Weatherby SA-08???

[wolfpup]

I am wanting a new shotgun. I have been shooting a Remington 870 for the past 20 years and think I want a semi-auto. Anybody have one and love it or had one and hated it? Seems to be a good price / value.

 

[Brandon270]

I don't have experience with that specific one but have heard good things. I have a gas operated semi auto that is about the same price range, one thing gas guns are known for is not liking to be ran dirty. Mine starts to hang up after running 4 boxes of shells through it.

Semi autos are fun when dove hunting!

 

[Sam Colt]

Mine has been reliable and soft shooting. That said, unlike my browning silver and gold hunters you have to change the friction ring when you move between target loads and heavy waterfowl loads.

 

[VikingsGuy]

We have this and the Mossberg Sa-20. Both are Turkish imports of very similar if not identical design. The weatherby was finicky about cycling some shells while the mossberg worked flawlessly at a cheaper price point. Easy win for the mossberg.

If looking for a value gas 12ga I would go Mossberg 930. If value 20ga I would go Mossberg sa-20. If $899 is in your budget I would definitely go Benneli Montefeltro - the best semi auto for under $1000 in my opinion.

 

[Steelsearchin]

I bought a youth 20 gauge sa-08 for my kid this summer. We've put 4-5 boxes through it without issue. FFL I got it through had good things to say about them with his kids. Not sure we'll keep it long term when he outgrows it, as I'm partial to my benellis, but for now its been great.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

X2 on the Benelli Montefeltro! I'll also add Winchester SX3/4s, great guns.

Any chance you can hold any of them? Fit is everything!

 

[TheJason]

Or look at a used Franchi.

 

[WestKyHunt]

I just bought a Weatherby Element several months ago and am enjoying it so far. I know its not the exact same gun but I like it nonetheless.
It did its job during early wood duck season

 

[Summitthunting]

I have two of the SA-08 20ga youth models. I shoot one and my son shoots the other. The shorter stock seems to fit me well and they are nice to carry all day. The only issue is they won’t cycle the cheap value pack trap/dove loads. The 1200fps loads won’t eject, bump it up to 1275fps and they cycle flawlessly. I’m buying a third for my younger son, if I can ever find one.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Beretta - pick any one of them b/c they're all good.

 

[MarvB]

+1 My beretta a303 has been used and abused and has never failed!

 

[wolfpup]

Thanks fellas. I missed dove season to take care of my ML Elk season so poor me... I am mostly looking at sale price stuff and will probably pull the trigger Black Friday / cyber Monday just to get $100 off or something. The 870 still going strong but just want another. The Winchester Boomer mentioned is on my radar and will go see what's available soon so maybe I can squeeze in a December pheasant hunt.

 

[jlmatthew]

Bought the SA-08 youth model for my daughter. Its my new grouse gun now!

 

[targetpanic]

I bought a Weatherby SA-08 20ga. 4 or 5 years ago. The gun cycles trap/skeet loads and heavier pheasant loads with no issue. It's amazing how dirty they get but that goes for all gas guns.

 

[VikingsGuy]

It's amazing how dirty they get but that goes for all gas guns.

Inertia semi autos (almost all Benellis) get far less dirty than the gas semis, but get a little less recoil reduction.

 

[cedahm]

I am wanting a new shotgun. I have been shooting a Remington 870 for the past 20 years and think I want a semi-auto. Anybody have one and love it or had one and hated it?

I got one 5-6 years ago - my first semi-auto - and love it. It's light, it shoots straight, it's well built and the price is extremely good. I didn't shoulder the Mossberg when I was looking but I have heard several endorsements similar to @VikingsGuy.

As long as I've remembered to swap the piston out from 'Heavy' to 'Light', I haven't had any issues cycling trap/skeet loads. The only cycling issue I can recall was in below zero temps (and I think I hadn't cleaned it well enough).

 

[VikingsGuy]

I got one 5-6 years ago - my first semi-auto - and love it. It's light, it shoots straight, it's well built and the price is extremely good. I didn't shoulder the Mossberg when I was looking but I have heard several endorsements similar to @VikingsGuy.

As long as I've remembered to swap the piston out from 'Heavy' to 'Light', I haven't had any issues cycling trap/skeet loads. The only cycling issue I can recall was in below zero temps (and I think I hadn't cleaned it well enough).

Even swapping pistons it was finicky, while the mossberg has no pistons changes required and shoots the whole range. But given the less consistent QC of these value rifles, it may just be the ones I happen to own.

 

[cedahm]

Even swapping pistons it was finicky, while the mossberg has no pistons changes required and shoots the whole range. But given the less consistent QC of these value rifles, it may just be the ones I happen to own.

Yeah - the swapping is definitely an extra step (and extra steps bother the Industrial Engineer part of me deeply) - but it only takes a few seconds. In any event - for $500-550 it's a champ of a shotgun and I never feel bad beating it up in the grouse hills. I will have to look @ the Mossberg before I get a 20 for my son.