New vs old 870s.

[OldBroad44]

I'm also going to save that recipe!

BTW- my SA-08 was bought NIB from BiMart for under $400 4-5 years ago, it has a 26" ribbed barrel with three different chokes, it was all black with synthetic furniture and I did the camo-job myself. It really is a great shotgun, but the only thing is that there's one piston for heavy loads and one for light trap/skeet loads that you have to remember to changeout and use for the ammo you're shooting... which isn't a problem for me because I only ever run hot hi-base rounds through this one.

Your SA-08 is gorgeous. Is yours the straight or deluxe version?

Still very affordable. A local store lists it for $505, and BiMart may have it for less. It has 3 coke tubes and a 3 inch chamber, too.

As this conversation has developed, I think I've realized I really want replaceable choke tubes. I think the practical thing I'm most likely to do with it is hunt deer in that nearby shotgun-only area. So I'll want a cylinder choke so I can use rifled slugs. And I would like to be able to take out sentinel blackbirds in the corn. And that is probably easiest with a full choke. Basically, I want the versatility the replaceable choke system gives. Or another way to view it is I don't know quite what I'll be doing with the shotgun, and want something versatile enough to do just about anything.

 

[OldBroad44]

Is anyone familiar with the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus? At $1600+ new, it's not the obvious candidate for a beginner's first shotgun. Especially a relatively low-income beginner. But it has a lot of interest. Additional methods of recoil control. And a lot of spacers that let you adjust the fit in various ways. One way I evaluate products is to look at some stuff that is out of my price range. Essentially a class or two above what I'm planning to spend. And ask myself whether the extra features are significant and relevant to me. Often they arent. But sometimes they matter enough to wait and save up and spend more. Are the special goodies of the A400 Plus real, or just hype, I wonder. ???

 

[DirectDrive]

I don't have any first hand knowledge of the A400, but I mentioned the Beretta gas system previously in this thread.
My B-80 has the Beretta gas system and sometimes wears a Beretta Skeet barrel.
It's simple to maintain and you can feed it anything without any adjustments.
In the clay bird games you'll hear about the "B Guns"...that's Beretta and Benelli....those Italians can build guns.

The A400 description sounds like a gussied up version of the A300 series.
Over-priced for a field gun in my opinion.

 

[bbbass]

It's FAST to acquire when wing shooting!

It sure is!!! I've had one on my hunting shottys since the first one I owned. Somebody had put an extra wide rib and a red light pipe on a Remington Model 31TC that I bought in a pawn shop back in 1970. After that I was spoiled and had the beads changed out on other shotguns that I bought. But later on I just added the press-on version because I liked the extra long light pipe... so bright!

 

[bbbass]

It has 3 coke tubes and a 3 inch chamber, too.

That's a pretty big schnoz!!

 

[Ura-Ki]

It sounds like the shooter must be pretty good to win all those matches with any gun.

Nope, it's ALL the Gun!
Actually, it took me many many years to get even close to steeping up to the line, but once I had that TC, it all came together!
Only other Shotgun I can do Well with is another Remington, the legendary Peerless O/U!

 

[No_Regerts]

Is anyone familiar with the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus? At $1600+ new, it's not the obvious candidate for a beginner's first shotgun. Especially a relatively low-income beginner. But it has a lot of interest. Additional methods of recoil control. And a lot of spacers that let you adjust the fit in various ways. One way I evaluate products is to look at some stuff that is out of my price range. Essentially a class or two above what I'm planning to spend. And ask myself whether the extra features are significant and relevant to me. Often they arent. But sometimes they matter enough to wait and save up and spend more. Are the special goodies of the A400 Plus real, or just hype, I wonder. ???

A friend of mine bought an A400 and its sweet. The only thing is, bird hunting is his thing. I do it occasionally. I can buy 3 930s for ine of his A400s.

But, I'm totally okay with paying 45k for my fishing boat while he has a $1500 jon boat.

