To Benelli or Not to Benelli......

[channel bass]

I've had em all.....From what I've heard, the new SBE II is supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread.....I'm considering getting one, but haven't shot one or heard any local feedback....Anybody heard anything about the II or should I just get the old I???

Any input is appreciated.....

[TIDECRUIZER]

I bought a SBE a few years back and could not get it to pattern worth a crap. It had seven different choke tubes and shooting a 3.5 mag was worthless. Everyone I talked to said that you have to shoot 2 3/4 shells in order for it to pattern well.

So I took that joker back and got an Rem SP 10 (for deer and flatland gobblers and I have only missed 1 in the past five seasons and put an average of five bucks and at least one gob in the freezer). I also got a Charles Daly autoloader and I like it just as much as my old 1100. It has the great handling feel like the Benelli but shoots like the 1100. And for the money (half of the SBE) its a no brainer. I really like the Daly. Its light, fully camo'd and shoots great patterns with both bird and buck shot. At only $500 clams you could buy too Daly's for the one SBE. And they are carried all over (I think WAL- Mart even has them now, and many parts are interchangeable with 11-87s).

Good luck with your search.
Chopper

[itsallgood]

ttidecruizer said it well.. benelli is nice but spending that $ wont gaurantee you get the gun you want.. i know a few folks that have been more than frustrated with ones performance and sold it to go back to what they had.. know a couple people that had terrible jamming problems with them....and not from old shells or anyhting.... know a couple guys with the dailys that love em... i guess im tryin to say that dropping the dough wont gaurantee you get a good (shooting) gun...I had one a few years ago and liked it ok, but i got a deal on it, and sold it a while back for more than i paid... havent ever missed it

[Joe N]

I have a 3" gun that I shoot for ducks (browning A5). For geese (snows and canadians) I shoot an SP 10. There is a big difference between a 3.5" 12g and a 10g. n The 10 patterns better because it was made for larger shot, is heavier so there is little recoil (at least in the autoloader) and it is definitive. Meaning when I load it with bismuth bb's it rocks. Clean kills to 50 yards plus are possible if you can shoot.

[pbramble]

Beretta Al 391. No recoil, works great. And if you can shoot, especially with Bismuth or Matrix, or whatever your poison is, 50 yards is no stretch. Geese, ducks, doesn't matter. 391 is gas operated, so it reduces the recoil of heavy loads significantly, but the benelli does not because it works on an inertia system.

Everyone is going to give you a different opinion, a lot of people love their SBE, I love my 391, Joe N loves his Daly, if possible, test shoot some guns, and buy the one that fits best and you feel the most comfortable handling.

[pbramble]

correction, tidecruiser loves his daly, Joe N shoots a Browning. Like I said, everyone has there preferences

[Todd Turner]

I got my SBE II back in November and have loved it. The is an awesome all around gun. Had great success with it during goose season, have used it with great success at the sporting clays range and have ready to go for turkey hunting, using the Kicks, Inc. Gobbling Thunder 0.680 Turkey choke. It puts out the best/tightest pattern I have seen of any turkey choke/gun combination.

I have been very impressed with the SBE II and believe you will be too!

[h2oboss]

I've shot the SBE and the SBEII, both are great guns. However, I've yet to pony up the $$ for either. I'm not cheap but that's alot of coin for me. I've talked to several reps/dealers and I've come to the conclusion that it's all personal preferance (with in reason of quality of course) I REALLY like the Stoeger's....they are licensed by Binnelli to use the recoil operated system on the SB's and the gun feels almost identical and is 1/3 the price, but shoots 3" not 3.5". While asking the reps/dealers last fall they ALL said that of all the binneli's lines/products the Stoeger has had the least amount of problems. Might be a gun you'd want to check out. Good Luck

[Tail Chaser]

I've had my SBE going on 8 yrs. & love it. Light, low recoil, easy to maintain / clean & tough. The only prob. is I can't shoot the light, light #8 or #9 shot 2 3/4" shells bc they don't eject all the time. With the heavy #8 loads 2 3/4" up to 3 1/2" for ducks - turkey it works well. One of my hunting buddies just got 4 w/ the new stock, 1 for himself & his 3 sons but I haven't shot the 2 to see how much recoil difference. [grin]

[itsallgood]

so your Benelli has a jamming problem... sorry to hear that[sad]