considering a Bernelli supernova

Coyote WT · May 1, 2011, 12:58 PM

We're contemplating getting a Benelli 12 gauge as our next firearms purchase. Currently, the only shotgun we have is an old Springfield 410 single shot break action.

I didn't find anything on this forum (recent anyway) about what members thought of them. Are there any of you that have experience with this shotgun and can offer reviews? I've been pretty impressed with what I've found through other resources.

edit, dang, I hate mysspelling when I'm surging. Thanks

edit II, yep, amazing what spelling it correctly will turn up in a search.

BigJimP · May 1, 2011, 01:19 PM

Its spelled Benelli - so that may affect your search ...

Benelli Nova is a solid gun ...a little higher priced than some of the other pump guns on the market - but a step up from the lower end Rem 870's, Mossberg pumps, etc. in my opinion.

It depends on what you want to use it for ...but in general, I think a good 12ga pump gun is a solid investment ....does everything pretty well - although personally I prefer a pump gun like the Browning BPS Hunter model with a 28" barrel - for general use.

arizona98tj · May 2, 2011, 12:22 AM

All of these write-ups are on my web site. All about the SuperNova in one way or another. I've ran a SuperNova for a while.

http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...upernova-1.htm

http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...ureshell-1.htm

http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/.../mag/mag-1.htm

http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...tacsling-1.htm

http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...-shotgun-1.htm

Terry A · May 2, 2011, 04:51 PM

I'll throw in a positive plug for Benelli, especially the M2 Tactical, which is my favorite. The Supernova Tactical is another gem.

BigJimP · May 2, 2011, 06:26 PM

What are your intended uses for the gun ?

What length barrel are you considering ?

Coyote WT · May 2, 2011, 06:44 PM

That's a good question. Basically we want the gun for recreational range shooting. We don't hunt (yet) and prefer our pistols for home defense. I don't know a lot about how to choose a good barrel length. What are some things I should consider when looking at length?

BigJimP · May 2, 2011, 07:15 PM

There is a difference in my mind - between tactically oriented "fighting shotguns" ....and a gun you might need for "defense". I think there are a lot of tactical shotguns ...with extended mags, 18 1/2" barrels, fixed open chokes ...that when new, guys put 20 - 30 rds thru them ...maybe even took a "tactical" class with them ....but now they just sit in the safe or closet..and rarely come out. All of my son's buddies ...read all the magazines, and they all bought a version of the 870's in tactical dress ...and not a one of them has fired them in a couple of yrs. I know because I pick on them ...and ask ..when I go down to see them.

I rely on my handguns for "Defense" as well ...and I train weekly with them / and have a lot of confidence with them. By all the studies / we know that a typical "defensive situation" will be over inside of 30 sec ....vs going to a "gun fight" that might last a long time .... I let the cops go to the "gun fights" ...I'm only concerned about "defense" ....and most any shotgun / even with a 28" barrel --- can handle some "defense" ...maybe not optimally / but adequately.

The tactical stuff is cool / if you like it ...but not practical for anything else in my view.

In general / I have shotguns - pumps, semi-autos, and Over Unders for shooting clays targets ( Skeet, sporting clays and Trap ) and for some upland bird hunting. A gun that is a little heavier and a longer sighting plane ...is beneficial in tracking a target flight, making a smooth swing, executing a shot, and a smooth follow thru. Shorter and lighter shotguns tend to be "whippy" and make a shooter "slap" at a target vs being smooth. So a 28" or 30" barrel is what I like / and even out to 32" for Trap ...which has less hard left or hard right angles ...

Most of the tactical guns ...do not have screw in chokes. So you're stuck on the size of the pattern you will get a 21 yds, 35 yds, etc ....vs changeable screw in chokes that change the constriction of the barrel ...and give you a different effective pattern at the kill range you need for clays or birds.

A good pump gun / with a 28" barrel is a good long term investment -- I still have the Browning BPS's Hunter models I purchased in the 1970's ...still solid guns. They killed lots of clays and birds ... / even though I've moved on to more specific Over Unders for my primary Target Guns ...where durability is an issue ( less moving parts, etc ) and I might shoot well over 10,000 shells a yr.

