Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Benelli nova feedback

Looking for good and bad feedback on the nova, not the super nova. Thinking about getting one for my nephew for Christmas. I have read many online reviews but I'm a little skeptical. I've had good luck with getting honest reviews here so help me out guys.

Thanks

I had one as an HD gun for a while. Honestly, I can't see how you could break the thing. Shot it a bit with no problems. For the price (cheap) they seem really well made and solid. Some people poop their pants over the forearm rattling. If that is your top criteria, don't buy one. I simply don't see how they can make it in Europe and sell it so cheap.

I've had one for about ten years now and its just a solid shotgun. More than anything it reminds me of a Glock pistol: rugged, reliable, ugly. The only drawback it has as a general purpose shotgun is it's weight, which is considerable, but it handles well for being as heavy as it is. I keep it around for shooting in very wet weather, or in the event that I ever go hunting in a salt-water marsh.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I bought one in 20 ga. for my wife last year. No complaints. Total reliability. I liked it so much that I bought a used one for myself last month, in the same configuration - basic black, 26", only mine is a 12 ga. for waterfowl. First time I took it to the range, I broke 48 out of 50, and it functioned with no problems. I'm perfectly happy with the Novas.
I don't know the age of your nephew, but the Nova also comes in a 'youth model'.

Jeff

The Glock comparison is pretty good, utilitarian, reliable and, uh, homely.

I bought a 24" barreled 12 ga. to use as a turkey gun several years ago, it works great for that. I've also used it duck and dove hunting, worked great for ducks and I like not having to worry about using it in nasty weather.

They are surprisingly heavy, but since it is mainly used for turkey I don't mind.

My BinL bought one and brought it out for a week of duck hunting with me. After missing a bunch of birds we swapped guns for a day. Worst handling shotgun I've used, my BinL traded it off as soon as he got back home. I find the 870 a better low cost shotgun for me, he did too.

erich

The heaviness isn't necessarily a bad thing, since the recoil is pretty stout with magnums. Limbsaver makes a replacement recoil pad, but it is insanely expensive. Benelli sells a recoil reducer that fits in the buttstock, but again, very pricey. I look at my bruised shoulder as a reminder that I had a fun weekend!

Jeff

Seems like Novas either fit/handle well or they are awful, not much in between. I bought one when they first came out for waterfowl hunting. All of my other shotguns choked on dust and dirt when laying out in disced fields. Not the Nova. Works well enough for that, never carried it for upland. Have others I like better for upland.

Got the Benelli recoil reducer right away. 3-1/2 inch shells feel like 3 inchers, and so forth. There's also an easy to install magazine extension which comes in handy for spring snow geese depredation order hunting - no 3 shell limit.

My brother has stopped using his Nova and uses a 3 1/2" 870.

He has no trouble with it shooting clay pigeons, just trouble with shooting real birds.

I went through something similar when I switched pump shot guns.

I bought one for an employee in 3 1/2 12 ga that he loves. He left it against the truck once while we were leaving and we ran it over w/ a 3/4 ton pickup and upon returning to collect it we found it no worse for the wear (ran over the receiver!).

I bought one in youth 20 ga for my wife that we've had problems with. It drops shells out while cycling the action. I'll have to send it back to be repaired. Otherwise she has been really happy with it (about 4 yrs of light use when this started).

I hunted ducks with one last year on one outing. The gun worked flawlessly, my kill to shot ratio didn't suck too bad and recoil was about what you'd expect from a pump. And then I ran a handful of 3.5" through it and hit a few ducks way out there, but OUCH! Never again. Nice pump shotgun though.

Bought a 12-gauge for my oldest boy when he graduated from high school. He is pretty good sized and has never complained about the weight. He shoots clays and birds with it and never a hiccup. The Benelli autos have fit me well also.

Mitch

Felt recoil with heavy loads is the only issue. Shot a couple rounds of trap with a buddy using one, with the recoil unit in the stock and his shoulder was a purple bruise. Not certain if it was gun fit or just recoil pad issue.

I would look for a Stoeger M2000 over a NOVA. I found a near new M2000 for $200 last year.

I bought one on my 18th birthday. 6 years it has functioned perfectly, like a benelli should. I had the longer tru-glo bead put on it. I have loved it. Smooth pump. It was my favorite pump I looked at. I like the versatility of it as it can shoot the 2 3/4, 3, and 3 1/2 inch shells. It is a big gun, but being 6'1'' 223 lbs and a little built, size and recoil isn't much of thought. Can't go wrong with it!!

Shouldn't be, I've shot a good number of 3-1/2 (certainly not 25 at a time!) and 3 inchers with no bruising. I have the recoil reducer in mine. If the butt isn't resting on his arm, not pulling the stock firmly against the shoulder can cause that.

People can be not holding firmly even when they think they are. A friend brought over an O/U with an inertial single trigger for me to look at that would only give him one shot and that turned out to be the problem. Lifelong shooter and he hadn't had that problem before.