20ga semi autos

Looking to get my son into one before dove season. He’s been shooting my brothers Benelli and now he wants one himself. I’m making him work for it so I’m trying to get some other ideas to consider before I drop 1300-1400. Went and handled a few Stoeger and franchi and he felt ok with them. I can definitely say I could feel a quality difference in the two. If I could find an older Remington 1100 in good shape I’d go for it. Anything else out there? It’s been years since I’ve really shotgun shopped.

1187

Winchester SX4

I have a Browning silver hunter I really like. Weighs almost nothing and handles very well. I rarely shoot it however, as I prefer my O/U's.

The Benelli Montefeltro and the Franchi clone are very nice as well.

the 1100 and 1187 are good guns but much lighter pieces can be had now. The Beretta 391 is also another one to take a look at.

Just get the one he wants. If not, you'll just save to get that one later.

I love my benelli m2 though. So light in weight and recoil.

I handled many of them before I bought mine and went with the Beretta A400 Xplor. Second choice was the Silver Hunter. The Franchi's are nice as well. Personally not a fan of Benelli because of some bad experiences. Best thing to do is go let him handle some of them and shoulder them. The Beretta just felt the best when I held it and shouldered it, and it is very light.

I do like an 1100 as well, but I shoot a benelli auto (m1 super 90) and will never buy another auto loading shotgun. It’s the best I’ve ever had, hands down....And it fits me well. I bought it 20 years ago and have never had any issues with it whatsoever. If he’s working to save money for it, then I say go for it. He will probably keep it forever.

In 20 gauge I have:
Winchester SX3
Franchi Affinity
Franchi 720
Weatherby SA-08
I like them all and haven’t had issues with any of them.

My next 20 gauge if I ever get another will be a Benelli M2.

Other 20’s I have experience with and recommend:
Browning Silver
Mossberg SA-20

My wife shoots the Franchi and loves it, as do I. It’s very light weight which she wanted but has a great recoil pad. She was very happy to not be shooting my Beretta Extrema any longer.

Weatherby SA 08 is the best budget entry 20 semi

This https://www.skbshotguns.com/shotguns/rs300

Benelli!

I have the following in 20

Remington 1100
Benelli
Beretta a400


Really like the beretta

Yes

I'd look for an older 1100 or even the 1187. I prefered to load my own back in the day and always loaded what was essentially a Winchester AA Target load, all perfect components. That's what makes the difference to be able to outshoot those that have the mindset one must use "high brass" loads to bring down dove at long distance. Proved it time and again and made believers out of many by making them shoot my gun and loads. Aint no sense in taking a beating when it's not necessary.
Still though, my all time favorite shotgun is a Browning Citori.

Older Remington 1100 LT-20 Special Field.

Why not a Beretta 390/391 in nice shape? I think the recoil/inertia guns are much easier to clean than the gas guns.

Had the Franchi 720 (last gas gun they made, now all recoil operated), great gun, never a problem but just too light for my taste.....best 20 semi I ever owned was a Beretta 303, perfect weight, perfect balance, only sold it because I was offered way too much for it....wish I had it back.

Can’t go wrong with best auto loader ever made... beretta’s are simple to clean

X2

When I was a kid I my father bought me a 20ga Wingmaster. A few years later he bought me a 20ga 1100. I rarely carried the 1100 because it was too heavy. I guess I'm saying one of the B guns is likely to be carried more...

You aught to be able to pick up a used Franchi 720 for pretty cheap. I've had a Franchi 620 VS for 25 years and I don't expect to ever need another.

I had a 390 and it was just a terrible fit for me. Ended up with an old AL-2, which I absolutely love. I'd love to have an A400 in 20 gauge one of these days.

1100 LT-20 MAGNUM.....

Browning A-5 Light 20. Had one of these. It was a great gun. Sold it to a cousin of mine for his wife.

The one firearm I regret selling is my 720. I keep an eye out and you don’t see them for sale often and when you do they aren’t cheap.

The older 20 ga 1100's were built on a 12 ga frame. That's part of the reason they are heavy. It's also part of the reason the recoil is so light. I have one I got in 1967 and have run thousands of rounds through it. If you can find one, it's a great gun for a youngster. Just start out loading one shell and go from there.

My ate o-rings like they were Pringle’s

Benelli - Light, good looking and reliable.

Lot's of Beretta fans here, but I have mixed results with their semi's. My fathers 12 gauge 391 chugs along just fine with little more maintenance that a yearly cleaning. On the other hand, my 20 gauge jams with such regularity that its a bad joke. Thing has been back to Beretta a few times, but even they seem rather stymied. I'd be really
hesitant to buy another 20 semi from them.

My wife’s montefeltro is suspect. If I hadn’t spent a ton custom fitting it so she would leave my 301 alone, she would have a brand new a400. My 301a is a work horse. I want a new 28ga a400 but know she will have it at the gun fitter as soon as she sees it.

Sorry, Bobo, the A400 only comes in 12 and 20 (according to their site).

They have 28 gauge as well. Buddy has one and I have handled one at Marksmen in Mansfield.

Nope they have had a 28ga since 2014. I have good friend with one. He use to shoot for blazer, And that gun has made him a beretta convert, I shot a few quail with it.

Oops....dug deeper, out of 22 different A400 models, the Xplor does (and is the only one) come in 28 ga..

it’s a thing of beauty. Don’t shoot one, you will buy it!!

I fully agree Bobo, so far I have not bought one but it is on the wish list. I should have bought a used one several years back at Cabela's, the Allen store had very close to matching 12, 20 and 28ga. Would have loved to get all 3

If I wasn’t trying to talk myself into another rifle, I’d have one. I like the matching set idea .

I've been happy with my Browning Gold Hunter 20ga. Bought it from a guy at work years ago. Nice little gun. Love the speed load feature. If I was buying a new 20 gauge auto I'd look at the Winchester SX3 or is it 4 now?

I traded for one of these built in the 70's and I don't think it has ever been shot. Original box and extra 26" rem-choke barrel. Sweet Gun.

4 would be the current production one. those and the Franchi Affinity are my favorite semi-auto 20 gauges in the mid-range price point

JH, I don't own a 20 gauge autoloader, but the last time I went to argentina to dove hunt I used a beretta 390 or 391 in 20 ga. I was blown away with the reliability and light recoil. I easily shot 10,000 rounds in three days from that gun, probably more. never had a malfunction and easy on my shoulder. would highly recommend and would have no issues buying a used one that was cared for...

Maybe I had a bad one but my 390 was far from reliable. I bought it used so no telling it’s history. Loved the gun but it let me down way to many times. Not sour about beretta just assume it was used and abused before I got it.

How old, tall, etc is your son ?
The most expensive shotgun is useless if he can’t shoot it well due to fit.
Elm fork rents the SKB’s
They are fully adjustable
They are also Turkish so there’s that.
Hopefully he’s right eyee dominant so he can shoot right handed lol
Otherwise you should get the skb

Or really get an older Ithaca skb or japan made “new skb company “ skb O/U
Then it’s going to be a hierloom and they are great shotguns
One more shell is no big deal

390 and 391 are good, had both
They go clank! When u shoot them
Annoying
Never be ahierloom shotgun though imho
Only used ones out there
I have handled franchi. No thanks. As I heard once At least, it’s a stoeger that’s been fixed at the factory lol
Honestly though no way too cheap feeling

He will be 13 in a few months. I’d guess about 5 foot. For a semi he’s good with an adult gun. Pump he’s not y’all enough for an adult. He shots my brother Benelli well.