Weatherby shotgun advise

Does anyone have any experience with Weatherby semi auto shotguns? I have just started to develop a taste for goose hunting and am considereing upgrading my old Mossburg pump to a Weatherby SA-08 Synthetic Waterfowler 3.0. I have no need to use anything larger than a 3" shell so that limitation will not affect me. I will only be firing 100 or so rounds per season and have no desire to break the bank on a pretty gun, just a good functional weapon will suit me fine.

I would appreciate any info re: problems with the action, etc. Any other budget conscious suggestions would be appreciated as well.

My requirements are simple:
1) Accepts up to 3" shells
2) Goes bang every time I pull the trigger
3) Is as cheap as possible while satisfying requirements #1&2

Thanks

I have a lot of local dog folks that hunt a lot of Migratory and they use a version of the Beretta 391 or
the Beretta 3901 $645
Synthetic and you won't care if it falls on the ground.

I have never had issues with my Beretta's.
Satisfies: #1 and #2

I have had lots of issues with my Remington 1100's

dont know how much benellis are in the usa but i have a super black eagle in synthetic that shoots all up to 3.5 inch, and a m1 super 90 also synthetic with 8 shot mag and 18.5 inch barrel just in case the m1 is the most reliable s/auto shotgun i have.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

I have a lot of local dog folks that hunt a lot of Migratory and they use a version of the Beretta 391 or
the Beretta 3901 $645
Synthetic and you won't care if it falls on the ground.

I have never had issues with my Beretta's.
Satisfies: #1 and #2

I have had lots of issues with my Remington 1100's

Thanks, not much info on the Beretta 3901 from my usual goto source, Bashaw sports, 391s are running $900+ and Weatherbys are best served with a Limbsaver recoil pad due to their light weight but function flawlessly. Now that I have called them I have several more to research. Oh well, at least this is fun "work".

Originally Posted by spike.t

dont know how much benellis are in the usa but i have a super black eagle in synthetic that shoots all up to 3.5 inch, and a m1 super 90 also synthetic with 8 shot mag and 18.5 inch barrel just in case the m1 is the most reliable s/auto shotgun i have.

Benellis are $$$. Best left to the avid birders. If I was into waterfowl as much as big game that is exactly what I would be looking for. There is a guy local here who lent me his Browning A5 to try and it is a great gun but with all the tooling and metalwork it is more of a work of art than a feild gun and he wants $$$ for it. Beautiful gun though.

diamondhitch,
I guest gunsmith at our local gun shop. We sell guns but the mainstay is fixing broken weapons and building custom weapons.
We see a lot of Weatherby SA-08 and PA-08 with broken parts. Mostly extractors but a fair share of everything. Here is my suggestion, take a look at a Tri-Star semi auto in the synthetic stock. We have sold a truck load of these shotguns and we very seldom do any type of repair work on them. In fact, the owner donated a Tri-Star to the local sporting clays/trap club and they ran 1000's of rounds through that poor gun until it was so dirty that it just could not function, about 3 years worth of shooting. All it took was a good cleaning and she was ready to go again.
Now a lot of people will say eew a Tri-Star, they are made in Yugosolvia, yuck. True, they are not a Beretta or Benellia but they don't have the price tag either.
They run about 300-400 dollars. Give em a look.

Originally Posted by Linus Mcgee

diamondhitch,
I guest gunsmith at our local gun shop. We sell guns but the mainstay is fixing broken weapons and building custom weapons.
We see a lot of Weatherby SA-08 and PA-08 with broken parts. Mostly extractors but a fair share of everything. Here is my suggestion, take a look at a Tri-Star semi auto in the synthetic stock. We have sold a truck load of these shotguns and we very seldom do any type of repair work on them. In fact, the owner donated a Tri-Star to the local sporting clays/trap club and they ran 1000's of rounds through that poor gun until it was so dirty that it just could not function, about 3 years worth of shooting. All it took was a good cleaning and she was ready to go again.
Now a lot of people will say eew a Tri-Star, they are made in Yugosolvia, yuck. True, they are not a Beretta or Benellia but they don't have the price tag either.
They run about 300-400 dollars. Give em a look.

Thanks, I will check them out. Although more than I wanted to spend the more I look at the Browning A5 the more I like it. Their 100,000 shot no jam gaurantee is appealing as it the clean recoul operated action. Any info on them?

The Browning A5 is a work horse. I owned the "sweet sixteen" and have shot numerous 12 guages. I do believe they only come in a wood stock, are a bit heavier that the other models discussed and now this is my opinion they kick like an angry mule. I sold my sweet sixteen for that reason.

Diamondhitch,
Just got off the phone with the head gunsmith and I quizzed him about the SA-08's. He told me that Weatherby made some improvements and he feels that the gun is solid and as good as any in that price range. I asked if he would own one and his answer was "yes".
So there you go, hope I mudded the waters really good

I do a lot of waterfowl hunting in the states. The finest waterfowl gun out there right now is the Beretta A400 Extreme. My brother owns one of them and they're fantastic. I personlly own three Benelis and frankly I think they're overrated. My SBE jams often especially in very cold weather which is something you should consider in a waterfowl gun. Also, will you be hunting over water, is the gun going to get wet?...something else to consider. You want something that has an anti-rust/corrosion finish. I hunt over salt water in subfreezing temperature and that gun needs to be able to withstand and function well in those types of conditions. The weatherby may be an okay choice dependeing on the conditions and ammo used. It's certainly not know for being a top waterfowl gun. If I had to choose it would be at the bottom end of the list.

It seems that you have your heart set on the SA, but what it wrong with your current pump gun? I hunted ducks and geese for years with an 870 Express with a rattle-can camo paint job. It has yet to let me down and I have abused it like I stole it. I mean, I have dropped it into water, mud and once had it freeze to the bottom of a boat. Waterfowl hunting is pretty hard on your guns, so unless you are being dropped off at a blind by the boat boy, I would think that simple is better.

