Benelli Shotguns, high quality or not?

T

Texas Man

New member
I want to ask Benelli shotgun owners, 1 How there shotguns shoot, and 2, If they're satisfied with the gun compared to how their other models perform?
 
I don't own one "yet", but their Super Nova pump will become my waterfowl gun when I move back to where I can start duck hunting again.
 
Doyle, not sure where you are from but there are some great duck hunting spots in Florida. Check with your local DU chapter for one near you.:D
 
The Nova may well be the best engineered pump made, but it is just too clunky, thick, and ugly for me. I have really tried to like this gun, but keep coming back to the 870 in a pump because I shoot them better.

The M-1 and M-2 series of autoloaders however are possibly the best autos made. They are trim, light and point well for me. They are expensive, but worth it.

The Beretta 390-391 series are probably just as good as the Benelli's and would be a better choice for someone shooting a lot such as competetitive shooters because of their gas operating system and heavier weight.

As a hunter who covers a lot of ground I will tolerate a little more recoil to get the lighter Benelli.
 
Doyle, not sure where you are from but there are some great duck hunting spots in Florida. Check with your local DU chapter for one near you.
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Unfortunately, none are near here (Bradenton). The nearest of any quality is over at the big lake. When I retire, I'm going back to South Ga. SW Ga and NW FL have some fairly decent duck hunting.

Back to the subject of Benelli, lots of the professional duck guides up in the Ozarks use the Nova and Super Nova. Yes, they are a little ugly but they seem to take the abuse of being banged around in a boat year after year.
 
I think the Benelli Super Nova looks good and it shoots even better than it looks. I have the 18" barrel Defense model with pistol grip and ghost ring sights. I can shoot it way better than my Remington 870, and its more resistant to moisture. I do believe the USMC uses the Benelli M4, but is designated the M1014. I want to get the Benelli M3 which is semi-auto and pump action.
 
Benellli makes a lot of models ... pumps and semi-autos so not sure if you're asking about a specific model or not...

I own the Benelli Super Sport in 12 and 20ga - and I think they are very good guns, well made and have operated flawlessly for the 4 or 5 years I've had mine. In terms of a semi-auto / I prefer it over the Beretta, Brownings, Remingtons, etc ...

I've fired Benelli pump guns / and they're fine as well - but I don't own one. Personallly in a pump gun, I prefer the Browning BPS - and I have BPS models in 12 and 20ga and they've been very good guns. But that is not to say the Benelli pumps are bad guns / I just don't need another pump gun.
 
Are they any good? Well, Benelli autoloaders are some of the best autoloaders made, quite possibly the best. For many years, I used to recommend the Browning A5 as the most reliable and rugged autoloader, but the Benellis have me reconsidering that. They are top of the line.

Benelli pumps are also quite good, but the ergonomics may take some getting used to (safety button at the front of the trigger guard instead of the back like most of us are used to, etc).
 
I can't speak for the pumps, but my M1 super 90 is an awesome semi-auto. Reliable and high quality. Shoots low recoil buckshot all day long.
 
I had a Nova for a while. It shot great with every type of ammo and was very reliable. It also rattled like a cheaply made child's toy. Not a quality I wanted in a turkey gun. As bad as I wanted to like the gun, I had to sell it in favor of something that didn't make noise when you were not shooting it.

The higher priced autos are more refined. You get what you pay for with them Eyetalian jobs.
 
I've had a couple of Beretta 1201FP shotguns (still have one actually) which are just about the same thing as the Benelli M1 Super 90. Light, reliable and kicks like a mule. I still have one of the police versions, but for most other shooting I prefer the Beretta Gas System Autos over the Benelli Inertia Recoil system. They just don't kick as hard and are just as reliable.
 
It also rattled like a cheaply made child's toy.
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I had another brand of gun that rattled like this. It turned out to be the metal magazine plug they used. When switched out to a wooden plug, the rattle went away.
 
This rattle was the forearm rattling around on the mag tube. I'm told they all do that. Shame too. It's a great gun if you don't mind the constant chatter. :(
 
With the Nova, you get a tough workhorse that is seemingly indestructible. It rattles and its fugly though.

I would get a Franchi I-12 or Franchi 720 before I would get a 12 or 20ga Benelli. They are the same gun for way less moneys. Benellis do have good resale value though because of their cultish like loyalty among their fans and owners.
 
This rattle was the forearm rattling around on the mag tube. I'm told they all do that. Shame too. It's a great gun if you don't mind the constant chatter.
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I just bought my first shotgun last weekend, a used Nova defender. I noticed this as well, I was unsure if it was "normal" or not, it could almost feel loose, but I can't find anything actually wrong with it. I figure my defense shotgun is supposed to make sounds before firing though, so it's all good :D Have you found that the button on the underside of the fore end is stiff, and doesn't engage properly until the action is half way open? My button seems kind of inconsistent and I wonder if it didn't get beat up in a previous life. It's not a big deal though, unloading the mag before clearing the chamber only takes a few seconds, just curious.

It's also worth mentioning to anyone shopping for a Benelli that there are very few accessories available compared to, for example, an 870; Other than a mag extension, what you see on the gun shop shelf is pretty much what you get. There are a number of features I liked on the Nova over the Remmington and Mossberg models in the same price range, saftey/action lock placement, ghost rings, 3.5" chamber, etc.

By the way, I think the Nova looks great, maybe I just have poor taste :p
 
My dad bought a Nova and after shooting it I like my Mossberg 500 Field even better. Nothing particularly wrong with the gun it just felt kinda cheesy to me.
 
I have several benelli's pump and semi autos. I really like them however on the nova pumps I have smashed my finger a couple times due to the odd shape of the forearm.
 
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