Benelli or Beretta?

[HunterJ]

Benelli Super Black Eagle 2 or Beretta Xtrema 2?

[SteveRick]

I have a Benelli Super Black Eagle and love it. If you are willing to put out a ton of $$$, then I would from personal opinion take the Benelli. Take this for consideration; for many people will tell you this is better than that, but it is up to you to make the decision for which is best for you.

[COYOTE JLR]

I've got a good friend who has the SBEII and it is an awesome gun. Absolute blast to shoot. In my opinion you can't go wrong with it. I've never had the opportunity to shoot the Beretta so I can't say anything about that. I do know that the Benelli is a hell of a nice gun that won't disappoint.

[RoscoeC]

Not enough information. Both are state of the art shotguns, one intertia operated, and one gas operated.

Inertia guns tend to be favored by people that use their shotguns for a boat paddle as well as the more traditional uses.

Gas guns are by far the favored gun for folks that are shooting clays because of their softer perceived recoil.

Either will serve you well. If you are intending to put thousands of rounds per year through it, I would think the gas gun would be the better choice.

If you are going to spend lots of time in duck or goose blinds, then the Benelli is probably what you want.

With all that said, I think the Benelli's are ridiculously over priced. The Berettas or only moderately overpriced.

[batmann]

I depends some on you intended use, but I would tke a Benelli SBE over the Beretta. The SBE has become the gold standard in water fowl hunting.
Beretta sems to searching for that right combo as they have changed their auto line up many times over the 15 years or so.

[oneounceload]

With both being owned by the same company, it comes down to price point and intended usage - Beretta gas guns are THE semi on the clay fields, Benellis, with their simpler mechanism, tend to be favored by waterfowl enthusiasts. Shoot both, determine your primary use, and go from there

[zippy13]

Beretta gas guns are THE semi on the clay fields
As the owner of a Remington 1100 target gun, I must confess that oneounceload is correct on this one. The Beretta auto-loaders have literally run the once dominant R-1100s off the Skeet fields. If it weren't for Beretta, Remington might still be making a Skeet model 1100.

[BigJimP]

I see more Beretta's on clay fields than other semi-autos too - but that doesn't mean its a better gun.

For my money - the most adjustable semi-auto on the market is the Benelli super sport ( and adjustability - so it fits ) makes it a better gun. Regardless, I still like the inertia system over any of the gas guns - they shoot cleaner and I think they cycle faster. Price is an issue - but complaining about what they cost isn't going to reduce the price / its partly due to the difference between the Euro and the dollar. I recommend the Benelli.

[zippy13]

I see more Beretta's on clay fields than other semi-autos too - but that doesn't mean its a better gun.
My firend BigJim and I are usually of like minds about target shotguns, however on this one we may differ -- it depends on the interpenetration of better.

With his size, BigJim needs a custom or adjustable stock on his shotguns. For BigJim, the adaptability of the Benelli makes it the better gun. To others, shooting higher scores with their Beretta (which may have been custom fitted) make it the better gun.

On the clay fields there are those who want a nice gun to keep up appearances and those who base gun selection on what gives them the best scores. I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. I shoot better with an O/U than a stick gun and with some O/Us than others. When I got my first "good" O/U, the K-32s were popular and the K-80s were coming on strong. Three of the five members of my squad shot with the externally locked K-guns and some folks were still shooting Remington 3200 external lock guns. I'm sorry, but I always thought that configuration was bizarre looking and was never tempted to give one a try. Possibly I'd shoot better with one, but I'll never know.

Perhaps we should define the difference between "fine" guns and "better" guns. Fine shotguns, like exotic cars, are self evident in their design and execution and their prices are reflected accordingly. A "better" shotgun is really the one that works best for you within your criteria and budget. Your "better" gun might shoot better scores for you than any $100,000 "fine" gun. Unlike BigJim, with his adjustable Benelli, if I was in the market for a new stick gun, I'd probably go for a Beretta and budget for some stock fitting work.

Some folks like Fords, some like Chevys and others like to test drive first.
Cheers,
Pete

[Waterengineer]

This discussion has migrated from waterfowling guns to a clay target oriented discussion.

Back to waterfowling. First let me say this. I am not a waterfowl or pass shooting hunter.

Now, I did go to the goose pit once and to the jon boat ONCE on Lake Okeechobee, after some arm twisting. I watched an SBE get dropped in the water, found, changed shells and back firing within about 12 minutes. I was impressed.

When the gun was eventually stripped some of the bottom of Lake O came out.

No, it wasn't me - I have no reason to own a gun that can take 3.5-inch mags.

..........I'm just sayin'.............

[oneounceload]

WE - agreeing, which is why I said what I did.....

but the OP doesn't seem to have come back and clarified, which is why I see the posts that showed up as on target...(OK bad pun)

Personally, I have shot, but not owned, the Benelli's.....they are very well made, BUT I have found that since they were lighter, they kicked more......I have also found in my limited experience, that they didn't handle light loads very well - necessitating heavy target or field loads....which, combined with their light weight, means they kick more

Appreciate your views....JMO, YMMV

[beetlefang]

I've seen both in the duck blinds and it comes down to fit and where you like your safeties.

The benelli has the safety on the rear of the trigger group, the beretta on the front iirc. My SBE's safety also is bigger, so it's easier to select with a gloved hand.

