CurlyQ.Howard
New member
If you can handle a BPS (either 12 or 10 gauge as far as I'm concerned), you most certainly are not a wimp.
Benelli or Beretta
- Thread starter souther33
- Start date
Both Beretta and Benelli make good solid guns...
Unless you have a lot of experience with shotguns.../ and know specifically what stock dimensions "fit" you ...length of pull, drop at comb, drop at heel - its going to be difficult to decide on how well a gun fits you in a store. The only way to really tell - is when you take it to a pattern board to check the point of impact vs where you look ...and make whatever adjustments you need to make in the comb, etc....
gas guns have less recoil ...Inertia guns shoot cleaner.../ but if you clean your gun after every range or field trip it may not be a big deal one way or the other. Personally, I like the Inertia - Benelli - if you buy it in a synthetic stock and it has the comfort tech recoil supression system in it...then the difference in recoil between them is minimal.
Inertia guns are generally lighter / makes them easier to carry in the field / means you have more recoil for any given shell. Increasing the weight of a shotgun about 1 lb will reduce the recoil about 12% ( all things being equal - same shell - same velocity - same ounces of shot ) ....so a 1lb lighter gun, all things being equal will give you about 12% more recoil...then you have the amount of reduction from the gas system ...vs Inertia system....
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I have Benelli Super Sport models in both 12ga and 20ga.....and both guns will cycle 100% reliably with 2 3/4 " shells ...or 3" shells ...( but the length of the shell is irrelevent ! ) ....what matters is the velocity of the shell...not the charge weight - not the length of the shell..../ both of my Benelli's will cycle 100% reliably as long as the shells are loaded to 1200 fps or faster. Neither one of them will cycle loads at 1150 fps reliably ...not if they're 3/4oz, 7/8 oz, 1 oz, or 1 1/8 oz ...the amount of shot does not matter either !! The velocity of the shell is what matters ! If you reload its easy to determine the velocity of your own shells ....if you don't, then look for a shell that says it is a 3 Dram Equivalent shell and it should be fine in any of the Benelli Inertia guns - based on my experience. Now, if you don't keep your gun clean ..and properly lubed...then they may not cycle lighter loads..
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As a side note....if you reduce the shot charge in a shell 1/8 oz ...so you go from 1 1/8oz to 1 oz .... or from 1 oz to 7/8 oz ...it will reduce the recoil about 20% ....which is really significant. Most of us these days are looking for ways to reduce the payload in our shells because the cost of shot is increasing all the time / and personally, I'm shooting 3/4 oz loads in 12ga and 20ga ( which is a typical 28ga load )....and my scores have not really changed....but if I was shooting "registered targets" ....I'd probably go back to 1oz loads in a 12ga and 7/8oz loads in my 20ga..../ but my days of shooting registered targets for the most part are long gone....I shoot for fun now..
Buy the gun you like .....ideally the one that "Fits" you the best - so it hits where you look !!
Unless you have a lot of experience with shotguns.../ and know specifically what stock dimensions "fit" you ...length of pull, drop at comb, drop at heel - its going to be difficult to decide on how well a gun fits you in a store. The only way to really tell - is when you take it to a pattern board to check the point of impact vs where you look ...and make whatever adjustments you need to make in the comb, etc....
gas guns have less recoil ...Inertia guns shoot cleaner.../ but if you clean your gun after every range or field trip it may not be a big deal one way or the other. Personally, I like the Inertia - Benelli - if you buy it in a synthetic stock and it has the comfort tech recoil supression system in it...then the difference in recoil between them is minimal.
Inertia guns are generally lighter / makes them easier to carry in the field / means you have more recoil for any given shell. Increasing the weight of a shotgun about 1 lb will reduce the recoil about 12% ( all things being equal - same shell - same velocity - same ounces of shot ) ....so a 1lb lighter gun, all things being equal will give you about 12% more recoil...then you have the amount of reduction from the gas system ...vs Inertia system....
--------
I have Benelli Super Sport models in both 12ga and 20ga.....and both guns will cycle 100% reliably with 2 3/4 " shells ...or 3" shells ...( but the length of the shell is irrelevent ! ) ....what matters is the velocity of the shell...not the charge weight - not the length of the shell..../ both of my Benelli's will cycle 100% reliably as long as the shells are loaded to 1200 fps or faster. Neither one of them will cycle loads at 1150 fps reliably ...not if they're 3/4oz, 7/8 oz, 1 oz, or 1 1/8 oz ...the amount of shot does not matter either !! The velocity of the shell is what matters ! If you reload its easy to determine the velocity of your own shells ....if you don't, then look for a shell that says it is a 3 Dram Equivalent shell and it should be fine in any of the Benelli Inertia guns - based on my experience. Now, if you don't keep your gun clean ..and properly lubed...then they may not cycle lighter loads..
