Semi auto 12?

22Rimfire

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Looking at picking up a semi auto 12 gauge. Looking for something that is softer shooting than a Mossberg 500 pump I’ve used for the last 10 years. I suspect I would be best served with a 20 gauge but I’ve got a ton 12 gauge shells already.

Is it possible to keep under $600? Was thinking an 1187 or 1100. I am a fan of blued steel and walnut but that isn’t a requirement


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Are you looking on the “tactical” side or hunting/Clays side?
If it’s the latter you can’t do much better than a Beretta A300 Outlander.
Should be able to get a wood stocked model for that price, but their barrels are more of a parkerized finish than blued.

A lot of 20 gauges actually have more felt recoil than 12 gauges since they’re often a pound or two lighter.
 
I have a 935 which feels like less recoil than the 500 does. Something about the semi autos design helps reduce felt recoil as it uses some of the energy to cycle the bolt carrier group.
 
I like my Stoeger M2k a lot.
Inexpensive and just works well, little recoil
 
I love my Benelli Montfeltro Super 90 but it's lightweight and does have a little recoil.
 
Thank you for the recommendations so far. Not looking for tactical at all. Prefer blued and walnut stocked but I won’t be super picky if it’s a cheaper gun. Something to shoot some clays with my buddies is all I’m looking for. Needs to be able to cycle light loads as that’s what I’ll be using 98% of the time


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Thank you for the recommendations so far. Not looking for tactical at all. Prefer blued and walnut stocked but I won’t be super picky if it’s a cheaper gun. Something to shoot some clays with my buddies is all I’m looking for. Needs to be able to cycle light loads as that’s what I’ll be using 98% of the time


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You should be able to get a synthetic A300 for about $500 and wood for less than $600, but the market is crazy right now so it might need to normalize first.
I have experience with 3 A300s and all cycled 1 ounce loads at 1150-1180 FPS right out of the box. Beretta semi autos are notoriously soft shooting and the A300 is a steal in my opinion. It is a hybrid between the 391 and A400 designs, which is to say it has the engineering of shotguns with retail prices of $1500+. The bolt and recoil assembly are right out of a 391 and the gas piston is from the easier to clean A400.

Where the cost reductions come in are wood that isn’t as nice as the top of the line berettas and the parkerized barrel instead of nice shiny bluing.
 
several of the Turkish made autos sold under various names (Stoeger, TC, Yildiz, etc) are pretty good but I like my Franchi AL48 or any other Browning long recoil operated auto. Less to break and maintain than an O-ringed gas gun for sure.
The 1148 Remington is out there and made with quality and usually priced cheap although you won't get screw in chokes unless you have it threaded.
 
CZ-USA 1012 is a nice gun too. Around $500 online. I'm partial to gas guns since they have less recoil. I shoot a lot of 3" at waterfowl (I said shoot at, not hit! LOL) and it's just easier to get back on with a gas gun, IMO. Winchester SX3's and SX4's are gas but a bit above your budget.
 
Weatherby SA-08 is one of the softest shooting semi I have ever had my hands on.

Mossberg markets a version of this gun as well. Neither one is made by the brand they are marked.

Made in Turkey by ATA. Also known as the Tristar Viper. I guarantee the Tristar is made well and probably has better furniture for less money.

Academy carries a blued one with walnut furniture for $519+tax.
 
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H&K stamped Benelli M1-Super 90. You can find them for $650-$750 if you shop around.
 
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I picked up a winchester model 50 a couple months ago from a Going out of marriage sale. I shot it a couple times just to make sure it would go bang. It was the lightest recoiling 12ga I have ever fired, including most Rem & brownings. If you can find one, check it out. They were made in the late 50's early 60's . IF you want to talk about it, PM me.
 
I probably should not bring them up until I pick up a couple ... look at Retay ... specifically the Gordion model. They’re a Turkish version of the Benelli Inertia Drive system ... they run and cycle very clean with great reliability. The polymer version is street priced about $700 ... walnut goes about $800. Yeah, I know it over your budget but the Inertia Drive system is cleaner (no gases blown back fir operation) and very simple maintenance. As to maintenance I actually don’t do much more than an annual on my Inertia Drive Benelli ... with simple wipe downs and a few drops of lube in between.
 
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