Stoeger P-350

[Versatile]

Anyone got one of these guns? I am looking at buying one with the 28" barrel in Max-4 for waterfowl. Anything you can tell me is appreciated. I looked at one in Wholesale and it shouldered alright but I didn't have a heavy coat on.

[Faststeel]

Ryan as a part time worker at P&D I'm here to tell you that the only pump guns that have been returned by customers were a pair of those guns, now we did sell several of them, but some were returned. The Mossbergs have good rep in that price point product, although they are more money than a Stoeger, none have ever been returned for warranty issues. FS

[Versatile]

What was wrong with them that they needed to be returned? I figured if they were made by the same company as Benelli they should be of decent quality.

I have been eyeing the mossbergs or a Remington 870.

http://wholesalesports.com/onlinestore/control/category/~category_id=10120008030219/~pcategory=1012000803

http://wholesalesports.com/onlinestore/control/category/~category_id=10120001020154/~pcategory=1012000102

[Rackmastr]

The actions are the same, but the gun is not the same......buy a Benelli Nova and be done with it.....trust me.

[Rackmastr]

BTW,
I shoot a Browning BPS in Shadowgrass, but mainly because I found it fit me better, but the Nova is a hell of a gun. If I was going to buy one, I'd skip the Stoeger and buy the Nova

[sheephunter]

Ya, I've heard they are kind of the generic version of the Benelli and not made as well. For the price difference the Benelli seems a better way to go from what I've heard and been told.

[Stinky Coyote]

I bought one but wanted light, cheap, short and full camo as a coyote calling shotgun to drag around with the centerfire and abuse...so far its shot a box or two of some 6's and 7 1/2's just to shoot it and did some patterning with some 3.5" federal tungston BBB stuff that absolutely pounds the snot out of you...no rapid cycling with that stuff as it was just a short while and about 10 rounds while i tried the different chokes....settled on the modified fyi. i rapid cycled the light stuff no prob, fun to shoot but i can't see this gun for a dedicated waterfoul gun...i'd also recommend stepping to mossberg, remington or benelli...my partner bought the mossberg for same thing and its nice....i got the 24" barrel fyi. I'm happy with it for what i got it for and would use it for waterfoul but i would only moonlight as a waterfouler...its going to hopefully kill more coyotes than birds in its day. Still have yet to kill anything with it though so can't give much of a report except for the little bit of shooting i've done with it so far. I haven't really given it much of a test so take it for what its worth. I don't use a shotgun much but figured i ought to have one around for the coyotes, camp, the odd grouse...or if someone invites me to a waterfoul shoot...a guy shouldn't be without a shotgun i suppose.

HTH

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

I would go with the 870. Closer to your price range than the Nova. You can also shoot steel with a full choke.

The 870 is the best gun out there - period. Been there for over 60 years without a hiccup. Never seen one come into Wholesale with a problem. Hard to beat on a sub-$700 gun.

Stoeger seems to have no quality control. Heard of great ones and dangerously bad ones. I wouldn't want to play the odds.

[sheephunter]

Okay I'm a bit confused....how does an 870 allow you to shoot steel with a full choke and more importantly, why would you want to? Actually the Nova and 870 are sub $500 guns if you shop around.

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

Ever read the choke tube for the 870 series? It says steel allowed. I don't think the Nova lets you but I will double check tomorrow.

By the time waterfowl gets to where Ryan is, they can spook easy so longer shots become more normal.

[sheephunter]

Interestingly, unlike lead, a full choke typically gives you wider patterns with steel than does a modified or improved. I've seen steel run through full chokes without harm but I wouldn't do it and truthfully, I've never seen a shotgun shoot tighter patterns with full choke and steel. As steel won't compress like lead does going through the contriction, it actually makes for a very erratic pattern. Every shotgun should be patterned but I'd bet my bottom dollar you'd look long and hard to find one that patterns best with steel and a full choke. If you want a tight pattern with steel, modified or improved is the way to go!

The full choke tube on the Nova definitely says "no steel shot". Good advice to follow!

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

Good point sheephunter. I'll pattern my 20GA 870 when its back together.