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I keep hearing that the Benelli shotguns are great. Anybody have any experience with them?

I don't know about Benelli's in particular, because I've only shot one once, but I know about recoil-operated shotguns because I love to shoot Browning Auto-5's.<P>I can tell you that, as tried and true as the Auto-5 design is, it IS almost a century old. If Benelli has done anything to improve that design at all, it ought to be a hell of a shotgun.<P>Also, I saw a guy on TNN recently who broke the record for shooting self-thrown clay targets with a pump shotgun. This guy chucked up EIGHT clay pigeons and, after a few tries, busted them all with a Benelli.<P>This doesn't make the Benelli any better of a shotgun, obviously, but at least it shows that it's capable of fine performance.<P>One thing I didn't like about that pump gun, though, was that the receiver and buttstock were molded out of one piece of plastic (OK, polymer--whatever). Looked kinda ugly to me.<P>Also, I have noticed that Benelli's are expensive, quite a few hundred bucks more than a comparable Beretta or Browning.<P>You gonna buy one? If so, which one are you looking at?<P>Tim

Well, I've been looking at the M1 camo 12 gauge. One reason for that particular choice is that it is available in a 21" barrel, 3"chamber (3�" loads are apparently designed to give the capability to handle greater amounts of lighter shot, such as steel, and the loads available are suitable shot sizes for waterfowl, but not for coyotes) which is what I want for speed in handling on close-up fast moving coyotes, but also because a 21" is easy to handle in and out of the truck 15-20 times a day at calling stands. I now use a Remington 870 Special Turkey with a 21" tube, and like it except that I yearn for faster followup shots (I am not as fast on the pump as I once was). Still, I have to question whether there is enough practical difference to be worth the $$. Guess part of the justification would have to be that I just WANT a Benelli. But then if it is not all I have heard so far, I would be very sad.

Hello. Pretty nice Board. Is this new?<P>I bought a Benelli Sport last year because I liked the idea of fitting the shotgun for drop with the spacers and shims provided. The Benelli was a nice gun, but in the end, my feeling was that it wasn't worth the extra money. I ended up trying a Beretta AL-391 Urika and it fit me better right off the shelf than the Benelli did after I worked on it. As to operation and overall quality, I didn't see that the Benelli was in any way superior to the Beretta. Heck, I even liked the Beretta better aesthetically. I sold the Benelli, bought the Beretta, pocketed a few bucks even after selling the Benelli used, and have no regrets.<P>The Benelli IS nice. Don't get me wrong. And maybe if I could get it to feel and fit like the Beretta did I would have kept it. That's a personal thing. But the really was no advantage to the Benelli that would make me spend the extra bucks on one again.<P>Just my two cents.<BR>

I've had three of 'em, worth every penny. It's a hunter's gun, the only problem I've heard from anyone is the recoil spring in the stock can get a little rusty (especially wading in green timber) if you don't clean it. My M1 shoots anything as does my SBE 3.5, even 1 ounce loads. The gun is a little long in the receiver because of the design. They field strip in seconds without any tools. And very reliable. They pattern very well for turkey with a tight Hastings or Briley choke.<BR>JB

I have an SBE and it's the best all around auto I've ever owned. Shoots everything from 1 oz. to 3 1/2 with no problems. The best thing it patterns where I point it dead on. It's more money then some other but I think it's worth it.

Richard, I agree with you that the Beretta is the finer gun of the two. The Beretta is a gas activated auto, and the Benelli a straight blow-back action. The Benelli kicks seriously with heavy waterfowl loads, as much as a O/U would with similar weight and loads.
<br>The Beretta as with the Benelli shoots every load, the Benellis simpler action probably would function longer without any cleaning. The Beretta is a noticable softer shooting gun, something that is important to me as duck and goose shooter.The Benelli is a fine gun no doubts, but greatly overpriced, if you see what the Beretta has to offer!