Beretta A300 12 gauge

[FelixD]

If you are looking for a simple, gas operated, semi auto that shoots everything, is utterly reliable, and costs under $1000, take a good look at the Beretta A300. It’s not fancy. Plain plastic stock and fore end. 28 inch barrel with the Beretta Mobilchoke system. It is the gun I needed 40 years ago when I was sitting in a sunken septic tank in southern Illinois try to shoot geese.

I picked up my gun about 5 years ago at Rural King when it was on sale. Since that time I have shot a minimum of 5000 shells through it without a single failure. That alone is great, but not necessarily all that unusual today. A number of guns are available today that are capable of doing it. Usually though for a lot more money.

What really struck me was the A300 didn’t show signs of the action slowing down after the first couple of hundred shells. It didn’t show that need to be cleaned like my 11/87s do. I had shot 3 inch field loads, 2 3/4 inch clay target shells, and a mixture of hand loads from 1 oz. to 3/4. So, I decided to keep shooting it until it slowed or stopped. It didn’t. When I got to 1000 I felt guilty so I cleaned the gun. It was surprisingly without the gunk and dirt we have all come to dislike in automatics.

So, I reassembled the gun and continue to shoot it. I stopped keeping count after 4000 more shells. It’s still working and hasn’t been cleaned in years. I’ve had several people complain that what I’m doing, in not cleaning it, is kin to a mortal sin and I’ll go to hell for it. I see it as original research. Over the years I’ve seen far too many reviews on guns where someone spent an afternoon shooting a hundred rounds through something and then declared the item great because it didn’t break. This is my contribution to the literature that I hope may help someone thinking about a new gun.

 

[Gazaa]

I grabbed my Beretta A300 about four years back on a sale, and it's been my workhorse ever since. I've run thousands of rounds...clays, field loads, even light handloads, without one hiccup. What amazed me most was how long it stayed clean compared to my old 11/87....It is so reliable, simple and hands-down the shotgun I wish I'd bought sooner.

 

[PrairieShot9]

My A300 Ultima has the extended mag tube for 8+1. It is great for trap. Runs dirty better than my old 1187. I shoot 1000 rounds between cleanings no problem.

 

[Star_man]

If you are looking for a simple, gas operated, semi auto that shoots everything, is utterly reliable, and costs under $1000, take a good look at the Beretta A300. It's not fancy. Plain plastic stock and fore end. 28 inch barrel with the Beretta Mobilchoke system. It is the gun I needed 40 years ago when I was sitting in a sunken septic tank in southern Illinois try to shoot geese.

I picked up my gun about 5 years ago at Rural King when it was on sale. Since that time I have shot a minimum of 5000 shells through it without a single failure. That alone is great, but not necessarily all that unusual today. A number of guns are available today that are capable of doing it. Usually though for a lot more money.

What really struck me was the A300 didn't show signs of the action slowing down after the first couple of hundred shells. It didn't show that need to be cleaned like my 11/87s do. I had shot 3 inch field loads, 2 3/4 inch clay target shells, and a mixture of hand loads from 1 oz. to 3/4. So, I decided to keep shooting it until it slowed or stopped. It didn't. When I got to 1000 I felt guilty so I cleaned the gun. It was surprisingly without the gunk and dirt we have all come to dislike in automatics.

So, I reassembled the gun and continue to shoot it. I stopped keeping count after 4000 more shells. It's still working and hasn't been cleaned in years. I've had several people complain that what I'm doing, in not cleaning it, is kin to a mortal sin and I'll go to hell for it. I see it as original research. Over the years I've seen far too many reviews on guns where someone spent an afternoon shooting a hundred rounds through something and then declared the item great because it didn't break. This is my contribution to the literature that I hope may help someone thinking about a new gun.

Wow, 5,000 rounds without cleaning? That's insane! How's the recoil and overall feel after all those shells, still smooth and comfy to shoot?

 

[FelixD]

Wow, 5,000 rounds without cleaning? That's insane! How's the recoil and overall feel after all those shells, still smooth and comfy to shoot?

My perception is my A300 feels the same as it did when new. I find the recoil very manageable. I know that’s subjective and even vague, but I’m comparing this gun to other 12 gauge auto loaders I’ve owned or have shot in the past. It’s difficult to express in definitive terms. So allow me to say how I reached my conclusions. I find the action design, weight and balance of the gun, and dimensions of the stock to be critical in sensing recoil. Adding to that is there will most always be a difference in recoil depending on the weight of the payload in the shell and the speed it’s traveling. Heavier and faster means more recoil. Simple physics. As a whole gas guns have less felt recoil to me. Anything with a fixed breach has the most. In between are inertia/ recoil actions. Each design has an effect on how we feel recoil. Some people manage recoil better than others. So are very sensitive to it. Personally I’m tired of the pounding so I’ve turned to gas guns and sub-gauges.
Sorry to ramble. I hope what I’ve said is of value. And, thanks for the question.

 

[reirei_]

The fact that it's still going strong after firing over 5000 shells with hardly any cleaning is pretty impressive. It really speaks volumes about how reliable the A300's gas system is and just how solidly it's built.

 

[morganmorales_]

If you are looking for a simple, gas operated, semi auto that shoots everything, is utterly reliable, and costs under $1000, take a good look at the Beretta A300. It's not fancy. Plain plastic stock and fore end. 28 inch barrel with the Beretta Mobilchoke system. It is the gun I needed 40 years ago when I was sitting in a sunken septic tank in southern Illinois try to shoot geese.

I picked up my gun about 5 years ago at Rural King when it was on sale. Since that time I have shot a minimum of 5000 shells through it without a single failure. That alone is great, but not necessarily all that unusual today. A number of guns are available today that are capable of doing it. Usually though for a lot more money.

What really struck me was the A300 didn't show signs of the action slowing down after the first couple of hundred shells. It didn't show that need to be cleaned like my 11/87s do. I had shot 3 inch field loads, 2 3/4 inch clay target shells, and a mixture of hand loads from 1 oz. to 3/4. So, I decided to keep shooting it until it slowed or stopped. It didn't. When I got to 1000 I felt guilty so I cleaned the gun. It was surprisingly without the gunk and dirt we have all come to dislike in automatics.

So, I reassembled the gun and continue to shoot it. I stopped keeping count after 4000 more shells. It's still working and hasn't been cleaned in years. I've had several people complain that what I'm doing, in not cleaning it, is kin to a mortal sin and I'll go to hell for it. I see it as original research. Over the years I've seen far too many reviews on guns where someone spent an afternoon shooting a hundred rounds through something and then declared the item great because it didn't break. This is my contribution to the literature that I hope may help someone thinking about a new gun.

Finding a gun under $1k that's as reliable as this one is like hitting the jackpot. Most firearms that can handle anything you throw at them cost a whole lot more. Or you've got the ones that work fine but turn into divas when it comes to ammo choices. It's definitely a treat to find something that ticks all the boxes without breaking the bank.