Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: bugs n bones on October 17, 2023, 07:15:43 PM

Title: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: bugs n bones on October 17, 2023, 07:15:43 PM: Beretta A400 or Benellii sbe 3 … which one and why ??
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: follow maggie on October 17, 2023, 07:25:53 PM: Both are good guns, you can’t really make a bad choice. I like Berettas because they’re gas operated & easier on the arthritis in my neck.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: wadu1 on October 17, 2023, 07:26:37 PM: That's a loaded question. I'm a Beretta fan 100%, gas system, and I know guys that love SBE's inertia. Gas system con's harder to clean, pro milder recoil (IMOP). Inertia pro, easier to clean, con heaver recoil (IMOP). For the record I have 18 or 20 shotguns and not one inertia driven.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: bugs n bones on October 18, 2023, 05:49:48 AM: Everyone pretty much has said this very same thing , thanks for the insight
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: Henrydog on October 18, 2023, 06:16:22 AM: The only thing that matters with a shotgun is fit. Buy the one the feels right to you, not the saleman, a magazine ect.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: ellensburgpo on October 18, 2023, 06:48:17 AM: Quote from: Henrydog on October 18, 2023, 06:16:22 AM
The only thing that matters with a shotgun is fit. Buy the one the feels right to you, not the saleman, a magazine ect.

This is why I went with a benelli M2 vs the berettas they had in the store at the time. Don’t regret it at all and have had no performance issues worth talking about over the 10ish years and thousands of rounds through it.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: 10mmg on October 18, 2023, 07:13:17 AM: Quote from: bugs n bones on October 17, 2023, 07:15:43 PM
Beretta A400 or Benellii sbe 3 … which one and why ??
I own both for waterfowl. Fit and feel are going to be your deciding factors. The SBE feels a bit faster and lighter the Beretta recoils less. For me 6’2 and chunky the SBE fit better as i tend to shoot the Beretta high. If one feels better on your shoulder than the other buy that one.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: jrebel on October 18, 2023, 02:49:43 PM: How about the Benelli Super Vinci in the Classifieds?? Good deal on a nice gun. :tup: :tup:
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: Klickitatsteelie on October 18, 2023, 07:30:41 PM: Inertia driven guns perform better in super cold wet conditions. Inertia does not need cleaned as frequently and does not malfunction as often. But they do recoil more. I shoot a Winchester gas operated and as long as you clean frequently gas does its job with less recoil. If your not into ripping your gun appear and deep cleaning it every few hunts inertia is the way to go. Fit is obviously the most important factor
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: h2ofowlr on October 18, 2023, 08:04:49 PM: Go with the one that mounts to your shoulder the best and which one feels the best for your body configuration. Both are great guns. A400 has a bit more weight out front. Also has a bit less felt recoil. I only really notice the difference when shooting 3-1/2" shells. Which I rarely shoot anyways. A400 are set for a rising bird. Meaning you float the target vs. burying it. Just something you will have to get used to shooting if you are not already used to it. I ran a A400 last week at the trap range and went 25/25 on trap. Shoot fine.
I personally love shooting the Benelli's. I shoot them well; they mount up good. Not too bulky and super easy to tear down and clean. I see people on the forums all the time say how many shells they have shot without cleaning it. Stupid in my opinion. I try to always go into the field with a clean gun. No issues and no complaints to be had with a clean functioning firearm. Benelli is simple to clean, simple to use and light on the front end and swings fast. My preference as I have 6 different Benelli shotguns. My one son shoots a SBE3 and my other son shoots a Winchester SX3. Again, my advice would be to shoulder a few higher end shotguns and find the one that fits you the best. Shoulders the best and feels like a good fit. Once you decide on the gun, hit the range, and learn how it shoots and where it shoots. Create the muscle memory of mounting it and pulling the trigger and you will have the confidence of the shot.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: fowl smacker on October 18, 2023, 10:39:58 PM: Quote from: Klickitatsteelie on October 18, 2023, 07:30:41 PM
Inertia driven guns perform better in super cold wet conditions. Inertia does not need cleaned as frequently and does not malfunction as often. But they do recoil more. I shoot a Winchester gas operated and as long as you clean frequently gas does its job with less recoil. If your not into ripping your gun appear and deep cleaning it every few hunts inertia is the way to go. Fit is obviously the most important factor
My Beretta Extrema 2's have never had a problem in extreme cold (single digits) or wet conditions. I have over 8k rounds on one of them and it's still killing waterfowl like it did on day 1. The other one pretty much sits in the safe waiting for the first one to die. I got a feeling it's going to be waiting a lot longer.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: follow maggie on October 19, 2023, 07:11:24 AM: Yeah, the cold or wet weather hurting gas guns may have been true a long time ago, I don’t know, but it’s definitely a myth now. My Remington works just as well as my partner’s Benelli in the cold & we hunt in negative digits here. It definitely runs slower in the super cold, but so does the Benelli. The only problem I’ve ever had was once when we got he dog back in he boat & she shook water all over the place. It froze the bolts shut on both guns. The next batch of ducks came & we both had single shots.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: C-Money on October 19, 2023, 07:36:52 AM: I think they are both pretty good. I have a nephew and a friend that run the Beretta. I know of a few instances of Beretta customer service being horrible. From their top of the line Trap guns to the waterfowl guns, Beretta customer service could improve. I've heard more than once over the last couple years, Benelli has trigger issues. I've seen the issue in a Nova. A Friend was in Canada waterfowl hunting with a group with a few Benelli autos. Two of the Benelli had similar trigger issues that effected their hunt. The friend had the A400 and he had a great hunt. Another option to look at would be the Franchi Affinity 3.5. They point and feel like a quality Italian shotgun. The Affinity is a cloned Benelli, and Franchi did a really good job doing it. Seems like I saw Benelli stamped on some of the Affinity parts. The Affinity seems to really be popular these days in the waterfowl world. Of the 2 you mentioned, I'd go Beretta A400.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: birddogdad on October 19, 2023, 07:38:53 AM: have both, beretta customer support for issues was terrible in my one attempt to reach out to them.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: Henrydog on October 19, 2023, 07:47:02 AM: Quote from: birddogdad on October 19, 2023, 07:38:53 AM
have both, beretta customer support for issues was terrible in my one attempt to reach out to them.

