Benelli's

E

engineermike

Moderator
I am looking to buy a shot gun.:) I have narrowed the search to the Benelli line but I have no idea how to measure them for my needs. I am looking at the M2, the Cordoba, the Legacy, the ultra light, the Montefeltro silver, and the standard Montefeltro. I am only looking for a 20 ga. and am leaning toward the synthetic stock. I know a couple of the ones listed do no come in a synthetic stock but feel free to tell me why I should buy them anyway. I'm leaning toward the synthetic stock as I am old and fall down a lot and would probably just scratch up a wood stock. I will probably be shooting a few birds, people, no ducks, and no skeet. (The skeet never bothered me so I won't bother them) Anyway I'm just trying to see how close these models are or how very different they are and is the extra price for some worth it.

Thanks for any help;
Mike
 
Benelli's are very good guns ...Inertia operated vs gas operated - consequently they shoot a lot cleaner than a gas operated gun. But they also will give you a little more recoil than a gas operated gun ( Beretta, Browning, Winchester, etc ).

I like the synthetic stocks - especially if they have the "comfort Tech" recoil supression system in them ...even in a 20ga. The Comfort Tech system - makes them a little softer shooting ...more like a gas operated gun.

Synthetic stocked Benelli's are very light ...so picking a model ...you want to think about weight ( carrying it ) and how the weight affects the swing characteristics. In a real light gun / around 7 lbs ..I tend to go to longer barrels - at least 28" or 30" if its an option ...to kind of smooth out the swing ...but most of the 20ga's will be limited to 28" barrels.

Part of the price difference is finishes - and chamber length - and whether the gun has the Comfort Tech system in it. I think a 3" chamber is enough / there are a lot of magnum shells available in 3" or 2 3/4" - so you don't need a 3 1/2" chambered gun. I think the Comfort Tech is significant - so I would buy a gun with that in it. They cannot put the comfort tech into a wood stock ..so that's some of the difference too.

I've shot most of the guns you mention ....my personal choice for a 20ga Benelli - is their Super Sport model, 20ga in a 28" barrel ( because they only make the 12ga in a 30"). I have the 12ga version as well....and have had the 20ga for about 3 yrs ...and its been a solid gun / good training gun for the grandkids, etc ...
 
Not for me its not .../ but it depends on what you want ...not what everyone else wants.

Personally, I rely on a good 1911 handgun in .45 acp for my defense...a shotgun would be way down my list personally ...but a shotgun can be a very capable defensive weapon / just not my first choice.
 
Thanks Jim, this will be my first attempt at an inertia gun. Did not realize that the synthetic was the only way to get the "Comfort Tech" and the 3" chamber will be big enough for me. As I stated earlier I am old and carrying a 12 ga. around all day or part of a day will wear me out and a 28" barrel will be good too but would not turn down a 30" if my only choice.

Not sure but does Benelli make cap guns?

Mike
 
Not to my knowledge .....that guy was just trolling on his way thru probably ...( or he hates Benelli's for some reason )...and I doubt you're any older than I am.

Look at the Benelli website ...it'll explain the comfort tech system to you / or pick up a brochure at your local dealer. Its a synthetic material / the chevrons on the sides of the stock ...and they compress as you fire the shell and absorb some of the recoil. The models that have the Comfort Tech gel pad inserts in the comb help as well....especially if you're really going to shoot slugs or "OO" buck out of this weapon...

But then again I'm a "skeet target" slayer ...and sporting clays and occasionally some Trap ....and some upland birds ...and the Benelli Super Sport does all of those things pretty well for me in a semi-auto package. My primary guns are still O/U's but I don't really want to carry an 8 1/2 lb gun around in the woods all day anymore either...

so the Super Sports - for me - have been my - take only 1 gun, when I travel ....and do a little of everything ...

and a shotgun is fine for Defense / and Benelli makes serious "Fighting shotguns too" like the M-4 ...but a "Tactical Fighting shotgun" is different in my mind ...than a gun you can use for "Defense" ...until the cavalry arrives. I don't need a "Fighting Shotgun" .../but then I'm of an age ...where well made 1911's in .45 acp are just a perfect all around weapon for Defense, and I stay competent with it - by shooting weekly / and they're just plain "sexy" vs a shotgun ...but to each his own...

Have fun with your search ...

I will caution you about some of the other brands of Inertia guns ...they seem to have a lot of issues ...like Franchi and Stoeger...( even though Beretta owns Benelli, Franchi and Stoeger and others ) ....they are not all created equally - in my opinion.

