TMAC

Second week in April if the snow ever melts here, so far still 4 feet on the ground so it will take a while to see bare earth. Same old calls, same loads, new gun seems to like the old loads. No scouting yet but in the next few weeks give a look.

hmmm sounds like summer Quake, here is about 20 deg cooler and about 6+ feet of snow......enjoy

Your right Tuck about the sum of the parts and what they can do, a lot of it is percieved value regardless of the cost of parts. If the product appears to be better than most and is held in high asteem by its users then a higher price is expected.

To keep mine looking nice, in the off season I stuff them with old shirts or newspaper to help hold their form better. Keep them in the house where the temp and humidity wont distort the shape. Seems to work.

Estates are typically the least expensive I can find at Sportsmans Warehouse, but occasionally sales do pop up in other stores. Prices are really climbing!

Travis, I have a SX2 and have handled the SX3 and can tell you the mechanics are the same but the ergonomics work they did to the SX3 gives it a much better feel. The Browning Silver is a lot a like the SX3, some subtle differences but again same mechanics. None of these are bad guns. Browning and Winchester are obviously gas operated and all available in 3 1/2". The SBEII is also a 3 1/2" gun but interia driven, good proven system too. All these guns come with shims to tailor the fit. You really need to lay them all side by side and pick which one fits you the best, and also fits your budget. The only wrong choice here is no choice. My choice SX3 3 1/2" in MODB, take extra the cash you would have spent on the SBE and buy a lot of deeks, calls, or what every you need. Gonna get killed here for this reccomendation, oh well. Its just an opinion..

Tuck, those FTF's were the primary reason I couldnt stand shoot my stoeger anymore - if Leroy knew what was good for him he would ditch that think like a bad habit. God cant believe you guys are still shooting ducks and geese, looks like Siberia here in WI and cold like it too.

Looks like trap your shooting? Shoot the full choke. That and or get a trap gun if your really into it, somthing about that tactical gun and shooting trap just dont look right. To each his own.

Glad you guys settled the score. I was pretty confident in 10ga because I have a SX2 and cant seem to find an oring in the gas system either, should be almost the same as the Browning.

Lots of opinions out there. I had terrible luck with the M2000, would never hunt with one again even after a free of charge replacment gun was sent to me I promptly sold it. Franchi I-12 is very similar to the M2000 so personally I would not even look at one. If the other Benelli models you mention are in your budget then have your son handle each one of them to see which fits him better.

As long as you have clearance from the scope to the barrel you should be Ok. I just put a new scope on my Ruger M77, I went with the 40mm because I wasnt interested in a new set of rings to mount the bigger scope. Mount the rings and lay the scope in the cradle and see if you touch.

I would love to see the big flushes of birds like I have seen on TV, and heard about from others who made the trip. The birds I shot locally have been stocked each year for paying members of a club, its not a pay per bird. The club lets go 2 waves of 300 birds each year on private properties well before the season begins. $20 for membership and all current bag limit and hunting regs apply, cant find a better deal anywhere. Early in the year they are pretty stupid, but by December they get pretty warey. I am sure not like SD or other places that have a solid native population. Next year!!

I agree on the Federal wingshok, I started using them when I ran out of reloads. Good knock down power even with my 20 ga 3" magnums they fold up real nice. Killed a few birds with #4's but really messed them up, heavy meat damage and broken bones too.

Nice batch of roosters! I always talked about taking that trip with a few friends, but we always seem to get tied up with other things. I personally shot 20 birds this year in WI on stocked properties through a local club. Limit here is 1 per person opening day and then 2 a day after that. What is the SD limit per day on pheasant?

I won a hunting trip to North Dakota later this fall, it was a duck and goose hunt - all sponsored by a rather wealthy buisnessman. Food, lodging, shells and transportation included. I was great. We had a pallet of Wingmaster HD shells to use for our daily hunting. I shot boxes of #4 through mod and IC chokes at ducks, obviously IC for close stuff and mod for farther out shots depending on the day. I liken the HD to lead for killing effectivness and range, but never tried a full choke. I wouldnt personally go and buy the stuff, too expensive for me to see that much benefit. You miss and hit birds just the same. It might save you from loosing a few cripples, but thats what my dog is for.

Somebody has to put this in kit form some day, a 5 part US made kit to convert your Benelli - make a fortune

If these birds are running and flying far out on you better reach for some #4 or #5's and use a mod or full choke and prepare yourself for the 40-50 yard shots. I have been Pheasant hunting all month and since the snow came they got awefull spooky. The dog looks birdy but they are all way ahead of him, and if they bust they will be out there - so take what you can get. If you have a couple of guys you can block for each other. Forget the 7 - 8 shot, like throwing sand in the air at longer distances. You will only give the birds an eduacation, and you come home empty handed.

A private dealer with an FFL, no mark up to me just tax and shipping. He and I will be doing more buisness together in the future, plus it helps he and I work at the same company. Only problem is he can't buy Benelli, so trying out the Winchester.

No knocks on the SBEII, but for the money difference the SX2 and SX3 are damm nice guns. Gas guns we know so the differences begin there. I am doing a side by side comparison with an SX2 and a Beretta extrema, by this summer one of them is on the auction block - so far I like both but for what I spent on the Beretta could have bought two SX2 or even the SX3 with a dozen deeks a couple calls and a partridge in a pear tree. Go look at them all and lay them down side by side, shoot them if you can. Then decide. I think as long as your not considering the Stoegers then your headed in the right direction.

I picked up a NIB SX2 i3 1/2" in camo for $750 incl tax, I didnt need it but the price was right so going to compare it the Beretta and see which one stays. Just put it together and ran my first box through it last night, let me tell you this is a decent gun for the money. If you check out the new SX3 these are almost the same but lighter and better balanced.

I found upland hunting a lot easier for the dog to grasp, the waterfowl thing is in my opinion a little more difficult and will take you some time. Your dog is in his first season and from what I have notice here he isnt doing too bad. You should see improvments from year to year. My Lab is 3 now and he pretty much does what is expected, give or take a few breaks on shots he does very well. His time will come.

You really need to find someone who has an FFL and doesnt need to get rich off one purchase. I recently bought a NIB Winchester SX2 as a trap gun, far less that what any of the retailers was selling for, got price plus tax as shown in Zanders.

You could try to refinish the stock if your existing one looks bad. I did one recently for a Ruger M77, stock looked like **** but after stripping and refinishing with boiled linseed oil its really a thing of beauty. This could be a backup to the new one you intend to purchase. You can also dark stain, paint, even bleach and stain a new color if you like - many options. All these take are some time and patience.

All non crio treated benelli chokes fit the stoeger. I have two sets of factory chokes at home including one Turkey if your interested.

If it were me and the difference was $100 like you said then get the super nova, it has a few nicer features that you will appreciate the longer you own it. 870 super mag in my opinion is still tough to beat and would still remain my first choice is choosing a pump.