Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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I want to get a reliable semi-auto for dove hunting. My dad used to hunt doves and pheasants and I want him to teach me. What guns should I be looking at? Cheaper the better that can still deliver reliable cycling. I rented an 11-87 when I went skeet shooting last and it wouldn't cycle. CZ's imported shotguns look like a nice alternative. All suggestions welcome.
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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CZ 712 seems to be popular for inexpensive reliable semis among the 3 gunners. Also if you can find an ATI TACSX2 with the 18" and 24" barrels, they can cycle 2 3/4 shells with 2.75 dram without a problem (I have one). I also picked up a Stoeger M3000 26" for $460 on sale at Palmetto State, the Stoeger has an inertia drive action which means fouling is not a problem.

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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curtism1234 wrote:Out of curiosity, what loads were you shooting out of the remington?
Most autos require high dram low brass loads in order to cycle. If you grab the cheapest box of shells you can find, they are probably not powerful enough.
I forgot. I'll have to check when I get home. I didn't buy them. I won them in a couple raffles at the same skeet range I rented the gun from. Every time I've gone I've come home with more birdshot that when I left lol.
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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rltriumph wrote:Try and find a nice used remington 1100. One that was made about 20 years ago. 20 guage is more than enough unless you are strictly hunting big midwestern pheasants but a 20 will knock them down too.
I like the Remington 1100. I used one in my skeet class. It was the instructor's student gun. I can't belive how pricey they have gotten though!
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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MetalSlugIV wrote:
rltriumph wrote:Try and find a nice used remington 1100. One that was made about 20 years ago. 20 guage is more than enough unless you are strictly hunting big midwestern pheasants but a 20 will knock them down too.
I like the Remington 1100. I used one in my skeet class. It was the instructor's student gun. I can't belive how pricey they have gotten though!
A remington 11-87 is a heavy gun and toting it around for upland isn't fun. A 1100 is much lighter but I still prefer a over/under for upland. Easy to open and unload when crossing roads and fences. But I have used a auto for doves mostly and if you only are going to have one shotgun for multiple species say pheasant, turkey and waterfowl your best bang for the buck has to be a pump shotgun.
Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here! The Dude.
Skilled Labor Isn't Cheap - Cheap Labor Isn't Skilled

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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rltriumph wrote:
MetalSlugIV wrote:
rltriumph wrote:Try and find a nice used remington 1100. One that was made about 20 years ago. 20 guage is more than enough unless you are strictly hunting big midwestern pheasants but a 20 will knock them down too.
I like the Remington 1100. I used one in my skeet class. It was the instructor's student gun. I can't belive how pricey they have gotten though!
A remington 11-87 is a heavy gun and toting it around for upland isn't fun. A 1100 is much lighter but I still prefer a over/under for upland. Easy to open and unload when crossing roads and fences. But I have used a auto for doves mostly and if you only are going to have one shotgun for multiple species say pheasant, turkey and waterfowl your best bang for the buck has to be a pump shotgun.
I will also go skeet shooting on occasion. I've seen someone try to shoot a set of skeet with a pump and that didn't go too well. I love a good O/U but I was spoiled by the Citori I used. I have to have an auto shell ejector and a single trigger. I can't really afford a gun like that. For bird hunting I'd want that third shot so that is why I want a semi-auto but I'm not averse to a good O/U if the price is right and has all the features I want.
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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spara wrote:CZ 712 seems to be popular for inexpensive reliable semis among the 3 gunners. Also if you can find an ATI TACSX2 with the 18" and 24" barrels, they can cycle 2 3/4 shells with 2.75 dram without a problem (I have one). I also picked up a Stoeger M3000 26" for $460 on sale at Palmetto State, the Stoeger has an inertia drive action which means fouling is not a problem.
CZ's Corperate HQ is right over the border in Kansas City Kansas. Despite this I can never find their stuff in stock! I think they sell out too quick lol! I will give the CZ712 a good look. Maybe I can find a place that will let me shoot one before I buy.
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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I may be dredging up a dead thread, but if you are looking for a new gun, I would recommend you take a look at this one. http://www.weatherby.com/product/shotgu ... a08_upland. Lots of praise from respected sources. Also search http://www.shotgunworld.com & you will find that this question has been asked. A lot.

Good luck with your search!
Glen
"The left ones think I'm right, & the right ones think I'm wrong." Leon Russell

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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MetalSlugIV wrote:
rltriumph wrote:
MetalSlugIV wrote:
rltriumph wrote:Try and find a nice used remington 1100. One that was made about 20 years ago. 20 guage is more than enough unless you are strictly hunting big midwestern pheasants but a 20 will knock them down too.
I like the Remington 1100. I used one in my skeet class. It was the instructor's student gun. I can't belive how pricey they have gotten though!
A remington 11-87 is a heavy gun and toting it around for upland isn't fun. A 1100 is much lighter but I still prefer a over/under for upland. Easy to open and unload when crossing roads and fences. But I have used a auto for doves mostly and if you only are going to have one shotgun for multiple species say pheasant, turkey and waterfowl your best bang for the buck has to be a pump shotgun.
I will also go skeet shooting on occasion. I've seen someone try to shoot a set of skeet with a pump and that didn't go too well. I love a good O/U but I was spoiled by the Citori I used. I have to have an auto shell ejector and a single trigger. I can't really afford a gun like that. For bird hunting I'd want that third shot so that is why I want a semi-auto but I'm not averse to a good O/U if the price is right and has all the features I want.



A slick handling pump gun is really no handicap for skeet. Back in the early days of skeet, the old Winchester Model 12 pump gun was one of the most popular guns for skeet shooting and did indeed win many championships. I shot a lot of skeet with my Model 12 28 gauge and my Model 42 .410. Once you get used to it, the pumping action of the second shot becomes second nature. Now though, that skeet has become so competitive, the specialized O/U rules. A light weight auto loader is fine for the uplands, but a hunter will not be seriously handicapped with a pump action provided he practice with it and gets used to the pump action.
xvigauge

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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drigeba wrote:
MetalSlugIV wrote:I already bought a CZ 912. I Dove season is almost here! WHOOOO!
Find any birds?

it was a dismal opening day where i hunted in NorCal.

drought? different migration pattern? DFG said most guys limited out by 9am last year...

fwiw.

:whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:
I didn't get to go :( Saturday I got all kitted out with camo, a dove vest and some dove stools only to be hit with a damn head cold that had me sleeping the entire Labor Day weekend.
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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I'm at work and won't be able to hunt when I get back. I wish my company would let me hunt on their property because it is full of doves and rabbits.


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Re: Best budget semi-auto for upland birds

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I didn't have a single malfunction. To warm up my father and I went to a informal shotgun range and busted some clays thrown from a hand thrower. I need something spring loaded lol. Then we drove around to find the access to the managed sunflower fields. Plenty of other hunters had the better spots. We had to do some extra walking. Now I know why people like light guns. It's not super heavy but I need to find a way to put a sling on it while I carry it before I find my spot.

I'm going to buy a few decoys because the hunters using them got at least a couple doves fly in. It's public hunting ground so I need to outcompete other hunters in addition to fooling doves to come close to me lol.
"Let's be honest the only people who read Ayn Rand are 16 year olds and assholes"

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