Both Beretta and Browning have horrible customer support. Beretta just denies issues, Browning takes months for simple repairs. I own a Benelli but have never had any work to it so I can not speak to their service. Most hunting shotguns are lucky to have 10k shells down them in their lifetime. To me, personal, customer service and repairs are a larger issue with Trap guns which I have put 20k down them in a year.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: JDHasty on October 19, 2023, 07:55:44 AM: It is an easy choice. Benelli. I have an A400 and it is a target or pit gun, not worth spit for upland hunting. The safety is in front of the trigger guard and that leaves your trigger finger extended forward and freezing. I don't use my A400 for upland hunting or coyote calling for that reason. Other than that, I like it fine. With my Ithaca 37s my trigger finger can be back with the rest of my fingers staying warmer. If I had it to do over again, it would be Benelli.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: hunterednate on October 19, 2023, 08:31:53 AM: I'd take a look at the Franchi Affinity if you're looking for an inertia autoloader. Brand is owned and distributed by Benelli, but much less expensive...and I don't think there's much (if any) noticeable dropoff in performance. Put one on your shoulder in a gunshop and see how it feels.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: Pnwrider on October 19, 2023, 12:32:09 PM: Another vote for the sbe3. They’re so light and point so well. I don’t feel recoil when hunting, tend to notice it more at the range or the next day. My hunting partner shoots the a400 so I have plenty of time behind both. I’ve had both gas and inertia and tend to lean inertia.
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: birddogdad on October 19, 2023, 12:35:39 PM: Quote from: hunterednate on October 19, 2023, 08:31:53 AM
I'd take a look at the Franchi Affinity if you're looking for an inertia autoloader. Brand is owned and distributed by Benelli, but much less expensive...and I don't think there's much (if any) noticeable dropoff in performance. Put one on your shoulder in a gunshop and see how it feels.

this is a benelli sister company i believe...have an affinity for turkeys... great "cheaper" benelli....
Title: Re: Beretta or Benelli
Post by: Farmer72 on October 19, 2023, 02:21:38 PM: I have a Beretta Xtrema and love it. Mine is the turkey gun (24" bbl) I looked at Benelli (SBE at the time) and Winchester (SX3) they were all nice shotguns but I liked the extra weight of the Beretta over the Benelli especially for my 3.5" turkey loads. I don't think you would be disappointed in either. Like others have said go mount both up and see which one feels the best to you and go for it.

Besides both (plus Franchi and Stoeger) are owned by the same company (Beretta Holding).