Benelli semi-auto clones, are any of them good?

[Viper99]

Hello All,

Was wondering if any of the Benelli semi-auto clones are worth it.
SDS tac12, S4, etc.

Regards

[L-2]

"Worth it" is very subjective. Here are some of my thoughts on the matter as I was wondering the same thing in my spare time.
-"buy once cry once" is the saying I keep hearing when thinking about this.
-Benelli is a good old company and now owned by Beretta. Hopefully, this might mean there will be some degree of support, parts, and repair service available for the future.
-the clones are typically or all Turkish. I'm totally unfamiliar with what support these companies can or will provide even today or tomorrow.
-looking at the various Youtube videos on the various M4 (Benelli) clones tells me there is some parts interchangeability but perhaps not 100%.
-I don't think many Youtube video reviewers are putting anything close to 1,000 rounds through these guns however, but do listen or watch carefully should anything break anyway. But if they're only shooting 1 or 2 hundred rounds, this is not a good indicator.
-I read somewhere Los Angeles PD is making this Benelli shotgun its standard issue, which is a good vote of confidence, along with the USMC also using a version of this shotgun. I don't know what or how many other LE/Mil depts. or agencies can afford to adopt a Benelli, however, for standard issue. (my old dept. used the Mossberg 590A1 for years/decades while many other LE depts. in my area used the Remington 870).
-if a person buys one but doesn't shoot more than 100 rounds; then puts it away for years, that could be good or bad.
-it's good as the owner will have a shotgun for years and be happy having it.
-it's bad if the owner picks up the shotgun a few years later and it finally breaks something on the 2nd or 3rd hundred rounds and now there's no parts or support from whatever company or distributor in the USA or Turkey.

[eastbank]

very true.

[Virginian]

Define "clone"?
Do you mean any inertia action or what? By dictionary level definition, clone means identical, like the Colt SAA clones that can use Colt parts and vice versa. I am not aware of any true Benelli clones.
If you mean copies, anything goes.

[Viper99]

Last week when I was at my local FFL, there were the shotguns models mentioned above that looked like a M4 and clearly said Benelli clone on the label. Do I expect them to be just as good? no. As I read somewhere else, Benelli no longer holds a exclusive patent on their design which allows other weapons manufactures to copy their M4 design. Hence, my question. Does anyone have experience with any of these copies?

L-2
Yes, I believe they are Turkish copies. Bought a Moosberg 590 the last time I was at my FFL but they didn't have the A1 in stock so I had to settle for the 590 before they ran out of that one too. Have not fired it yet as I need an outdoor range and is way too cold in the northeast right now. Speaking of no firing it for years, I have a Maverick 88 that I bought in the 90's. Still unfired.

Just started to seriously get into rifles and the outdoor ranges are far from me and like I said, is really cold in these parts right now.

Regards

[Viper99]

Virginian,

The label said clones but in reality they would be copies of the design. I understand that many parts are interchangeable but it stands to reason that the parts would not be of the same quality.

[MarkCO]

Benelli has the M2, M4, and Nova designs. Elements of those have been incorporated into many other shotguns. I won't ever buy another repeater shotgun that has anything other than a rotating bolt.

I have a lot of time with M2 knock-offs, copies from the cheap to the expensive. Both of my boys own Stoeger M3000 series for 3Gun, and they shot Trap and hunted snow Geese with them. The youngest is shooting a Cole Berretta now. I have two M2 knock off's that are one off prototypes. One had a ton of rounds through it as a 3 Gun loaner and when the parts break, I replace them with Benelli parts. The Weatherby version is, IMHO, the best M2 knock-off going. Almost a direct copy, good fit, durable and half the price with a Weatherby factory behind it. I was teaching a class with one of the one off prototypes I have in December and the extractor broke. It took me a few minutes when I got home to pull out my Benelli parts drawer and replace the extractor with a Benelli one.

