Talk me out of a benelli m2 12g!

[cuttiebrownbow]

Too expensive for what it is. Mid tier black synthetic inertia gun? I wouldn’t spend more than 800.

Just get a franchi affinity and save the money.


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[Oakleys]

If you can get an M1 Super 90, try it out. They are the most kick ass shotgun.

 

[Dave C.]

Don't listen to the clowns who claim they are fraught with "cycling issues." This is operator error, plain and simple. I have been shooting Benelli's for years. When used properly, they have NEVER had cycling issues or "cost me birds." I have an SBE II that probably has 5,000 rounds through it. Have several other models as well. None have had the cycling issues that guys on here claim are the gun's fault.
The high POI is true. Benelli sets them up that way out of the factory. I shim mine down. You may or may not need to depending on your own shooting style and gun fit.

 

[MallardSX2]

I don’t know how the guy can kill anything using one.

The whole time I was using my sbeII I was too focused on whether or not the bolt fully closed or not to pay attention to what the hell is flying around Lol.

Hunting out of a layout blind with one was also a disaster.

I had to field strip that gun 25 times in 1 season just to get live shells out of the gun.

Terrible design in my opinion.

 

[Dave C.]

That's funny, I hunt out of a layout blind all the time with mine and never have an issue. Did you send it back to Benelli? Perhaps, your gun was not functioning properly. It happens with ALL guns, not just Benellis.

 

[Superdoo]

If you’re not afraid of saving money… I have had my Stoeger M3500 for 5 years now. It’s been a great gun. It goes with me every weekend during hunting season.
The only downside is that I have to clean it twice during dove season because it doesn’t like cycling the lighter loads. This is also why it doesn’t come with me to shoot sporting clays.
I shoot over a case a year while hunting and it only gets cleaned during dove season.

 

[Tod osier]

I don’t know how the guy can kill anything using one.

The whole time I was using my sbeII I was too focused on whether or not the bolt fully closed or not to pay attention to what the hell is flying around Lol.

Hunting out of a layout blind with one was also a disaster.

I had to field strip that gun 25 times in 1 season just to get live shells out of the gun.

Terrible design in my opinion.

I've owned an SBE for nearly 25 years and never had to field strip it once.

The things you were having trouble with are non-issues for most people.

 

[dieselchessy]

Owned Benelli’s for many years and never had an issue with the bolt or anything else. Just normal care seems to work. My new as of last year gun is a Beretta A400 extreme. It has a similar rotating bolt head and works just fine as well.

I bought the Beretta because I shot a round of trap with a friends and the thing felt so good and pointed so naturally. Just fit me way better than my Benelli’s.
The Beretta seems a cheaper build quality to me. Hydro dip isn’t as nice either. It’s softer shooting though.

 

[Deleted member 8-15-23]

Have a sbe2 for 15 years. No issues but I only shoot .20 for all birds now.

 

[chizelhead]

If it's available, see if there's a shooting clays or range where you might be able to try a number of different shotguns. Fit and feel can be very different. I hunt with an SBE1 and SBE2 and think they're great for waterfowl and upland. Everyone in our group hunts them and has had good reliability. The M2 looks good. If you want to shoot 3 1/2" shells you will need to go with an SBE. 3 1/2" shells in the Benellis can be thumpers so a Berretta or Browning gas system might be better if you want to go that big. I don't think you need to though but YMMV. Good luck. It's always fun buying a new gun.

 

[LongWayAround]

I've owned an SBE for nearly 25 years and never had to field strip it once.

The things you were having trouble with are non-issues for most people.

That's my experience as well. I have been shooting an SBE1 for something like 15 years.

In that time, I have had a couple of times ever where I had a failure to fire most likely due to incomplete bolt lockup. Typically, a result of trying to close it quietly.

The addition a a stiffer recoil spring basically eliminated the issue.

If a person is stripping their shotgun repeatedly to get shells out of it, they're doing it wrong.

