Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus vs. Benelli Super Black Eagle III

[Desk Jockey]

Sample of one, sort of. I have shot a pair of Benelli m2s for almost 20 years now for what shotgunning I do. I go on a pheasant trip once a year to kansas. Usually 12-20 guys. A selection of guns. Lots of shooting. Over the years, The berettas have seemed to have more issues than most others, both semis and o/u. Two guys bought the A400 Couldn’t shoot well and sold them. By contrast, Apart from the very rare fail to cycle and more rarely opening the bolt accidentally enough to prevent firing my benellis just shoot.

shot a round of clays and skeet last night. 75 shells. 8 guys. Three - a CZ, berretta and a Rmey had issues. My Benelli just shot.

I have tried dozens of other guns and I am obviously biased, but I can’t see trading Ole Ben and Lil Elly for anything. Maybe I will cave and step up to a nice clays O/U or reach a point where the 12 gauge is more than I can handle, but I am going to stay with Benelli.

 

[Bearwhisky]

I don’t own either but I have been hunting extensively all over North America with the majority of people in my hunting parties shooting these models. I have seen many malfunctions (mainly failure to fire from not being in battery, but several other occasional issues as well) from the Benelli. I have NEVER seen a single malfunction out of the Beretta, they just simply do not fail from my experiences. Unfortunately, I do not like the feel of this gun because of how big and blocky they are. Its a bummer because I would really like to use one due to their track record.


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[NDGuy]

Benelli click has been fixed on Ethos and SBE3, but remains a risk with their other models.

Yep

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Simply not true. In fact, the reverse is true. Gas guns are more susceptible to problems when dirty.

All shotguns require proper fitting and shimming. 90% of gun owners don't take the time to do this. My Beretta required shimming as well so this is not just a Benelli issue.

That's because the majority of competition shooters use O/U's and not semi-autos. I don't have any experience with Benelli O/U's so I can't speak to their quality or lack thereof. But, it could also be something as simple as Benelli not sponsoring shooters like the other mfrs. This is why you don't see that many Hoyt shooters at competition matches.

Its not a fitting issue. Its a design flaw. Google is your friend here, it is well known and something Benelli refuses to address.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Two guys bought the A400 Couldn’t shoot well and sold them.

Piss poor shooting is always the guns fault. If I embraced that mindset I would have to kick every gun I own down the road

 

[ResearchinStuff]

SBE3 having a very high POI is factual, even the field and stream/outdoor life reviews mentioned it. Then Benelli came out and tried to say that they intentionally designed it to have a 90/10 pattern distribution relative to the bead at 40 yards, so they are resistant to doing anything about it because it's a "feature."

I think there were 2 fixes most guys went with: a replacement bead that was super tall, or bending the barrel until the POI for the center of the pattern was acceptable.

 

[Rieckman]

I have a Benelli M1 and a Browning Maxus. Both shoot and swing well. Honestly, both have had failures but it's due to lack of maintenance (my fault). I know guys with both, and I think you'd be happy with either one.

 

[willidru]

Love my A400 very reliable have thousands of rounds through it in a duck blind.

Besides inertia vs gas also SBE has raised rib vs A400 flat rib.

YouTube has lots of videos, pretty good comparisons if you check out target focused life

 

[Dave C.]

Yep

Nope. Remains a risk with USERS of other models. This is purely a user error issue. Operate the gun the way that it was designed and it's not an issue. Guys load the gun and don't allow the bolt to slam forward and lock the rotating bolt in place. They seem to think they need to "baby" the bolt when chambering a load even though the gun slams forward during normal cycling. I usually see it when guys are swapping out loads in the blind because they see some geese. They cycle out a duck load for a goose load and in doing so, don't lock the bolt. This is not a gun flaw. It is a user flaw.

 

[Dave C.]

Its not a fitting issue. Its a design flaw. Google is your friend here, it is well known and something Benelli refuses to address.

Well, that's funny. I fail to have a problem killing birds with all my "flawed" benelli's after I shim them to fit me for proper POI.

 

[Kal-Elk]

If you don't plan on using 3.5" loads, don't overlook the Beretta A300 Ultima. It's 90% of my Extreme Plus at half the cost.

 

[Osteodoc08]

A400 extreme Unico user here. Only 4 seasons of hunting with it. I’ve kept it reasonably clean and don’t abuse it. It’s always worked for me. But so hasn’t my 11-87 and 1100 before then.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Well, that's funny. I fail to have a problem killing birds with all my "flawed" benelli's after I shim them to fit me for proper POI.

All SBE3’s? I doubt it.

 

[NDGuy]

All SBE3’s? I doubt it.

Got a Benelli rep in the thread

 

[NDGuy]

This is not a gun flaw. It is a user flaw.

Yes it's my dad's fault he shoots at a goose and then his SBE2 bolt locked up when he tried for a double. He must not be roperly fitted. This happened a half dozen times to him over the last 5-6 years.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

every gun has flaws, some just have fewer flaws than others. The SBE3 has one pretty glaring flaw, as did the maxus. A400 extreme series has a really clunky looking buttstock

 

[Dave C.]

Yes it's my dad's fault he shoots at a goose and then his SBE2 bolt locked up when he tried for a double. He must not be roperly fitted. This happened a half dozen times to him over the last 5-6 years.

It's likely because the gun was not shouldered properly at the time. If there is no solid backstop for the recoil, the bolt does not complete its travel cycle and lock in position.

 

[Dave C.]

Got a Benelli rep in the thread

Nope. No benelli rep and I don't own any SBE 3's as a matter of fact. But I do own several other models and have owned even more in the past, along with Beretta's, Brownings, and Remingtons. I have no skin in this game other than to call out faulty information when I see it.

 

[T28w]

Op if they both feel fine just pick one and start using it. If you don’t like it trade or sell it.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Nope. No benelli rep and I don't own any SBE 3's as a matter of fact. But I do own several other models and have owned even more in the past, along with Beretta's, Brownings, and Remingtons. I have no skin in this game other than to call out faulty information when I see it.

I was talking specifically about SBE3’s and their design flaw. Google it before you come out spewing nonsense about guns you don’t own.