Useful/No Useful accessories for my Benelli Super 90 M1

srobert · September 19, 1999, 12:12 AM

Hi:
I just recently got a Benelli Super 90 M1 on a trade and so far have been happy with how it shoots. I have seen many advertisements for accessories for flashlight attachments, extended magazine tubes, slings, screw in chokes, red dots sights etc.. The problem I am having is determining what is useful vs what is useless. The primary use of the weapon will be for home protection.

Thanks

motorep · September 19, 1999, 08:39 AM

The main thing to keep in mind,as you try various accessories, is that as you add weight to your M1 you decrease the recoil, which increases the chance of a malfunction.

sholling · September 20, 1999, 12:50 AM

motorep,

Huh? Reducing recoil increases the chance of a malfunction? Not likely. On a semi-auto you want the weapon to remain as stationary as possible during the firing cycle so that the bolt will move as far as possible in relation to the receiver. That's why limp wristing a semi-auto pistol causes problems, the pistol moving to the rear decreases the relative velocity of the bolt.

Not that it would really matter with the Benelli, but additional weight would be more likely to help reliability. But, then again - you really can't get much better than 100%.

Of course if you welded a couple of pounds of weight to the bolt itself then you'd have a problem.

srobert,

Depending on how much it's been used the best thing you could do for your Benelli might be to run a couple hundred rounds through it. Like any reasonably tight semi-auto it needs to be well broken in.

How long is the barrel? 18-20" is about as long as I'd want for home defense. 18-1/2 barrels (with with sights and screw-in choke ready) are $250-300. My M1 Super 90 has the factory extended magazine and I think that its seven rounds is probably minimum, but then again you can always to top off a shotgun. Night sights, dots, flashlights? Well maybe, it just depends on how you plan to employ the thing. Take a class in tactical shotgun (under $100) and then think your situation through.

motorep · September 20, 1999, 12:10 PM

Sholling- reducing recoil- adding weight, adding a compensator/muzzle brake,using light loads, etc will induce malfunctions on a Benelli M1. "not likely"? Very likely, almost positively. This is a *recoil operated*shotgun.

Zach Vonler · September 20, 1999, 01:43 PM

motorep: You're confusing two types of recoil reduction. Adding weight to the gun will reduce felt recoil, the other two things you mention reduce actual recoil. All that adding weight does is increase the inertia of the gun/operator combination. With more of that inertia contributed by the gun, the operator's shoulder (or wrist) doesn't have to do as much work. The mechanism in the gun doesn't care where the inertia it works against comes from, so it's not going to start malfunctioning by any amount of weight being added (unless, of course, as stated above, you added the weight to the bolt itself.) In fact, I have heard of problems before with people making guns lighter and then experiencing problems.

And a question for the other shotgunners. I also have a Benelli M1. When I first took it out to the range it would not cycle at all with the Federal Ranger low recoil buckshot loads. Knowing that it could need some breakin, I took it skeet shooting and put 3-400 rounds through it (that was a fun day). I took it out to the range yesterday to try it with the low recoil buckshot again and out of about 25 rounds got one failure to feed. That's not really great success, so my question is: Does anyone else use this load successfully? Do you think the gun needs more breakin? It was very clean and well-lubed at the time, so that's not the problem.

Glock Raider · September 20, 1999, 03:33 PM

Don't know what Fedral Ranger load is but I have had success with Fedral Tactical 00 buck(H132)cycles in my S90 just fine

motorep · September 20, 1999, 05:17 PM

Guys, I'm not confusing anything, my intent was to warn the original poster of the problems he could incur when modifying his M1. Call the people at Benelli, ask them what can/will happen when you start to add weight- a light or a sidesaddle- or if you port the barrel or add a comp. I've spent a lot of time working with competition shotguns, this is my personal experience.We've covered this before on this forum, search it and you'll find similar experiences related. I'm done here....

RCH · September 20, 1999, 07:34 PM

I agree that accessories are only needed for what role your shotgun will play. Unless you are trying to make a "pimp model" with more bells and whistles then common-sense would dictate. I have seen Super90s with a flashlight, laser, sidesaddle, etc. all on one gun! As P.T. Barnum said "A fool and his money are soon parted."