-----------
As a side note....if you reduce the shot charge in a shell 1/8 oz ...so you go from 1 1/8oz to 1 oz .... or from 1 oz to 7/8 oz ...it will reduce the recoil about 20% ....which is really significant. Most of us these days are looking for ways to reduce the payload in our shells because the cost of shot is increasing all the time / and personally, I'm shooting 3/4 oz loads in 12ga and 20ga ( which is a typical 28ga load )....and my scores have not really changed....but if I was shooting "registered targets" ....I'd probably go back to 1oz loads in a 12ga and 7/8oz loads in my 20ga..../ but my days of shooting registered targets for the most part are long gone....I shoot for fun now..
Buy the gun you like .....ideally the one that "Fits" you the best - so it hits where you look !!
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CurlyQ.Howard
New member
Yes, you must really check them out for yourself. A couple of years ago my brother was wondering which to get, and I said the Beretta. He got it, but now regrets its weight (but let me be clear - he has no problem what-so-ever killing ducks with it).
RoosterBooster3632
New member
My two cents
From your original post I don't think I would buy a 3.5" gun. If you are hunting turkeys a 3" turkey load is all you need. I only use 3.5" for geese when we have to reach out a little farther. It sounds like you won't be in a waterfowl blind so that would play in my decision. Waterfowls blinds can be a dirty environment for a shotgun and that will effect performance. Benellis are proven reliable when dirty. I have a friend that has a SBE that hasn't been cleaned in thousands of rounds and it just keeps cycling. The Beretta will have less felt recoil. As stated the cleaning on the Beretta is more involved. I can strip and clean my Benelli in minutes with no tools. The only issue I have ever had with my Benelli cycling was when some dirt / weeds had gotten in the magazine tube and the last shell didn't clear the tube and load into the chamber. Now I just make sure I clean that when cleaning the rest of the gun as preventative maintenance. I have cycled many thousands of rounds through my Benelli and in my opinion the gun has been worth every penny I paid for it years ago (was a tough decision to drop that much coin on it back then).You might also want to look at the Benelli Vinci or Super Vinci, it is a nice gun and if I were to be in the market for a new shotgun today that would be what I would get. I have shot a friends in ND pheasant hunting and really liked it. Fortunately I have a ten year old Benelli that fills my needs so I'm not in the market for a new gun. My son-in-law has the Beretta auto and he is very happy with it. I'm not brand biased as I also have a Beretta White Wing 12ga O/U that I love for sporting clays. I'm sure you will be happy with either brand once you take the plunge.
Good Luck!
From your original post I don't think I would buy a 3.5" gun. If you are hunting turkeys a 3" turkey load is all you need. I only use 3.5" for geese when we have to reach out a little farther. It sounds like you won't be in a waterfowl blind so that would play in my decision. Waterfowls blinds can be a dirty environment for a shotgun and that will effect performance. Benellis are proven reliable when dirty. I have a friend that has a SBE that hasn't been cleaned in thousands of rounds and it just keeps cycling. The Beretta will have less felt recoil. As stated the cleaning on the Beretta is more involved. I can strip and clean my Benelli in minutes with no tools. The only issue I have ever had with my Benelli cycling was when some dirt / weeds had gotten in the magazine tube and the last shell didn't clear the tube and load into the chamber. Now I just make sure I clean that when cleaning the rest of the gun as preventative maintenance. I have cycled many thousands of rounds through my Benelli and in my opinion the gun has been worth every penny I paid for it years ago (was a tough decision to drop that much coin on it back then).You might also want to look at the Benelli Vinci or Super Vinci, it is a nice gun and if I were to be in the market for a new shotgun today that would be what I would get. I have shot a friends in ND pheasant hunting and really liked it. Fortunately I have a ten year old Benelli that fills my needs so I'm not in the market for a new gun. My son-in-law has the Beretta auto and he is very happy with it. I'm not brand biased as I also have a Beretta White Wing 12ga O/U that I love for sporting clays. I'm sure you will be happy with either brand once you take the plunge.
Good Luck!
thanks for all the posts. I finally decided on the SBE because of the way it shouldered, plain and simple it just felt better.
with this gun I felt like my sights lined up better therefore, my first shot would be a more accurate of a shot than the Beretta's first shot, even though the next shots would kick more with the Benelli. My first shot is more important to me then my follow up shots. If I cant hit with my first then I should not be worrying about the next shot
with this gun I felt like my sights lined up better therefore, my first shot would be a more accurate of a shot than the Beretta's first shot, even though the next shots would kick more with the Benelli. My first shot is more important to me then my follow up shots. If I cant hit with my first then I should not be worrying about the next shot
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duckhuntr72
Inactive
Reliable A391?
Been dumping ducks with a good old Mossberg 500A Turkey Combo for years and I'm ready for an upgrade. Not that there's anything wrong with my Mossy, have no intentions of getting rid of it, but I've been eyeballing the Beretta A391 Extrema2for a while now, but before I drop that kind of cash, I need to know that it won't let me down if it gets a little water, marsh, snow, or duck feathers in it.. Thoughts?
