Quote Originally Posted by Mark View Post
I have a Browning Gold 10. A friend of mine has the one in both 10 gauge and 12 gauge. He's had his Browning Gold shotguns for a long time, and he loves them. The Browning Gold 10 was designed to be a goose gun, because a 3.5 inch 10 gauge load throws a lot of steel pellets (lead is not legal for migratory birds in the States).

We load up our Gold 10 with 3.5 inch loads of hevi-shot for turkeys. When Toms becomes a little difficult to call in close, these shotguns put the odds back in our favor. I don't care what anyone else says, these loads are deadly for turkeys. Since the introduction of 3.5 inch 12 gauge shotguns, 10 gauge shotguns are not very popular any more. Only a few nuts like my friend & I use them. I bought mine used a few years ago. I've had zero issues with it.

The old Browning A5 shotguns are an American classic, but the new A5 is not the same gun. The new ones are inertia driven, not gas operated. The Browning Gold gas driven model really reduce kick. Today's Browning Golds are now called the Silver, & the Maxus is their new gas gun. The new A5 is their inertia gun. That's the number one reason my friend has them. His wife, daughter, son, and about 20 different kids on youth hunts have killed birds with his 12 gauge. My friend is a turkey hunter nut, & he loves his Browning Gold shotguns!

I am not a brand loyalty type of guy. Mossberg, Franchi, Stoeger, Remington, Winchester/Browning - I wouldn't hesitate to buy any of them. Even some of the cheaper TriStar & Weatherby shotguns are well received here.

History lesson - The Browning Auto-5 was the first mass-produced semi-automatic shotgun. Designed by John Browning in 1898 and patented in 1900, it was produced continually for almost 100 years by several makers with production ending in 1998. Pontius Pilate probably didn't design any shotguns, because the Romans were still using spears back them!
10 gauge home defense shotguns are making a comeback according to some. Less recoil and still just as much stopping power. Im looking for one. 12 gauge is just too much for my fiance, in case I wasn't home and needed to protect herself.