Personally, I rate Benelli's semi-auto's very high. I don't have any experience with their pump guns / but I don't see or hear many bad things about them. I see a lot of the semi-autos on the sporting clays courses around here.
I've had two Benelli's for about 5 yrs now / both Benelli Super Sport models, one in 12ga and one in 20ga - both very good guns. I bought a 3rd one - used - in 12ga - and passed it on to one of my buddies. Since then - I've had 6 shooting buddies - all buy Benelli Super Sport models in 12ga - some of them are using them as their primary sporting gun / and put their O/U's away.
With the synthetic stocks / and the comfort tech system in them - I think they're soft shooting. They cycle very quickly. They shoot very cleanly because they're inertia vs gas operated. They are easy to fully strip / take trigger group, bolt out, etc - and easily clean in 10 min / put them back into battery.
I don't shoot the Benelli's a lot / but I probably have close to 10,000 shells thru the 12ga / maybe 5,000 thru the 20ga .... I use them as a "travel gun" so I only have to take 1 gun on a trip - shoot some sporting, do some hunting, some skeet or trap. My grandkids think the design is cool on the super sports - and they shoot them a little. I use both of them for training new shooters / young shooters ...and they all seem to like them.
One rap I do hear on the Benelli's - is they won't cycle loads under 1225 or 1250 fps ...but I can tell you both of my guns will cycle even very light loads, like 7/8 oz in 12ga as long as its at least 1200 fps. My 12ga will not cycle any loads, regardless of how much shot in shell ( like 1 1/8 oz ) at 1150 fps. The 20ga I have will not cycle 7/8 oz loads at 1150 fps either reliably. I keep my guns very clean / and well lubed ...so that may be a difference on my guns.
Mine also have the changeable soft comb inserts / for different heights - and changeable recoil pads - for different length of pull - and lefties or righties ...and I have some grandkids that are lefties ...so its a handy gun / that I can change out quickly ....shorten up length of pull, change a comb pad etc ...because my grandkids range from 9 - 19 .... It makes them very versatile ...in my opinion.
I have a son in the Marine Corps - and they speak very highly of their version of the M-4 model ( I don't remember what they call it ) - but it does very well in the jungles and swamps / and in Afghanistan ( its gas operated - so its different ). I have fired M-2's and M-4's - and they seemed fine to me too / but I have no need for a tactical shotgun so I've never bought one.
I see a lot of them duck hunting in Arkansas - in the last few years ( not sure of model numbers )....black eagle, I think ...
I see a few of the wood stock versions at the gun clubs - they have a lot more recoil - Montefeltro, etc ...than the comfort tech stock versions. I shot a round of skeet with the Montefeltro ...and it was ok / but I'll take my Super Sport models over it.
The only negative comment I consistently hear on Benelli is cost. The Euro to the dollar has screwed up the pricing ...with Super Sport models, new, in my area retailing for about $ 1,875 vs the $ 1350 or so I paid for each of them a few yrs ago... But at $ 1,875 - there are a lot of Berettas that are cheaper / different since they're gas guns ...but good guns as well for less money.
None of my buddies that have Super Sports are looking to give them up / I think they're a good long term gun.
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