Shotgun inertia or gas?

[bobinpa]

Several years ago I went on a sea duck hunt in Massachusetts in January. Coldest hunt I've ever been on! I took a Rem 11-87 special purpose and a Browning Gold. Both 12 gauge 3 1/2" guns. They froze up like crazy after they were shot. They were fine first thing in the morning but after I shot a few times they would freeze. Only thing I could think of was the condensation in the gas system maybe. In the evenings, I would clean them and reassemble. Next day, same thing. Cold as heck and they would function fine for 12-15 shots. If they set still for an extended period of time, might work, might not. VERY frustrating. My buddy took a Benelli and it NEVER missed a beat. When I got home, I immediately sold those guns and bought a SBE2. I never went sea duck hunting again, but I'm happy with it in all the other hunting I've done with it (ducks and turkeys). Recoil isn't bad at all. Not as soft as a gas gun but way softer than a pump or break open.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Beretta is the answer.

 

[daylate]

As a rule inertia operated is lighter to carry, gas is softer shooting. One of my favorites is a 20 guage franchi (inertia operated) it is very light to carry and the 20 doesen't beat you. I've had Frranchis in 12 ga, but not for long

I also went to the 20 Franchi Affinity A few years back.Haven’t used the 12 since.It is a turkey killing fool with tunsten #7s and soft recoil with 3” 1 1/2 ounce loads

 

[AckleymanII]

Bobinpa, lube is the answer...just hard to believe how dumb butt simple it is.

 

[muleman69]

Definitely check out a beretta semi auto. My first one was a 303 that I used to shoot doubles with at trap. I shot it all year and never touched it to clean it. It had thousands of rounds through it. I had to soak the piston and action rod in a coffee can of kerosene to get the piston off the piston rod whe I finally did clean it. At that point it had stopped cycling with 9ne ounce loads. I've got 4 303's, three 390's and a 391 and a extrema 3 1/2 inch so i guess you could say I'm a bit biased!!

Thats funny, one tough shotgun for sure

 

[AckleymanII]

When I finally cleaned my 390, I soaked the gas piston and action rod in FREE ALL penetrating oil, took a while, but soaking beat the dickens out of scrubbing!!

Also, learned from some Olympic team shooters to keep the plastic out of the barrels and chokes...Duhhh.....
never thought of this...

Also, if you like ease of cleaning the wad and lead out of shotgun barrels and chokes, try this product that proved so effective that the Marines adopted it:

Hilco Wipes

 

[Sandstorm]

Hilco Wipes

Where do you buy this stuff.?

 

[JSH]

I have an SBE I. Zero complaints from me. It eats anything and everything 12 gauge. Major use of this was duck and goose hunting. It has seen use on doves as well.
I will admit I also have an 1100. I always keep an extra o ring close no matter what, though I have never had one fail myself. Seems others I hunted and shot with had problems at times.

I won’t even go into not cleaning guns. I have no idea what the issue is with that subject.
I clean my guns after EVERY outing, 1 shot or 101, makes no difference. Keep em clean and they will have way fewer issues, gas or inertia.

 

[shoot4fun]

Several years ago I went on a sea duck hunt in Massachusetts in January. Coldest hunt I've ever been on! I took a Rem 11-87 special purpose and a Browning Gold. Both 12 gauge 3 1/2" guns. They froze up like crazy after they were shot. They were fine first thing in the morning but after I shot a few times they would freeze. Only thing I could think of was the condensation in the gas system maybe. In the evenings, I would clean them and reassemble. Next day, same thing. Cold as heck and they would function fine for 12-15 shots. If they set still for an extended period of time, might work, might not. VERY frustrating. My buddy took a Benelli and it NEVER missed a beat. When I got home, I immediately sold those guns and bought a SBE2. I never went sea duck hunting again, but I'm happy with it in all the other hunting I've done with it (ducks and turkeys). Recoil isn't bad at all. Not as soft as a gas gun but way softer than a pump or break open.

I know for a 100% fact Benelli will freeze up too. It was 4 degrees in a turkey blind.

 

[bobinpa]

Bobinpa, lube is the answer...just hard to believe how dumb butt simple it is.

