I've seen way to many fail. I'd never own one even if it was given to me
Fail to do what??
And you can have it.
I went to Bass Pro to buy a Benelli when they were on sale. because they had sold out of the Benelli stuff i was offered a Beretta for a sale price. I thought is was a good deal, until I used it in the rain.WONT CYCLE IN RAIN. What kind of shotgun is that. I have since seen two more Extremas, and a Urika do the same. I wish I had held out for a Black eagle.
Doesn't make sense - why won't an auto shotgun cycle in the rain if the firearm has been properly maintained? I've shot a variety of Berettas, Benelli M2/SBE II and the Baikal 153 in a downpour as well as in freezing temps without any problems.
To the OP - IMHO, given the modern machine technology at the disposal of firearms manufacturers today, even the least expensive auto will perform quite well and to a very reasonable extent provided due diligence is done in terms of maintenance.
Personally, I've no love lost for semi-auto (or pump) shotguns.....just couldn't simply develop an attachment although I've owned quite a few different brands over the years.
Having said that, I personally felt/still feel that Benelli offers the best value in semi-auto shotguns both from a perspective of effective use and superior ease of maintenance. Obviously, your personal application/variety of needs will best define the model that you may wish to go for.
In other words, as examples only (since there are so many different models to choose from) - for a dedicated Waterfowl/Upland (perhaps even Turkey/Deer hunter) who may prefer a semi-auto smoothbore shotgun to cover such requirements, an SBE II will definitely fit the criteria. Obviously, some variables such as appropriate bbl length etc may come into the equation.
My favourite is/was the M2 as I had found that to be more easily compatible when brought into a clay shooting role in addition to field use.
To sum it up - yes, I feel that Benelli (as well as Beretta) semi-auto products are definitely worth it. The price here, compared to the market in the US, could use a bit more subtlety

.