If a gun is real light ..and I'm 6'5" and 290 lbs ...like a Benelli semi-auto that I have ( the Super Sport - its only 7 lbs ) then I will always go with a 30" barrel to help counter-act that light whippiness. But if I go too long ...like on an Over Under Trap gun --- where I like a gun that is around 10lbs and 32" barrels ...it gets too clumsy for a quicker game like Skeet or hunting Quail. It feels like I'm trying to swing a big ole sewer pipe ...and I'm constantly behind everything ...

I have buddies that are 5'10" and 160 lbs ....and they stay with a 26" or 28" barrel on many guns .../ so it kind of depends...

60 yrs ago / before screw in chokes ...we had "grouse guns" and "pheasant guns" and "duck guns" ....because the chokes were fixed at Imp Cycl, or Modified, or Full ....and today we can all have one gun ( like a pump with a 28" barrel ) with 5 or 6 screw in chokes ....and you can shoot Skeet with it on Fri / hunt ducks on Sat / and shoot sporting clays on Sunday.

When I travel by air ....I only take one gun ...the Benelli Super Sport in 12ga, 30" barrel ...and 5 chokes ...and it does everything pretty well ...

tmas · May 10, 2011, 01:27 AM

I have a super nova 28" camo. I do a lot of waterfowling, about 4 days a week for 3.5 months a year. I love my supernova for a pump gun. It's a bit bulky for some people, but it rarely ever has a misfire or jam. And the recoil reducer makes a much bigger difference than I realized at first. Shooting 2 3/4 inch light target loads i couldn't tell a difference, but when i layed into the blind and put thrity two 3 1/2 inch mags through it opening day, i knew it made a big difference.

Recently I helped a neighbor who isn't a shooter take his 12 year old boy shooting clays for Boy Scouts merit badge. He had an old 12 gauge he borrowed from his brother and the boy shot it a couple times and became a bit gunshy. So i ran and got my Nova and he was able to hit 31/50 and earn his merit badge, and he got over his trigger flinch within a few shots.

As far as barrel length, i think if you're more worried about a fast gun that you can get on target a bit faster go for the shorter barrel. I don't know if the extra couple inches makes a differnce in extended ranges but I'd like to think it helps!

TheKlawMan · May 10, 2011, 03:12 AM

You never said who the "we" is that is contemplating this new gun. I got the 870 and agree that Benelli gives a lot of value for the money. Will a small person be shooting it often? You say this is for the range and I believe you indicated that it may sometime be used for hunting. A semi auto is preferred by many over a pump if you will be shooting double targets and also since it has less felt recoil. Some like the comfort tech system that comes with some Benellis. I am looking at this from the perspective of a newby shooter with just 4 months of experience that so far has done everything on a tight budget and learned a lot from these guys.

SauerJackson · May 10, 2011, 08:45 AM

HIGHLY RECOMMEND Nova's! I've been shooting one for years, in all the sand/snow/downpours you can imagine. And of all the guns I've ever owned, AKs, SIGs, ARs, I trust that one above all to work every time!

TheKlawMan · May 10, 2011, 11:04 AM

Arrgh! I see you are considering the Super Nova and I am bringing up auto loaders. I am bad.

BigJimP · May 10, 2011, 11:21 AM

We haven't heard from the OP since we discussed barrel length, or since some of you guys mentioned semi-autos ...but I think all of that is important ....when a person with limited experience is considering a new shotgun ....

he may be making any number of assumptions ...that semi-autos are jam-amatics, or only pumps are relliable, or cost, or ??

He never answered the "we" issue either ...so if one "we" is a young shooter - or any shooter that is built very differntly ...a pump gun may not be his best option. We'll have to wait for him to come back ...

Coyote WT · May 10, 2011, 01:16 PM

Sorry guys. I have been watching and I appreciate all of the great feed back I've gotten.

So, to update, this is where I am currently.

Based on the great info from BigJimP on barrel length, I'm thinking we're looking at something in the 28" range. I also totally agree that getting the sexier looking tactical builds is not something I'm going to consider since that it not the intent of the gun.

