Stoeger Semi-Autos

[Coltsfan33]

Finally narrowed my choices down for a new turkey gun for next spring. It's between the Stoeger M3500 and the M3000, the only difference is that the 3500 will accept up to 3 1/2" shells and cost a little more.

Anyone have any experience with either of these shotguns? I've been reading many reviews and they really seem to be quality firearms at a great price point.

The only thing it will be used for would be turkey hunting and shooting clays occasionally. I'm trying to justify if I really need a shotgun that will take 3 1/2" shells or if I should just go with the M3000. Any insight is helpful.

Thanks

 

[rhino]

I have an M3000. It took a little work on the internals to make it function, but now it runs well with any high brass loads. It still chokes on anything with low brass.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Love mine. Honestly though 3 1/2" shells are overkill for turkeys - they come in handy for geese.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

My 3000 has eaten the cheapest loads I could find since day 1. The only problem I've encountered is in 3 gun matches when my 11 shot tube is loaded to capacity. But that's due to the extra weight working against the inertia system, no fault of the gun. Once the first couple shells are out, it's a steel slaying machine. I've turkey hunted with it, but have yet to take one with it. The biggest difference between the 3500 and 3000, aside from 3.5" shells, is the 3500 has a removable weight in the stock, and it will affect reliability with light loads if it is not taken out first.

 

[Mudcat]

I have had both and they both are great semi autos in my opinion. My 3500 had trouble with the lighter loads when shooting clays. The 3000 has run everything I put in it. I prefer the 3000 myself. No real rhyme or reason just a preference.

 

[rhino]

My 3000 has eaten the cheapest loads I could find since day 1. The only problem I've encountered is in 3 gun matches when my 11 shot tube is loaded to capacity. But that's due to the extra weight working against the inertia system, no fault of the gun. Once the first couple shells are out, it's a steel slaying machine. I've turkey hunted with it, but have yet to take one with it. The biggest difference between the 3500 and 3000, aside from 3.5" shells, is the 3500 has a removable weight in the stock, and it will affect reliability with light loads if it is not taken out first.

Do you think it's possible I have trouble with low brass because I'm not allowing the gun to move enough when it's trying to cycle?

 

[Titanium_Frost]

Do you think it's possible I have trouble with low brass because I'm not allowing the gun to move enough when it's trying to cycle?

Only if you are not shouldering it properly. The buttpad is supposed to be squishy enough to cycle the gun against a brick wall. I broke mine in with really hot trap loads (like 1300fps) and its as smooth as anything when cycling now.

Another plus is this gun is super easy to open up the loading port by grinding and sanding if you want to try out 3gun or any side match with a shotgun that needs to be reloaded.

The biggest downside is lack of extra barrels for different lengths and unavailability of what stock options there are from Benelli.

 

[rhino]

Only if you are not shouldering it properly. The buttpad is supposed to be squishy enough to cycle the gun against a brick wall. I broke mine in with really hot trap loads (like 1300fps) and its as smooth as anything when cycling now.

Another plus is this gun is super easy to open up the loading port by grinding and sanding if you want to try out 3gun or any side match with a shotgun that needs to be reloaded.

The biggest downside is lack of extra barrels for different lengths and unavailability of what stock options there are from Benelli.

I don't have that squishy buttpad on mine. It's the "tactical" version with the 18 inch barrel and pistol grip stock. The stock has been cut down to about a 10 inch LOP and the buttpad doesn't squish much. I haven't shot it much, though. How many rounds did you put through yours before it started working well?

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I don't have that squishy buttpad on mine. It's the "tactical" version with the 18 inch barrel and pistol grip stock. The stock has been cut down to about a 10 inch LOP and the buttpad doesn't squish much. I haven't shot it much, though. How many rounds did you put through yours before it started working well?

A Tactical M3000? I have been trying to get parts to convert mine and had no luck. Got any pics or even better, part numbers?

Mine ran 100% from day one. Took it apart and inspected it before I shot it and didn't find any of the issues some people complain about like burs and machine/casting marks. I can take it aprt and get some really high resolution pics if you want but it is really slick inside.

 

[rhino]

A Tactical M3000? I have been trying to get parts to convert mine and had no luck. Got any pics or even better, part numbers?

Mine ran 100% from day one. Took it apart and inspected it before I shot it and didn't find any of the issues some people complain about like burs and machine/casting marks. I can take it aprt and get some really high resolution pics if you want but it is really slick inside.

