Depends on what you are going to use it for. As an all around shotgun, neither would be my first choice. But of the two, the 870. Handles better and the safety is in the right place. I do like the fact that the front hand can be placed closer to the receiver on the Nova. There is a little more flexibility that way, but not enough to make it interest me.
I was not aware that the Nova also shoots high as the SBE is reputed to do as well. If true, that's another reason to look elsewhere.
Thats what shims are for on the SBE, adjusting the rear sight, your head.
Give me a gun that patterns 60/40.
As far as 870 vs Super Nova I will take the 870. I had a Nova for a couple weeks once. Terrible trigger and it just never felt like it operated all that smooth.
60/40 is fine. When I say "shoots high" I mean like 100/0. Where aiming from a bench at a target, the POI vs. POA is 12" high and 3" left at 21 yards, for example. You are not going to shim your way out of that, at least I don't think I could.
Mind you, I have no personal experience with the SBE. But there are a lot of folks out there who do and are reporting the same issue.
Dual beads I assume?
If so are you making a figure 8 out of them or lining them up, trying to block front bead with the mid rib bead?
[quote=10Glocks]I don't hate my Super Nova by any means, or I would have sold it by now. I actually rather like it, under the right conditions. It doesn't shoot left or right. It just shoots high. But not unseably high. Higher than my Brownings, which shoot a little high, and significantly higher than my 2018-built Ithaca Model 37s that seems to hit exactly at point of aim. But I can still hit with it. But given that it's the only shotgun I have that hits where it hits, I just don't use it that much. If it were my only shotgun and I was used to where it hits, I wouldn't know to even mention that it hits high. I have multiple Brownings and Browning-made Winchesters that I shoot more than anything else and I'm used to those, so when I go back to my Super Nova I'm thrown off a bit.
Like any gun, you have to shoot it and get to know it. If you can do that, the Super Nova is fine.
Here's mine.
Nice shotgun. I like the Nova. Very slick action. I agree that the triggers on the two I owned were not that good. I actually like them better than the 870. Most factory shotguns shoot high for me until I add a bit of length with a thicker recoil pad. A simple fix really. It moves my cheek down the comb a bit and solves the problem. The Benelli pad looks pretty thick already so maybe a spacer between the butt and the pad? I thought the Super Nova was adjustable with shims. If so. just add a bit more drop and you should be golden. I see folks talking about testing point of impact from a bench. Other than for a turkey gun I see no value in that at all. Mount the gun and smoothly and shoot it at an impact board or plate. 16 yards is the conventional distance, but anywhere around that should be fine. Wear safety glasses.