TheKlawMan, the more I look into various aspects of shotguns the more I like the idea of having an auto rather than a pump. If I'm going to get into sports shooting or hunting (both are options we're considering) I think I'd like something that is a little quicker to re-chamber.

By the way, "we" refers to my wife and I. Neither of us are what you would call small.

To everyone else, I really do appreciate your comments and advise. It's obvious that the Benelli is a good gun with a lot of loyal supporters. It'll be a couple months before we're ready to make the buy (we have a range membership and SD/HD trainings that are a little higher on the budget priorities) so I have some more time to research. Feel free to leave more advice and recommendations. I do read this thread even if I don't respond as often as I could.

Coyote WT

oneounceload · May 10, 2011, 01:56 PM

FIT will be paramount - even if the two of you are close in size, the gun might fit one and not the other. 28" I would consider a minimum length, (light target loads - 1 oz or less going 1200 fps or slower) should be used. A LESSON of three might really be helpful so you don't learn and ingrain any bad habits when it comes to form, stance, target acquisition, etc. Pumps tend to be jacks of all trades, but - IMO, masters of none.

Get the gun fitted for the person with the shorter LOP, it is easier to shoot a shorter than ideal LOP than vice-versa

BigJimP · May 11, 2011, 11:42 AM

+1 on OneOunces perspective ...

For most any husband and wife ..combination shooters ...a gas operated semi-auto might be a much better choice. Guns like the Browning Silver hunter series, Winchchester SX3 ( they're really the same gun - since Browning owns Winchester ) and they were both bought by FN ... / Beretta 390 or 391 series ....are all very good entry level semi-autos.

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...unter-firearms

shops like Wholesale Sports (used to be Sportsman's Warehouse ) in Federal Way sells that gun for under $ 900 last time I checked it. But I'd price them thru DJ's in Bothell / or look to see what he has in used guns as well.

May 1, 2011, 12:58 PM	#1
Coyote WT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Location: Woodinville WA (north of Seattle) Posts: 147	considering a Bernelli supernova We're contemplating getting a Benelli 12 gauge as our next firearms purchase. Currently, the only shotgun we have is an old Springfield 410 single shot break action. I didn't find anything on this forum (recent anyway) about what members thought of them. Are there any of you that have experience with this shotgun and can offer reviews? I've been pretty impressed with what I've found through other resources. edit, dang, I hate mysspelling when I'm surging. Thanks edit II, yep, amazing what spelling it correctly will turn up in a search. Last edited by Coyote WT; May 1, 2011 at 01:51 PM.

May 2, 2011, 12:22 AM	#3
arizona98tj Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 980	All of these write-ups are on my web site. All about the SuperNova in one way or another. I've ran a SuperNova for a while. http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...upernova-1.htm http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...ureshell-1.htm http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/.../mag/mag-1.htm http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...tacsling-1.htm http://www.stu-offroad.com/firearms/...-shotgun-1.htm __________________ stu-offroad.com Largest Jeep TJ project site on the web! (now with guns)

May 2, 2011, 04:51 PM	#4
Terry A Senior Member Join Date: December 27, 2008 Location: Washington, Pa Posts: 764	I'll throw in a positive plug for Benelli, especially the M2 Tactical, which is my favorite. The Supernova Tactical is another gem. __________________ 2 Thes 3:16 "Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all! "

May 2, 2011, 06:44 PM	#6
Coyote WT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Location: Woodinville WA (north of Seattle) Posts: 147	BigJimP That's a good question. Basically we want the gun for recreational range shooting. We don't hunt (yet) and prefer our pistols for home defense. I don't know a lot about how to choose a good barrel length. What are some things I should consider when looking at length?

May 1, 2011, 01:19 PM	#2
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Its spelled Benelli - so that may affect your search ... Benelli Nova is a solid gun ...a little higher priced than some of the other pump guns on the market - but a step up from the lower end Rem 870's, Mossberg pumps, etc. in my opinion. It depends on what you want to use it for ...but in general, I think a good 12ga pump gun is a solid investment ....does everything pretty well - although personally I prefer a pump gun like the Browning BPS Hunter model with a 28" barrel - for general use.

May 2, 2011, 06:26 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	What are your intended uses for the gun ? What length barrel are you considering ?

