Stoeger 3500? Mossberg 930??

[MontyCop05]

So I got my little brother (16) hooked on trap shooting and pheasant hunting. Hes got a 20ga 870, but he does better and prefers my 12g 870, and REALLY loves my Maxus. Now he really itching to get his own auto loader. So my father and I are tossing around the idea of combining our xmas presents to him and getting him one. He WANTS either a Maxus, Benelli M2 field or Benelli SBE. Thats not gonna happen. However he fully understands this fact and has his eye on a Mossberg 930, or a Stoeger 3500 (both at my suggestion).

I'm familiar with the Mossberg but not the Stoeger. I do know that the Stoeger is essentially a cheaper version of the Benelli. They share the exact same inertia action. And I like how the Stoeger comes with 5 chokes, is drilled and tapped, and also comes with a scope mount. So he'd be all set to doo most anything with it.

Anyone have any good experience to share with either?? Suggestions? The only cavet is that he shoots lefty...so the safety on the Mossberg is more friendly to southpaws. The Stoeger's safety is NOT reversible like on their Benelli parent guns.

[Smitty in CT]

Based soley on what you're looking to use the gun for.... target shooting, I'd go with the 930. The Stoeger is designed to handle 3-1/2" shells, that means it will more than likely, not handle 1oz or less target loads...

The 930 will handle any factory load made, even the 7/8 oz Remington Game & Target loads....

Plus, the recoil will be much more forgiving with the 930 compared to the Stoeger. Also, the inertia action of the Stoeger is similar to the Benelli, not exactly the same.

[Barber2678]

Get the Stoeger for sure. I have several and all are solid guns (but not pretty). I won one in a football pot and it has become my go-to shotgun, mostly because I don't care if it gets dinged up. I have a lot of options on what gun to shoot and I like the Stoeger. Had it for about 5 years now and have never cleaned it either.

Mossbergs are ugly too.

[bejay]

the stoeger looks like it has alot of features and shoots 3.5 inch shells but they are new and probably not to many owners yet so you may not get to many replies. you mentioned trap and pheasant hunting neither of those need 3.5 inch shells.
id go with the mossberg just for the safety location being easier to use for a lefty.

[BigJimP]

The Stoeger is not an identical Inertia action to the Benelli line of guns - despite the fact that both companies are owned by Beretta. There are some differences in the way the recoil spring system is designed on the Stoeger vs Benelli's.

Problems with any number of Stoegers are pretty well documented on this forum / but some guys have had good luck with them too. I think it was the M2000 model of the Stoeger that one of our participants on here, SKS, had a lot of issues with in last yr or so .../ you might want to do a search on the forum for his issues.

A gun you didn't put on your list - that I would recommend you at least look at vs Stoeger or Mossberg semi-autos is the Browning Silver series - like the Silver Hunter model ...they're retail around here for around $ 850 or so ...and will probably be on sale as Fall rolls in ....and its a lot of gun for the money. Browning owns Winchester now ( and FN owns them both ) but it looks to me like FN is letting Browning run their shotgun divisions ...and the Winchesters are almost identical to the Brownings in terms of semi-autos ...same piston system, they both use Brownings Invector Plus choke systems..

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...unter-firearms

[sks]

As BigJimP stated, I had a Stoeger M2000 that would not cycle reliably. I bought it used and didn't have the luxury of a new gun. However, on the first day we took it out, the gun would not cycle two rounds in a row. Some suggested that it had to be broken in first with some heavy rounds.

So I shot 200 rounds of 3" magnum shells and tore my shoulder up in the process. Sent it back to Benelli for repair and they guaranteed it to be reliable. Not so. Shot some more, hurt my shoulder some more then sent it back to Benelli for repair again. Once again they assured me it would cycle reliably. Not so.

Sold the gun and will never touch Stoeger again. If someone gave me one I would sell it.

I've read of many here who have had great luck with their Stoeger guns but it was not so for me. I really liked the gun and the way it shouldered. Tried my best to make it happen but it just didn't work out.

Can't speak to the new 3500 model you are asking about. Maybe it will be better.

Good luck with whichever you end up getting.

[jmortimer]

930 is rock solid and a fantastic deal for the $$$.

