# BENELLI- BERRETA- FRANCHI SHOTGUNS



## RAB (May 28, 2004)

Shoping for a 3.5" automatic shoutgun. Looking for insight on how these guns are holding up. I know they are both excellent guns, but w/ that price tag i want to make sure i get the right one. 8)


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## Shayne Mehringer (Jan 3, 2003)

I am die hard Beretta on shotguns.

I'd get the Beretta Onyx O/U in 3.5!

Shayne


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## duckdawg (Feb 25, 2004)

Rab

Ive been looking as well for a new gun. Benelli,Browning & Beretta
The guy's i hunted with this winter are shooting Benellis & had made a switch from beretta. They said they had problems with the Beretta's, but have heard of some problems with Benelli as well. I guess it's what fits you the best, Have looked at the ( Beretta A391 Xtrtema ) & it has a bulky forehand grip. Also the ( Benelli Super Black Eagle II ) I like how the Benelli feels to me & I'm waiting for the local gun shop to get the new ones in. Good Luck with your choice It's a tough nut to swallow at the prices.


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## FOM (Jan 17, 2003)

I handled a SBE II this weekend - dear god I want that shotgun!!!!!

FOM


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## Big_Sky (Jul 11, 2004)

I have the Beretta Xtrema. Nice shotgun and haven't had any problems. My next one will be the Beretta Onyx Pro.


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## Dave Combs (Feb 28, 2003)

I bought a SBE last year and I LOVE IT!!! I put approximately 2500 rounds through it between hunting, skeet and sporting clays with only one hang up on a low base shell. I wasn't using it at the time, and i still believe it to be operator error. Very easy to maintain, would definitely reccomend it. I can't speak for the others as I haven't shot them - heard the SBE II has a 48% recoil reduction?


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## Doug Trautman (Apr 16, 2004)

I have an SBE, it is a great gun. You can drop it in the water or mud and still will work perfectly, it seems indistructable. Do not know of a better gun for hunting.


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## FOM (Jan 17, 2003)

Dave Combs said:


> heard the SBE II has a 48% recoil reduction?


I'm not sure of the actual percentage - but the SBE II has a new style stock on it that reduces recoil. All I know is that 3 1/2 mags use to hurt me - with an SBE II they don't! 

I'm in love with that shotgun - but keep in mind I'm a short person who is excited about a shotgun with reduced recoil and I'm able to draw it up nicely to take a shot!

Lainee, Flash and Bullet


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## RAB (May 28, 2004)

I have been favoring the sbe II from the get go. The comfort tech and 48% reduced recoil sounds so nice b/c my other 3.5" would blacken me up pretty good, but i was shooting 25 rounds plus each morning. Is there any issues of that in the sbe II. Thanks for all of the input. 8)


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## Dave Combs (Feb 28, 2003)

Take it for what its worth but here's some more comments from da fuge

http://www.refugeforums.net/refuge/showthread.php?t=321256


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## DKR (May 9, 2003)

Rab,

You need to get either one that fits you best. I've had a SBE and i have an ex 391 now. I prefer the 391 because it fits me better. I have several friends who have sbe's they like better.

I can tell you this my 391 kicks less than the new SBE II (same rounds), but it does weigh more. Good for waterfowling bad for upland.

Best pump gun is the Nova hands down.


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## DKR (May 9, 2003)

Shayne Mehringer said:


> I am die hard Beretta on shotguns.
> 
> I'd get the Beretta Onyx O/U in 3.5!
> 
> Shayne


Ran over to Berettas website, man that is sweet.


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## kjrice (May 19, 2003)

I have no complaints with my Benelli SBE! See which feels better and then decide if you want gas versus inertia. Either way I do not think you will go wrong.


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## Kenny Broussard (Aug 11, 2003)

Have the SBE, less than three boxes of shells run thru it. Several weeks back on a goose hunt, the fourth shot of the morning, gun jams. Take gun apart to unjam, springs & sh*# fall out in my lap. Brought it to the dealer, they said they have never seen that. Verdict is still out........


