Opinions needed please

[mrbc]

So currently I own a Winchester SXP pump shotgun and love it's inertia system, but my attention has been drawn to semi-autos and after all the research and videos have not been able to decide.
First is the Benelli M-4 Tactical, we know the stats... (around $1900)
Second is the Beretta 1301 Tactical, this sports the blink system which is advertised as 36% faster than any other semi. (around $1600)
Finaly is the Remington Versa max which I don't think is really in the running any more so unless someone has definitive proof that it is the one we shall concentrate on the first two.
Recoil between the two is negligible from what I've seen and read and the couple hundred dollar price diff is not an issue.
So lets hear from the owners.

[carlson1]

I have a Langdon Tactical 1301 and would not trade it for anything. Great gun and Earnest has put everything on it you could want.

The only issue if he doesn’t have one in stock you have to wait, but the wait isn’t long normally.

[mrbc]

I have a Langdon Tactical 1301 and would not trade it for anything. Great gun and Earnest has put everything on it you could want.

The only issue if he doesn’t have one in stock you have to wait, but the wait isn’t long normally.

Yes, I've seen the Langdon series and do like them but with everything on backorder I would probably source the parts myself and do the install.
But, as of now I am highly undecided on brand.

[C-dub]

I have a Benelli M2 3-Gun. It probably has the same system and has been fantastic. The only time it has ever failed to go bang is the two times I activated the safety and forgot to deactivate it before yelling "pull." It has been so reliable that I'm able to tease the other guys in my club when their semis malfunction and no one says anything to me about mine.

I don't know what that "blink" system is, but I can fire 4 rounds before the first empty case hits the ground. I can fire it from my hip, not against it, with regular #8 1oz 1290fps loads and still have it cycle properly through multiple rounds. I was trying this to see if it would before letting my wife shoot it just to see what her options were if she ever needed to use it. She's petite at only 5' tall and after firing it once decided she didn't want to do that again. So, FYI, it seems to be a little much for a smaller woman. My daughter, OTHO, is around 5'5" and much more of an athlete and fires it just fine. She still prefers her 20ga O/U, but would shoot the Benelli.

Here's the M4 in action.

[carlson1]

Aother option might be a Beretta A300. It is almost like the 1301, but a lot less money.

[The Annoyed Man]

I would love a Beretta 1301, but have neither the funds or a real need, and another Benelli is way beyond my current income. That said, I do own a Benelli SBE II, and when it works, it’s wonderful. However, I’ve never been able to get to to reliably feed a third round with 2-3/4" #7.5 or #8 bird shot. Upon firing the chambered round, it feeds both the 2nd and 3rd rounds nose to tail onto the lifter, and it seizes up the gun's action. It requires disassembly to clear it. I’ve been told by some bird-hunting friends of mine that this is a known ongoing problem with the SBE series, but that they will digest 3" or 3-1/2" bird loads, and 2-3/4 buckshot or slugs just fine. For that reason, I tend to shy away from semiauto inertia-based systems.

Some years ago, I bought a Mossberg 930 SPX Tactical, which is a gas-operated shotgun. It has never failed to fire or cycle any kind of load, and it accepts 3" shells. That said, for tactical purposes, 2-3/4" shells are just fine. No, it’s not the absolute sexiest combat shotgun, but it’s reliable, and it’s substantially more affordable than the Benelli or Beretta products. My only real complaint about the 930 is that the fore-end could stand to be slimmed down just a little.

Also, the Mossberg gas system produces more comfortable recoil than my Benelli's inertial system. Gas fouling of the piston hasn’t been an issue so far, and I don’t feel badly armed because of it. Mossberg now offers the 935 and 940 series,which are basically an upgrade of the 930 series. I added a ventilated Marine Spacer Tube from or3gun.com which is one of the primary internal upgrades found in the 935/940 guns, as well as an extended bolt release button.


Anyway, the Benelli and Beretta shotguns are very cool, and I would LOVE to own a 1301, but if money is an issue, I would take a hard look at the Mossberg 930/935/940 series of shotguns. Just a thought.

[Grayling813]

I would love a Beretta 1301, but have neither the funds or a real need, and another Benelli is way beyond my current income. That said, I do own a Benelli SBE II, and when it works, it’s wonderful. However, I’ve never been able to get to to reliably feed a third round with 2-3/4" #7.5 or #8 bird shot. Upon firing the chambered round, it feeds both the 2nd and 3rd rounds nose to tail onto the lifter, and it seizes up the gun's action. It requires disassembly to clear it. I’ve been told by some bird-hunting friends of mine that this is a known ongoing problem with the SBE series, but that they will digest 3" or 3-1/2" bird loads, and 2-3/4 buckshot or slugs just fine. For that reason, I tend to shy away from semiauto inertia-based systems.

