Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus vs. Benelli Super Black Eagle III

[jwo]

I'm in the market for a new 12 gauge shotgun. The gun will be used for duck, goose, dove, pheasant and other upland bird hunting, and clay pigeon shooting as often as possible. I had a Remington 1187 for several years, but I have decided to try something else. After a whole lot of research, I have been set on the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus for some time, but I have started to consider the Benelli SBE3. I have held both and they both feel great in my hands. I live in Idaho, so our waterfowl season is associated with snow and cold temperatures. I'm sure this will come down to preference in gas vs. inertia, but I just want the one that will be the most dependable, reliable, and enjoyable for many years to come.

Which would you choose, and why?

 

[MattB]

I have a Beretta AL390 (preceded the model you mentioned by a few decades I believe) and really love that gun. I bought a Benelli SBE in 20 gauge for my daughter and it kicks about the same as my Beretta. My personal preference would be gas over inertia, although I recognize the latter is likely the more reliable system.

 

[Holski]

Not sure if you already went the Beretta route or not but I have had the Benelli SBE3 for 5 years and before that had a SBE2. I have buddies that have Beretta and wish they had gone the Benelli route. The Inertia driven system is like matt said more reliable and less maintenance. I will agree with the recoil, for some reason my wife 20g M2 kicks harder than my 12g. So we just bought her a 12g SBE3, she likes it more. I use mine for waterfowl, turkeys, upland, and clays in Colorado and it hasn't failed me. Beretta makes great guns as well but I'm just not a fan of the gas drives. Don't think you can go wrong.

 

[swavescatter]

Got a 20ga SBE3. Love it, but...

Kicked like a mule. Should have just gone 12ga.

No taps for red dot. 12ga version has this.

12ga SBE3 with red dot is the way to go IMO.

 

[NDGuy]

gas over inertia, although I recognize the latter is likely the more reliable system.

Until it gets cold/dirty

 

[NDGuy]

I love my A400 Xtreme

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Before you even consider an SBE3 do your research. The have crazy POI issues due to redesigned recoil reducing chevrons in the stocks. It is a design flaw that benelli refuses to address. A bunch of us had them - were missing birds like crazy and ended up dumping them after reading about this. Most of us shoot Franchi Affinity 3.5’s or Berettas or Versamax’s now and are happy.

 

[Thinkingman]

If you want to see what tested shotguns look like, go to a serious sporting clays event. You will see many shotguns with twenty thousand rounds through them and no excuse for choking.
You won't see any Benellis.
You will see lots of Berettas and Brownings.
My friends who HAD TO HAVE an SBE suffered through the pains of not having reliable ejection using light loads and the more abrupt recoil.
I have always owned gas shotguns and see no point in having an inertia gun.
Remember, fit is what breaks clays and kills birds, not some fanbois favorite flavor.

 

[Thinkingman]

I'm in the market for a new 12 gauge shotgun. The gun will be used for duck, goose, dove, pheasant and other upland bird hunting, and clay pigeon shooting as often as possible. I had a Remington 1187 for several years, but I have decided to try something else. After a whole lot of research, I have been set on the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus for some time, but I have started to consider the Benelli SBE3. I have held both and they both feel great in my hands. I live in Idaho, so our waterfowl season is associated with snow and cold temperatures. I'm sure this will come down to preference in gas vs. inertia, but I just want the one that will be the most dependable, reliable, and enjoyable for many years to come.

Which would you choose, and why?

Rem 1187 is considered a solid sporting clays and hunting shotgun.
Not the lightest thing out there but very solid and that weight is a benefit when shooting clays.

 

[Ropin4gold]

I’ve shot both extensively and settled on an A400 extreme. Very happy with it as long as I clean it a couple of times per duck season. Usually shoot a case to case and a half of 3.5s and 1-2k rounds of sporting clays loads per year. No complaints here.

 

[morgaj1]

I've shot Benellis, Franchis, Berettas and Remingtons. I do not like the finicky nature of Benellis and Franchis with light loads. I also like the softer shooting of the gas guns. So, I now have 2 Berettas and 1 Remington. I've shot them in all types of conditions from cold to hot, wet to dry and never had a malfunction.

 

[Holocene]

Get the gas gun. Heavier = better swing on waterfowl and less felt recoil.

It takes less than two minutes and no special tools to clean one. The "harder to clean" line might have been true years ago, but the A400 or a Browning gas gun like the Gold/Maxus/Winchester SX3 line is ridiculously reliable and easy to clean. 12 gauge or 20 gauge, pick your poison.

 

[WCB]

I work in the shooting industry. Even though they are same ownership...I would buy the Benelli Beretta's service is a joke. They are by far one of the most difficult companies to work with. Benelli on the other hand I have always found them very cooperative and helpful.

 

[TNHunter18]

I have never held or shot a SBEIII so I can't say anything about it. However, I shoot an A400 and have had no issues with it. It isn't very hard to clean and have had no issues with it shooting. It fits me perfectly so I shoot it better than any shotgun I have ever shot.

 

[M-Wig]

I did a ton of research before settling on an A400. I don't have a lot of shotgun experience so I can't say anything other than it shoots extremely smooth and runs through all sizes of shot with no issue.

My cousin was a Benelli guy until he won an A400 in a raffle. Said it's the best shotgun he's owned.

 

[iShoot17]

I went SBE3.

I was concerned with the POI issue that is discussed all over the net with the SBE3, but when holding it and the A400 Xtreme I mounted and swung the Benelli much better. The A400 is significantly larger than the Benelli and I wasn’t the most comfortable behind it. I saw some solutions on how to fix the POI issue if mine had problems and felt comfortable fixing if it came down to it.

Luckily, I haven’t had POI issues with my Benelli. I also haven’t had any issues with cycling of light Target loads while shooting some five stand.

 

[EddieNel]

Both great guns in my opinion.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Big beretta guy. Had most all of them 390, 391, xtrema2 and A400. They have never let me down, very happy with my berettas. Lots of hunting partners with Benelli issues.

 

[ammonnhonduras]

If you are getting one to beat up and shoot like crazy then get the Winchester SX3. If you want to be the man and have a nice gun that never fails and easy to clean, get a Beretta/Benelli/Browning O/U.

 

[CORam]

Big beretta guy. Had most all of them 390, 391, xtrema2 and A400. They have never let me down, very happy with my berettas. Lots of hunting partners with Benelli issues.

Same story here. I have owned a Beretta xtrema 2 for about 15 years and an AL390 for 23 years and neither has ever failed me after thousands of rounds. And they have been through hot and dusty conditions shooting hundreds of rounds in the desert in a day to -15 deg F shooting ducks in the snow and splashing water all day long (and the water freezes all over the gun, literally making an ice sheath around the gun, and it motors on). Never a problem. Just clean them when they get dirty.

Plus I feel that Berettas simply shoot smoother than any other shotgun I've shot. It's also a personal thing though as they are more comfortable than any other shotgun I've held by a long shot.