May 2, 2011, 07:15 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	There is a difference in my mind - between tactically oriented "fighting shotguns" ....and a gun you might need for "defense". I think there are a lot of tactical shotguns ...with extended mags, 18 1/2" barrels, fixed open chokes ...that when new, guys put 20 - 30 rds thru them ...maybe even took a "tactical" class with them ....but now they just sit in the safe or closet..and rarely come out. All of my son's buddies ...read all the magazines, and they all bought a version of the 870's in tactical dress ...and not a one of them has fired them in a couple of yrs. I know because I pick on them ...and ask ..when I go down to see them. I rely on my handguns for "Defense" as well ...and I train weekly with them / and have a lot of confidence with them. By all the studies / we know that a typical "defensive situation" will be over inside of 30 sec ....vs going to a "gun fight" that might last a long time .... I let the cops go to the "gun fights" ...I'm only concerned about "defense" ....and most any shotgun / even with a 28" barrel --- can handle some "defense" ...maybe not optimally / but adequately. The tactical stuff is cool / if you like it ...but not practical for anything else in my view. In general / I have shotguns - pumps, semi-autos, and Over Unders for shooting clays targets ( Skeet, sporting clays and Trap ) and for some upland bird hunting. A gun that is a little heavier and a longer sighting plane ...is beneficial in tracking a target flight, making a smooth swing, executing a shot, and a smooth follow thru. Shorter and lighter shotguns tend to be "whippy" and make a shooter "slap" at a target vs being smooth. So a 28" or 30" barrel is what I like / and even out to 32" for Trap ...which has less hard left or hard right angles ... Most of the tactical guns ...do not have screw in chokes. So you're stuck on the size of the pattern you will get a 21 yds, 35 yds, etc ....vs changeable screw in chokes that change the constriction of the barrel ...and give you a different effective pattern at the kill range you need for clays or birds. A good pump gun / with a 28" barrel is a good long term investment -- I still have the Browning BPS's Hunter models I purchased in the 1970's ...still solid guns. They killed lots of clays and birds ... / even though I've moved on to more specific Over Unders for my primary Target Guns ...where durability is an issue ( less moving parts, etc ) and I might shoot well over 10,000 shells a yr. If a gun is real light ..and I'm 6'5" and 290 lbs ...like a Benelli semi-auto that I have ( the Super Sport - its only 7 lbs ) then I will always go with a 30" barrel to help counter-act that light whippiness. But if I go too long ...like on an Over Under Trap gun --- where I like a gun that is around 10lbs and 32" barrels ...it gets too clumsy for a quicker game like Skeet or hunting Quail. It feels like I'm trying to swing a big ole sewer pipe ...and I'm constantly behind everything ... I have buddies that are 5'10" and 160 lbs ....and they stay with a 26" or 28" barrel on many guns .../ so it kind of depends... 60 yrs ago / before screw in chokes ...we had "grouse guns" and "pheasant guns" and "duck guns" ....because the chokes were fixed at Imp Cycl, or Modified, or Full ....and today we can all have one gun ( like a pump with a 28" barrel ) with 5 or 6 screw in chokes ....and you can shoot Skeet with it on Fri / hunt ducks on Sat / and shoot sporting clays on Sunday. When I travel by air ....I only take one gun ...the Benelli Super Sport in 12ga, 30" barrel ...and 5 chokes ...and it does everything pretty well ...

May 10, 2011, 01:27 AM	#8
tmas Member Join Date: May 1, 2011 Location: Ninilchik, Ak Posts: 38	I have a super nova 28" camo. I do a lot of waterfowling, about 4 days a week for 3.5 months a year. I love my supernova for a pump gun. It's a bit bulky for some people, but it rarely ever has a misfire or jam. And the recoil reducer makes a much bigger difference than I realized at first. Shooting 2 3/4 inch light target loads i couldn't tell a difference, but when i layed into the blind and put thrity two 3 1/2 inch mags through it opening day, i knew it made a big difference. Recently I helped a neighbor who isn't a shooter take his 12 year old boy shooting clays for Boy Scouts merit badge. He had an old 12 gauge he borrowed from his brother and the boy shot it a couple times and became a bit gunshy. So i ran and got my Nova and he was able to hit 31/50 and earn his merit badge, and he got over his trigger flinch within a few shots. As far as barrel length, i think if you're more worried about a fast gun that you can get on target a bit faster go for the shorter barrel. I don't know if the extra couple inches makes a differnce in extended ranges but I'd like to think it helps!