Some years ago, I bought a Mossberg 930 SPX Tactical, which is a gas-operated shotgun. It has never failed to fire or cycle any kind of load, and it accepts 3" shells. That said, for tactical purposes, 2-3/4" shells are just fine. No, it’s not the absolute sexiest combat shotgun, but it’s reliable, and it’s substantially more affordable than the Benelli or Beretta products. My only real complaint about the 930 is that the fore-end could stand to be slimmed down just a little.

Also, the Mossberg gas system produces more comfortable recoil than my Benelli's inertial system. Gas fouling of the piston hasn’t been an issue so far, and I don’t feel badly armed because of it. Mossberg now offers the 935 and 940 series,which are basically an upgrade of the 930 series. I added a ventilated Marine Spacer Tube from or3gun.com which is one of the primary internal upgrades found in the 935/940 guns, as well as an extended bolt release button.


Anyway, the Benelli and Beretta shotguns are very cool, and I would LOVE to own a 1301, but if money is an issue, I would take a hard look at the Mossberg 930/935/940 series of shotguns. Just a thought.

I second the Mossberg....I have a 940 Pro Tactical. Has cycled everything from the cheapest bird shot to slugs.

[Jose_in_Dallas]

Aother option might be a Beretta A300. It is almost like the 1301, but a lot less money.

I was just going to mention the A300 Patrol would be a great readily available and affordable buy. I have the 1301 my person, not "Langdonized" but slowly putting it together myself with his components. I heard the A300 is "just" as fast but most people will never know the difference. I like to have a backup to everything that are the same or very similar. 2 similar Glock's, 2 similar AR's, and I would definitely look at an A300 when I'm ready to get another shotgun.

[Excaliber]

I would love a Beretta 1301, but have neither the funds or a real need, and another Benelli is way beyond my current income. That said, I do own a Benelli SBE II, and when it works, it’s wonderful. However, I’ve never been able to get to to reliably feed a third round with 2-3/4" #7.5 or #8 bird shot. Upon firing the chambered round, it feeds both the 2nd and 3rd rounds nose to tail onto the lifter, and it seizes up the gun's action. It requires disassembly to clear it. I’ve been told by some bird-hunting friends of mine that this is a known ongoing problem with the SBE series, but that they will digest 3" or 3-1/2" bird loads, and 2-3/4 buckshot or slugs just fine. For that reason, I tend to shy away from semiauto inertia-based systems.

Some years ago, I bought a Mossberg 930 SPX Tactical, which is a gas-operated shotgun. It has never failed to fire or cycle any kind of load, and it accepts 3" shells. That said, for tactical purposes, 2-3/4" shells are just fine. No, it’s not the absolute sexiest combat shotgun, but it’s reliable, and it’s substantially more affordable than the Benelli or Beretta products. My only real complaint about the 930 is that the fore-end could stand to be slimmed down just a little.

Also, the Mossberg gas system produces more comfortable recoil than my Benelli's inertial system. Gas fouling of the piston hasn’t been an issue so far, and I don’t feel badly armed because of it. Mossberg now offers the 935 and 940 series,which are basically an upgrade of the 930 series. I added a ventilated Marine Spacer Tube from or3gun.com which is one of the primary internal upgrades found in the 935/940 guns, as well as an extended bolt release button.


Anyway, the Benelli and Beretta shotguns are very cool, and I would LOVE to own a 1301, but if money is an issue, I would take a hard look at the Mossberg 930/935/940 series of shotguns. Just a thought.

I second the Mossberg....I have a 940 Pro Tactical. Has cycled everything from the cheapest bird shot to slugs.

+1 on the Mossberg 940,

[Rafe]

Based on a conversation here on the forum in August 2022 (where TAM told me about his Mossberg 930: viewtopic.php?p=1325355#p1325355) I finally bought my first semi-auto shotgun and chose the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical. I'd love to have a Benelli, but it wasn't in the budget and, having used pumps all my life rather than semis, I wasn't sure how I'd I adapt to a new administrative manual-at-arms.

I ended up paying exactly $1,000 (well, technically, $999.99) for the Mossy. I'll admit I've never tried it with low-recoil shells--don't feel the need for the low-recoil, diminished muzzle velocity stuff--but have fed it all sorts of 2.75" and 3" shells from #8 through 000 and slugs. Only had a couple of hiccups, and those were my fault when I was practicing swapping-in different shells during live fire.

If it had been in the budget, I'd probably have gone straight to the Benelli. But I put a Holosun HS510C on the optic-ready Mossberg, got it a good sling, and came in at a total cost just under $1,400. I'm happy with it and, while I won't be getting rid of my trusty, reliable pump guns, I was sold on the semi-auto as soon as I zapped off a few rapid-fire rounds. A double-tap of double-aught is a beautiful thing.

