy a new one because after two times sending it in, they can not fix it anymore some type of material defect they said. And my father went back to using his Ithaca big 10 for the rest of the season and shelf his SBE 2 until he gets around to sending it back to Benelli again. He‘s very “””P____ off””” about it.

Extrema 2

I have the Maxus and SX3 that I bought off of another forum. I really like them and with nearly 2500 rounds shooting clays thru them both, I haven't had a single issue. I have a patterned then both and they pattern steel well. They are similar but by no means the very same gun, if your going to hunt ducks with one, I would choose the Maxus or Extrema, but personally, I'd buy a Browning Magnum 12 A-5 first and the Maxus second.

I watched an extrema explode once.... Never again will i hunt with one.

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He must have a lemon. I have 4 Benelli's of varios models, I have never had a malfunction that was not caused by me and that was from puttin some nasty nasty shells in there. Those guns out preform any of my others second to my Browning. Just remember that all of those European guns that you're wanting are all owned by the same people. Beretta owns them all.

xtrema or sx3, both great guns

I have an 1187 supermag and it is junk. I have an SBE II as well and it is the finest operating shot gun I have ever used. I am a remington fan, but not a fan of the 1187 supermag.

I'm not that pissed off at ducks to spend a 1400 bucks on a gun to kill em. But to each his own. Maybe I'm just cheap. My Nova kills em and hasn't failed once even after being completely submerged under water and dropped in the mud.

I have an SBE I and I shoot everything from dove loads to 3 1/2" steel shot. I've never had an issue with the gun. I've been shooting it for about 5 years.

At first I cleaned it religously. This year I cleaned it once before dove season and haven't touched it since.

I love how they break down so easily and make cleaning a snap. I too don't know anyone that has had problems with theirs.

I was told when I bought it to clean it with a good gun solvent before I shot it and I wouldn't have any problems. I was told that if you don't clean it that the protective coating will harden and get sticky causing jams. I cleaned it as soon as I took it out of the box and have never had an issue.

Xtrema2

I love mine. 28" camo w/o Kick-off.

I would recommend the black version without kickoff.
It still has the aquacoat on it to prevent corrosion and unless you are a serious goose hunter or bruise easily (see the thread about he guy who had surgery) you shouldn't need kick-off.

You can always add the kick-off later for less than factory installed.

Oh no...not offended...just saying you don't see to many first hand accounts...it's almost always second hand and I take those with a grain of salt. I can tell you 1187s are POS guns because I have had two friends that had them and they always messed up on them..but that's also second hand info cause I've never owned one. In fact most guns I havent owned but have at least handled and shot. I'm pretty confident you would like the Extrema as long as when you pick it up it feels good to you. To me it felt top heavy and was one of the reasons I didnt go with it. I also really like the simplicity of the benelli's...there really is less that can go wrong with them and in most cases they run like champs longer and harder than gas guns. But any make will have a lemon and it sounds like your dad got one of those.

Just talked to one of the owners of that shop...kind of a random deal that I talked to him and you mentioned it in the same day. Anyway I know he is a big fan of Extremas but and I got my SBEII from him. I asked how the benelli's are working out for his customers and he said it's very very rare that they have problems. We talk a little about the new Berretta that's coming out..the Explorer or something...you might actually want to wait and see about that one. Although for me that gun will have the same problem as the Maxus...it's too new and as of yet unproven. I think in most cases my fear of a new model of gun is unfounded but tell that to the guys that got Remington CTis or whatever they are.