thinking of buying a SBE but

L

logstove

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there are apparently many people that say these SBE shoot high like 12 to 15". Are the Benelli's that bad? I men we obviously know they shoot off some times but many SBE supposedly shoot high.

And I really do not need the 3.5"...I would be happy with the 3" but apparently the M2 do not shoot that high.

This would be for my son but what other option do I have for an auto loader? A turkey shotgun will work too. I have a few choices for an autoloader and hope son can hang on for a long time.
 
If they are shooting that high, there's an issue the owner wants to lay on the gun, and he's not looking at the real issue. I've had no issues with at least 4 I've owned. There are shim kits to work on stock fit if thats the real issue. There is no loss in owning the 3.5" except for the purchase price vs a 3" in my mind, even if you dont use the 3 1/2". It's simply there to give versatility, and it's always worth more for resale later if needed. The recoil is really not an issue for me, but you may not wanna hand one to a young son right off till he can handle it. Some never do like it. There are a bunch of other inertia guns out there if that's what you're after. Franchi, Stoeger, Dickinson, EAA, etc. Some are Turkish-built now, and most are working pretty well the way it sounds.

As in single projectile weapons, projectile technology is changing the way things work in shotguns too. TSS is expensive, but is making larger shot charges somewhat obsolete in the performance dept. Other heavier-than-lead options somewhat the same. Some experienced fellas here have had incredible results with TSS in 2 3/4" loadings, and felt they didnt need to go bigger for yotes at well more than "traditional" ranges. But there is that cost......to some extent, it may be offset by the lower cost of a lesser gun.
 
If you dont need 3.5", an M2 would be a good choice. If you havent owned a benelli, expect a different recoil impulse. It surprises a lot of people how much different the kick is compared to a gas gun. I have owned 6 Benelli's at this point and most went back down the road. I have heard that the SBE3's shoot high "by design". I personally dont want a 60/40 or 70/30 split like some claim to get. The m2 can be had cheap enough on the used market and honestly, the Vinci isnt a bad gun either and can found for as little as $600-$700 used.

Below are what i have owned and reasons I sold them
-SBEII MAX5: Cheek slap, upgrade to SBE3 and never did
-Ethos Sports: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Monetefeltro: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Montefeltro Sport: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Vinci with steadygrip stock: Didnt use it and wanted to fund an SBE3
-Benelli Nova: Still own it

I have shot an M4, an M3, and an M2 Field and the m2 from what I can remember wasnt bad, about equal to the SBEII. The Vinci did have muzzle jump as to be expected from a light gun. You can use that to your advantage though as a lot of people hate that their new gun kicks so much and will sell it too you at a good price.

My SBEII was actually a pretty good shooting gun but I shot mosty Sporting Clays with it getting high 60's to mid 70's with it. After 100-200 rds in a morning wearing nothing but a Tshirt, you feel it. As a hunting gun, it was excellent and I didnt notice any large pattern favoring high. Seemed to work well.

For the record, I run a Weatherby SA-08 Deluxe now (I know, Turkish made
tongue.gif
) and for the $350 i paid used for it, it is excellent. It eats everything and the gas system tames it pretty well. Just gets a little dirty. I believe the standard sythetic guns run $450ish and the Deluxe models run around $600 new.
 
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Originally Posted By: Zastava223remIf you dont need 3.5", an M2 would be a good choice. If you havent owned a benelli, expect a different recoil impulse. It surprises a lot of people how much different the kick is compared to a gas gun. I have owned 6 Benelli's at this point and most went back down the road. I have heard that the SBE3's shoot high "by design". I personally dont want a 60/40 or 70/30 split like some claim to get. The m2 can be had cheap enough on the used market and honestly, the Vinci isnt a bad gun either and can found for as little as $600-$700 used.

Below are what i have owned and reasons I sold them
-SBEII MAX5: Cheek slap, upgrade to SBE3 and never did
-Ethos Sports: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Monetefeltro: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Montefeltro Sport: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Vinci with steadygrip stock: Didnt use it and wanted to fund an SBE3
-Benelli Nova: Still own it

I have shot an M4, an M3, and an M2 Field and the m2 from what I can remember wasnt bad, about equal to the SBEII. The Vinci did have muzzle jump as to be expected from a light gun. You can use that to your advantage though as a lot of people hate that their new gun kicks so much and will sell it too you at a good price.

My SBEII was actually a pretty good shooting gun but I shot mosty Sporting Clays with it getting high 60's to mid 70's with it. After 100-200 rds in a morning wearing nothing but a Tshirt, you feel it. As a hunting gun, it was excellent and I didnt notice any large pattern favoring high. Seemed to work well.

For the record, I run a Weatherby SA-08 Deluxe now (I know, Turkish made
tongue.gif
) and for the $350 i paid used for it, it is excellent. It eats everything and the gas system tames it pretty well. Just gets a little dirty. I believe the standard sythetic guns run $450ish and the Deluxe models run around $600 new.

If you don't want a 60/40 pattern change the stock shim. If you want to shoot 200-300 rounds wearing a t shirt get a honking heavy azz gas gun designed for clay games. If you get cheek slap from that many different guns a customized stock might be needed.
 
The shim kit should fix the high patterning.
I have shot an SBE a few times. They kick. Is your son big enough that an SBE will fit him and to handle that recoil?
A gas operated autoloader might be a better solution.
 
