Which Benelli M2 12 Gauge for do all shotgun?

[Travis2282]

I probably need to send it back to Benelli and get it looked over! I bought this shotgun probably 15 years ago atleast! I would love to send it off to rob Roberts to get that ugly advantage timber stripped off and get a cerakote/ camo stock and forearm done to it!

 

[JCohHTX]

I have one (12ga) and it is a reliable gun and very low maintenance. It does have enough kick that I am looking for a gas operated gun for dove hunting.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

^^^ all of my serious load benelli's get stiffer wolff springs put in them for $10 a piece. They are dedicated waterfowl guns that only shoot heavier loads. The extra spring helps with recoil.

The original spring that comes in them is designed for light trap loads all the way up to turkey loads so when you shoot somehtinng with more snort, it'll let you know it. If you're gun is specifically for heavier game, wolff spring helps tremendously.

 

[Trogon]

I recently picked a 12ga synthetic monte for 800 off GB. Im not familiar with the M2 so not sure what you get for the extra price, but this monte is sweet. Hard to imagine a better do it all, practical gun that this. Only downside was this cheap version only came with one choke and no sling stud on the mag cap (shame on you benelli).

 

[Mike Islander]

Is there a comparable gas-gun as far as price and reliability? I love older Rem. 1100s, which cost less, but not sure if these come at the cost of reliability or cleaning requirements. Less recoil, right, but at what cost? Thoughts on a gas-gun alternative, pros and cons?

Sorry to those folks who know shotguns, showing my ignorance here. But I can be taught.

 

[Midwestwaterfowl]

Most of the guys I hunt with shoot Winchester sx3’s or a browning maxus. They seem to like em a lot. I’ve shot em a quite a bit, nice guns but I shoot the benelli better. Beretta a400’s look sweet, but I don’t have any experience with em. The a300 is the more budget model, but I don’t have any experience with it either, other than berretta puts the safety in the wrong spot.

 

[Trogon]

I have an SX3 in 20ga. Heck of a nice gun. Would have got another in 12ga but they are getting hard to come by at a fair price. Maxus will be similar but have speed load and magazine cutoff. Much more expensive.

In the vintage world I have a mid 60s 1100. Nice as well but heavy by today’s standards. Used you could find a beretta a390 or al391. Maybe a browning silver.

 

[hodgeman]

Is there a comparable gas-gun as far as price and reliability?

Eh...maybe but it depends. The majority of gas guns can be reliable but they do need more maintenance and seem more prone to breakage. A buddy of mine has a Beretta- nice gun, but heavier and more complicated.

Unless you're sitting in a duck blind wailing away with heavy loads, the gas gun just adds weight you get to tote around.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

The browning/winchester crowd seems really hit or miss. Either you get one that's bullet proof or one that's garbage and doesn't seem to be alot of in between. The only gas gun that seems to be consistently really good is a beretta xtreme unico. the other beretta's were much like the brown/winch but the xtreme unico seem to be a home run for beretta.

This is just outside looking in. Once elk and deer are over I hunt a fair amount of waterfowl well into winter months with many different guys. I've never had a reason to move on from benelli but have seen the pros and cons to the other brands just being around others.

 

[archp625]

I would go with a SBEII or SBEIII that way you have the option of 3.5" shells. I have had zero problems with the SBEII. I dont treat it nice either.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Is there a comparable gas-gun as far as price and reliability? I love older Rem. 1100s, which cost less, but not sure if these come at the cost of reliability or cleaning requirements. Less recoil, right, but at what cost? Thoughts on a gas-gun alternative, pros and cons?

Sorry to those folks who know shotguns, showing my ignorance here. But I can be taught.

I don’t really think so. I own 2 benelli m2 fields. Ole Ben is my primary. He’s a 26. Lil Ellie is the back up. She is a 24. They have done everything from rabbits to turkey but mainly get used for sporting clays and a pheasant / chuckar trip to Kansas once a year. We go hard for two days and I will shoot 100-200 rounds. Ole Ben goes boom almost everythime. In fact, apart from 1-2 times he was out of battery (not sure if that was a failure or I accidentally tugged the bolt, the only problem he ever gave me was the recoil pad dropping off. Benelli sent me a new one no charge. My hunting buddies, 10-15 a year, run a variety of guns. Probably more than half shoot autos, remmy, beretta, etc. the only ones that come close to benelli for reliability are the old 1100s. Everyth8ng else has problems at some point.

 

[Leatherneck]

I was looking at getting a Benelli M2, but was also looking at its lower priced alternative. Does anyone here have any experience with the 3 inch Franchi Affinity? Online reviews show that many parts are almost identical and also made in Italy. I also like the idea of the spring in the foreend, not the buttstock.

Is it worth paying up for the M2? Does the Franchi give you most of what the M2 offers?