I haven't seen a failure in either..although my SBE is the original (not a II) in Darth Vader Black.

I have literally rowed canoes with it, used it as a 'cane' to pry my mud suctioned waders from the bottom of a pond, dumped the water out and shot at - sometimes rolling a duck or two.

Don't get me wrong, I don't abuse the gun. I keep it clean and take it apart after a dunking. No one wants to use their $1,000 gun as a walking stick or paddle, but when it's 8 degrees out and your drifting away from your paddles that were dropped because of a flock of ducks overhead, or you're knee deep in ice breaking and stuck in the pond...exceptions are made.

It still looks pretty new after 5 seasons - 3 in Mississippi and 2 in Maryland. Some salt some fresh.

The ultimate thing would be for you to shoot both and compare. There are alot of them out there. I've let lot's of fellow hunters or just inquiring minds shoot mine and see if they liked it or not.

The ones that liked it pointed out that if fit them well and they liked the safety placement...the ones that didnt said they hated the fit and the safety placement.

[Old Wanderer]

I was just doing a little cleaning on a Benelli I bought back in 1978, (Actually I competed in 3 gun matches and one day got the barrel so hot the forward lug released, and Benelli replaced the whole gun in 1980..), however I have run thousands of rounds through these guns, and the just take a licking and just keep kicking (not all that hard though). For serious social purposes it is my go-to-gun.

[beetlefang]

Oh...Benelli is coming out with some new shotgun too. Supposedly unveiling it Monday.

So you may be comparing that new gun to an extrema as well.

I hope it's not some nice double that is better than the browning 625 I purchased today or I'll be miffed.

[MatchKingMK]

I own both. They both have their advantages over each other. The benelli is easier to clean the beretta kicks less. The beretta is cheaper. I paid about 1400 for the benelli and 975 for the beretta. I have carried and shot them both duck hunting in some of the worst possible weather and have never had a problem with either. I bought them both because I got a large reenlistment bonus and am extremely happy with them.

So what I am saying is that you cant go wrong. I think you are looking at the best semi-autos avalible. Pick the one that fits and points best four you.

All the best

[HShack]

{Personally, I have shot, but not owned, the Benelli's.....they are very well made, BUT I have found that since they were lighter, they kicked more......I have also found in my limited experience, that they didn't handle light loads very well - necessitating heavy target or field loads....which, combined with their light weight, means they kick more}

I own a SBEII. I bought it to shoot skeet with, as well as hunt turkeys . I use for skeet the weakest load I can get, ie. 2 3/4 dram powder under 1 1/8 oz lead. Never had a malf. in over 1,000 rounds fired. I fired a few of the heaviest 3 1/2" turkey loads I could find at skeet & the recoil was not too bad....

YMMV

[HunterJ]

I was told that for 1/2 price of the Beretta and 1/3 price of the Benelli, the Mossberg 935 was the way to go. Any thoughts?

[BigJimP]

If it fits - buy it. The problem is, you won't know if it fits until you take it to the pattern board and then its too late.

The reason so many of us are waffling on your question - is it looks like what you're really asking now ....... is which gun will meet your needs mechanically......... when what some of us are trying to say ( beyond a certain level - almost any shotgun made today will fire shells reliably ).

When it comes to cost - you will usually see an internal difference in the cheaper guns vs the more expensive guns. Mechanically - is the Mossberg as good a gun as a Beretta or a Benelli - no, probably not - but you won't know that for a few years. The mossberg will probably give you a 10,000 shell lifetime - for you that may be 8 boxes a month for 5 years / for me, that may be 9 months .......is it a good gun ....mechanically....for you, I don't know - maybe.

But a few posts up - my friend Zippy13 brings up a good point about "Fine" vs "Better" ...... To his point, what is Better ........

To me, a Better gun - is a good solid O/U - that will shoot 100,000 shells with no major problems...and one that has a lot of built in adjustability. Even if I bought a $ 35,000 Krieghoff K-80 - I would still order it with a parallel Trap style stock and adjustable comb ( but that's me ) - even though I would never shoot Trap with it - and it would primarily be a Skeet, Sporting Clays and hunting gun.

A "Better" gun to a new shooter - in my opinion, is one with enough adjustability - so you can change the Point of Impact without doing any customizing of the stock. I think its frustrating for a new shooter to realize that the gun they just bought - has virtually no adjustability - and it doesn't fit very well.

If a "Better" gun to you, is the cheaper one - with no or little adjustabilty, I'm suggesting you're approaching this from the wrong direction.

I don't think the Mossberg is a terrible gun / it may work just fine for you - and its possible that of the Benelli SBE-2, the Beretta Xtrema 2 and the Mossberg - none of them will fit you very well. They can all be adjusted with some stock work, comb pads, or shims if they come with them, etc - or you should consider something else, with more adjustability.

Most retail gun stores - know very little about their product - other than price and what they have in stock. Ideally, you need to find someone locally that will help you with the "Fit" issue - that really understands it. Price is important - and shotguns are expensive - but its not always about "fancy" wood - sometimes cost is associated with the quality of the metal and components - but paying more doesn't always get you a "Better" gun either. If you focus on Fit and adjustability - then look at the quality and finish - price will probalby fall out at certain levels.