Originally Posted By: GCOriginally Posted By: Zastava223remIf you dont need 3.5", an M2 would be a good choice. If you havent owned a benelli, expect a different recoil impulse. It surprises a lot of people how much different the kick is compared to a gas gun. I have owned 6 Benelli's at this point and most went back down the road. I have heard that the SBE3's shoot high "by design". I personally dont want a 60/40 or 70/30 split like some claim to get. The m2 can be had cheap enough on the used market and honestly, the Vinci isnt a bad gun either and can found for as little as $600-$700 used.

Below are what i have owned and reasons I sold them
-SBEII MAX5: Cheek slap, upgrade to SBE3 and never did
-Ethos Sports: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Monetefeltro: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Montefeltro Sport: BAD cheek slap, kicked like a MF
-Vinci with steadygrip stock: Didnt use it and wanted to fund an SBE3
-Benelli Nova: Still own it

I have shot an M4, an M3, and an M2 Field and the m2 from what I can remember wasnt bad, about equal to the SBEII. The Vinci did have muzzle jump as to be expected from a light gun. You can use that to your advantage though as a lot of people hate that their new gun kicks so much and will sell it too you at a good price.

My SBEII was actually a pretty good shooting gun but I shot mosty Sporting Clays with it getting high 60's to mid 70's with it. After 100-200 rds in a morning wearing nothing but a Tshirt, you feel it. As a hunting gun, it was excellent and I didnt notice any large pattern favoring high. Seemed to work well.

For the record, I run a Weatherby SA-08 Deluxe now (I know, Turkish made
tongue.gif
) and for the $350 i paid used for it, it is excellent. It eats everything and the gas system tames it pretty well. Just gets a little dirty. I believe the standard sythetic guns run $450ish and the Deluxe models run around $600 new.

If you don't want a 60/40 pattern change the stock shim. If you want to shoot 200-300 rounds wearing a t shirt get a honking heavy azz gas gun designed for clay games. If you get cheek slap from that many different guns a customized stock might be needed.


I changed the shims on the SBEII and a few others and it helped break more birds but didnt change the cheek slap. I believe it has to do with how I mount the gun (bury my cheek in the stock), my build or both. Theres a reason Benelli engineers changed the stock geometry and put a much bigger cheek pad on the SBEIII. Personally, I think the 3 throws to the shoulder much better and has less muzzle jump but I never did actually buy one. Just benelli's in general, most guys in clay games shoot O/U's for that reason. Nothing against the benelli's, just giving my experience since Ive owned more than most.
 
I have a SBEIII and it does shoot high as designed. I shimmed it and it helped some but it still shoots high. If you don't want to accept a shotgun that shoots high, don't get a SBEIII.

I think the SBEIII is a great gun and would buy it again. The best advice I can give you is to see if your son can shoot a SBE and other shotguns before you buy one and see what fits him best.
 
Benelli M2 all the way. Mines a 12ga.
I have had a M2 going on 10 years. Shoot clays more than anything.
I have a weak shoulder and have no problem with recoil. Don't have a need for the 3.5's
Used the shim kit to fit it to me, improved my scores.
The gun will eat anything from 1 ounce loads to coyote-turkey loads.
Only thing I have done to it is replaced the recoil spring with
a Wolf extra power recoil spring.
A Beretta gas gun might shoot a little softer but I'll keep my M2.
 
I would rather have a shotgun shooting a 60/40 pattern than have a shotgun that I have to cover what I am shooting at to center the pattern on it.

With a 60/40 pattern that is 30" in diameter at 40 yards the center of the 30" pattern would only be 3" above what you are shooting at. So 18" of the pattern will be at or above what you are shooting at and 12" of the pattern will be at or below what you are shooting at.
 
Originally Posted By: DecoyedIf the sbe shoots high change the spacer between stock and action. They came with 3 different ones for adjustablity.

Welcome to the party!
 
Someone mentioned that gas guns may be a better option. This may be so...not all that sure. But from what I read the gas guns are milder-recoiling. All of the shotguns I have are 870 pumps. Yeah I been a 870pump all my life but have a Mossberg 500 with two barrels...still a pump.

Last Sat I went to the range with a M700 .308. This rifle was put in an ADL stock from years ago and it had the plastic butt pad. My son said the recoil kicks :) but to me its not tooo bad but with one box you will feel it. So I think the M2 Field for me will be fine. Now I want to get my son his semiauto so looking at the gas gun.

My son said his friends friend has several M2 and he can try one. Waiting to see what he thinks of it. IMO the M2 are a class in its own. But I think the gas shotguns will probably fit him. I looked at Wetherbys and Remington...these apparently are gas guns. But maybe not alot of chokes for the Weatherbys? These take the Remington chokes from what I can see.

I will probably go to Cabelas and get my M2 Field after the holidays. I looked at the M1 and many are the short barrels 18.5 which may prove too much.

Here is another dilemma. I am a lefty and son is a RH. He weights 175lbs and is 17 years old. But we cannot switch shotguns...hence must be two :) But I guess he can try my shotty one day too. In the meantime the 870 pump keeps on ticking...
 
Off topic but I should mention that I am going to sell all of his short/compact rifles. He outgrew them fast though. These are the RAR Compact 243, CZ compact 22rf, and the 870 compact 20ga. These were all bought new. Hence going to get a proper shotgun for him...
 
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