North Texan

A 3" chambering will be all I need, won't it? Or do I need a 3.5" for predators (never hunted them with a shotgun before)?

Part of my thinking is in heavy brush where the shots are fairly close, if I call in two coyotes, I might take both of them if I could get off the second shot fairly quickly. That's one of the reasons I want a semi-auto. I don't want to have to do anything but aim to get off my second shot.

As far as cold, about 40-50 degrees is about as cold as most days in the winter here get. I had an old Winchester semi-auto, and it was finicky about dirt, which is why I don't have it any more. Dove hunting in fields where the wind blows, sand gets in everything. My dad has a Remington 1100, and it's never even hiccuped.

Rammer

Ya, I'd stay away from 3.5". All a 3.5" shell does for you is give you more recoil, a bigger bill for buying ammo, and a lil longer shot string. The only reason there are 3.5" shotguns is because the firearms industry needed a new marketing scheme before they had thought of the short mags.

North Texan

That's what I figured. But since I'm not much of an expert on shotshells, I thought I'd ask to make sure.

retrieverman

NT
If you shop around the online gun auction, you can probably find a Benelli Super 90 for under $700. I had been looking for one for my oldest son but have just bought a couple more show heifers that set me back more than I had planned, so the shotgun will have to wait a while. I will look and let you know, but I had seen one for about $650.

Dnk

Its expensive but the only shotgun I use now. I own a few shotguns... SP10, Rem 1100, Browning BBS and Citori, Ithaca 37. The only shotgun I use now is my superblack eagle (I also have a superblack eagle slug gun as well). I use it for training dogs shooting quail as well as goose and turkey. It shoots 1 oz loads as well as the heaviest. It light enough to carry all day and I rarely clean it. I haven't cleaned my other shotguns because I don't use them anymore!

Doug S

Shotgun rules as per my buddy, I showed him this thread...

1) More is better, the more shot you toss out there the better it is. Meaning, having more lead in the air may just turn a marginally bad shot that might cripple the game, into a killing shot. It doesn't matter much on a good shot but who here makes good shots all the time.

2) Gas operated guns stink-(except for the 391s for the most part). Meaning, When they are kept clean most all of the popular models work well, when they get dirty recoil operated guns function better, when they get filthy, recoil operated guns are the only ones to have.

3) You get what you pay for in a new semi-auto. Not much else can be said except if you can't swing a new one, look for a good used one. The advise on the used Benelli Super 90 is very good. You also might look into a nice Jap A-5.

Now, I may have offended the 1100/11-87/Gold crowd and that is not my intent. My buddy and I have been shooting together for 30 years and we shoot alot, we both agree that we don't mind cleaning our guns but we don't like to have to clean them to keep them working. The 1100 is a classic and a fine gun, but they are prone to failures when dirty. You just don't see gas guns on competitive ranges very much, except for the Beretta.

Doug

North Texan

For all you inertia fans out there, I'm not sure if you're familiar with the Franchi I-12, but it uses the Benelli-type inertia system. Here is the link:

http://www.franchiusa.com/firearms/