Just wanted to relay my experience here so others know the mistake I think I made. First a scene setter.....
Beretta owns Benelli.
Benelli owns Stoeger.
Stoeger semi autos are made in Turkey.
I've had several people that I trust and I know are being honest tell me nothing but great things about their Stoeger 3500. A close friend of mine is the worst I've ever seen at keeping his guns clean and periodic maintenance. He even used his once as a paddle, shook the water out and it worked fine. I was sold that these Stoegers were a slimmed down version of the other great interia driven guns those Italian companys make.
We ran em dry, ran em wet, ran em with light oil. We got the factory grease out and follow everything the operating manual says. We store em bolt closed. Issues we have are.....
1) They don't like the cold. I can only guess at why, but they don't. All my southern friend's have zero issues with them.
2) Sometimes the #1 hull gets stuck as its ejected
3) Sometimes the infamous click
4) Winchester Super X are a disaster. Switched to Federal Black cloud and helped a little. ( 1.5 full seasons with Federal BC
5) Only 30 percent of the time do we get 3 shots in one salvo with no issues
We have used the guns like normal waterfowl hunters would. Kayak hunting, blind hunting, layout blind hunting, pit hunting and bucket sitting in dove season. We dont muddy em up. We protect em in the goose pit but there is not one consistent issue with them and its always something. They pattern great with a Patternmaster Choke and the supplied chokes are not far behind.
Why did I get some Stoegers you may ask. Well price and thinking its a simple gun made by some gun makers who have a history of making simple guns that work well. Todays price comparison for reference.
600$ M3500 in Black
700$ M3500 in Camo (sons gun)
1100$ M3500 Waterfowl model in Camo ( my gun)
1700$ Super Black Eagle II
1800$ Super Black Eagle III
I cant say with fact, exact data or 100% assurance they are junk. But we have too may issues to not think there was some kind of manufacturing issue that is doing this. Tolerance on a piece of metal of some process. Different bad lot numbers. Don't know.
Buy once cry once. You pay for what ya get. I know em all. We will most liklely try and send them to Stoeger but I have not heard much good news about that procedure. Most likely I'm gonna send them to my local shotgun expert gunsmith and have him look em over, polish and smooth what he thinks should be polished and smoothed, maybe round some edges and see how they work. At the very least we will turn them into turkey guns I guess.
I'm leaning towards getting a couple SBE II since they have been around a while and sending them to Rob Roberts Custom Gun works and let him do his majic. We spend way too much time scouting, driving in the dark setting up and taking down spreads not to make each and every opportunity count. You lunatic waterfowl guys know what I mean
Hope that helps someone. All the best.
Beretta owns Benelli.
Benelli owns Stoeger.
Stoeger semi autos are made in Turkey.
I've had several people that I trust and I know are being honest tell me nothing but great things about their Stoeger 3500. A close friend of mine is the worst I've ever seen at keeping his guns clean and periodic maintenance. He even used his once as a paddle, shook the water out and it worked fine. I was sold that these Stoegers were a slimmed down version of the other great interia driven guns those Italian companys make.
We ran em dry, ran em wet, ran em with light oil. We got the factory grease out and follow everything the operating manual says. We store em bolt closed. Issues we have are.....
1) They don't like the cold. I can only guess at why, but they don't. All my southern friend's have zero issues with them.
2) Sometimes the #1 hull gets stuck as its ejected
3) Sometimes the infamous click
4) Winchester Super X are a disaster. Switched to Federal Black cloud and helped a little. ( 1.5 full seasons with Federal BC
5) Only 30 percent of the time do we get 3 shots in one salvo with no issues
We have used the guns like normal waterfowl hunters would. Kayak hunting, blind hunting, layout blind hunting, pit hunting and bucket sitting in dove season. We dont muddy em up. We protect em in the goose pit but there is not one consistent issue with them and its always something. They pattern great with a Patternmaster Choke and the supplied chokes are not far behind.
Why did I get some Stoegers you may ask. Well price and thinking its a simple gun made by some gun makers who have a history of making simple guns that work well. Todays price comparison for reference.
600$ M3500 in Black
700$ M3500 in Camo (sons gun)
1100$ M3500 Waterfowl model in Camo ( my gun)
1700$ Super Black Eagle II
1800$ Super Black Eagle III
I cant say with fact, exact data or 100% assurance they are junk. But we have too may issues to not think there was some kind of manufacturing issue that is doing this. Tolerance on a piece of metal of some process. Different bad lot numbers. Don't know.
Buy once cry once. You pay for what ya get. I know em all. We will most liklely try and send them to Stoeger but I have not heard much good news about that procedure. Most likely I'm gonna send them to my local shotgun expert gunsmith and have him look em over, polish and smooth what he thinks should be polished and smoothed, maybe round some edges and see how they work. At the very least we will turn them into turkey guns I guess.
I'm leaning towards getting a couple SBE II since they have been around a while and sending them to Rob Roberts Custom Gun works and let him do his majic. We spend way too much time scouting, driving in the dark setting up and taking down spreads not to make each and every opportunity count. You lunatic waterfowl guys know what I mean
Hope that helps someone. All the best.
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