I have for some time been considering a higher end Benelli auto as an all rounder, re sports and hunting. I have not been successful finding any non bias reviews of the SBE, or the Ethos. If these shotguns are so good, WHY so many for sale with only a few rounds through them?? Being in a remote rural area i don't have the luxury of finding any to try. I can understand someone paying the right side of 2500 dollars for an autoloader not wanting to criticize it and risk loosing a sale. I would like to hear from Benelli owners first hand if they are reliable functioning with all loads, is the recoil in excess of gas guns, is the balance and handling on par with say a recent Beretta ? If you have a give me the good and not so good please.
Why so many Benelli auto loaders for sale ???
- Thread starter bmar
- Start date
Times are tough. It's possible that money is needed for food/rent - that kind of thing.
I have the M4 and M2 and wouldn't sell either of them. I purchased the M4 as an investment and it's never been fired. The M2 is awesome and eats everything. They are truly amazing shotguns!
I have the M4 and M2 and wouldn't sell either of them. I purchased the M4 as an investment and it's never been fired. The M2 is awesome and eats everything. They are truly amazing shotguns!
^^^this^^^ 99.9% of the population has had a dip in income due to Covid-19 - no shame in selling to pay for more important things in life
Slipnslide
CGN Regular
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
I love my Benelli M2 SP. It has gotten the most use of any firearm I've had. Light, points well, has a flip up sight in the middle for slugs, 3 chokes, all I need to hunt in Southern Ontario. I've always been a mossberg/remington/winchester kinda guy, always used the shotguns I inherited because "its just a shotgun". Well its not just a shotgun, its a great shotgun. I'm faster on the draw and hitting more targets then I have with any other shotgun I've owned. The action feels like glass when you rack it.
This probably sounds like a paid ad but its not. This was literally the most I've ever spent on a firearm and it was only because all of my hunting (when I'm not in Northern Ontario) is done with a shotgun. Well worth it I would say.
This probably sounds like a paid ad but its not. This was literally the most I've ever spent on a firearm and it was only because all of my hunting (when I'm not in Northern Ontario) is done with a shotgun. Well worth it I would say.
Benelli has done 2 things very well for the last 20ish years, market their semi auto's as the ultimate and manufacture good quality shotguns. No faults to them if they fit you well and the price is tolerable. I know some very serious and capable clay and wingshooters who have had to try the koolaid and gone back to old favorites after a couple seasons, usual complaint is gun fit, I even struggled to resist a few deals on used and left overs but the most recent price increases have basically snuffed that desire.
Also a lot of folks are getting rid of luxury items due to covid related financial challenges and it is also nearly the end of waterfowling/bird hunting season in much of Canada, some folks are getting rid of one after trying for themselves, some folks have decided to give up waterfowling/bird hunting and part with their gear.
Also a lot of folks are getting rid of luxury items due to covid related financial challenges and it is also nearly the end of waterfowling/bird hunting season in much of Canada, some folks are getting rid of one after trying for themselves, some folks have decided to give up waterfowling/bird hunting and part with their gear.
1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
Benelli’s are not my cup of tea. If I had one that wasn't getting used for what ever reason, it would be on the EE as well.
- Location
- sudbury, ontario
Beretta owns benelli.....beretta is flipping huge!!!!....all I have to say is try an a400....or the 1301
If you are not 100% committed to 3.5” semi, maybe take a look at M1 Super 90 Anniversary Edition. A handful are still available at various dealers. The AE is basically M2 metal in a less fancy polymer stock. A few hundred less expensive, boringly reliable, indestructible, no problems with light 2.75” target loads or 3” hunting stuff. A Limbsaver pad is recommended though.
It will be cheaper than a used SBE, and comes with warranty (it is not transferable, IIRC).
It will be cheaper than a used SBE, and comes with warranty (it is not transferable, IIRC).
I own a 20g benelli ultralight. Had it for about 12 years now. Its my go to hunting shotgun and I shoot sporting clays with it as well. Thousands of rounds throught it and its never had a hiccup yet. I'll never sell it. As for benelli shotguns on the EE, I'm glad people put them there, I should be able to find my next benelli used instead of paying full price.
One thing I will note about the Ethos is that if you have small hand or short fingers . you may not be happy with Ethos . it got to have longest grip to trigger reach of any shotgun I have ever handled . I don't recall the SBE being as long .
I am the flip side owned a Beretta a 400 now have about 3000 through the SBE2 .Shot 7000 rounds in three days hunting doves in Argentina Benelli 20g and 28g .Never had a burp.Ford Chevy ,Dodge nothing wrong with either just found the Benelli more to my liking.
I have an M2 in 20 ga that has been reliably shooting since around 2012. I had also purchased a Vinci when they were first released. This killed me for Benelli. I HATED that gun. It patterned 3 ft high at 30 yards and the recoil was just brutal. I sold it and said I would never own a Benelli again...... until some random day I picked up a SBE3. The gun melted to my body lol. I however delayed buying one until I did my research. The shooting high issue had me real worried, especially with my Vinci experience. I eventually found a good priced one in optifade timber for sale on ####### and purchased it. I had shot a round of clays with it and didn't think it was shooting high until opening day of duck season when I coudn't hit the broad side of the barn. Then I patterned it and I was in fact shooting at about a 80/20 pattern at 20. I shimmed the gun and seemed to have corrected that problem.
One thing I will say is it shoots rifled slugs very accurately, however off the bench at 50 yards it hits 7 inches high and 7 inches left.
I have no regrets on the SBE3.
One thing I will say is it shoots rifled slugs very accurately, however off the bench at 50 yards it hits 7 inches high and 7 inches left.
I have no regrets on the SBE3.
1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
The Franchi long recoil action guns are a completely different animal then the inertia drive guns. I wouldn’t really consider them “Benelli’s” given that Franchi has been making them since 1948. They are one of my favourite autoloaders.