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## RAB (May 28, 2004)

This is an email i got from a friend of mine about his brother in law having a nightmare w/ his SBE. Not sure if it is an SBE I or II thou. Makes me uneasy but i dont know all of the circumstances thou. This is his 2 cents worth


Here's the info on the Benelli. The brother in law bought a super black eagle this year and has had consistent jams on about every hunt I made with him. I shot the thing and will tell you that the only way that I would possess this gun is if someone would give me one. I wound not waste the time and money on a gun that gives problems and cost too damn much. Also, I have shot a lot of different guns in my life time as you have and I can honestly say that a 12 gauge benelli 3 1/2" gun kicks more than any other gun I have shot. Keep in mind that I once shot a single barrel 10 gauge shotgun!!!! Call me a puss but the gun has NOTHING to absorb the recoil. There is no recoil spring nor does it have a gas release. Everything operates on true inertia and the shoulder is the absorption pad!!!! Brother save your $500 or so and go buy you a Franci 912 Variomax, Winchester SuperX 2, Remington 1100 Super magnum, Browning Gold 3 1/2", etc. I especially like the Franci because I have one. This gun is imported by Benelli but it has is gas powered and has a spring to absorb the recoil. I told the brother in law to never ask me to shoot my gun because once he did he would throw the Benelli Shoulder Blaster in the Lake. Just to give you a better idea on how much this gun kicks, the brother in law had to go down to a 3" shell because from the kick of the gun, the trigger housing would literally take the skin off of his middle finger. He still had to shoot the gun with a cotton glove on and after the first trip the glove had been cut through. Brother if you have your heart set on Benelli good luck but I hope this makes you think twice before buying. Hey, I will give the gun one thing good, it shoots very fast. Also, word on the street is that they take the first year to break in, but I say if I spend $1,200 + on a gun, it better damn well be ready to shoot and not piss me off in the blind. I will say that the Franci I got a year ago has never jammed in the blind and it does not kick me off balance.


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## RAB (May 28, 2004)

Found out that it was an SBE I. 8)


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## RAB (May 28, 2004)

How is the Franchi 912 doing in the field. Any input is appreciated. 8)


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## Don Smith (Mar 23, 2004)

The great benefit of the Internet is the ease of information exchange. The great deteriment of the Internet is the ease of information exchage. My point is, that go through enough models of anything - guns, shotshells, ATVs, cars, you name it and someone or more than one will have had a problem. But, the problem may be so rare as to be inconsequential. You may have never even heard about it without the Internet and, perhaps in some cases, it would have been best if you hadn't heard about it.

Regarding the guns - I've got 2 Benelli SBEs (not the SBE IIs). I've shot a Beretta Xtrema and own a Beretta 390. I have shot with a friend who has a Franchi 912. I don't understand the comments about the recoil from an SBE. I never feel it. I had a couple of problems early on with my SBEs, related to heat treat problems, but nothing major. They have been extremely reliable, as has my Beretta 390. I've got friends with SBE IIs and they have had no problems. I shot the friend's Xtrema well, but it felt bulky to me. And the Franchi? It consistently jammed. I'd recommend the Benelli, but that's just my 2 cents.


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## RAB (May 28, 2004)

Yes you are right that you can hear about anything good or bad about a item that you are inquiring about on the internet. But my main goal is when i spend $1000+ i want to know all the info i can gather to make a good decision w/ my purchase. 8)


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## Don Smith (Mar 23, 2004)

RAB said:


> Yes you are right that you can hear about anything good or bad about a item that you are inquiring about on the internet. But my main goal is when i spend $1000+ i want to know all the info i can gather to make a good decision w/ my purchase. 8)


Exactly!!  And I do the same. My point was only that the number of reports have to be tempered with the breadth of the respondents.


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## RAB (May 28, 2004)

How is the Franchi 912 doing in the blind?? Looking for info on if this gun is pretty good for the money. Thanks for any input


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## Blklab (Aug 1, 2003)

Beretta Extrema and love it. SO far no problems after a year. The new extrema 2 has a slimmer forearm and stock, plus even less recoil!


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## Steve Amrein (Jun 11, 2004)

I have a old SBE and have shot a baziilion shells through it. From 2 3/4" field to mag 3 1/2'' s I have had a very small amount of jams but that is always because its dirty. I have shot some of the gas operated guns and they seemed ok until get dirty. BTW I just got the extension tube for the SBE and I got to tell you how cool it is to shoot 8 3 1/2s I did put a sure cycle in it this year but I have shoot at least 15 cases of shells duck and goose hunting. I started taking it for upland but its kind of ugly so I gotta get one of those girly purty guns.