I have shot Federal tactical 00 buckshot with no problems out of my M3. I also have a modified M1 sidesaddle. Most cycling problems seem to occur when people tighten the sidesaddle screw to tightly and flex the aluminmun receiver- which rubs on the bolt, thus causing malfunctions. A little common- sense (theres' that word again), some locktite, and a through test at the range should result in success!

(I modified the sidesaddle so that I could still use the M3 in pump mode- which is not possible if you just slap on the Super90 sidesaddle since it's really made for the M1)
Now if they only made a Surefire light housing for the M3....sigh....

Dorcas · September 20, 1999, 08:00 PM

Hello all, I've read a couple posts on rec.guns from an employee at benelli stating exactly what motorep has been saying. Adding too much additional weight to an M1S90 will increase the likelyhood of malfunction. IIRC the benelli employee said something like 500 grams (approx 1.1 lbs.)

Update: I've done a search at dejanews. Please reference:
http://x40.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=409...18129&hitnum=0

bkm

------------------
Anyone worth shooting, is worth shooting twice...

[This message has been edited by Dorcas (edited September 20, 1999).]

sholling · September 20, 1999, 08:19 PM

Zach Vonler,

It took about 200-300 rounds of standard loads before my M1 would function reliably with Ultra Light trap loads. The last 300-400 rounds were all ultra lights and it's been flawless. When I spoke to a Benelli rep he said that they usually require 200-400 rounds to loosen up enough to feed the light stuff everytime.

oberkommando · October 9, 1999, 02:48 AM

adding weight would decress reliability? At least not on mine, if this were the case putting benneli in a vice (the weight of the world) it would never cycle? If you limp wrist it you chance a stall because you have no base for the bolt spring to compress against. The buttstock does not know if it is attached to the shooter or not, if you hold it away from your shoulder it will probably stall. I shoot 3" mag exclusively so don't have stall problems, and do it with full saddle.

September 19, 1999, 12:12 AM	#1
srobert Junior Member Join Date: September 17, 1999 Posts: 1	Hi: I just recently got a Benelli Super 90 M1 on a trade and so far have been happy with how it shoots. I have seen many advertisements for accessories for flashlight attachments, extended magazine tubes, slings, screw in chokes, red dots sights etc.. The problem I am having is determining what is useful vs what is useless. The primary use of the weapon will be for home protection. Thanks

September 19, 1999, 08:39 AM	#2
motorep Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Location: mid-coast Maine Posts: 546	The main thing to keep in mind,as you try various accessories, is that as you add weight to your M1 you decrease the recoil, which increases the chance of a malfunction.

September 20, 1999, 12:50 AM	#3
sholling Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 1999 Location: Hemet (middle of nowhere) California Posts: 4,261	motorep, Huh? Reducing recoil increases the chance of a malfunction? Not likely. On a semi-auto you want the weapon to remain as stationary as possible during the firing cycle so that the bolt will move as far as possible in relation to the receiver. That's why limp wristing a semi-auto pistol causes problems, the pistol moving to the rear decreases the relative velocity of the bolt. Not that it would really matter with the Benelli, but additional weight would be more likely to help reliability. But, then again - you really can't get much better than 100%. Of course if you welded a couple of pounds of weight to the bolt itself then you'd have a problem. srobert, Depending on how much it's been used the best thing you could do for your Benelli might be to run a couple hundred rounds through it. Like any reasonably tight semi-auto it needs to be well broken in. How long is the barrel? 18-20" is about as long as I'd want for home defense. 18-1/2 barrels (with with sights and screw-in choke ready) are $250-300. My M1 Super 90 has the factory extended magazine and I think that its seven rounds is probably minimum, but then again you can always to top off a shotgun. Night sights, dots, flashlights? Well maybe, it just depends on how you plan to employ the thing. Take a class in tactical shotgun (under $100) and then think your situation through.

September 20, 1999, 12:10 PM	#4
motorep Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Location: mid-coast Maine Posts: 546	Sholling- reducing recoil- adding weight, adding a compensator/muzzle brake,using light loads, etc will induce malfunctions on a Benelli M1. "not likely"? Very likely, almost positively. This is a recoil operatedshotgun.

