Benelli Owners....

[Bullseye]

Can anyone give their experience with the Benelli semi-autos.  Specifically, will they cycle AA trap loads reliably without any jams in a 3" magnum gun.  I am looking at the M1, M2 and Mont..... (whatever it is).

My wife wants to replace her jamming POS Browning Gold.

[dukkillr]

they will cycle better than any other auto shotgun on the market... that being said, they won't cycle better than any pump gun on the market...  there is no difference between light and heavy loads... you can shoot dove loads and turkey loads without any change... the only problem i've ever experienced is that if you go a while without cleaning the action it will start to hang up on low recoil trap loads

[dukkillr]

I shoulda noted that my experience with the benelli is mostly through my girlfriend... she shoots everything from turkeys to doves with it, although she doesn't shoot the 3 1/2" shells, i've shot those through it with good, albeit painful, results...

it makes a great gun for females, smaller/younger shooters, and older hunters because of the reduced weight and ease of handling...

one bizarre negative is that he magazine can actually eat smaller thumbs... it's happened to my girlfriend about 5 times and it actually happened to me once... it hurts, alot... be careful when loading shells into the magazine to hold the gate in with your other hand...

[Bullseye]

The Browning Gold is a 3" chamber.  It jams with 3 dr. equiv. 1 1/8 oz AA loads to high brass 2 3/4" hunting loads.  I have tried everything I know to do and have taken it to a Smith.  I have not contacted Browning because it is out of their 1 year warranty and did not figure I could afford their repair shop.  But I had a dealer talk to the Browning rep this week and he said they would make it right.  Guess we will see.

[Graybeard]

It probably just needs a proper cleaning. That's the primary reason any semiauto doesn't function 100%. Either that or a part needs to be replaced and on this one I don't know what parts give trouble.

GB

[Bullseye]

Graybeard, I have been in agreement with you for the 1st year of fighting with this gun.  It has been cleaned very well many times over the last year and a half all the way down to dropping the trigger mechanism and cleaning the receiver every time.  Have soaked the gas piston is kerosene and the smith took the whole gas piston apart and cleaned it.  I have tried no oil anywhere, a light oil and a heavy oil all with the same results.  The smith did not find any bad parts, but that does not mean that there is not one.  I do know when I took it in the smiths comment was "Not another Browning Gold, I has seen so many of them in the last couple of months that I am sick of them".

Oh well, enough of my complaining, I just hope Browning can fix it because my wife does like that gun more than any other she has had or  looked at.  Guess that is why she put up with it for so long, but now she is finally tired of it.

[new wildcatter]

A friend of mine has 2 golds 1 field grade, 3", 1 sporting grade, 2.75". I and he like both of them. I had a montefeltro, it would work any factory load, from 7/8 promo's on up, but it did not like reloads at all 1 1/8 oz at 1235 fps min, whereas my beretta 390 sport would cycle 1 oz at 1135 all day long

[Bullseye]

Well my wife and I went to a shoot last weekend and the Benelli and Beretta factory reps were there with their guns.  My wife shot a few different guns (this was after shooting skeet with her Browning that cylced the first 20 shots and then started jamming at least two out of every five).
She shot at 20 skeet with the Benelli Montefeltro and only missed two.  She was shooting cheap 1 1/8" loads and it cycled perfectly.  On the way home she says that if the Benelli can be used to hunt everything her Browning does, and if I can put sling swivels on it that she thought that she would be happy with that gun.  After fighting the Browning for 1 1/2 years, I jumped at the chance and took her to get one Monday night.  Life is good right now!

I am going to let my dealer send the Browning back so that I can sell it without feeling guilty.  I just happen to think the Benelli design is little better than a gas gun so I went ahead and made the switch.

Thanks for all your replies (she actually read them) but shooting the gun before buying was the real seller.

[Doc T]

I have been shooting Beneli M1S90s or about 12 years.  I have two in 12ga and bought one of the first ones to come out in 20ga.  The 12s are the older ones marked H & K.  They are the most reliable shotguns I have ever owned as long as you keep them reasonably clean.  The 20 is a different story.  When I first got it, it would shoot light loads ok and jam like crazy with 3" loads.  They wouldn't load all the way into the chamber.  It was like it needed a forward assist like on an AR15.  I sent it back to Benelli and the put a stronger recoil spring in it and now it works perfectly.  If I had to get rid of all my shotguns and just keep one it would be my 12ga M1.

[Gowge]

I gotta' question 'bout these shotguns too - about the construction.   You guys who own them will know the answer.   Are these ALL STEEL guns, or is there some alloy or plastic in the guns anywhere?   What about the receivers?  Are all the parts machined steel, or is there some stamped stuff or what?  

I'm thinkin' about a fast cycling auto for heavy slug loads.   I got all sortsa' catalogs and brochures from Benelli, but it doesn't say anything about the construction of the guns...

The link below is the FULL BORE SLUGS I wanta' be able to shoot without problems...  HEAVY SLUG LOADS!  

http://www.dixieslugs.com/

THANKS!!   :wink:

[pastorp]

Bullseye, I have been shooting a benelli M1-90 for about 6 years. Mine has been completely reliable with everything from 1-oz field loads, yes AA's are a favorite of mine and they work fine in my gun, to buckshot and slugs. I also shoot some 3" mags for waterfowl. I simply brush out any residue from the action and wipe down the gun after use. Before use I put a drop of oil on the rear of the bolt. My gun has never failed to feed. Hope this helps, Byron

[encore31]

as opinions varia i feel the exact opposite in comparing benelli to browning i have owned two super 90s and both of wich i have had bolt probs..after the second time i traded it for a browning fusion 3" step up from the gold hunter.every bit as light and have shot many shells through it and in regards to the comment of benneli being the best auto loader there is i would strongly disagree with that i don't know if any of you have heard of the browning fusion cause it is a rerelativelyew gun for browning but i have shot anything from 2 3/4 low base 1 ounce trap loads all the way up to 1 7/8 magnum loads and i have yet to jam up except when the cleaning is neglected but any auto will jam if cleaning on it is not kept up, anyway in closing i have owned both guns bbenelliand then went to browning fusion so i am not biased in any way of the word, the fusion is every bit dependable (in my eyes twice as much) and and if something should go wrong with it i wont have to worry about waiting 6 months to get it back wich i experienced twice with the benelli first time fluke second time got a different gun all together.besides the fact the benneli is redicualsly over priced and to by parts for it is herendice no thanks ill stay with my fusion.