My journey from a Remington 1100 to a Beretta Semi.

We shot Remington 1100's for over thirty years. Some sporting, mostly trap.

My wife bought her's used around 1969.  Was her skeet gun until she moved to an over and under. Then her sporting/trap gun. We put a trap barrel on it for trap.

Name a part and we most likely broke it. Even broke a barrel weld and a magazine tube. I carried enough spares to rebuild a 1100 at a shoot.  Always carried a bolt assembly with firing pin and extractor installed. Upgraded parts through the years as soon as Remington make them available.

Some weeks I put three-four hundred shells through the gun.  Practice and Registered.

Replaced the action spring (in the stock) each, yearly (Remington gunsmith recommendation). 

If I shot more than 150 shells, I start having issues.  Tear it down and give a quick cleaning. I'd do that in-between the 100's at trap shoots.  I used BreakFree to clean, nothing else.  Cleaned after every visit to the range. 

Can't say we had many failures to feed through the years if we get them clean but some brands of shells not Remington friendly.  Back in the day I had four (4) reloaders and happy with the results.

Shotguns breaking down more and more frequently.  Always buying parts. Basically, guns worn out.

Ordered a 1100 sporting model.  Had a blemish on the forearm. Asked for a replacement and was told it was how they were being produced.  Say what?

Long story short, sold all the 1100's.

I shoot a Beretta A400 and the wife shoots a 12-gauge Beretta A300 Ultima Sporting.  Neither has the KO recoil pad. She had the stock shortened and added an adjustable comb. Fits her like a glove. Shoots it for skeet, sporting and trap.

We can shoot them all day, two-three hundred shells. No issues.

The A300 initially had few brands of shells it didn't care for, but we recently used those shells and no problems. 

Installed a COLE oversize magazine release on both. I had to use a YouTube video for guidance.

Wipe down after a visit to the club and that's about it. Put it away. Talking practice. 

Going to a shoot, clean the gun.

I've found this is the one part you need to keep clean. The Piston Assembly (Underside of the barrel).

I pull it out after three visits to the range (practice) and use a gun cleaning toothbrush to get off the crude. If the bolt doesn't cycle, first thing you need to check.

If the gun does start acting up at the club, check the Piston (quick wipe down) and a few drops of oil on the rails may also be required. Basically, you can shoot four or five cases without a failure to feed without a thorough cleaning. I've heard stories of shooters doing double even triple that.

Remington has the same design from when it first came out.  Beretta through the years keeps updating and changing. 

Yea, die hard Remington fans out there, but did that and done with it.