[Rugerismisticness]

I like the 3500 a little better overall, but I believe the 930 is better for your tasks here. It cycles everything with a SX1 esque gas system, the trigger is excellent, CS is great, made in USA, very low recoil, and the reliability is well proven. The only thing is the quality is a little better on the 3500. The inertia system doesn't get as dirty and is more reliable in rough conditions with the correct loads. Owners of 3500s have been reporting that after a break in period with some moderate loads and good lubrication, they are cycling 1oz 3dram loads.

[smhms]

I shot an 870 3.5" for the past 16 years and last year it started having problems ejecting spent shells. Talk about frustrating when you have doves all over you and you are relegated to basically a single-shot, which can only fire about 1 round every 1-2 minutes. I researched new 12 gauges for the past year, and was about settled on either a Browning BPS MODB 3.5" for about $650.00 (even though I've always wanted an autoloader) or a Browning Silver MODB 3.5" for about $1,200.00-both including shipping and FFL payment. Then I discovered the Stoeger 3500.

I picked up my Stoeger 3500 in Max-4, 26", in July, 2011 for $585.00-including shipping and paying my FFL holder. I figured if it didn't perform adequately, I would deal with the warranty issues at that time, and I didn't feel like coughing up $1,200.00-$1,800.00 for a Benelli, Browning, or Beretta, especially since my 12 guage usually only sees about 5-6 boxes of 2.75" shells per year, and may see a box or two of 3" and a box of 3.5", and I have a honeymoon to pay for.

I took it out the last weekend in August, 2011 for some practice with some friends. (Before hand, however, I cleaned all of the cosmoline off all parts and lightly oiled all moving parts and raw steel.) It shot everything put through it, unless the shot size was below 1 1/8 ounce, which is fine, because I never hunt with anything less (and always shoot 3 dram eq. or higher). A friend tried to feed it some Federal 1 ounce loads (2 3/4 dram eq.), and it would not eject those. It was hell on those skeet, and generally outshot all of the Benellis, Brownings, and Berettas (not that the trigger operator had anything to do with it...).

Over the past month I have hunted and shot more than usual and put about 1 1/2 cases of 2.75" through it, ranging from 1 1/8 ounce, low brass, 8 shot, 3 dram eq. target loads to 1 1/4 ounce, high brass, 7.5 shot, 3 1/4 dram eq. field loads, and it has fired and ejected everything. The only time it has failed to fire is when I cycled the bolt too softly by hand and it didn't lock up correctly, which is my fault (2 times). So out of about 750 rounds, there are no gun-based failures to fire or failures to eject. Besides the initial cleaning, I have only cleaned it one time thoroughly, and that was after the August skeet shoot (yes... I am a bad gun owner and my daddy would kick my arse).

Overall, I am impressed with the gun. Some of the machining in the action could be better (some rough edges), but it cycles smoothly, doesn't kick hard, and fires every time. I highly recommend it.

[blumj88]

I have been doing a of reading about this gun and the 2000 models. It seem that from the factory it (2000 MODELS) came with a heavy oil which caused jamming when it got cold. The fix was a lighter oil. Also i read that the early 2000 models were "junk". I use that term loosely. From what i have found out is that the newer 2000 models are alot better guns. For the price, i am excited to see what the 3500 will do.

[Jbar4Ranch]

I just bought a 3500 and am favorably impressed with it. It will cycle 1 1/8 oz loads reliably, but 1 oz (Estate) is iffy - it ejected every empty reliably, but about 20% of the time, it didn't cycle far enough back to pick up the next shell. With 2 3/4" 1 1/8 oz loads on up, it functioned perfectly. With a sufficient break in, it might eventually cycle the 1 oz loads. I also tried some AA 7/8 oz Featherlites... not a chance in hell it will ever cycle those, but that was expected. They don't cycle in any of my gas guns either - maybe I need higher octane gas. The 3500 has been called "the best Montefeltro you can buy for the money".

[.300 Weatherby Mag]

Get him a Left-handed Benelli M2... Its mighty southpaw friendly... If you don't want to spend that much get a Beretta 3901 and have the safety flipped...

[oneounceload]

do not forget the Beretta 3901 at wally world for 600 bucks - will last forever and any smith should be able to fix it and get parts