I first bought my 12ga Super sport because I fractured a shoulder blade ..and couldn't shoot my O/U's ...and its 7 yrs old or so now ...and probably has 50,000 shells thru it is all ...but its been a real good gun. My 20ga version probably has 15,000 shells thru it ...mostly for the grandkids and new shooters - training.../ neither one of them have been a problem.
 
Barrel length is a personal issue ...and I'm 6'5" and about 280 these days ( been on a big diet ) :D ....and a short gun ( 26" barrels ) get too "whippy" in my hand ....so I tend to "yank" them around or "swat" at targets or birds vs shoot with a smooth follow-thru which is critical for sucessful wing shooting...

Some of my buddies like 26" barrels ...

For Trap guns ...I go to a heavier gun ( 10 lbs / and 32" barrels in an O/U ) because the targets have less left to right movement. Everything is more or less in front of you --- or off at a 45 degree angle. Heavier and longer on a Trap field - is a plus ( less recoil / gun stays in motion better on follow thru ) ...

For bird hunting ( pheasant, grouse, quail, etc ...) and sporting clays and skeet....I like an O/U at around 8 1/2 lbs and 30" barrels. A little quicker gun / more left to right movement -up and down, etc ... but not too light.

The 20ga SuperSport with 28" barrel only weighs 6.3 lbs / the 12ga with 30" barrel only weighs 7.3 lbs ...so they're both really light.

Picking a gun weight / and barrel length ....is up to you ...me, being a Buffalo ...I go a little longer and heavier. If I was 5'8" and 160 ...with shorter arms ...I might go to a 26" too ... but its all about finding that perfect balance between weight, length, balance point ...and "Fit" so the gun hits where you look ( there is no rear sight on a shotgun ) ....your eye is the rear sight / and the angle of the comb, drop at heel, etc all makes a big difference..to "Fit" ...

So for me --- a semi-auto shotgun is a compromise ( heavier guns recoil less / they absorb more recoil ) .../ and its kind of a one gun - does a lot of things pretty well kind of a gun for me ... But a semi-auto will never be a "primary" gun for me ...that'll always be an Over Under..

A semi-auto with a 28" barrel / is the same overall length as an O/U with 30" barrels ( because receiver is longer on a semi-auto / or a pump gun).

But there isn't a black and white ...do this / or do that ...you have to shoot them to get a feel for what fits and what you like. But a little longer / when its a lighter gun ...for most adult shooters ..is usually better than shorter.

Hope that makes a little sense ...( and if you don't have one / you need a good 1911 anyway ) ....call 1-800 - wilson combat ...and they'll fix you up :D
 
Thanks, I fit in that 5' 8" category but i'm 160 +++++.:) I appreciate the info on the other brands as a salesman tried to point me in the Franchi direction. I was also told that the M 2 was similar to the montefeltro. (As far as working parts go) Not sure about any of that but when I picked up the Franchi and then the Legacy I could feel a difference, I went back to the Benelli. I am reading a little about the Cordoba but have yet to pick one up.

As for the 1911, I have a Springfield EMP that works well.:)
 
Last edited:
Just trust your instincts - you'll be fine...

In shotguns ...you often get what you pay for ..../ what you want, or what you need is a different thing.

One thing I will tell you ...if you buy a good gun / you won't have any trouble selling it, if you don't like it....( the Franchi or Stoeger ...might be a different story ) ....
 
The M-2 is their basic autoloader and a fine shotgun.
The Cordoba is the field version of the Super Sport, also a fine gun but a step up in price. My son shoots a Super Sport and it is one of the best pointing semiautos Ive ever shot.
As for barrel length, I like a 28 or 30. Benellis are light shotguns to start with and a short barrel kills their shooting characteristics IMO.
 
Wow, their is more benelli support here than on SGW. It looks as if you've been helped, but I myself am saving for the Supersport. I have the Montefeltro for clays, birds and deer; it cycles everything flawlessly and is very lightwieght. The benelli action is very strong and will last longer than the cam based gas actions (1100, 391, ect) just because the locking wedge and action bars is not a factor. The comfortech stock really helps, the Supersport and cordoba kick much much less than my wood stocked Montefeltro, but the actions are the same and many parts are interchangable.
 
I don't know on the case vs a box ....but the case is worthless in my mind, other than for shipping ....so I tossed my hard blue case out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top