X2

Def a Stoeger M3000 or M3500. Best value in an auto that I'm aware of, particularly in a recoil operated shotgun which is superior (for a number of reasons) to gas operated .

You can get a new auto 12 for a lot less than a grand. A stoeger.

Using Wal's analogy, yea, a grand will get you a smokin hot shotgun, but why?

I understand some folks will spend the money, but ten benjamins won't do the trick if you aint got the skill. Just like a beautiful women, if you aint got game, paying a grand is the only way a man will ever exprience the thrill of the hunt and undressing that smokin hot hot women you hooked up with in the hotel bar.

Some men do just fine with a dirt cheap shotgun.

The 10ga will out pattern the 12ga 3 1/2" gun day in and day out, have less felt recoil and pattern the large letter shot that shines in large payloads exponentially better than ANY 12ga

I agree. A few hundred can make a big difference.

"duck" guns are a marketing thing. You couldn't fit the ducks and geese that have been killed with an original humpback or 1100 in a salt dome...and they didn't make them with camo patterns either, nor did they have barrel stickers. No need for 3-1/2" shells, 3" if you are shooting a lot of big geese, 2-3/4 for ducks. tighten the choke down and shoot something more dense than steel.

SBE
Browning A5
Franchi Intensity
M3500

Mossburg 930 $530 at Able Ammo
If he's just getting into ducks, he would want to start cheap and start with a throw away gun

Look used- I've seen plenty of SBEII, Maxus, etc on the market because people decided they want something new. The older Browning Gold is a great gun as well, I've seen good condition 3.5" stalker models for <$800

If you are budget limited I would also stick to a black gun so you can get more actual bang for your buck. No need for camo dip.

Nothing wrong with getting a 3.5"- doesn't mean you need to shoot them for everything but nice to have for turkeys, geese, cranes... and you don't have to tote the heft of a 10ga for the rest of the season.

bought one when they first came out.. now have a rifle and riot barrel...
blue and wood... added a leather lace-up pad... leggo-gun, can make it do anything

shot a lot of doves w/my 835... it was a do-all gun 20yrs ago..
I have other guns now... the big Mossy did it all then when I could only afford one gun...
rice geese, dux and doves... even took it to a sporting clay range .. shot about 25 out of 50

if only they made the 935 in blue and wood..
don't care for the plastic guns

rice prarie pass shooting at camp when you only shoot a few times, the 3.5 puts a few more shot up there...
they're high and not decoying...
not sky-blasting.. just fun camp pass shooting

Go try holding a few that have been recommended and see what fits.

I like my Browning Maxus, but its above your price point.

After I got my Browning I discovered that Winchester had their SX3 made by Browning. It uses the same gas technology that is in the Maxus.

The Maxus is unable to fit an extension tube, but the Winchester can.

Winchester has phased out the SX3 and now has the SX4. From what I read it uses the same technology as the SX3, but they made imporvements, such as a bigger trigger guard.

Bud's has one in your price range -

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/31131

But again, before you buy any of the shotguns recommended, go hold them and see how they shoulder.

Putting more pellets in the air doesn’t extend your range. Nor does more powder necessarily help your pattern. If you wanna take long shots, shoot heavier shot and up your choke size. However, bigger shot pushed faster usually equates to less than ideal patterns, at least IME. Read an article awhile back where a guy had tested turkey loads in both 3 & 3.5, from 30 yds to 75 yds. The percentage of pellets in the kill zone for both shells was roughly the same ( wanna say within 2%), for all ranges. When he got to 75 yds, the hits were a foot low and didn’t penetrate cardboard. I’m not saying 3.5 doesn’t have its place but the notion that it’s needed to kill the bigger birds is not true.