Benelli, Remington or Beretta?

M

MilesTeg

New member
I'm going to take the plunge and get my first autoloading shotgun. I have narrowed it down to the following 3 all in 12 guage with a 24 inch barrel.

Benelli Super Black Eagle

Remington 11-87

Berretta 391

I like the feel of the Beretta and the Benelli better than the 11-87. But I would not rule out the 11-87 if it is more/equally reliable and an overall better setup and value.

I plan to use it for both sporting clays and duck/goose hunts. Opinions on the reliability and any other +'s and -'s would be appreciated.

Also, is it possible to use slugs in these guns with the existing barrel or do you need a special barrel? More worried about hurting the existing barrel than getting more accuracy from a specialized barrel.

Thanks
 
Benelli---those other 2 don't even compare----now when it comes to over and unders--Beretta is best----the only gun of any kind worth having by Remington is the 870 pump
 
I have an 11-87 SP that I used for 7 or 8 years for duck and goose hunting. No problems in rain, ice, snow, etc. I know, and hunt, with several with Benelli autos. They either love them or hate them. No middle ground. I have used the Benelli Nova for the past 2 seasons and really like it.
 
I've owned an 11/87 and a Beretta 390 (the almost identical predecessor to the 391) and have used borrowed Benellis on a couple of occasions and they are all fine firearms.

The Remington and Berettas are both gas guns which means a softer recoil than the recoil operated Benelli. The Benelli however is a very simple but rugged gun and very reliable with full power loads and in the rough conditions one finds in a duck blind. The Beretta wins the award for the most versatile gun as far as handling different powered shells are concerned. Mine fed absolutely everything I put through it while the Benellis I've used might not always feed lighter loads.

The Remington was the best gun for price and I found that compared to the Beretta it was a little easier to take apart and clean but for simplicity the Benelli was clearly the best choice.

It all depends where your priorities are. For serious clay shooting with goose hunting as a secondary activitity I'd go Beretta. But if goose hunting is the main activity with clays as practice, the Benelli would be my choice. Both the Benelli and Beretta have adjustable shims in the stock which helps fit the gun to you. Gun fit is the most important factor in shotgunning.

For both activities though I'd suggest a longer barrel -- at least 28 inches. Longer barrels promote smoother swings which are very beneficial for both clay shooting and waterfowl hunting. Any of the three guns will be able to manage slugs.
 
B or B

The general consensus amongst shotgunners is that the Beretta is tops for clays and the Benelli is best in the Duck Blind.

The Beretta will require frequent cleaning and parts replacement if you shoot it heavily (as will the Remington).

The Benelli is simple and can take more abuse than either of the other two. The Benelli is not popular on clays courses probably because of the recoil factor. Most clays shooters who aren't bothered by recoil use O/Us.

Since I shoot only O/Us I am not biased toward any of the three guns :p If I were to use a gas gun it would probably be the Remingron 1100, which has a following in Clay target sports. The 1100 is not as versatile as the other three guns however.

Geoff Ross
 
All semi-autos shot frequently will require maintenance and parts...period.

The recoil spring in the end of the Super Black Eagle Benelli is prone to rust if you are in flooded timber dragging the butt through water meaning frequent hang-ups. I know of five different Benelli SBE's that have done this. Mack's Prairie Wing of Stuttgart, AR, the world's greatest watefowl hunting store hands down, has a Stainless Steel spring that will solve this.

The Remington will do fine. There is an O-ring in the fore end area that may break but it can be replaced in seconds. The new SPS 1187 has problems cycling when a 3.5" shell is loaded with a 3"------keep em' seperate.

I have limited experience with the Beretta. I just put a now discontinued NIB 390 Camo with 24" barrel on Lay-away and hopefully, I'll be able to get it in Aug.

As to the barrel length to state that the 28" is the only configuration suited for good swing through may be true for some but as a rule it cannot hold. I am 5'7" and I can tell you that I can hit much better with a 24" or 26" barrel any day than a 28". I can control the shotgun much better with a shorter barrel. The only draw back to a 24" would be that it will ring the ears of your fellow hunters if you're hunting out of a close quarters duck blind. For hunting in chest waders in flooded timber where you are spread out from your partners, the 24" is a beautiful thing as it springs quickly into action.

For the money, I would not get a Benelli. I cannot justify spending a grand on a shotgun only to be forced to modify it to withstand the rigors of the flooded timber hunting experience. Right now, if you can find an NIB AL390, you will have yourself a steal. Before the new Urika 390 came out they were 729.00 now the black model can be had for 516.00 and the camo for 539.00

The Remington is a pack mule. We have an 870 pump, 1187 Camo and a 1187 SPS 3.5" and to say that they are not reliable demonstrates a lack of knowledge in the flooded timber hunting environment. In fact, I will say that of the three mentioned here, the all steel 1187 is the toughest. I have seen two that shot over 8,000 shells each before encountering a major breakdown and then they were fixed and are still in service today. The deal with the Remington is that they do not handle as well as the Beretta or the Benelli. What's more, the Benelli SBE kicks like a mule and the Remington is a smooth shooter in the recoil area.

Sorry for the novel but you have hit on a subject that I am well versed on from 29 years of hunting. Don't rule out Browning while your'e at it in the Gold or an Auto-5 if you can still find one in NIB or good condition.

Good luck.
 
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