Here is an update in that as mentioned above, I am a new SBE3 owner. I am about 3-4 weeks and 500 rounds into my SBE3. I just got back from a dove hunt and the birds were flying really high. The SBE3 knocked a few out of the air WAY up there to the surprise of myself and those around me. I am a fair shotgun shot but usually in a group of 25 like this one, there are a few shots better than me. On this hunt I knocked as many birds down as anybody and maybe had the most so the gun made me look really good. So far, my thoughts:
1. I oiled the gun before shooting it the first time and haven't cleaned it yet. No malfunctions whatsoever and have used loads from 1 oz 1200 fps target loads to high brass 1 1/4 ounce.
2. Recoil is significantly less than my old M2. In fact the SBE seems to be one of the lighter recoiling 12 gauges that I have ever fired. I don't know why this is. Maybe the updated stock design.
3. I have not patterned mine but I shoot it really well and don't think it is shooting high for me.
4. The safety button is a little large and I can feel it under my trigger finger when shooting. It bothered me at first but is well contoured and I have gotten used to it.
5. The gun is REALLY long. Mine is a 28" and appears to be slightly longer than my 30" 391 Sporting gun. It handles well so I guess I am fine with it.
6. I always feel Benellis are really expensive for a design that seems like it should be fairly easy to manufacture. So yes, I think they are significantly over priced, but I shoot well enough with them, I live with over paying. Buy once; cry once.
I have several shotguns but am considering making this my primary gun for everything, including waterfowl, upland and sporting clays. I even ordered a second one as a spare and am considering selling my Beretta 391 sporting gun and just using the Benelli for sporting clays. Given how much the two Benellis cost me, selling a couple of guns is advisable and the Beretta sporting gun now feels extraneous.
