Perazzi and Beretta are fine O/U that will normally give more than most ask them to take. Kreighoffs are fine but complicated, and if not so well made with quality parts and attention to detail they would't work very long. They are expensive.
Benelli rules when it comes to semi-autos, but a girl I know has had feeding issues with hers. Dressing up a Benelli with nice wood is a waste of nice wood.
Other than recoil-which is a big other-semi-autos can be a pita. They break comparatively more frequently when used hard and require more maintenance then any other action type. Know a few clubs that use them for club guns and rentals and may have 30 or more. These get used hard and a few of them are always down waiting for a part replacement or are being fiddled with. And certain individual ones are genetically flawed and are not ever reliable.
But If it has to work come rain or shine I'll take a solid American pump.
Know a guy who shoots an 870 so much that he has gone thru a bunch of trigger parts. Only reason for issues is the trigger parts are of cheap quality to begin with. But he is the exception and probably shoots 30,000 rounds a year.
Addition: One guy I know was down in Argentina shooting Doves and he said while they were having a tody at days end the workers were going over each semi every night. Taking them apart and cleaning an oiling parts. Any that had problems that day were culled out until they started working again.
Also at the one club Beretta gives them their rental semis and replaces them on a regular basis. They want to put them in the hands of new shooters hoping for a future purchase. Not sure if the they do the same in Argentina.
Last edited by battue; 11/15/13.