 

[Banded_spooney]

this thread blows me away.... Guys talking about 25 years without a single hiccup. Come on.

Show me a duck gun that actually gets treated like a duck gun and I guarantee they have all had some issues. None are perfect and a normal waterfowler is hard on equipment.

for me, the M2 fits like an extension of my arm. It swings and points better than any auto gun I've ever picked up and I've shot all the flagship guns from all three big B's. -- I've been a true Benelli fanboy for over a decade. A Benelli can shoot through neglect like a gas gun can only dream of but; I'll never buy another one. My latest M2 and my SBE2 were cursed with trips to the gunsmith. Double feeds and stove piping were my biggest problems. I've posted pictures on other threads but other Benelli fanboys (remember I was one of you) just pretend like they don't exist.

I run in some circles with absolutely world class goose hunters and they have all switched to A400s. A surprising number of them that can afford more, have stepped down to Sx3s/4s. In my younger years I shot a Gold (similar system) and enjoyed it except it always needed to be cleaned. I just picked up a 20ga Sx4 as a toy for puddlers, if I enjoy it, I might grab a 12 for the serious stuff.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Don't listen to the clowns who claim they are fraught with "cycling issues." This is operator error, plain and simple. I have been shooting Benelli's for years. When used properly, they have NEVER had cycling issues or "cost me birds." I have an SBE II that probably has 5,000 rounds through it. Have several other models as well. None have had the cycling issues that guys on here claim are the gun's fault.
The high POI is true. Benelli sets them up that way out of the factory. I shim mine down. You may or may not need to depending on your own shooting style and gun fit.

care to elaborate on my operator error? I shoot over 1,000 shells per year at birds (I think I shot close to 2k this year alone) plus any target rounds and have been shooting Benelli's almost exclusively for 10 years. you're claiming I don't know how to run the gun?

 

[MattB]

I have en a Benelli M2 and an old version of the Beretta A400 (AL390) and prefer the Beretta. It did jam on me once in the field and needed a quick strip/cleaning, but it ran fine after that.

 

[Dave C.]

care to elaborate on my operator error? I shoot over 1,000 shells per year at birds (I think I shot close to 2k this year alone) plus any target rounds and have been shooting Benelli's almost exclusively for 10 years. you're claiming I don't know how to run the gun?

Tell me what your "cycling issue" was and I'll tell you what you did wrong. Also, if you're shooting 2k shells per yr, maybe you should either get your gun fitted or get to the range.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Tell me what your "cycling issue" was and I'll tell you what you did wrong. Also, if you're shooting 2k shells per yr, maybe you should either get your gun fitted or get to the range.

You say I’m a clown? I already did say what they were and you ignored them. Just like I said Benelli fan boys do.

I have an idea how I can shoot fewer shells and get my guns to never fail. I’ll just hunt less. Thanks for saving me all that money. I bet my guns don’t jam as much if I’m sitting on the couch.

 

[Remington92]

I must be one of the lucky ones that's never had my SBE2 have a single hiccup. Lightest game loads to turkey loads it eats everything. The SX2 it replaced however is a jamomatic unless squeaky clean. I'm always amazed at the end of the season when I break the SBE2 down and find all the straw and debris its packed into the back of the action and just keeps chugging. Liked it so much I picked up a M2 tactical for keeping round the house. I don't see a reason to ever switch away from inertia guns.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I’d rather have a Remington 870 Supermag.

 

[Bado20]

I have a Benelli M2 that I use for upland birds and I really like it. It’s more compact than the SBE3 and with the 26 inch barrel it balances well for me. I’m not subjecting it to the abuse that a dedicated waterfowler would but I’m about 1000 shells in and it has been flawless so far.

 

[kherbstreit1775]

I have an SBE3 that I love, probably going to pick up an M2 to turn into a dedicated turkey gun. Or another SBE3 lol