If you do have your heart set on the SA, I would suggest looking at Wal-Mart to see if they still have the old Berettas for sale. I also note that my buddy owns the local gun shop and he suggested the Tri-Star SA to me as a gun for my daughter. I have not even held one, so I cannot go beyond that. Just noting a second strong recommendations for the Tri-Star.

Originally Posted by VanderLaan

It seems that you have your heart set on the SA, but what it wrong with your current pump gun? I hunted ducks and geese for years with an 870 Express with a rattle-can camo paint job. It has yet to let me down and I have abused it like I stole it. I mean, I have dropped it into water, mud and once had it freeze to the bottom of a boat. Waterfowl hunting is pretty hard on your guns, so unless you are being dropped off at a blind by the boat boy, I would think that simple is better.

If you do have your heart set on the SA, I would suggest looking at Wal-Mart to see if they still have the old Berettas for sale. I also note that my buddy owns the local gun shop and he suggested the Tri-Star SA to me as a gun for my daughter. I have not even held one, so I cannot go beyond that. Just noting a second strong recommendations for the Tri-Star.

I have to agree with this. Serious waterfowlers totally abuse their guns. I have seen many guys buy high end semi autos (myself included) only to go back to their old reliable pump. Being frozen to boats and blinds, mud, getting stepped on by dogs don't seem to faze pumps like they do to semis. When it's wicked weather, I find myself grabbing for the 870 more than anything. Just my couple of pennies worth.

Originally Posted by Biddleman

I have to agree with this. Serious waterfowlers totally abuse their guns. I have seen many guys buy high end semi autos (myself included) only to go back to their old reliable pump. Being frozen to boats and blinds, mud, getting stepped on by dogs don't seem to faze pumps like they do to semis. When it's wicked weather, I find myself grabbing for the 870 more than anything. Just my couple of pennies worth.

No doubt pumps are more reliable. I've thought of switching to a pump myslef. Once you get used to them they can be as fast as a semi auto.

Originally Posted by 1ObsessedHunter

Once you get used to them they can be as fast as a semi auto.

LOL! That reminds me of when I shoot upland for a few weeks with my Citori and then take few days to chase ducks with my 870. The first few hunts with the 870, my second shot usually consists of me "jabbing" the gun at the ducks while pulling the trigger. Takes me a bit to remember to work the slide.

Thanks for the info guys and the Homer simpson moment Vanderlaan, that reminded me of years ago when I had been driving exclusively standard transmissions for quite awhile then I mashed the edge of the brake pedal (clutch) the first time I got into an automatic, the guy behind me didnt really have a sense of humor about that! LOL

You guys definitely waterfowl alot more seriously than I do. My trips consist of scouting a field the evening before, setting up some decoys in the AM, hunting for a few hours then jump shooting at the favorite dugouts on the way home. If there is a chance of my gun freezing to anything I will not be out hunting! Maybe big game but certainly not waterfowl. By the time we get any really cold weather, I am too busy chasing Deer or Elk to care about Geese. That is why I do not have big bucks allocated to the purchase of a new gun but after shooting the semi the other day I now "need" one, you know how it is.

I am not demeaning the pump guns by any means, my Grandpas old Mossberg has terrorized its share of ducks in my hands, has scored numerous triples, a couple quads and a sixtuplet and will always have a place in my gun cabinet.

What is your opinion re: 28" vs 30" bbl?

28" is plenty. Don't forget pumps and semi-autos have a long receiver which extends your sighting plane unlike a double. No real need for anthing longer than 28" in a hunting gun, it's really a matter of preference.

Originally Posted by 1ObsessedHunter

28" is plenty.

Agreed.

I think the one item we all are going to agree on is a 28" barrel.

Originally Posted by spike.t

dont know how much benellis are in the usa but i have a super black eagle in synthetic that shoots all up to 3.5 inch, and a m1 super 90 also synthetic with 8 shot mag and 18.5 inch barrel just in case the m1 is the most reliable s/auto shotgun i have.

+1
great shotguns.... However,,,,the mossberg you own and the Remington 1100 previously mentioned are great shotguns.. and with the criteria you laid out, why would your mossberg not work?? My requirements are simple:
1) Accepts up to 3" shells
2) Goes bang every time I pull the trigger
3) Is as cheap as possible while satisfying requirements #1&2

Buddy, if it ain't broke, why are you trying to fix it. I hope it's not because you felt undergunned, or out of your league at the gun club. F*** those guys, show them how to shoot with a cheap gun, ,,,,Millions of animals have fallen to a cheap gun...

Originally Posted by 35bore

+1
great shotguns.... However,,,,the mossberg you own and the Remington 1100 previously mentioned are great shotguns.. and with the criteria you laid out, why would your mossberg not work?? My requirements are simple:
1) Accepts up to 3" shells
2) Goes bang every time I pull the trigger
3) Is as cheap as possible while satisfying requirements #1&2

Buddy, if it ain't broke, why are you trying to fix it. I hope it's not because you felt undergunned, or out of your league at the gun club. F*** those guys, show them how to shoot with a cheap gun, ,,,,Millions of animals have fallen to a cheap gun...

LOL If I felt undergunned I would step up to a 10ga or 3 1/2" 12ga. Unless by undergunned you mean since my gun safe is not yet full I dont have enough yet.

I have always wanted a semi auto and I guess this is my excuse! Too weak of an excuse (if there is such a thing) to justify stepping up to the top notch semis though.

I went out with the A5 again last night and the old Mossberg saved the day, the A5 failed to eject each time. I assume years of collecting dust and not being cleaned before trying it out is the culprit.