Benelli Super Nova Longevity/Durability?

[RevolverOcelot]

I know this is the rifle general section but I can't find a shotgun section. (?)

I'm considering getting a Benelli Super Nova. My only concern is that the receiver is made of polymer.


Wasn't the Super Nova invented in the late 90's? I want a pump that can be passed down to my grandchildren. Doesn't polymer become brittle over time?


How many rounds can a Super Nova take?

[tAKticool]

Dude you would be hard pressed to find a better overall gun.. I don't own one but I did own 0ne, it was amazing.

Did you think the plastic is going to go bad/ Dude don't you remember biodegradable lessons and stuff, it lasts forever, the polymer armor will last longer than living creatures/life itself.

Further more it has about the silky-smoovest feel and action, the sexiest styling and softest touch ... They are just so awesome.

I got a TREMENDOUS deal on the Supernova 'SteadyGrip' 24" 'tactical turkey' gun, all black synthetic pistol-grip-stock, fiber optic front sight, beautiful gun, regular price $629 at Dick's, dude sold it to me for $329.99 on St Patrick's Day 2010. It was not the Supernova Tactical model I wanted but once I held and shouldered it I simply could not say no.... Now I had intended to "make it a Tactical" i figured, how hard can it be, get me the 18.5" tactical barrel, add the ghost ring sight to the rear, maybe add the ComfortTech stock..

Then I found out the 18.5" barrel was like $500. JUST FOR THE BARREL. Then i would have to add a rail to the drilled-and-tapped-receiver.. PLUS the LPA Ghost Ring Sight rear aperature. And maybe 200 bones for the stock swap.I could have bought the factory fresh Supernova Tactical ComfortTech Ghost Ring Sight model for like $449. LOL.


Anyway I wound up selling it after a few months, it was simply not what I had wanted really, and I needed money real quick for my Dog and a vet bill.. so it became a casuality... Althought it was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, SEXAY SILKY SMOOVE... But was not what I wanted 100%. You would be HARD PRESSED to find an outright better shotgun. I own a M930SPX and and 870 Tactical Magpul (soon to be Police'd by AIP Tactical) but I LOVE Benelli.

[arizona98tj]

I've put thousands of rounds through my Benelli SuperNova....bird, buck, and slugs. I used it for several training courses and and how knows how much range practice until I retired it to the backup position after getting a new FNH SLP Mk1. It never let me down. My range buddy ran his for the same amount of time/rounds. No problems for him either. I dressed mine up a bit with a shell carrier and an extended magazine.

They are, in my opinion, a well built shotgun.

[big al hunter]

To find the shotgun forum: look at the top of your screen for "the hide" click it with your mouse. Then click on the shotgun forum, just under the rifle General forum. It is listed as a memorial to a moderator that recently passed away.

[kahrguy]

Buddy bought one a few years back and ended up dumping it as it was nothing better than his old remmy 870 and not nearly as smooth operateing and hated the plastic space gun feel. barrels and other accesories are also waaaay cheaper.

[jbat35]

The super nova is a fantastic gun. Nothing but outstanding quality. Super reliable, no loading/ejection errors like the 870 has so often. Its much lighter than the 870, built better, with better materials, and hence why the gun is many times the price of the 870. Much smoother action, not clunky and sloppy like the 870 as well. If you prefer your gun to weigh a lot, operate slowly and with slop, then get an 870. If you prefer to stay with a years old legacy, of handing over a rusted gun to your kids, get an 870. If you want american heritage, and a wood stock, get an 870. But if you want the best, the lightest, and the work of continuous improvement, get the super nova.

If you are to get any pump, especially to last to give to your children, then get the super nova no questions asked. They will thank you later for getting a shotgun with a good recoil pad and that they can actually lift and shoot before they are grown up.

Just my .02, I am obviously heavily biased against the 870. But when you spend time at the gun counter, you see what is good and what isn't. And yes, I have owned and shot both. I started with a 870, then a super nova, and now a cordoba. If I was to start over, I would have gotten the super nova first.

[kahrguy]

No bias here Mine are old mossy 500's. Might want review the specs as the remmy is lighter when barrel lenght is the same and stock material over your so ooved puper nova. Also more options with remmy and I am not a remmy fan ether. Heck I would rather have a well cared for winchester model 12 than any other pump. Thats is the best of the best still today for a pump shot gun. I would hate to by new from any of them.

[TMD]

Your shoulder will give out long before the gun does.

[chris in va]

I had a 'regular' Nova 20ga for a while.

Ergo's were very good, and it was light. However, I found it wasn't a natural pointer in trap, and you'll notice the sight ramp is considerably angled down compared to an 870 or 500. I also had severe short stroking problems with mine. If you don't really rack that plastic foregrip with authority, it won't shuck a shell like it should.

As mentioned good luck finding parts locally. Forget about finding say, an extended magazine at your local store. I sold it and got a 500. It feeds shells like they were born there.

[jbat35]

I checked specs, looks like they have been lightened quite a bit with the last redesign, so it looks like the newer 870's are much lighter than they use to be. Your 3-5 year old hardwoods weigh much more, so I'd try to get a newer synthetic.

Also, the benelli comes stock with multiple shim kit settings for the stock, help you custom fit the gun to yourself better. You can buy 1 of 3 different recoil pad lengths as well as cheek rests.

I want to stress over my last post my largest problem with the 870 was the unreliability. When you shoot trap with them its very common to see cycle malfunctions. If you only shoot your gun a few times a year you may not notice it, but of the 3 people I know with them, they all have ejection malfunctions going from once every 15 shots to once every 4.

And everyone who has held a super nova has to agree, that there is a lot more in the ergonomics department than in the 870. And imo the nova manages kick a hell of a lot better.

Go to your local gun shop, and hold them both. Even better, ask a friend that has them if you can shoot them. Choose what feels best to you, not what we prefer. Like mentioned look into the mossberg 500, I would buy that any day over the 870.

[jmr40]

hardwoods weigh much more, so I'd try to get a newer synthetic.

Not true. Factory synthetic stocks on most rifles and shotguns are the same weight and often heavier than a comparable wood stock. You don't get lighter synthetics until you get into the $600 custom rifle stocks made from Kevlar.

Same gun, the wood stock is 1/4 lb lighter than synthetic





I really want to like the Nova's. I've had a couple and really like the design. I think they may eventually prove to be the best pump design, but I'm just too used to the 870 so I sold mine. So far no pump made has proven to last longer than an 870.

Everything being equal the Nova is also the heaviest of all pumps which hurt handling for me. If I were new to shooting and starting on the Nova I'd probably like it more. It certainly has potential.

[jbat35]

Don't be taking my words out of context to prove a point, as I know the newer synthetics are lighter than the wood as I just checked the weights. I'm saying if they go the used route, but it sounds to me like the OP is getting a new gun. Hence why I said 3-5 years, as I know mine was quite heavy that I had a while ago, before what seems a series of redesigns.

I am really impressed to see how light some of these newer guns are, as some older guns, no matter which make, were all real heavy. Now it looks they are all in the 7.5-8 mark which isn't a problem, but be remembered the heavier the gun the more manageable the kick, and depending on you or your children's frame that my be something to look into.