New pheasant shotgun

treedaddy

treedaddy

Member
Looking to get a new 12 gauge for pheasant. I have a black Stoeger and would like something nicer and more dependable. I have decided to get something in wood. This would become my gun to use when hunting in CRP fields. I have looked at the Maxus, SX3 and the Benelli M2 and Montefeltro. Really haven't had a chance to shoot any of these guns, just looked on line. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
I have a 20 gauge Montifeltro & really like it. I'm sure the same gun in 12 would be equally as pleasing.
 
I have shot a Benelli M2 a lot duck hunting.
On the plus side, it shoots well.

On the negative side. It will malfunction in extreme cold weather and the plug has a tendency to break after several hundred rounds (heavy loads).

Gun was/is thoroughly cleaned and both things have happened to a number of different fellas all shooting Benelli's.
 
I've also used the Benelli Monte' in 20 Gauge, it is a nice gun to carry and there have been no malfunctions, I've never used it below about 20 degrees. The Benelli 12 Gauge inertia shotguns require a minimum load, they say 3 drams & 1 1/8 oz shot. This might be somewhat limiting.
 
I have a 20ga Montefeltro also, it's been a great gun..wouldn't sell it for nothing
 
treedaddy said:
Looking to get a new 12 gauge for pheasant. I have a black Stoeger and would like something nicer and more dependable. I have decided to get something in wood. This would become my gun to use when hunting in CRP fields. I have looked at the Maxus, SX3 and the Benelli M2 and Montefeltro. Really haven't had a chance to shoot any of these guns, just looked on line. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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I purchased the Montefeltro in 12 gauge ultralight. Let me tell you after slogging through CRP and/or cattails all day, that 6.25 lbs feels pretty good. I have always liked a light gun, and these are awesome. Great looking gun too. I carried my Browning gold hunter one day on my trip to SD this winter. It was like carring a lead bar all day. I have never had a problem in cold weather, I have shot it in sub zero conditions. It will take a little getting used to handling a gun that light, but after a few rounds of clays I was back to par. ( which has never been that good anyway:))
 
Franchi I12 Upland Light. They dont make them any more but you can pick a new one up for $750.00. Its on my list to buy one soon. If you scratch it up you wont feel to bad about it. My buddy has one and I got to shoot it 1 day. I just got a used Sx2 light and love it as well.
 
I've got a 12 ga. Montefeltro with a 24" barrel that I bought new in 1998. It's been an awesome shotgun. Unfortunately I don't use it too much anymore as I've gone to a couple of 16 ga's the past 3 seasons.
 
Use like zero lubrication or less on the inertia systems. Lots of mag rounds thru my sbe before the magazine spring lost it. I thought it was the bolt return spring in the stock.
 
I have a 12ga Monte with 26" barrell. Absolutely the best upland gun I have ever had. I love it and have had zero problems. And it is real pretty!

Steve
 
There were 6 of us hunting opening day, 4 of the guns were Beretta 391's, one was a Browning O/U one was a 60 year old Ithaca 37 20 guage. The Browning's backup gun left in the truck was another 391. The Ithaca was carried for the first time in many years, its backup was a 391. There are 3 others that have joined us on opening day in recent years, they all shoot a 391.

We like them. :)
 
I have a 12 ga Montefeltro. I have had it now for 3 seasons and have put some where around 3000 rounds thru it. Prior to the Montefeltro, I shot a 12 ga Winchester pump for 25 years. I also have a Belgium Browning Auto-5 that I purchased last year from an uncle.

I LOVE my Montefeltro because:

It has never jammed.
It has great looking wood.
It is simple to take apart, and to clean.
It is a good looking gun.
It has an adjustable stock (shims come standard with each one)
It patterns great.
It still looks new.
I shoot it better than any other shotgun I have ever shot.
I have shot 1 oz #8s to 1 5/8 oz #2s and it eats them all up without a hiccup.

I use it mainly for hunting wild pheasants in Nebraska and South Dakota, but also have used it duck hunting, and shooting sporting clays, along with shooting clays in the back pasture with my kids.

There is only one thing that I don't like about it. On a Browning Auto-5 you can remove the shell in the chamber and the action will lock open and not allow another shell to be loaded if you flip the magizine cutoff lever. On the Montefeltro you can also unload the shell in the chamber and another shell will not load unless the magazine cut off switch is engaged. Except the action will not lock open.. If the Montefeltro did this it would have no equal in my book.

