Shotgun Dilema?

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:41 pm

I have been debating what to do with my shotguns for a while now. I have a 12 gauge Beretta 3901 Statesman that I absolutely love, but I don't like taking it in the duck blind or woods with me c/ I hate to beat it up! Basically I just shoot clays with it. I've also got a camo Nova that I used this past season, but I really just don't feel that comfortable with it and my brain is trained for the auto (ie I keep pulling the trigger on the pump w/o pumping the dang thing!). I've decided to get rid of the Nova, but am left with 2 options.

A) Use the money for a 24" barrel for the Beretta b/c it has a 28" now and after shooting the 24" barrel on several other guns I really like it. I would then use the gun as my meat gun and it would probably get pretty dang beat up. If I did this I would be very comfortable with the gun since I've shot it the most by far.

B) Put the money towards an inexpensive autoloader like the Stoeger M2000. I know 4 different guys with the gun and they all love, but I've also heard of people getting duds and hating them. I've shot them and think they are great little guns for money. If I did this I'd have to get acclimated to the new gun.

Any opinions on the matter?

Post by **Greg Jennings** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:10 pm

I really like the new Beretta Xtrema2.

Best, Greg J.

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:13 pm

Greg Jennings wrote:I really like the new Beretta Xtrema2.

Best, Greg J.

Me too! Want to loan me 1,000 bucks?

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:12 pm

Mtlee,

How much you looking to spend? If you really like your statesman, you should check into the 3901 Citizen synthetic in 26" . Walmart sells them for just under $700.

Same gun as your statesman just synthetic, which means it will take a beatin...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... id=4756247

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:34 pm

Chaingang wrote:Mtlee,

How much you looking to spend? If you really like your statesman, you should check into the 3901 Citizen synthetic in 26" . Walmart sells them for just under $700.

Same gun as your statesman just synthetic, which means it will take a beatin...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... id=4756247

I'm not looking to spend that much. If I got an Xtrema2 or a M2 it would be b/c I sold the Nova and the Statesman. I'm just trying to figure out if its really worth it to buy a new gun in a Camo pattern? I know it doesn't matter for upland, but do you think waterfowl can spot it? I'm thinking it really isn't that big of a deal. The only downside would be I'd beat the heck out of my wooden stock, but hey, a gun is made to use right?

Don · Post by **Don** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:47 pm

I haven't hunted ducks a lot since the early 70's and then it was all jump shooting. Still, I doubt that the ducks are going to notice, maybe not even care if your gun is camo. There were to many times when I was jump shooting that ducks few over me in range, and I wasn't even wearing camo. I went out with a brother one day last year and sat in the most hoohy blind you ever saw and still the ducks came. Neither of us had camo on but the blind (?) was camo. It was a piece of camo material on two sticks stuck in the mud in front of us.

The nice thing about a gun that is not camo is that if you really feel the need, you can make it camo. The bad thing about a gun that is camo is to chance it requires either a re-stock job of a paint job. If you have a nice wood stock, you can paint it. Then if you don't want camo anymore, re-finish it durning the off season.

h20fwlkillr · Post by **h20fwlkillr** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 10:45 am

As long as your barrel doesn't shine, non camo is fine. If you waterfowl hunt alot, it won't shine for long. You could also get some camo heat shrink tape to cover your gun if you are worried about it. My main concern would be an auto jamming in rough weather.

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:18 pm

mtlee wrote: I'm not looking to spend that much. If I got an Xtrema2 or a M2 it would be b/c I sold the Nova and the Statesman. I'm just trying to figure out if its really worth it to buy a new gun in a Camo pattern? I know it doesn't matter for upland, but do you think waterfowl can spot it? I'm thinking it really isn't that big of a deal. The only downside would be I'd beat the heck out of my wooden stock, but hey, a gun is made to use right?

To tell you the truth, I wouldn't worry about a few little dings here and there. It's a hunting gun and hunting guns show their wear over the years. Gives them character..

I have the original Xtrema in 28inch, and it is a bit heavy for lugging around the uplands all day. Great as a waterfowl gun though. The Xtrema2 is somewhat lighter and a little more ergonomically correct for the smaller shooter, but still may be a bit heavy for lugging around all day in the uplands.

I would just shoot the statesman if it were me. Nice thing about wood is you can always refinish it. I refinished one once in a nice tung oil finish. Didn't turn out half bad, especially for a novice.

bird · Post by **bird** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:54 pm

Billy Ray · Post by **Billy Ray** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:19 pm

Or you could just get more familair with the pump. It will do everything you need and then some. The Nova is a solid gun.

omega58 · Post by **omega58** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:16 am

I just bought a Beretta 3901 Statesman from "bleep"'s for $454+tax. . .for the wife of course.

The Stoeger is a nice little gun, does have some recoil, so add a Limbsaver.

I would also seriously consider the Mossberg 930. . . they are having very few problems with this gun. . . I just bought one to go along with my 935 and they are both doing well for me. I bought the 930 in black from Gander Mountain for $349. . .$339 after the spend $50, get $10 off coupon. . . if a member of/or join Pheasants Forever and they are unlimited, just print them off the website.

Or, you could just use the Beretta in the duck blind as well. . . movement is the biggest thing with waterfowl. . . .and UV brighteners in clothes. . .wash with sportwash.

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:42 am

omega58 wrote: Or, you could just use the Beretta in the duck blind as well. . . movement is the biggest thing with waterfowl. . . .and UV brighteners in clothes. . .wash with sportwash.

Thats what I've decided to do....now I just need to get rid of the Nova!

omega58 · Post by **omega58** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:43 pm

mtlee wrote:
omega58 wrote: Or, you could just use the Beretta in the duck blind as well. . . movement is the biggest thing with waterfowl. . . .and UV brighteners in clothes. . .wash with sportwash.
Thats what I've decided to do....now I just need to get rid of the Nova!

Just make the Nova a turkey gun. . .and the 28" barrel is what you want for wingshooting. . .or 26".

mtlee · Post by **mtlee** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 3:41 pm

omega58 wrote:
mtlee wrote:
omega58 wrote: Or, you could just use the Beretta in the duck blind as well. . . movement is the biggest thing with waterfowl. . . .and UV brighteners in clothes. . .wash with sportwash.
Thats what I've decided to do....now I just need to get rid of the Nova!
Just make the Nova a turkey gun. . .and the 28" barrel is what you want for wingshooting. . .or 26".

I haven't ever been turkey hunting...and I like a 24" barrel for birds, the ducks I shoot at are usually over decoys and pretty close....I think the 24" barrel would be nice for quail as well. I've got a 24" barrel for my beretta on the way, so i'll have 2 (28" and 24").

nj gsp · Post by **nj gsp** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:02 pm

I have a Mossberg 835 Ultimag that only really gets used for ducks and geese. It's the only pump gun I own.

What I do to re-wire my brain to the pump gun action is go shoot some clays with it. Shoot doubles & triples. After 50 rounds I bet you won't forget to work the pump.