stoeger 2000 auto review.

[Kodiak]

I bought a stoeger 2000 auto synthetic slug/bird combo for a deer gun/backup bird gun. I use a SBE and slug barrels for the SBE are like 570 bucks so i thought i would just buy this Stoeger auto with a slug barrel and bird barrel for 500 bucks. I called cabelas because they had them on sale a while back and they never received any at the time of the sale so i asked them if they could honor the price and they did so i ordered one. it took about 5 days for it too get there i picked it up friday and took it apart to clean it on saturday.

-during disassembly i noticed a lot of similarities to my SBE and a few things are different but not much.

-got it cleaned up and took it out on sunday down at Caribou Gun Club in Le Suer and shot 100 rounds through it. it slightly jammed on my once in 100 rounds, not too bad for a brand new gun with real low quality shells running through it. 3.19 a box estate shells....The jam wasnt bad and was probally due to not being broke in the shell hung up a little bit and i just kinda tapped the shell with my finger and all was good. Not your traditional [PoorWordUsage] you off jam. It doesnt pull up as good as the SBE but it feels a little lighter than the SBE. It could use a raised rib like the benilli because i had to alter my shooting style slightly to get a good shot due to the lower rib, but that doesnt matter due to this being my deer gun. Overall i WOULD RECOMMEND this shotgun especially for 500 bucks with a rifled canteliver slug barrel and a 26" bird barrel with 5 choke tubes...It impressed me and will be a GREAT backup if needed for my SBE..which will most likely never happen cause SBE's dont break..heheh. In comparison there was a SBE, and a super X2 shooting with me and the super X jammed twice. This is my comparison and i shoot a SBE so that is how i am going to compare it with what i have, i like the super X2 so i am not raggin on it.

[Hotspotter]

Kodiak:

Phewww......glad to hear the good news.

I go down to pick mine up at Cabelas tonight and was really wondering about this gun.

My deal is almost exactly like yours....will be used as a backup for ducks, pheasants, and turkeys; but buying it mostly for the combo and cantilever barrel for deer. I have a Browning Gold Hunter 3.5" and bought their cantilever rifled barrel. Am returning it in favor of the stoeger combo because at $400 for just the browning barrel, i think it's ridiculous.

A Cabelas guy behind the counter got into a tiff with me about how the steel is that much better and you're getting a better-quality product....using the argument that "the ithaca replacement barrels won't even shoot with the X2's." My response was something along the lines of, Hastings, Remington, Winchester, etc. all make replacement cantilever barrels for nearly 1/2 of $400. It's robbery.

My brother's X2 jams religiously, but he treats it like the push-pole in his duckboat.....a no-no for my Gold Hunter too. Those two gas guns really need some TLC after each and every hunt or they seem to jam on us.

Thanks for the good review, I appreciate hearing your experiences with it!!!

Joel

[chefjim]

i have thought about the stoeger auto as a backup for my sx2. I shoot fifty or more rounds a weeks through my sx2 and had one jam on the first box of shells and none since. I beat it it upon a regular basis duck boat in the field. I have put 500 rounds through it over the corse of two weeks without cleaning it. the sx2 is a great gun for me.

[Kodiak]

i dont think the SX2 of my buddies has been properly taken apart an cleaned,,keep in mind i said the X2 was a good gun and i was not rippin on it. I expected the stoeger to jam but it impressed me enough to think my decision was the right one. BTW when you get to cabelas at the gun counter work with BRAD he is a real good guy. That is who helped me out on friday. Seems when i buy guns i get a hard time from the guys behind the counter. maybe because i am 26 i dunno.

[chefjim]

i am 28 and get the you ask a lot of stupid quastion look also. I dont sell guns for a living give me break.

[Kodiak]

or my favorite is when you ask them for help is seems like they are all agitated and dont want to move or help.

[Hotspotter]

Guys:

Funny you should mention, I get the same deal from the Cabelas gun guys. In their defense, the mega-mart atmosphere is not a good pairing with a gun shop, where questions need to be answered and customers need service. Also, it has always seemed like they are understaffed! Took me 2 1/2 hours on a Monday night to buy a gun and get a scope mounted and boresighted.

Tom helped me out last night and was a real class act. Steve Olson helped out too and was appreciative of me being so patient with them. I noticed a few scratches on the new cantilever barrel, and Tom agreed that shouldn't happen. He made it right by throwing in two boxes of Winchester Partition Golds......about $28 total. Good guys. But I've got the gun and am anxious to shoot the thing!

Joel

[Kodiak]

does your slug barrel have a misscoloring on the scope mount like it was colored with a permenant marker, it just seems to not be as black as the barrel.

[Hotspotter]

Kodiak:

You too huh?

Seems to me that the welds that hold the cantilever to the barrel have a slight rust color to them too. Yeah, if they weren't busier, I would've pushed the envelope quite a bit more. Last night, I was happy to get the thing mounted and boresighted and be done with the place.

Keep telling myself that it was a $500 auto with both barrels, and as long as it performs, I'll be alright with being the guy with the unpretty gun that kills all the game.

Joel

[Kodiak]

i took a brass brush to that rusty white gunk on it and brushed slightly and then cleaned it with gunscrubber, that stuff seemed to be on to stay but i got it off.

[jltimm]

Do you guys mind filling me in on the price for the Stoeger,and what exactly your getting?(the slug barrel,chokes,ect..)What inch barrel also?I looked at one at Gander last week and thought they looked like a good gun,and now I'm closer to buying 1 if the deal is right.

[Kodiak]

for 500 bucks you get

gun synthetic

26" bird barrel

24" cantilever rifled slug barrel

5 choke tubes -modified-ic-skeet cylinder-turkey??-full

choke tube removal wrench

i think that is it....i am wondering what the big choke tube in the bag is for, i think it is a turkey choke?? Also it has a removable plug to make it a 5 shot instead of 3 if you are not hunting waterfowl. Better call Cabelas and order one, they are a good buy. When i called there was 14 at the warehouse, now i am for sure there is 12 cause we both got one.

[Hotspotter]

Jltimm:

I had a tough time getting one, and had to get mine special ordered in. Must've been late on the deal, as they were selling like crazy.

Only changes are:

-$500 was the sale price from 2 weeks ago, now they're still only $539.99

-big extended choke is definitely a turkey choke, though I have no idea what constriction/type

-26" bird barrel comes with tru-glo red sight on the end of it

-my chokes are IC, Modified Cylinder, Modified, Full, and Turkey

Joel

[jltimm]

Thanks for all the info guys!I will have to give them a call and see if they got them in?

[Borch]

If I recall correctly to stock turkey choke is .674. You'll want to pick up a xxxfull comp n choke for that bad boy. Mine liked the federal #5 titewad loads. But others have had excellent results with the Win loads. Some devasting patterns with the Win. Ext Range which the CNC is rated for.

Good Luck with the gun Joe.

[Kodiak]

Joel-

why didnt you make the honor the sale price due to them not having them in stock, they gave me the 500 dollar price. i ordered it after the sale too. they are hard to get they are sold out everywhere else better act fast. Thanks for the help on the turkey choke joel.

[Hotspotter]

Yeah, I got the 500 dollar price, sorry for the confusion.

Thanks borch for the results. Did you do any patterning with #6's?

Joel

[Borch]

I did. However in my setup it prefered the #5 shot. Although it was close.