[Grayling813]

Based on a conversation here on the forum in August 2022 (where TAM told me about his Mossberg 930: viewtopic.php?p=1325355#p1325355) I finally bought my first semi-auto shotgun and chose the Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical. I'd love to have a Benelli, but it wasn't in the budget and, having used pumps all my life rather than semis, I wasn't sure how I'd I adapt to a new administrative manual-at-arms.

I ended up paying exactly $1,000 (well, technically, $999.99) for the Mossy. I'll admit I've never tried it with low-recoil shells--don't feel the need for the low-recoil, diminished muzzle velocity stuff--but have fed it all sorts of 2.75" and 3" shells from #8 through 000 and slugs. Only had a couple of hiccups, and those were my fault when I was practicing swapping-in different shells during live fire.

If it had been in the budget, I'd probably have gone straight to the Benelli. But I put a Holosun HS510C on the optic-ready Mossberg, got it a good sling, and came in at a total cost just under $1,400. I'm happy with it and, while I won't be getting rid of my trusty, reliable pump guns, I was sold on the semi-auto as soon as I zapped off a few rapid-fire rounds. A double-tap of double-aught is a beautiful thing.

[The Annoyed Man]

I ended up paying exactly $1,000 (well, technically, $999.99) for the Mossy. I'll admit I've never tried it with low-recoil shells--don't feel the need for the low-recoil, diminished muzzle velocity stuff--but have fed it all sorts of 2.75" and 3" shells from #8 through 000 and slugs. Only had a couple of hiccups, and those were my fault when I was practicing swapping-in different shells during live fire.

If it had been in the budget, I'd probably have gone straight to the Benelli. But I put a Holosun HS510C on the optic-ready Mossberg, got it a good sling, and came in at a total cost just under $1,400. I'm happy with it and, while I won't be getting rid of my trusty, reliable pump guns, I was sold on the semi-auto as soon as I zapped off a few rapid-fire rounds. A double-tap of double-aught is a beautiful thing.

I want to say that I paid about $675.00 for my 930 SPX. Add in what I paid for the two parts upgrades…about $80 or so. I note that the same model now has a MSRP of $1,266.00 … which strikes me as capitalizing on a gun-hungry market. Even so, I’ll bet you could pick one up for under $1.000, given that's the price you paid for the 940. The 940's primary advantages over a stock 930 are precisely those two parts, plus a more nicely slimmed down foreend. If it were possible to fit the 940 foreend to the 930 gun, I’d probably want to see if I could buy one.

I’ve perused the Mossberg website for a "traditional" replacement buttstock for my 930, but they’re never in stock. When I phoned their customer support line to ask if they had any, I was told that they’re all committed to serial production, so no spares for sale. If I’m ever down in Eagle Pass, I may drop in and see if I can possibly snag one. The pistol grip stock IS comfortable and easy to shoot with, but I feel like the pistol grip itself is something that can snag on things like if you’re trying to get out of a vehicle in a hurry or something, unless you’re moving with calm deliberation. If I can’t find a replacement stock, it’s no big deal. I’d just like to have one.

[Grayling813]

The Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical is on sale right now at GrabAGun for $900.

https://grabagun.com/mossberg-940-pro-t ... ready.html

[Excaliber]

The Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical is on sale right now at GrabAGun for $900.

https://grabagun.com/mossberg-940-pro-t ... ready.html

That's a really good deal for a really fine gun!

[Rafe]

The Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical is on sale right now at GrabAGun for $900.

https://grabagun.com/mossberg-940-pro-t ... ready.html

That's a really good deal for a really fine gun!

Yep; a hundred bucks less than I paid for mine 15 months ago. Add to that: under Bidenomics, a 2023 dollar is, in actual spending power, worth 92.6 cents of a 2022 dollar.

And did I mention how much fun it is to shoot this puppy? I have what used to be called a Knox stock (Blackhawk bought the company) on my 870 pump, and it does a good job of reducing recoil. But the 940 feels even a bit softer than that. And disposing of a tube full of shells as fast as you can (accurately) pull the trigger is way better than the pump activation I got used to. My go-to HD firearm was an AR with a 40-round Pmag. When I'm home, I still keep the AR accessible as a secondary, but 7+1 2.75" 00 Buck gives me 5, .33 pellets per round for a total of 40 projectiles with 8 trigger presses. I figure I'll have a really big problem on my hands if that isn't dissuasive enough.

If I come into some extra, unexpected money, I'd still like to have a Benelli, but I'm happy with the Mossberg.