Looking for a reasonably priced 12 gauge Duck gun that comes with a Camo pattern. I have a great upland gun but don't know where to start for ducks. Would prefer less than $1,000 and can shoot 3 1/2 inch shells. Thanks for the suggestions in advance.

In that price range I would look heavily at the Stoger M3500. Buddy has one and he really likes it. Under 1K too.

Good luck !

4W

https://www.stoegerindustries.com/m3500-shotgun

Everything I would suggest is $1200+

Good luck

If you could do without the 3.5" shells which you don't really need for ducks you could go with an A300 for about half that price.

For 3" shells, look at the Beretta A300. I have one and love it.

For 3.5" shells, look at the Beretta A350. While I do not have it, it should be pretty darn good and is at your upper price limit.

I didn't even realize they had an A350. I thought you had to go up to the A400 to get a 3.5" chamber. Since they do. This is the OP's best bet.

Right at $1,000 for the camo coated version. You could probably get a blued version a little cheaper.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/BERETTA-A-XTREMA-SEMI-AUTO-SHOTGUN/2132218.uts

Mossberg 835 Ultimag is ultimate waterfowl gun.

check out franchi affinity if you're okay only being able to shoot up to 3" shells, or they make the intesity that shoots 3 1/2". honestly, i believe 3 1/2" shells are over rated and more of a 'magnum factor' duck hunters think they need. i shoot the benelli m2 which is a 3" chamber and have never needed more.

3 1/2 is overrated.

Nice to have for Sandhills.

Sandhills, Big Geese and Turkey is about the only time I use them.

3” will do the job. Unless I was hunting sandhills and geese exclusively, I don’t see it as a necessity.

If you got a grand to spend, why not just wait and save a little more for an SBE? Some things are like smoking hot woman, worth waiting for the right one.

Thanks all for the great info! Now I have some starting points to really dive into this!

If you think you NEED a 3 1/2” 12ga you probably should have got a 10ga.
3” is fine for geese.

I too would avoid the 3 1/2" shells

Franchi Affinity

Benelli M2 is $699 from Dunn's in camo, I was able to talk Cabela's into price matching them and picked mine up locally, with tax, it was close to the same as buying it from Dunn's with shipping and transfer fees.

Just bought a Synthetic A300 from Dunn's for $550. Hard to beat value IMO

If you can hit with your "upland" gun, why would you want to change? My 20 ga o/u has never failed me on ducks. The secret is to hit the target when you pull the trigger,, not blast huge shells into the sky.

Stoeger M3500 has been great for me. I don’t shoot 3.5 inch shells but I might if I ever go crane hunting.

Browning A5. By far the best gun I have ever bought. It is more than 1000 though.

I hunt a lot and treat my gun bad so I would go with a Benelli Cordoba

My "upland" gun is a Browning Citori featherlite 20g O/U. I'd NEVER take that gun to the duck holes. My duck gun gets wet and abused FAR more than my upland gun. Why on earth would anybody want to ruin a classic....hell I could step off a magazine cover with that browning it looks so good.

I'd get the 3.5 gun just in case you want to shoot geese or Sandhills I guess but I'd never shoot 3.5 at ducks...absolutely not need. Whatever you get just remember its going to get used and abused like a New Orleans whore. Just treat like a high class New York whore when the hunts over.

I see it different. If you go with a 10ga, that's all you got. The 3.5 12ga and the 10ga are extremely close, in the world of ballistics. With that being said, a 3.5 12ga can shoot 2.75, 3 and 3.5 inch shells. So the way I see it you get a much more versatile weapon, all the way up to something very compatible to the 10ga. The best thing is you're not paying 10ga prices for shells.

I shoot a stoeger m3500 with a kicks high flyer extended choke. It has been. Fantastic gun in my opinion. I have a half dozen 12ga and have found myself taking it on every trip afield at the very least for use as a spare.