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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,991
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 4,991 |
I hunt with a Browning Auto 5 mag 12 It has always been reliable with an occasional hiccup with light dove loads. It isn't designed to shoot 1 oz loads but I ask it to and it is usable.
This year at our annual dove hunt it wouldn't cycle at all the shot shells from Wal mart. I did a little reading online on some shot shells on shotgun sites. I read several claims that the lower priced shotshells are made with such cheap plastic now that they won't work reliably even in some pump shotguns because the shells deform when cycled through the action. I tried some better grade hulls the next weekend and it worked flawlessly. That could be part of the issue with some of these shotguns that are built well not working as they should.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,213
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,213 |
One question:
Are we really comparing apples to oranges?
Isn't the new A5 about 2/3 the price of the SBE 3?
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 4,774
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 4,774 |
Wait, why would you want a do-all shotgun? A guy needs at least 5 or 6 to cover even basic shotgunning needs.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,756
Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,756 |
Yeah i think this comparison is apples to apples, the prices arent that much different.....Hb
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,240
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,240 |
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. No way would I give up a Beretta 391 to shoot clays with a Benelli.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,756
Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,756 |
Wait, why would you want a do-all shotgun? A guy needs at least 5 or 6 to cover even basic shotgunning needs. Lol, Really? All I use a shotgun for is hunting rabbits, squirrels and Spring turkey, I can easily get by with 1 or 2 shotguns.....Now rifles are another story...Ha!.....Hb
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,417
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,417 |
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. No way would I give up a Beretta 391 to shoot clays with a Benelli. I have a good friend that I used to shoot leagues with and he has put a couple hundred thousand rounds through a Benelli Sporting gun. Before the Benelli he shot a Browning sporting gun. He had a stroke a couple of years ago and lost his peripheral vision but still breaks clays with the Benelli and even though he can't always see the target, he now shoots 70-75 percent at sporting clays, which is off from the 90-95 that he used to shoot before the stroke. I like my 391 but the Benelli SBE3 doesn't recoil any harder for me and is much easier to clean, which is a plus in that I have gotten lazy with gun maintenance.
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