But, based on the OP, I assume you are asking about ARGO (used in the M4) operating system clones. The first was of course the Remington VersaMax, which I spent a lot of time on. The Competition version was, in fact, my design that Remington duplicated off of my personally modified VM. Then the V3. I love the ARGO OS, low recoil, cleaner than gas, but it takes some dedication to understand and implement the level of QC Benelli is famous for. Sadly, Remington (of old at least) did not make muster. In over 100 that I worked on, maybe 10 were up to par. I replaced a lot of hammers, cam pins, extractors, tweaked lifters and honed out barrels and pistons that were not proper from the factory. None of them have ever gone 100K (typical for an M2) without needing almost a complete rebuild that I am aware of.

I am about 500 rounds down the road on one (M4 clone) and I am getting another one later this week or next to do some heavy use and abuse and take measurements and such. I am doing this for a "famous" gun personality, so the details will be revealed by him when I am done. Suffice it to say, in my limited work so far, I have some reservations. If you don't mind paying attention to parts and have a stock of Benelli parts (cam pins, hammers, extractors, trigger groups) on hand, I'd say sure, get one and run it through the paces with magnum buck and slugs and see what happens. If you are not adept at gun malfunction diagnosis and repairs, I would proceed with caution.

[jmr40]

I had a Stoeger that was very similar to the Benelli M-1 for a couple of years. I forget the model number/name. It never failed. About a year after I bought it I ran across a good deal on a used Benelli M1 and bought it too. This was about the time the M-2 came out and there were some good deals on used M-1's. As far as I can tell the only real difference is the stock.

I had both guns for a year and at least during that short time would call them equals. But long term I'd bet on the Benelli holding up longer. I ended up using the Benelli more and had a chance to sell the Stoeger for more than I paid so I let it go. But overall was pleased.

[MarkCO]

M1 similar to M2000
M2 similar to M3000

Recoil assembly in the stock on Benellis, around the mag tube on Sotegers.

[Scorch]

M1 similar to M2000
M2 similar to M3000

That is exactly the example I was going to use. Benelli acquired Stoeger as settlement for a patent infringement lawsuit. Stoegers have a spotty reputation, even though Benelli owned them.

Biggest caveat with anything Turkish is parts availablity. You can find other brands that are essentially the same gun, but parts may or may not fit. Many Turkish guns are beautiful, but if you can't get parts they are pretty paperweights.

[MarkCO]

Originally Posted by Scorch

Many Turkish guns are beautiful, but if you can't get parts they are pretty paperweights.

As long as the receivers last, anything else can be made. I have made a lot of parts, some one offs, some for general replacement, when the Turkish (or other locale) parts were inferior and a sister gun part did not fit.

Extractors and springs are a little difficult, and I have had to have them made in a few cases. But I've picked up several firearms for a song that were "paperwights" and turned them into functional useful firearms.

[jmr40]

I'd clearly rather have the Benelli over the Stoeger. But... for a lot of people the choice isn't as easy. When I bought my Stoeger I got it for under $300. A comparable Benelli at the time was just under $1000. They are about $1300 now. I don't know what the Stoeger's are currently selling for, but I'm sure it is a lot less than $1300.

IME the Stoeger worked equally well at least in the short term. I don't expect that to last long term, especially for someone who shoots a lot. But a lot of shooters will never shoot enough to wear out either. And if they do, they can probably buy 3 of the Stoeger's for the same money.

I'm able to afford the Benelli better than some, but even I'd have never bought my Benelli had I not found a good deal on a used one. IIRC I paid about $275 for my Stoeger and sold it for $300. I found the Benelli used for around $500.

[MarkCO]

Stoegers are around $500 to 600 depending on model. Boys have about 12K and 15K on theirs, no issues.

Adding an extension is easier on a Stoeger than a Weatherby, but if that is of no concern, I'd get a Weatherby today over a Stoeger. About the same price, and a little nicer.