Manufactures have realized if they put the words, "Performance Shop" on a gun they can throw in a few hundred dollars of parts and charge $1000+/-. After being around ported guns I wouldn't pay to make a gun louder. There is probably more to this than what I've said, but a fair portion holds truth.

 

Maybe you need to make yourself a list of everything you expect this gun to be able to do and list it in descending order of priority. Then post it here and see what some of the experienced folks in those areas have to say. There is no "one-gun-does-it-all" that also does it all very well. The closest to that might be an 870. You will need to compromise.....OR get more than one gun, which in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

At least you are staying with one gauge and company.
I really needed a twelve, but the twenty does just fine, darn if I'm a real shotgun nut I better get a sixteen. But a twenty-eight may be needed in another decade.
Let me see I don't have automatics or a pump in sixteen.
You are relatively sane compared to many here.

 

I've owned 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, & .410's.

I've owned single shots, SxS's, o/u's, autos and pumps.

I've owned shotguns from $2k down to a h&r that I picked up for $40.

I've had just about everything I could afford, and had a worse handgun habit!

I agree with everything that's been said, and I think I'm headed the direction of a BUL 12/24.

At the behest of oneounce, here it goes.

1: I mostly shoot grouse in the timber, and shoot the occasional sage grouse. This may be changing back to pheasant and quail, as I anticipate a move back to the Midwest.

2: I need a steel friendly shooter, as some of the public ground I hunt in other states believe I'm poisoning everything with lead 1.25 ounces or less each time I pull the trigger.

3: I informally practice. Allot. When the weather is nice, 2-300 rds a week.

4: Steel safe also applies to the occasional waterfowl and dove hunting I do.

5: Bunnies and squirrel are fair game when I'm not chasing birds, or my wife around the house.

Basically, I need a reliable, lightweight 12ga, that is easy to maintain, doesn't have allot of moving parts, is steel safe, and costs less than $2k.

If there's another shotgun besides the BUL, that I don't know of, I'm definitely all ears!

Thanks guys and gals.

 

Also, I hunt turkey once a year...forgot to add that.

 

maybe I should not say anything,but what about fabarm?

 

I went with the Fabarm L4S Grey Hunter. Chews up any ammo, soft shooting,under 7 lbs, easy to clean and shoots steel through all chokes. It's my field gun. YMMV

 

Basically, I need a reliable, lightweight 12ga, that is easy to maintain, doesn't have allot of moving parts, is steel safe, and costs less than $2k.

That narrows it down to a couple of hundred shotguns. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously, though, wasn't there a reason you sold your Ultra Light and your Ethos in the first place? It is hard to find a new shotgun that isn't "steel safe," and reliable shotguns aren't hard to find either.

On the last video, the fellow is angry with his 3-1/2 inch Vinci just because he is feeding it 1 oz. loads, not 1-1/8 oz. as recommended.

Despite the angry videos of a few, most shotguns are reliable . . . otherwise, no one would buy them.

To me, a 6-3/4 lb. 12 gauge is a light 12 gauge. To others, apparently not.

 

Have you ever watched the Barrett-Jackson car auctions ? We have entered an era where, for some people, it is not about getting a deal, it is about spending as much as possible for future bragging rights. I am not saying it is true for everyone, but I have been around enough people with new shotguns and heard their feigned chagrin over how much they spent to believe this phenomenon has come to our sport as well.

 

If you like the look of the Benelli upland consider taking a walk on the wild side and look at a Tristar Viper G2 Bronze. About $600 street price.

http://www.tristararms.com/products/sem ... g2-bronze/

My 20 gage had some teething problems and you can read my thread on that. Burntpowder got one and so far no issues. I liked my 20 gage so much that is all I used on pheasants this year. It carried like a 20 and hit like a 12 with 3" loads. My M1 super 90 in wood never made it out this year since I was not on land requiring steel. My wife likes the 20 so may pick up another for just her. Lots of reviews on them on here if you look. I picked up a 28" deep blue polished barrel for $200, mag cap with stud, $4.00, and sling stud to round mine out the way I wanted it and with a select few carlsons extended chokes good to go and a nice looking rig.

My gun is on page 2 of this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=87&t=445160&start=20

 

I informally practice. Allot. When the weather is nice, 2-300 rds a week.

Can you handle the recoil generated shooting a light gun that much? That would be a concern for ME, as the recoil-induced fatigue gets to me when doing that.

Basically, I need a reliable, lightweight 12ga, that is easy to maintain, doesn't have allot of moving parts, is steel safe, and costs less than $2k.

Reliability, IMO, would be in the form of a SxS or O/U, especially one of the better basic guns like Beretta or Browning. Take a semi with a 24" barrel and you are in SxS-O/U 26" territory. A lot less moving parts, no fail to feed with light loads, etc. Granted, you won't have the ability to load more than two shells at a time, but in my VERY limited grouse hunting experience, one rarely got off a second shot in thick brushy areas anyway.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

If, for some reason, I had to get rid of all my guns but one, the BUL with a 24" barrel would be the one I would keep. I've owned it for a little over a decade, adjusted the stock to fit me with the shims, and it just comes up and shoots where I'm looking. The most I shoot it would be 50-100 rounds in a week at Skeet/Trap/Sporting. I don't shoot the high velocity shells or heavy magnum loads for hunting so recoil in such a light gun is not an issue for me.