May 10, 2011, 03:12 AM	#9
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	You never said who the "we" is that is contemplating this new gun. I got the 870 and agree that Benelli gives a lot of value for the money. Will a small person be shooting it often? You say this is for the range and I believe you indicated that it may sometime be used for hunting. A semi auto is preferred by many over a pump if you will be shooting double targets and also since it has less felt recoil. Some like the comfort tech system that comes with some Benellis. I am looking at this from the perspective of a newby shooter with just 4 months of experience that so far has done everything on a tight budget and learned a lot from these guys.

May 10, 2011, 08:45 AM	#10
SauerJackson Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2011 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 119	HIGHLY RECOMMEND Nova's! I've been shooting one for years, in all the sand/snow/downpours you can imagine. And of all the guns I've ever owned, AKs, SIGs, ARs, I trust that one above all to work every time!

May 10, 2011, 11:04 AM	#11
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	Arrgh! I see you are considering the Super Nova and I am bringing up auto loaders. I am bad.

May 10, 2011, 11:21 AM	#12
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	We haven't heard from the OP since we discussed barrel length, or since some of you guys mentioned semi-autos ...but I think all of that is important ....when a person with limited experience is considering a new shotgun .... he may be making any number of assumptions ...that semi-autos are jam-amatics, or only pumps are relliable, or cost, or ?? He never answered the "we" issue either ...so if one "we" is a young shooter - or any shooter that is built very differntly ...a pump gun may not be his best option. We'll have to wait for him to come back ...

May 10, 2011, 01:16 PM	#13
Coyote WT Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2011 Location: Woodinville WA (north of Seattle) Posts: 147	Sorry guys. I have been watching and I appreciate all of the great feed back I've gotten. So, to update, this is where I am currently. Based on the great info from BigJimP on barrel length, I'm thinking we're looking at something in the 28" range. I also totally agree that getting the sexier looking tactical builds is not something I'm going to consider since that it not the intent of the gun. TheKlawMan, the more I look into various aspects of shotguns the more I like the idea of having an auto rather than a pump. If I'm going to get into sports shooting or hunting (both are options we're considering) I think I'd like something that is a little quicker to re-chamber. By the way, "we" refers to my wife and I. Neither of us are what you would call small. To everyone else, I really do appreciate your comments and advise. It's obvious that the Benelli is a good gun with a lot of loyal supporters. It'll be a couple months before we're ready to make the buy (we have a range membership and SD/HD trainings that are a little higher on the budget priorities) so I have some more time to research. Feel free to leave more advice and recommendations. I do read this thread even if I don't respond as often as I could. Coyote WT

May 10, 2011, 01:56 PM	#14
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	FIT will be paramount - even if the two of you are close in size, the gun might fit one and not the other. 28" I would consider a minimum length, (light target loads - 1 oz or less going 1200 fps or slower) should be used. A LESSON of three might really be helpful so you don't learn and ingrain any bad habits when it comes to form, stance, target acquisition, etc. Pumps tend to be jacks of all trades, but - IMO, masters of none. Get the gun fitted for the person with the shorter LOP, it is easier to shoot a shorter than ideal LOP than vice-versa

May 11, 2011, 11:42 AM	#15
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	+1 on OneOunces perspective ... For most any husband and wife ..combination shooters ...a gas operated semi-auto might be a much better choice. Guns like the Browning Silver hunter series, Winchchester SX3 ( they're really the same gun - since Browning owns Winchester ) and they were both bought by FN ... / Beretta 390 or 391 series ....are all very good entry level semi-autos. http://www.browning.com/products/cat...unter-firearms shops like Wholesale Sports (used to be Sportsman's Warehouse ) in Federal Way sells that gun for under $ 900 last time I checked it. But I'd price them thru DJ's in Bothell / or look to see what he has in used guns as well.