Its all about priorities.

 

[bbbass]

45k for my fishing boat

 

[No_Regerts]

 

[bbbass]

View attachment 602543

Oh yeah! Dats wat I'm talking bout!!!

 

[No_Regerts]

Oh yeah! Dats wat I'm talking bout!!!

Thats the spendy boat. Bought a 17 foot lind for the lakes. Salmon seasons sucked so bad the last couple years, so I sold the big boat.

 

[Ura-Ki]

View attachment 602543

Nice, only one problem, it has one of those big funky motor/propeller thingies hangin off the transom!
Gotta be a Big Block and a Pump!

 

[No_Regerts]

Nice, only one problem, it has one of those big funky motor/propeller thingies hangin off the transom!
Gotta be a Big Block and a Pump!

I didn't run it in fresh water very often. Inboard takes up too much deck on a 21 foot boat.

 

[DirectDrive]

Nope, it's ALL the Gun!
Actually, it took me many many years to get even close to steeping up to the line, but once I had that TC, it all came together!
Only other Shotgun I can do Well with is another Remington, the legendary Peerless O/U!

A friend inherited his uncle's 870TC.
Unc was shot (survived) while bird hunting and holding the TC.
You can see where his hands were, as there were no pellet impacts in those two locations.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Crazy! I can believe it, been rained on a few times, dudes sky bustin and shot falling all over the place, or taking "Long Shots" and getting hit with steel pellets from a couple hundred yards off! Had my dog take a pellet in his chest, one lucky pup, missed his face, and most important, his eyes! I might have put a whoppin some one had they killed my dog!

 

[bbbass]

Thats the spendy boat. Bought a 17 foot lind for the lakes. Salmon seasons sucked so bad the last couple years, so I sold the big boat.

Around here that would have a pump on the outboard and go on the Grande Ronde for steelhead. Also on Brownlee for bass.

BTW, besides mercury, officials are warning people about toxic algae in the lower sections of Brownlee... anything below Swede's landing... swimmers and water skiers are at risk.

 

[DirectDrive]

Nice, only one problem, it has one of those big funky motor/propeller thingies hangin off the transom!
Gotta be a Big Block and a Pump!

We had one of those in the family.
It was the Intruder Model 20 ft, 350 Chev roller cam, American Turbine pump
Power to weight was very good....that thing would jump out of the hole.

Previous one was a 22 ft Super Vee 351 Ford
Under powered.... should have been 460 powered.
That one was sunk in the Deschutes and recovered by Mark Angel.

If you've never done the jet boat thing in big white water....DO IT !
It's a kick in the butt.

 

[No_Regerts]

I like outboards with props because I fish bigger water and you don't need near as much horsepower. A 150 let me cruise at 42 mph no problem.

 

[DirectDrive]

Crazy! I can believe it, been rained on a few times, dudes sky bustin and shot falling all over the place, or taking "Long Shots" and getting hit with steel pellets from a couple hundred yards off! Had my dog take a pellet in his chest, one lucky pup, missed his face, and most important, his eyes! I might have put a whoppin some one had they killed my dog!

Another quail hunter shot.....ala Dick Cheney.
Those damn quail bust out like angry bees and go everywhere.
The inexperienced n00b can track a runaway quail and muzzle sweep his hunting partner in a heartbeat.
Only shoot at the birds out in front, let the other ones go !

 

[Ura-Ki]

My Current boat is a Hurricane salvage I got for scrap value. It was 351 ford powered with a Castille V-Drive! Awesome big water boat and could run in shallow! Drug it back to OryGun and tore into it! Cut the transom out, had a stern extension made ( Like you see all over in the south with big outboards) and installed a 5.4 Supercharged Ford and American Turbine Pump, put the front of the engine 8 inches forward of where the old transom was! Turned out super slick and the boat rides amazingly well in the rough water, and still runs really shallow!