 

Thanks for everyone's responses.

I looked at the fabram offerings before I plunged into the Ethos. Maybe I'll revisit that. Good advice.

No, the recoil doesn't seem to bother me. My shooting vest has a pad, and I'm not a giant by any means, but I'm larger than average. Have never been recoil sensitive in the slightest.

I've had a substantial amount of double guns in the past, and I liked the SxS's, but most of them were not steel safe and light at the same time. I absolutely dread an o/u. I've owned four or five of them. A ruger, two Brownings, a Fausti, and a CZ. Don't care for them in the slightest.

I tend to shy away from the tristars, because of the amount of complaints, but I'll check it out.

Thanks guys.

 

There are only two things that suck worse than patterning a Benelli with high velocity 3" steel loads: sighting in your turkey load and sighting in your slug gun for deer. The lead sled now handles the last two for me and I'm to the point where I'm looking for a gas auto to handle the steel duck/goose loads. Getting older and so I want to enjoy my shooting and not rattle my teeth.

 

In all seriousness, based on your history, requirements and preferences, the performance shop ultralight upland in 12 gauge (26" barrel) would be a good choice for you. If history is any guide, the street price will be less once the gun becomes readily available and in any case, is likely less expensive than the cumulative loss you have already experienced from buying then selling multiple slightly used shotguns after becoming disillusioned with them. My only caveat would be if this gun does not do something you want a shotgun to do, that you seriously consider purchasing a second shotgun to perform that task, instead of selling this one.

 

I'm impressed with FAB arms quality. Last time I looked they are all metal, no plastic. Don't get me wrong nothing against the stuff, my wife's A-400 if full of the stuff. Had the Fabarms fit her it would be in the house.

 

In attempt to directly answer the poster's original question, the cost to purchase a Benelli ultralight new then convert it to a performance shop gun appears below:

1. Benelli ultralight = $1669.00
1. Barrel work and special chokes = $600.00
2. Trigger work = $270.00
3. Extended bolt release and bolt handle = $125.00
3. Cerakote barrel and receiver = $250.00
5. Total cost = $2,914.00

Gun cost was obtained from the Benelli website, Performance Shop upgrade costs were obtained from Briley's manufacturing and Carolina Firearms Coatings. The costs above do not include taxes, shipping, transfer fees, possible discounts, etc.

 

With those requirements I'd get a Fabarm LS; Browning Maxus or Remington V3.

Personally I'd never pay to have a new gun ported; have the forcing comes extended; nor anything else except maybe an extended bolt release; trigger work; or to buy extended chokes.

I'm a fan of Cerakote but not on a new gun. Factory bluing should last a long time with care. For an older gun, to restore one for example - I think Cerakote or Robar NP3 would be good options to look at.

 

In all seriousness, based on your history, requirements and preferences, the performance shop ultralight upland in 12 gauge (26" barrel) would be a good choice for you.

Why would it be a good choice for anyone? :shock: I don't know a soul that has invested (completely wasted) their money on one.

Unless "upland dan" is being funny, to get rid of five Benelli's and get yet another is hard to imagine. The BUL is a truly brutal gun to shoot with hunting loads and not pleasant with slow 1-1/8 oz. target loads.

 

I would like to second the earlier option to consider two guns. If you really liked one of those guns for some things and no others, but another gun was great at those... something to consider.

 

For what it's worth; in the last year I bought a LNIB Browning Gold SL 12/26 for about $750 and now a LNIC Browning Gold Fusion 12/28 for $850. These are awesome, soft shooting and reliable gas autos and I can't imagine paying $1000, much less $1800 or more for a Benelli when one can get a LNIB Gold or V3 for under $1000; a Maxus for slightly more; or a Fabarm for $1500 or so.

 

Am I missing something, or what? You have had 5 benellis that did not suit you. Right?

So why buy another one? Aint it time to to say Ciao, and try something else?

 

First off, I'm new here. I've owned at least 28 shotguns in my lifetime, I purchased my favorite in it's first year, a 11-87 Premier, perfect fit and did all I wanted/needed it to do, a bit of everything, pretty much sold off all the others, the most expensive being a Benelli Super Sport about 8 years ago, a friend just "had" to have it. Fast forward the old girl getting on in years, need a new gun but at my age, near $2000, out of the question. I chose to stay with what I know, another 11-87, this one in camo, the old man's getting a bit lazy, LOL, actually added a second on a deal I couldn't pass, a mint 11-87 black for $250.

My point, I guess is stick with one gun for a while, save a bit of money and stress, grab a nice Browning like VT suggested and run with it a few seasons, you may find that Nerva your looking for, save some cash, take the wife on a nice cruise!

 

In response to Randy, the Benelli Ultralight (really the standard or performance shop version) meets most if not all of Uplanddan's requirements, as stated in his posts above. If anything, the only decision remaining is whether the additional cost of the performance shop version is for items that he personally would want added to the gun. And yes, there are other guns available that would also meet his requirements. And finally, please remember this discussion is not about what you or I would choose, this is what Uplanddan would choose.

 

Yes, but as others have noted - Upland Dan continues to sell off Benelli's so I think that's why others have suggested alternatives.

I'm like SureShot. I'd rather have an 1100 or 11-87 (I personally like the 11-87 Premier 20 gauges a lot) than a $2000 Benelli that doesn't fit or suit me.