I am a fairly big guy, 6' 2" and 235 lbs so recoil is not really an issue. I will trade the robust and flawless recoil operated Montefeltro over any gas operated shotgun that requires much more cleaning and care to perform in the same way as a montefeltro.

Simply put, I love my Montefeltro.

Now before all you gas guys jump all over me, here are the gas operated shotguns I shot before buying my Montefeltro.
Berretta
Winchester SX 2
Remington 1100
Browning Gold

All excellent shotguns, but would not trade my Montefeltro for any of them.

:thumbsup:
 
I've got a Benelli M1, had a Monte and a Legacy...and now a Maxus. I'll never look back. The Maxus (for me) is the best handling and shooting auto I've ever had...and I'm not an auto fan. Best of luck on your decision, they are all good choices.
 
JMc
Do you have any problem getting the safety off on the Maxus compared to your other guns? It looks more rounded than the safety on my Sweet 16. I use a Stoeger 2000 to pheasant hunt with in nasty weather and in the sloughs, and I will miss a bird or two every trip to South Dakota because I won't get the safety off in time. That never happens with my Browning. I like the looks of the Maxus but I wish the safety was like the old Auto 5's.
 
No, I have not had any issues with the safety. It is a pretty big button and works very smoothly on my Maxus. I have the Black Stalker but have handled the Hunter (wood) and think it would be just as easy. It is a great handling and shooting shotgun.
 
Live2Hunt said:
I have shot a Benelli M2 a lot duck hunting.
On the plus side, it shoots well.

On the negative side. It will malfunction in extreme cold weather and the plug has a tendency to break after several hundred rounds (heavy loads).

Gun was/is thoroughly cleaned and both things have happened to a number of different fellas all shooting Benelli's.
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Replace the recoil and magazine springs with wulff +20% and your problems will be solved. I was so frustrated by my M-2 I almost sent it back. I used to sit in the blind and work the bolt just to keep it cycling. You would think for that kind of money it would be good to go out of the box, but for 25.00 spent on better springs you will never have another problem.
Any one else not like to shoot there 391 with gloves on? I have accidentally discharged mine several times wearing gloves. Twice in the blind , which wasn't bad because I was pulling up on ducks, and once in the field drawing on a pheasant. I have stopped using it all together in cold weather, it is not worth the risk.
 
BrownDogsCan2 said:
Replace the recoil and magazine springs with wulff +20% and your problems will be solved. I was so frustrated by my M-2 I almost sent it back. I used to sit in the blind and work the bolt just to keep it cycling. You would think for that kind of money it would be good to go out of the box, but for 25.00 spent on better springs you will never have another problem. ....
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Thank you BDC2 for the advice it is appreciated. I have had similar advice from others. And yes for the amount the weapon costs...I would assume they use top quality in all areas.

My solution to the problem was/is a bit different.

Use a SxS and don't worry about it.

I am afraid I have zero use for a semi automatic shotgun. That is just me. Now before I get hammered about this one or that one and how they just need less oil more oil cleaned this way or that. This type of shell or that type.bla bla bla.

I have shot many semi autos over the years. Only had an issue a few times. In some cases, the issues may have been from reloaded shells that I use, but not in the case I outlined before.

Never had an issue of any kind with a O/U or a SxS. For me they work and that is what I will stick with.:cheers:

Treedaddy you asked for opinions and mine is...get a O/U or SxS, (that Browning Cynergy in a synthetic stock is sexxy) but I know you were asking about a couple of different types of semi autos and that is what mine and several others I hunt with have had happen to a Benelli SBE 12GA 3 1/2" using heavy loads.
 
I have a montefeltro 20 and a SBE 2 and both are great guns. The Monte is light, which is greatly appreciated after a long day in the field, and shoots great. My SBE 2 is a workhorse and I love it.

When it comes to cleaning the Monte does not allow you to get to the chamber/lever as it is cased. The SBE opens up and you can get in there easily.

I love them both but my wife surprised me with a Beretta 686 white onyx 20 gauge O/U for Christmas so they both sit cleaned and in the safe.
 
Bughucker said:
I love them both but my wife surprised me with a Beretta 686 white onyx 20 gauge O/U for Christmas so they both sit cleaned and in the safe.
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Once you get a season or two under your belt with a O/U for those who feel uneasy about not having the 3rd, 4th or 5th shot of a auto-loader. That worry goes away and the reliability and shootability of the O/U becomes irreplaceable. Ya I have been empty and had a nice bird jump up and had another hunter with a auto-loader spank him out of the air. I also have had the opportunity to repay those guys when their auto has had a malfunction that left them fumbling to clear the jam.
 
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