Been dumping ducks with a good old Mossberg 500A Turkey Combo for years and I'm ready for an upgrade. Not that there's anything wrong with my Mossy, have no intentions of getting rid of it, but I've been eyeballing the Beretta A391 Extrema2for a while now, but before I drop that kind of cash, I need to know that it won't let me down if it gets a little water, marsh, snow, or duck feathers in it.. Thoughts?
hopeisnotastrategy
New member
I own the A400 Xtreme Unico and absolutely LOVE IT! It cycles everything I give it and the recoil reduction is as advertised. I've hunted pheasant, quail, chukar, and turkey so far, as well as spent time at the range and I've not had a single failure. It cycles extremely fast and recoils straight back so that you are back on target faster.
I have a buddy that bought a Super Vinci and in spite of it's excellent reputation, it failed to cycle from the moment he took it out of the box. I want to say that I think this is one of those rare exceptions, because the ARGO system has a great reputation, but it did give me pause to recommend Benelli.
Every time I hunt or spend time at the range, people drool over my A400.
If you go with the Beretta you will absolutely not be disappointed.
I have a buddy that bought a Super Vinci and in spite of it's excellent reputation, it failed to cycle from the moment he took it out of the box. I want to say that I think this is one of those rare exceptions, because the ARGO system has a great reputation, but it did give me pause to recommend Benelli.
Every time I hunt or spend time at the range, people drool over my A400.
If you go with the Beretta you will absolutely not be disappointed.
Glad to hear you like the A400. I like Beretta and PX4 9mm was my first handgun and will never give it up.
Anyway, was looking for comparisons to the A400 on youtube. but did not find any.
Did you look at Browning Maxus and the Remington Versa Max? How did they compare in quality and price as I am looking to trade some older shotguns in on a newer gas with less recoil and fast action for possible 3-gun competition and a once season turkey hunt.
Anyway, was looking for comparisons to the A400 on youtube. but did not find any.
Did you look at Browning Maxus and the Remington Versa Max? How did they compare in quality and price as I am looking to trade some older shotguns in on a newer gas with less recoil and fast action for possible 3-gun competition and a once season turkey hunt.
hopeisnotastrategy
New member
I considered both but really struggled to decide between the Maxus and the A400. I researched all three extensively but only handled the A400 and the Maxus prior to purchase.
In the end I'm sure I would have been happy with either. The Maxus is a really nice shotgun. I chose the A400 because I liked the way it fit me and the way it felt just a tad better. I also really like the rubberized grip for water fowling (vs the slick plastic of the Maxus) and the fact that multiple reviewers I read said that the A400 handled light loads a little better as well as kicked slightly less with heavy loads.
Again, it was a really tough decision but I am not disappointed with my choice.
Glad to hear you like the A400. I like Beretta and PX4 9mm was my first handgun and will never give it up.
Anyway, was looking for comparisons to the A400 on youtube. but did not find any.
Did you look at Browning Maxus and the Remington Versa Max? How did they compare in quality and price as I am looking to trade some older shotguns in on a newer gas with less recoil and fast action for possible 3-gun competition and a once season turkey hunt.
Anyway, was looking for comparisons to the A400 on youtube. but did not find any.
Did you look at Browning Maxus and the Remington Versa Max? How did they compare in quality and price as I am looking to trade some older shotguns in on a newer gas with less recoil and fast action for possible 3-gun competition and a once season turkey hunt.
allaroundhunter
New member
For 3 gun there is no comparison between the two, the Versa Max wins every time.
If you want it to be mainly a 3 gun shotgun, then go with the Versa Max tactical (but ditch the stupid "breacher" choke).
So would the VMT be ok for an occasional turkey or field outing? It will have the 22" barrel instead of 26" and feeding tube of course.
I was a kid the last time I went, so I am not hard core, just once a year or so with a buddy, but probably once a month for 3-gun once I get set up.
I could use what I have right now, but what is the fun in that! I want to buy a new gun.
I was a kid the last time I went, so I am not hard core, just once a year or so with a buddy, but probably once a month for 3-gun once I get set up.
I could use what I have right now, but what is the fun in that! I want to buy a new gun.
allaroundhunter
New member
For turkey you don't need a super long barrel. And since you will be shooting 3 gun more than turkey hunting, I would indeed go with the VMT. You will probably want to get an extended turkey choke, however, for turkey hunting. And you will definitely want to pattern a couple turkey loads out to 40 or 50 yards to see first of all if they pattern well and secondly to find your max effective range.
allaroundhunter
New member
They are great, soft shooting guns. You'll love it when you get one!
I know there's not much love for Benelli's on this forum but I own the exact Benelli shotgun you mentioned, the SBE2 in the Mossy Oak Duck Blind camo and I love this shotgun. It's light and quick to aim, it's action is superb and fast. Mine patterns very well and came with 4 different chokes. I like the forearm because it is narrower than most autos and will cycle anything from 2.70 to 3.5 magnum loads. Great shotgun if you can pony up the $$$.