good semi auto shot gun for the money...im hooked

so went with my buddy today to the trap and skeet range for my first time shooting a shotgun."ive shot pistols and a black powder once".i had a blast now im hooked.My buddy has a benneli super black eagle 2 and i loved it of course it is a nice gun...so im looking to get a 12gauge semi auto mostly for skeet shooting but im sure ill be going goose hunting and maybe some dove but mostly clays....im looking for a good quality gun for around $600.I want something that is reliable and a good gun i dont want to have to buy another one in the near future.... so wat should i get

 

Mossberg 835

 

for that money, i'd go with a quality pump action. i'm not sure you can even buy a quality autoloader for that little money. not to mention pump actions are way more fun to shoot.

i shoot a decent amount of clays and i would honestly recommend a remington 870 wingmaster trap gun as your first gun.

http://remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model-870/model-870-wingmaster-classic-trap.aspx

i've had my remington 870 trap gun since i was in high school (damn that is going on 20 years now ), it was my first trap gun and it's as fun to shoot now as the day i bought it. i absolutely love shooting trap with it, and it's a great gun for pheasant and quail too.

there are very few mechanical things that feels as good as sliding the action on a well oiled pump action shotgun, i kid you not. i have a benelli as well, also a pump action, very sexy gun, but the remington is just smoother. it is so well built i am sure it will be passed down to my son when he's old enough to shoot.

anyway, good luck with your decision, and have fun out there.

 

You have to handle them and see how they fit otherwise you won't hit squat. I have a Beretta Xtrema 2 and a Beretta AL390 and love them both, just my opinion though. A used Beretta 390 or 391 should be around what you want to spend, possibly even less.

 

isnt 835 a pump

 

Your best bet would be to go to a range and spend the $200 to rent a few guns and find one's that you like. I prefer Benelli or Mossberg. Before you buy a gun go take a gun safety class and get some hands on experience with them. Call your local DNR office they have safety classes for free in my area. My suggestion is that you don't even think about touching a gun until you have taken one of these. When you do hit the range find one you like buy it and shoot it some more. Guns aren't something to screw around with when you're holding one no matter what safety devices it has on it ALWAYS assume that it is loaded. Be safe and have fun.

 

Yes it is

 

i probably will take a course but ive been around guns alot and i am very safe with them trust me i dont want to shoot someone or my self....

 

I'm a long time shooter and always relied on my classic Remington 870 pump. But my brother got a beautiful Browning Semi-Auto and now I really want one! So I've been doing a lot of shopping and a lot of reading. The best I've found without breaking the bank is the Weatherby SA-08. Cheaper than most and still got great reviews from shooter mags. Check it out:

http://www.weatherby.com/product/shotguns/sa_08

Found it at wal-mart once so I imagine its not hard to get your hands on one.

 

Guns & Ammo Review: http://archives.gunsandammo.com/content/weatherby-sa08

 

I've always liked Remington 11-87 for a semi and the 870 for a pump. Both very high quality and dependable clay and bird guns. Both would probably be within your budget too.

 

the weatherby sa-08 seams to be a great gun lots of good reviews ...im leaning toward that and a great price

 

honestly, ... if it were me, i'd want to do it right and go to a shop that will "fit" a gun to you, ...a properly fitted shotgun is going to give you maximum enjoyment and success...

 

Like others have said, go to a shop with several options and see what feels good to you. Your big two options are Benellis and Berettas and to me, I can't stand the way a Benelli shoots and love how a Beretta (390) feels. I can go to a range and see the differences in my shooting as well. Now, this doesn't mean the Beretta is the greatest option out there but they do work well for me. My dad and brother both have both have Super Black Eagle II's and they swear by them. Another option that I have been considering is the Browning Silver Hunter which seems to be a pretty good gun.

 

thanks guys for the quick feedback and good advise

 

Berretta 3901 . I juat got one from dicks with all the discounts they had it came to 570