I

Sounds like you got a Wednesday edition and mine was made on a Monday or Friday!

I don't even know if I have the right name, but it came with the shorter barrel and pistol grip stock. I looked at it a few times in the shop thinking "poor man's Benelli M1S90," which it is, but I have some kind of curse for buying guns that don't work.

 

[Titanium_Frost]

I

Sounds like you got a Wednesday edition and mine was made on a Monday or Friday!

I don't even know if I have the right name, but it came with the shorter barrel and pistol grip stock. I looked at it a few times in the shop thinking "poor man's Benelli M1S90," which it is, but I have some kind of curse for buying guns that don't work.

Could it be the older M2000?

 

[rhino]

Could it be the older M2000?

Hmmm . . .

Now I'm not sure. I'll have to check. Color me doofus-colored.

 

[dj-vektor]

I wanted to turkey hunt as well as 3gun so I went with the 3500. I called stoeger to see if I could buy the inertia spring for a 3000 because I thought it would be softer to cycle light loads for 3gun. They said the springs were the same. He went on to say that the only difference between the two were the barrel, which one is obviously chambered differently. I thought that was interesting.

I think you would be fine w/ the 3000. I actually patterened a few different 3" and 3 1/2" shells and all of the 3" shells held a tighter pattern than the 3 1/2". Hope this helps.

 

[Zoub]

Could it be the older M2000?

Even worse, could it be the older M2000 that I broke in less then 30 seconds at an Indy gun show once...................and then they sold it to you (Rhino). I seem to recall you talking yourself into the whole "poor mans Benelli" bull**** at that same time. Because I was thinking and using the same phrase, probably in some thread we were both in, but I came to realize that was wishful thinking so I bought a new M2 that was priced like a Stoeger.

A poor mans Benelli would now be a Franchi. A Stoeger is a decent valued gun.

 

[EvilKidsMeal]

aside from 3.5" shells, is the 3500 has a removable weight in the stock, and it will affect reliability with light loads if it is not taken out first.

Have not found that to be the case with my M3500. I have the weight in all the time and have since day 1 and I shoot the cheapest loads I can for trap. After it was broken in it has not jammed in almost 2 years between duck hunting and range trips. As long as it is shouldered properly and solidly so the inertia system works correctly it is flawless. I have noticed it can jam if you limp shoulder it, so to speak, which wont allow the bolt to go all the way back, but that hasn't been an issue.

I broke mine in with a mixture of heavy hunting loads and light game/trap loads. It was broken in after the first trip.

Only problem I had with mine was after the first range trip the recoil spring around the magazine tube folded over itself and I was unable to seperate the halves of the gun for cleaning. It went back to Stoeger and was back within 14 days, and that was really a flukey issue more than anything.

Absolutely love my M3500.

 

[rhino]

Could it be the older M2000?

Even worse, could it be the older M2000 that I broke in less then 30 seconds at an Indy gun show once...................and then they sold it to you (Rhino). I seem to recall you talking yourself into the whole "poor mans Benelli" bull**** at that same time. Because I was thinking and using the same phrase, probably in some thread we were both in, but I came to realize that was wishful thinking so I bought a new M2 that was priced like a Stoeger.

A poor mans Benelli would now be a Franchi. A Stoeger is a decent valued gun.

Okay, I am a doofus +1.

It's definitely an M2000, purchased new from a dealer on 30 JAN 2010.

Here is a message I just found which addresses a solution to my problem. And yes, I never bothered to do research on the issue online. Make that doofus +2.


The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Stoeger M2000 question - not cycling

In addition, try this...open the bolt and lock it back, take your finger and run it up to where the barrel extension meets the cutout in the receiver. The barrel extension is the end of the barrel that the bolt head turns into. It will be very sharp and a little higher then the receiver. Just take a small round file or a Dremell with a fine stone and put a little radius on it. The other place you can run into trouble is the cutout in the barrel it self where the extractor goes past the cut out to grab the shell rim. They leave this very sharp also and the end of the shell can catch on this. Just take that sharp edge off and you should see some improvement.

I'm not that bright, but it could be worse. At least it functions with high brass loads with no issues!

 

[Contender]

I would skip the 3 1/2". 3" with a good choke kills turkeys to 50 yards for me and that is far enough. I have also seen what one other poster stated, 3" often times group better than 3 1/2"ers.