 

[Terrapin]

I use an original SBE for waterfowl and turkey, and a Montefeltro for upland. We use Beretta A300s for clays because of the softer recoil.

The Montefeltro I bought has pretty wood, which I prefer for upland. It’s fantastic to carry. The SBE is ugly, black and impervious to just about anything.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the Benelli shotguns. They all fit and shoot a bit differently, so I would just pick the one that feels best when you shoulder it. The M2 is definitely the most versatile.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brendan]

I have a Beretta A400 XTreme Plus that I love so far, but can't say I've put it through the ringer. Sold 3 old shotguns for this one and so far a good trade - Shoots everything from #9's for clays, to 3.5" Turkey and Goose loads. Love how easy it is to disassemble and clean too (Not that I do that much, but it got a deep cleaning a month ago).

 

[Desk Jockey]

Layering in on the SBE comments, I have thought about upgrading for years from an M2 to SBE. Having a little extra crack on goose and duck might be worth it but I don’t hunt those enough. 3.5 inch shells aren’t fun in any gun and I am not convinced they are needed for turkey with modern loads. I have gotten by just fine with 2 3/4 on pheasant and use 3s when I really feel like I need some extra push for ducks or geese. Haven’t felt undergunned yet.

 

[SoDaky]

The M2 is very nice. I shoot it a lot in 20 gauge. Only outdone IMO by a Sport or Cordoba also in 20 gauge.
i use 20s exclusively now and hunt all waterfowl with them. More than enuf for anything. My 12s sit in the safe.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

Layering in on the SBE comments, I have thought about upgrading for years from an M2 to SBE. Having a little extra crack on goose and duck might be worth it but I don’t hunt those enough. 3.5 inch shells aren’t fun in any gun and I am not convinced they are needed for turkey with modern loads. I have gotten by just fine with 2 3/4 on pheasant and use 3s when I really feel like I need some extra push for ducks or geese. Haven’t felt undergunned yet.

Those preaching the thought that a 3.5 is needed for anything (turkey, big geese, swans, etc...) are the same guyss that are pushing 300 super ultra whiz mags for elk. Other than making 10gauges virtually obsolete, 3.5- 12's haven't done anything worthwhile (I suppose you could make the argument that they've made their owners feel better about themselves but that's likely a false sense also).

We used to shoot swans frequently each year with 2 3/4" #4 tungsten because it was on a screaming discount. Stupid deadly and 1/2 the price of it's 3 1/2" counterparts.

A 3" with quality loads will kill your adversary, regardless of what that'll be.

 

[skierhs]

The M2 is very nice. I shoot it a lot in 20 gauge. Only outdone IMO by a Sport or Cordoba also in 20 gauge.
i use 20s exclusively now and hunt all waterfowl with them. More than enuf for anything. My 12s sit in the safe.

How does the m2 20ga kick compared to the 12? I’m thinking of picking up a 20ga for the lady to use getting into waterfowl. I’ve been using a a400 xtreme for four or five years in 12ga and love the thing. It’s heavy though and it makes it a little unwieldily for her to handle. I will offer up for the OP, if you’re doing a ton of hiking with the gun then Berreta will make you a stronger hunter but that’s because the gun weighs to much.

 

[SoDaky]

Hi Skierhs.I hear ya on the weight of some Berettas as the 12s I still have in my safe are two Extrema 2s.Tremendous,reliable waterfowl guns but heavy.(not a bad thing really IMO for waterfowl and heavy loads)It's been awhile since I've shot a M2 in 12 ga so hesitant to answer except to say the 20 is 'less'.I do feel it has a slightly harder recoil than the Cordoba or Sport.(I love the 'high' ribs on all of them.)
I see you are from Montana.If no Covid would have been driving through and maybe could arrange to have her shoot mine but....no Spring trip this year.If coming east through SD,happy to try meet and let her do so.
I hope you can find one to let her try it first.Good hunting!

 

[skierhs]

Hi Skierhs.I hear ya on the weight of some Berettas as the 12s I still have in my safe are two Extrema 2s.Tremendous,reliable waterfowl guns but heavy.(not a bad thing really IMO for waterfowl and heavy loads)It's been awhile since I've shot a M2 in 12 ga so hesitant to answer except to say the 20 is 'less'.I do feel it has a slightly harder recoil than the Cordoba or Sport.(I love the 'high' ribs on all of them.)
I see you are from Montana.If no Covid would have been driving through and maybe could arrange to have her shoot mine but....no Spring trip this year.If coming east through SD,happy to try meet and let her do so.
I hope you can find one to let her try it first.Good hunting!

I appreciate it. Im not really that worried about the kick as it being a 20ga but not having shot a m2 it’s just one of those unknowns. Not like I have much of a choice either way. I’m heading through SD in two week and then back later this summer for work. If things calm down then I’ll reach out later this summer.