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## Guest (May 23, 2005)

*SBE*



RAB said:


> This is an email i got from a friend of mine about his brother in law having a nightmare w/ his SBE. Not sure if it is an SBE I or II thou. Makes me uneasy but i dont know all of the circumstances thou. This is his 2 cents worth
> 
> 
> Here's the info on the Benelli. The brother in law bought a super black eagle this year and has had consistent jams on about every hunt I made with him. I shot the thing and will tell you that the only way that I would possess this gun is if someone would give me one. I wound not waste the time and money on a gun that gives problems and cost too damn much. Also, I have shot a lot of different guns in my life time as you have and I can honestly say that a 12 gauge benelli 3 1/2" gun kicks more than any other gun I have shot. Keep in mind that I once shot a single barrel 10 gauge shotgun!!!! Call me a puss but the gun has NOTHING to absorb the recoil. There is no recoil spring nor does it have a gas release. Everything operates on true inertia and the shoulder is the absorption pad!!!! Brother save your $500 or so and go buy you a Franci 912 Variomax, Winchester SuperX 2, Remington 1100 Super magnum, Browning Gold 3 1/2", etc. I especially like the Franci because I have one. This gun is imported by Benelli but it has is gas powered and has a spring to absorb the recoil. I told the brother in law to never ask me to shoot my gun because once he did he would throw the Benelli Shoulder Blaster in the Lake. Just to give you a better idea on how much this gun kicks, the brother in law had to go down to a 3" shell because from the kick of the gun, the trigger housing would literally take the skin off of his middle finger. He still had to shoot the gun with a cotton glove on and after the first trip the glove had been cut through. Brother if you have your heart set on Benelli good luck but I hope this makes you think twice before buying. Hey, I will give the gun one thing good, it shoots very fast. Also, word on the street is that they take the first year to break in, but I say if I spend $1,200 + on a gun, it better damn well be ready to shoot and not piss me off in the blind. I will say that the Franci I got a year ago has never jammed in the blind and it does not kick me off balance.


Would your brother in law want to sell the P.O.S. benelli. I might know somebody that knows somebody that might want to buy it. :roll:

SBE needs to be "broke in" before you go afield. 2-3 boxes of 3.5 normally does the trick. Break Free is your friend. So is the SVL recoil pad and ported choke tubes. I have not tried the mercury recoil reducer yet but soon will.


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## shootem (Apr 25, 2003)

I have owned 2 SBE1 and now own a SBE2. I love the gun and would shoot nothing else for waterfowl. My son has owned the same guns and all have been trouble free. The SBE2 patterns much better than the SBE1 as far as recoil with 3 1/2 inch mag shells they all kick like hell when you pattern the gun. But when you dump the gun into a flock of greater Canada geese at 25 yards over decoys you don't even know the gun went off!!!!


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2003)

I own a Berretta 391 Xtrema and a 391 Urika. They function well, fit me well enough and I have killed some birds with them. The only thing I, personally, don?t like about them is the safety is on the forward end of the trigger guard. I prefer it on the back end of the trigger guard like the 870s.

Joe Miano


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## Jay Hinton (Feb 28, 2005)

My only complaint about the AL391 - The magazine cap rusts too easily. Hunt in the rain with it and before you can get it home to clean it it will be rusted to the post that holds the cap on. After a couple of experiences like that, I went back to my 10 year old Browning Gold 3". That gun just fits me better, and that's what it's all about, really.


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## Philip (Feb 3, 2003)

My dad gave me a benelli M1 Super 90 for graduation. I have shot a couple rounds of skeet with it and really like it so far. Seems to be pretty fast, smooth and reliable. I've only put a 100 rounds or so through it so I guess time will tell.

Does anyone know anything about these guns?

Philip


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## Mike Peters-labguy23 (Feb 9, 2003)

I own a super 90 M1 and it is an awesome waterfowl gun. I have used it for 3 seasons without any problems. I also have a slug barrel for it and have killed a few deer with it too! Only complaint I have is that it only holds 4 shells when peasant and deer hunting. Sometimes I need a little more lead to sling.


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