Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Best Do It All shotgun?

I shoot a few Dove and Quail but am mainly a rifle guy so am soliciting experience formed opinions on what the best Do It All shotgun would be. Do It All being mostly dove and quail with occasional waterfowl.

I would want nice walnut or a synthetic walnut. My son has a Beretta A390 with a synthetic walnut finished stock that is absolutely gorgeous. You have to look really hard to tell it’s not walnut, but, alas, as near as I can tell, they don’t offer that option for their stocks anymore.

What do you shotgun aficionados recommend?

Thanks,

John

Benelli or Beretta...

One doesn't exist....yet all the options do in specific examples...

Dove and Quail...Model 12's, 870's, and other pumps, all the SA's, O/U's and SxS in specific models....I like pumps, O/U's and SxS's....and can find a best do it all from each example...
Today pumps are the shotgun equivalent of the stick shift.....Most can't figure how to run one, except in slow motion and don't try....although they may be the most reliable and take less care than any of the others...

Same with Waterfowl.....although I would most likely pick a different variation of each....

Well put and I agree.

Battue, I expect you are on the road now.

No, leaving early Monday morning...We are supposed to be there Tues afternoon...Long haul tomorrow, then short trip in on Tues....My vote was leave tomorrow, but the other guy had cut down trees to get out of the front yard...

Hard to find a bad scattergun these days unless you really go bottom barrel stuff. Remington 11-87, Beretta autos, Benelli are all really good and will cover most of not all game/games.
If you can go to your local trap and skeet club and shoot some stuff and see what fits, shotguns are all about fit.

I recommend you go auto, Battue put it real well, pumps are like a stick shift.

The do all shotgun, 16ga/16ga/7x57R with QR Claw mounts.



The little 1.5x woods scope not enough snap on another.



Or pop the scope off and go bird hunting as the bases are set into the rib.

I have done it all, grouse, pheasants, rabbits, turkeys, waterfowl, crows, predators, deer for over 4 decades with a pump gun. Have had o/u's and sxs's but still prefer a pump for hunting.

What's your budget?

A model 37 Ithaca for me. After owning and still owning O/U's and auto's gas and inertia nothing puts the game in the bag as consistently as my 37's .

20 ga Ithaca 37's ?

LOL!!! I love you guys!! You you recommend a Mosin-Nagant to a guy asking for a rifle recommendation too

Shooter grade model 12, 12 ga.

Quail and dove? Benelli M2 20 ga. It'll even kill pheasants and grouse if you get into them. Heck, with the right ammo, even waterfowl isn't out of the question. If you're on a budget, the Rem 870 is about as "do it all" as they come. But if I were you, I'd just borrow your sons 390 and go hunting.

Leaning toward one of these.

https://fabarmusa.com/l4s-initial-hunter/

Anyone have any experience with them?

John

Yep!

You answered you own question my mentioning your son’s Beretta 390. That said, I’ll second two shotguns mentioned above, the Winchester Model 12 and Ithaca Model 37. I may get flamed, but I like the Remington semi-autos as well.

I'd say pick your favorite 12 gauge pump or autoloader, being sure to pick a good model with a reputation for reliability. Get it with a 26" barrel with screw in chokes. For waterfowl it shouldn't be too light, for upland not too heavy, so a compromise weight is necessary For heavy loads I'd make sure it had a quality recoil pad. I know a lot of folks with only one shotgun, and it is usually a 12 gauge autoloader nowadays.

Benelli M2 20 guage has killed ducks, geeses, pheasants, and grouse. The forend appears to be defective and sticky, but overall been a great shotgun. Now need to call Benelli to get replacement forend.

Gosh, I'd hate to have to pick one, but if I did, I'd pick a benelli M2 or SBE.