If i didn't go through the headache in Massachusetts myself I would agree with you 100%. I tried 4 different things while I was there. In the evening after hunting, I would strip the guns down and clean them and lube them. I used Rem oil, didn't help, and I used G96, didn't help. 1st day I used a "heavy" coat of Rem oil. 2nd day I used a very light coat of G96, same result. Frozen gun. Next I tried 100% silicone and then I went to a dry lube (can't remember what). Same result. Frozen guns. I say frozen because one day I had the chance to put one in the truck and warm it up, and then it would work.
I'm not saying that lube isn't the answer, but based on what I went through, it sure didn't seem like it.

 

[std7mag]

When i was looking for a new shotgun, after a LOT of research, (and with my limited budget) i finally settled on a CZ720.
Gas operated.
Lighter than my buddy's 870.
Less recoil than my buddy's 870.
Doesn't take long at all to clean.
Comes with 5 chokes.
And it's own hard case.
Price was $479.

 

[jplahr]

Get yourself a Winchester SX3 I have shot all of them and this has been the best

 

[jk80]

I have an SBE I. Zero complaints from me. It eats anything and everything 12 gauge. Major use of this was duck and goose hunting. It has seen use on doves as well.
I will admit I also have an 1100. I always keep an extra o ring close no matter what, though I have never had one fail myself. Seems others I hunted and shot with had problems at times.

I won’t even go into not cleaning guns. I have no idea what the issue is with that subject.
I clean my guns after EVERY outing, 1 shot or 101, makes no difference. Keep em clean and they will have way fewer issues, gas or inertia.

My k-80's get cleaned once a year whether they need it or not! If I cleaned them every time I shot them I'd be doing it almost daily. They get wiped down and new grease where needed every time I'm done for the day. One I've had since 1991 and has well over 500,000 rounds through it. I must be doing something right.

 

[ebb]

You are not asking the right question. The only thing you need to know is Beretta. My friends shoot doves and parakeets in Chile and Argentina. They shoot 4 to 5 cases of shells every day. The outfitter says the only thing that will come close to holding up is Beretta. They shoot 30,000 shots through a gun then send it back to the factory in the off season for a rebuild then after another 30,000 they are trash. Skip says the outfitter gives you a heavy leather glove for the hand that goes on the forend because the gun gets so hot you cannot hold it.

 

[muleman69]

Anyone tried a Maxus?

 

[muleman69]

My k-80's get cleaned once a year whether they need it or not! If I cleaned them every time I shot them I'd be doing it almost daily. They get wiped down and new grease where needed every time I'm done for the day. One I've had since 1991 and has well over 500,000 rounds through it. I must be doing something right.

Who makes the K-80

 

[shoot4fun]

Who makes the K-80

Krieghoff but, to my knowledge, all K-80's are O/U shotguns.
One could argue they are THE best O/U in the world but not relevant to an auto shotgun thread.

 

[jk80]

Krieghoff but, to my knowledge, all K-80's are O/U shotguns.
One could argue they are THE best O/U in the world but not relevant to an auto shotgun thread.

Yes, k-80's are made by Krieghoff. They make o/u and combo sets with o/u and a single barrel. Guess it's not relevant to a semi auto thread, I was only commenting on the need to clean a gun every time its shot. In tournaments I have put over 3000 shells through one over a week. I'd be cleaning constantly if I did it every time it was used. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[CharlieNC]

Come over to the dark side and get an O/U! Better handling, lighter, and if you can't hit with two shots then go home lol.

 

[shoot4fun]

Yes, k-80's are made by Krieghoff. They make o/u and combo sets with o/u and a single barrel. Guess it's not relevant to a semi auto thread, I was only commenting on the need to clean a gun every time its shot. In tournaments I have put over 3000 shells through one over a week. I'd be cleaning constantly if I did it every time it was used. Sorry for the confusion.

I usually will run a bore snake thru the barrel/barrels as applicable and wipe of any dust and fingerprints from the metal. On a semi-auto I will break it down and give a thorough cleaning to the internals about ev very 300 or so rounds.
There is no shame in owning, shooting and professing one's love for the K-80. I was merely trying to make sure the OP knew the K-80, while a fantastic gun, was not what his thread was discussing.