Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Inertia vs gas operated

Looking into going to a semi automatic 12 gauge, which do you guys prefer ? I’ve had a Remington 870 for several years

I bought a cheap Girsan MC312 that is a close copy of a Benelli for a little over $300 bucks. It's a shooting son of a gun that I don't mind loaning out to family or scratching the cheap plastic furniture. My first inertia powered shotgun. The thing is built like a Turkish tank.

What are you going to use it for mainly?

Target=Gas and Hunting=Inertia

Try the Franchi Affinity(inertia). I have one in 20ga. I use it for everything from quail to geese and turkeys. I’m very satisfied with it and it didn’t break the bank. Oh, it’s light weight too.

I have a Beretta AL391 Urika Optima and it's a bird-killing, clay busting machine that's a lot easier on the shoulder for a full day of shooting. Functions flawlessly every time. I would go with gas operated every time, but of course, YMMV. Of course, the current models are the A300 & A400, both excellent shotguns. My son shoots the Winchester Super X3 & has never had a malfunction and loves that shotgun as well. There are a lot of good choices these days.

If you are happy with the 870 and it fits you good you may want to consider a V3. Same stock dimensions except the 870 has 2 1/2 drop at heel and the V3 has 2 7/16 drop. I personally don't have a preference gas vs inertia. Have fun shopping.

I prefer inertia, although have several gas guns. Its largely a reliability thing. I've watched more gas guns go down in the duck blind over the years than inertia guns. And most in my group hunt inertia. Finally, inertia is much easier to clean.

Having said that, my SX3 was used a bunch this year in the flooded timber and didn't miss a beat.

Find what fits you.

How's that for a non-answer?

You could run for office!

I vote inertia .

I have both, and I cast a strong vote for gas. Hunting or clays, I prefer gas shotguns. I hunt flooded timber for ducks, where I swear that I get a faster follow up shot with a gas gun.

Never owned an inertia gun. The Benellis are over-priced, IMO and from some of the quality issues I've seen (mostly POI / POA problems) they may well be overrated.

That being said......... I have had both a Super X2 and a Super X3 for a lot of years. I'm still waiting on my first disappointment of any kind.

P.S. My buddy shoots the living snot outta his Super X4 in the goose field every weekend of the season and has since the SX4 was introduced.

He's wait on HIS first disappointment, as well.

Hmm I made it to AA Class and 4 punches shy of Master Class with a Benelli M1 Super 90. What are these quality issues? I have three all with over 30K rounds one with over 100K. It is by far the preferred gun for the dove fields south of the border! Arguably the best duck and goose gun ever made. Proof of this is it has been copied several times.

That sums up my feelings too. I've hunted with a variety of pumps, Remington 1100's and 11-87's and a Beretta 391. I can't say much negative about any of them, but several years back I ran across one of the Benelli M-1's used at a price too good not to buy. This was right after the newer M-2 came out and some guy had a lightly used 1 year old M-1 and he just had to upgrade to the M2. He sold it to me cheap.

I simply fell in love with it. I shoot it better than all of the others. It is much lighter than any of the gas guns, even more so than my 870. Yes, it does recoil more than the gas guns, but no more than the pumps or a double. While pump guns are mechanically extremely reliable, they do fail from operator error. From my perspective I get the same mechanical reliability in harsh muddy, icy outdoor conditions without the chance for operator error.

But I'm not sure I'd want the recoil if I were a high volume clays shooter. I'm primarily a hunter who will get in a few rounds of sporting clays. The Benelli works for what I use it for

Still have a Remington 20 gauge model 48, wonderful light kicking gun. Bought a Remington 11-48 12 gauge, same gun, different gauge. Kicked like h*ll! Gave it to my marine son. Both are non-gas, or inertia as I guess you call them. The 12 gauge seemed to have a double kick, an initial recoil impulse and then
another slam immediately after the initial recoil. I've got 12 gauge pumps, Ithaca featherweight 37 12 gauge plastic buttplate, for example, that kicks less than the 12 gauge 11-48. Always wondered if that heavy bolt slamming back in the 11-48 contributed to the sense in increased recoil.

I like them both also, am quite keen on the Benelli Montefeltro, as a lightweight gun that also has excellent shooting dynamics.

That said, I’ve never felt a more shootable waterfowl gun than Beretta’s gas powered A400 Extrema. It handles beautifully, evens works with light target loads.

Have both also, I'm guessing your mainly hunting with the 870 with maybe some practice clay shooting now and then? I think the recoil argument of inertia doesn't really come into play until using heavy loads, but recoil perception varies. I would have a hard time choosing between my benelli and the beretta 390. If you want to shoot 3 1/2 inch, 12s with any regularity I would say the gas gun for sure. Have used the 390 for many years before I ever shot a benelli so I might pick that one just because of my history with it and not giving up an old friend. I could hunt anything that a shotgun could hunt with either one.

First question below: Full blown target guns vs field guns tend to have different configurations. Most often barrel length for most, perhaps camo vs wood, high rib vs flat rib, straight comb vs monte carlo, etc....




Give this consideration:




2nd Question:

How much are you going to use it? 1000 rounds per year, less or more?

Less than a couple flats a year, get whichever one you like. Beretta or Benelli would be my recommendations.

Doesn't matter in a quality gun. Just personal preference. Do you like where the safety is on the gun? Do you like a flat or stepped rib? Do you want a gun that shoots to bead or do you like to float the target? These are more important than inertia vs gas.

Inertia guns have a problem with the bolt coming out of battery, but you fix that with a spring upgrade. The point above about staying with a gun that will be similar to what you already know how to shoot is a good one.