Anyone that has an opinion of the pros or cons, I’d like to hear what you have to say. Particularly if it’s based on first hand experience with a particular specie of shotgun.
Benelli shotguns are inertia driven, and they are sweet as can be. I've shot a couple and they are very nice to shoot, lower recoil than what I had shot in the past (Browning, Rem 1100, Mossberg). Sadly, I could not afford the Benelli, and I bought a Beretta instead.
My Berettas are fantastic guns, but gas driven. Slightly more recoil than the Benelli, but not a huge difference. Very low recoil, and reliable as the sun. So low that my 110 lb son shot it accurately enough to limit out on dove at age 12.
I went appx 1500 rounds between take-apart cleanings. I did run a boresnake through them after each outing. But I had zero FTF, FTE with both of them. I thought for sure it would spit the bit at some point due to being dirty. But it didn't. The only reason I cleaned it when I did was that I loaned it to a friend and he let it get wet, and the gun had some rust on the barrel.
fwiw, I’ve had a Benelli Super Vinci going on 4-5 years now. Best hunting shotgun I own. And the only shotgun that has consistently worked out of every other shotgun that other hunters brought during icy, sleeting, sub-freezing waterfowl hunts while wearing dry suits. I’m amazed how reliable it’s been.
Aside from the magazine tube and trigger group, the only other moving parts is the bolt assembly which fits in the palm of my hand. I can field strip it in 18 seconds flat with gloves on.
I love my Benelli SBE II 12ga. It is inertia driven, very reliable, and a low recoil gun. Best shotgun I have ever owned. My wife and kids can handle the recoil easily.
That being said, it matters not to me which system is in a firearm. Both work. Get what you like that fits your budget.
I’ve got a Stoeger 3000 that’s been reliable and patterns consistently with a wide range of shells, from low-end up to high dollar magical shot shells (Hevishot, etc.). I have an old school adjustable choke on it and it balances nicely with the little extra weight hanging off the end of the 28in. Barrel.
I have a spot for waterfowl that requires a 30-40 minute walk thru waist deep flooded timber and use the Stoeger jic the muck and mud is a prob. The walk in is a pita but I’ve never had a hunt where the spot wasn’t loaded up with birds. Over the years I’ve dropped a limit a teal with a single pull of the trigger on more than one occasion with that bad boy.
Recoil guns have more recoil and often need spring changes to accommodate a wide range of ammo. Gas guns seem to work well. Pumps of course have highest recoil but can run any ammo without issue.
I have a Beretta A400 gas gun, and it’s an amazingly soft shooting shotgun. After owning it 6 months I got rid of all my other shotguns. It has never jammed or hiccuped in any way. It’s been through several thousand rounds and I clean it once a year whether it needs it or not. I shot 3 consecutive rounds of sporting clays in one day wearing a plain t-shirt and had no stiffness at all the next day. My brother has a Benneli Ethos, and its also extremely reliable. But mine shoots just a bit softer.
Folks have differing opinions. Gas guns are always softer shooting that inertia guns.
Inertia guns have the same felt recoil as long recoil actions. I'm old and somewhat recoil sensitive due to my my old pal, Arthur Itis.
The softest shooters I've tried are the Browning Gold series and the Beretta 400 series.
Yes, a question I heard at a gun store. Employee said just to bring it in and they would fill it up for free. We held off our laughter until the customer had left.
A lot of people with no knowledge or experience giving their opinions on inertia guns. I own and use both. No, inertia guns do not need spring changes with different loads. Most gas guns are heavier than their inertia counterparts. Most, not necessarily every one. Two shotguns of the same weight, one a gas gun and one inertia driven, the inertia one will have less felt recoil and will function reliably with a wider range of loads.