AviD
New member
Well, not a shooting review, just a hold and feel review after getting back from the gunshop(s).
I got to feel out all three guns, and have to say the feelings are mixed. Shooting them would obviously help out tremendously, but short of knowing someone that has each of these...it's just not an option...so all I have to go on is feel and opinions from those that do have them on this and other forums.
My thoughts...
1) Benelli Super Black Eagle 2.
PROS: Super feel, nice checkered grip and forearm, very sleek neck, thin and your hand just seems to melt into it. Definitely the lightest of the three and that is very noticeable to me when shouldering, snap shouldering the gun and getting on the bead. Sight plane is spot on, like the rigid rear incline with a sharp plane to the bead. Just seems to fit right while carrying or shouldering. I also like the camo options on this gun best.
At first I felt like the long receiver was a little TOO long. But I think that takes some getting used to. I was gribbing the rear 1/3rd of the forearm at first probably because I'm used to a more traditional short receiver. But as you get used to putting your hand up farther, it seems to seat the gun in your shoulder better, more solid. So mixed at first, but in the end, I think I like it.
CONS: The Inertia system seems to be questionable. I spoke with two gunsmiths and several gun salesman. One gunsmith told me he has seen the SBEs jam, in fact said out of 6 guys geese hunting in Alberta (maybe?), he had the Browning Gold and they all had SBEs...his was the only one NOT to jam. Don't know to take it with a grain of salt. The other gunsmith with him (both of these guys are very good gunsmiths BTW), said he too preferred the Browning Gold, and would also take the Xtreme over the SBE. So that put a wrench into the equation...I figure gunsmiths have seen and shot far more guns than I have, so do you value their opinions? Another salesman told me, he too likes the Browning Gold over the SBE because of the recoil factor. He said it kicks like a mule, but the benefit of the SBE is the lesser cleaning need (more forgiveness in elements) and that generally when you are shooting at animals you don't feel the recoil...it's only when you are doing repeated shooting like patterning at the range...so he thinks it's moot and feels they are both great guns, he just prefers the Gold.
1) Browning Gold.
PROS: Very nice in the hand, nice finish, little more meaty of a stock, forearm, and neck. Reduced recoil with the gas operated receiver. Nice fluid gun, beautifully well made and feels just solid and sturdy in your hand. The SBE almost feels a little plasticy/cheesey compared to the Browning...but they are quite different guns.
CONS: Really the weight and the camo options. Can't do much about the weight, but I feel it's a marked difference from the SBE. According to the gun salesman, the gas operated recoil system/piston requires attention to cleaning (as all guns do, goes without saying) otherwise it will fail on you over time. The ports can get blocked, the piston can get gunked up, etc...so he said as long as you keep it clean, it won't ever fail on you. This is only a CON in comparison to the SBE, which doesn't require as *much* attention to cleaning detail due to its recoil system.
One other con was the front bead. It's a slimmed down bead and for me at least made acquiring it and being confident you were in the right sight picture a little confusing/off. I'd probably swap this bead out with a bigger one out of personal preference.
3) Beretta Xtreme.
PROS/CONS: To be honest, I didn't spend much time with this gun. For me, the grip felt far more bulky, the stock and the forearm also felt far more bulky. Just out of preference, I don't like a bulky/big feel, so I didn't spend a lot of time with it. With the limited time I had with it, it did feel, look, and hold solid and appear to be very well crafted....just not my taste.
OVERALL:
So overall...here I am...caught between the SBE and the Gold. My gut tells me I wish I had the SBE with the gas operated receiver. I like the feel of the SBE, the camo options, the weight of it, the sight picture, the whole nine just seem right. The gunsmiths also are in my head about the SBE jamming, but everything I've heard about them is they are about as failure free as it gets.
Ahhh what to do, what to do...more thinking to do is what! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Feel free to chime in with any thoughts/opinions to help guide me a bit more! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Thanks all.
I got to feel out all three guns, and have to say the feelings are mixed. Shooting them would obviously help out tremendously, but short of knowing someone that has each of these...it's just not an option...so all I have to go on is feel and opinions from those that do have them on this and other forums.
My thoughts...
1) Benelli Super Black Eagle 2.
PROS: Super feel, nice checkered grip and forearm, very sleek neck, thin and your hand just seems to melt into it. Definitely the lightest of the three and that is very noticeable to me when shouldering, snap shouldering the gun and getting on the bead. Sight plane is spot on, like the rigid rear incline with a sharp plane to the bead. Just seems to fit right while carrying or shouldering. I also like the camo options on this gun best.
At first I felt like the long receiver was a little TOO long. But I think that takes some getting used to. I was gribbing the rear 1/3rd of the forearm at first probably because I'm used to a more traditional short receiver. But as you get used to putting your hand up farther, it seems to seat the gun in your shoulder better, more solid. So mixed at first, but in the end, I think I like it.
CONS: The Inertia system seems to be questionable. I spoke with two gunsmiths and several gun salesman. One gunsmith told me he has seen the SBEs jam, in fact said out of 6 guys geese hunting in Alberta (maybe?), he had the Browning Gold and they all had SBEs...his was the only one NOT to jam. Don't know to take it with a grain of salt. The other gunsmith with him (both of these guys are very good gunsmiths BTW), said he too preferred the Browning Gold, and would also take the Xtreme over the SBE. So that put a wrench into the equation...I figure gunsmiths have seen and shot far more guns than I have, so do you value their opinions? Another salesman told me, he too likes the Browning Gold over the SBE because of the recoil factor. He said it kicks like a mule, but the benefit of the SBE is the lesser cleaning need (more forgiveness in elements) and that generally when you are shooting at animals you don't feel the recoil...it's only when you are doing repeated shooting like patterning at the range...so he thinks it's moot and feels they are both great guns, he just prefers the Gold.
1) Browning Gold.
PROS: Very nice in the hand, nice finish, little more meaty of a stock, forearm, and neck. Reduced recoil with the gas operated receiver. Nice fluid gun, beautifully well made and feels just solid and sturdy in your hand. The SBE almost feels a little plasticy/cheesey compared to the Browning...but they are quite different guns.
CONS: Really the weight and the camo options. Can't do much about the weight, but I feel it's a marked difference from the SBE. According to the gun salesman, the gas operated recoil system/piston requires attention to cleaning (as all guns do, goes without saying) otherwise it will fail on you over time. The ports can get blocked, the piston can get gunked up, etc...so he said as long as you keep it clean, it won't ever fail on you. This is only a CON in comparison to the SBE, which doesn't require as *much* attention to cleaning detail due to its recoil system.
One other con was the front bead. It's a slimmed down bead and for me at least made acquiring it and being confident you were in the right sight picture a little confusing/off. I'd probably swap this bead out with a bigger one out of personal preference.
3) Beretta Xtreme.
PROS/CONS: To be honest, I didn't spend much time with this gun. For me, the grip felt far more bulky, the stock and the forearm also felt far more bulky. Just out of preference, I don't like a bulky/big feel, so I didn't spend a lot of time with it. With the limited time I had with it, it did feel, look, and hold solid and appear to be very well crafted....just not my taste.
OVERALL:
So overall...here I am...caught between the SBE and the Gold. My gut tells me I wish I had the SBE with the gas operated receiver. I like the feel of the SBE, the camo options, the weight of it, the sight picture, the whole nine just seem right. The gunsmiths also are in my head about the SBE jamming, but everything I've heard about them is they are about as failure free as it gets.
Ahhh what to do, what to do...more thinking to do is what! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Feel free to chime in with any thoughts/opinions to help guide me a bit more! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Thanks all.