September 20, 1999, 01:43 PM	#5
Zach Vonler Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 1999 Posts: 126	motorep: You're confusing two types of recoil reduction. Adding weight to the gun will reduce felt recoil, the other two things you mention reduce actual recoil. All that adding weight does is increase the inertia of the gun/operator combination. With more of that inertia contributed by the gun, the operator's shoulder (or wrist) doesn't have to do as much work. The mechanism in the gun doesn't care where the inertia it works against comes from, so it's not going to start malfunctioning by any amount of weight being added (unless, of course, as stated above, you added the weight to the bolt itself.) In fact, I have heard of problems before with people making guns lighter and then experiencing problems. And a question for the other shotgunners. I also have a Benelli M1. When I first took it out to the range it would not cycle at all with the Federal Ranger low recoil buckshot loads. Knowing that it could need some breakin, I took it skeet shooting and put 3-400 rounds through it (that was a fun day). I took it out to the range yesterday to try it with the low recoil buckshot again and out of about 25 rounds got one failure to feed. That's not really great success, so my question is: Does anyone else use this load successfully? Do you think the gun needs more breakin? It was very clean and well-lubed at the time, so that's not the problem.

September 20, 1999, 03:33 PM	#6
Glock Raider Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 1999 Posts: 186	Don't know what Fedral Ranger load is but I have had success with Fedral Tactical 00 buck(H132)cycles in my S90 just fine

September 20, 1999, 05:17 PM	#7
motorep Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1998 Location: mid-coast Maine Posts: 546	Guys, I'm not confusing anything, my intent was to warn the original poster of the problems he could incur when modifying his M1. Call the people at Benelli, ask them what can/will happen when you start to add weight- a light or a sidesaddle- or if you port the barrel or add a comp. I've spent a lot of time working with competition shotguns, this is my personal experience.We've covered this before on this forum, search it and you'll find similar experiences related. I'm done here....

September 20, 1999, 07:34 PM	#8
RCH Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 1999 Posts: 103	I agree that accessories are only needed for what role your shotgun will play. Unless you are trying to make a "pimp model" with more bells and whistles then common-sense would dictate. I have seen Super90s with a flashlight, laser, sidesaddle, etc. all on one gun! As P.T. Barnum said "A fool and his money are soon parted." I have shot Federal tactical 00 buckshot with no problems out of my M3. I also have a modified M1 sidesaddle. Most cycling problems seem to occur when people tighten the sidesaddle screw to tightly and flex the aluminmun receiver- which rubs on the bolt, thus causing malfunctions. A little common- sense (theres' that word again), some locktite, and a through test at the range should result in success! (I modified the sidesaddle so that I could still use the M3 in pump mode- which is not possible if you just slap on the Super90 sidesaddle since it's really made for the M1) Now if they only made a Surefire light housing for the M3....sigh....

September 20, 1999, 08:00 PM	#9
Dorcas Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 1999 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 194	Hello all, I've read a couple posts on rec.guns from an employee at benelli stating exactly what motorep has been saying. Adding too much additional weight to an M1S90 will increase the likelyhood of malfunction. IIRC the benelli employee said something like 500 grams (approx 1.1 lbs.) Update: I've done a search at dejanews. Please reference: http://x40.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=409...18129&hitnum=0 bkm ------------------ Anyone worth shooting, is worth shooting twice... [This message has been edited by Dorcas (edited September 20, 1999).]

September 20, 1999, 08:19 PM	#10
sholling Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 1999 Location: Hemet (middle of nowhere) California Posts: 4,261	Zach Vonler, It took about 200-300 rounds of standard loads before my M1 would function reliably with Ultra Light trap loads. The last 300-400 rounds were all ultra lights and it's been flawless. When I spoke to a Benelli rep he said that they usually require 200-400 rounds to loosen up enough to feed the light stuff everytime.

October 9, 1999, 02:48 AM	#11
oberkommando Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 1999 Posts: 1,158	adding weight would decress reliability? At least not on mine, if this were the case putting benneli in a vice (the weight of the world) it would never cycle? If you limp wrist it you chance a stall because you have no base for the bolt spring to compress against. The buttstock does not know if it is attached to the shooter or not, if you hold it away from your shoulder it will probably stall. I shoot 3" mag exclusively so don't have stall problems, and do it with full saddle.