Benelli inertia driven- pros and cons

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  • Bisleyfan44

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 11, 2008
    1,758
    Wicomico
    For those with experience with Benelli's inertia driven system shotguns, what are your thoughts/experiences?
    How does it compare to other semi auto systems? Recoil better or worse, cleaner system, ammo compatibility, etc?? Thanks.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,381
    maryland
    Stiffer recoil but not bad. Runs cleaner over long term and tolerates water a lot better. Have run a 12.5" m1 for several hundred rounds with no service. Wouldn't want to try that with an 1100 or an m4
     

    TheRealJimDavis

    Active Member
    Jan 28, 2013
    477
    The Burnie
    I run an m2 in three gun and have been nothing but impressed. It has never hung up, one season deep, maybe 500-750 rounds. I have run a lot of shotguns over the years. It seems good to go to me.
     

    TheRealJimDavis

    Active Member
    Jan 28, 2013
    477
    The Burnie
    Oh- just realized, that doesn’t sound like much use. I feed it nothing but the cheapest garbage. 1150-1250 fps 1 oz bird shot. I checked it with slugs and buck just to check it, but they’re not in it’s steady diet.
     

    PapiBarcelona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 1, 2011
    7,343
    Mine ran 1 ounce 1200 fps target loads for about 15,000 hulls until it started to have sporadic cycling issues.. Maybe the inertia spring in the bolt needed changed or there was some other factor like my sub par reloading or something.

    It won't do 7/8 ounce so if I ever use another auto for clays it'll be a gasser.
     

    308Scout

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 27, 2020
    6,545
    Washington County
    Recoil is more robust relative to gas. The Benelli ID system came with my Stoeger M3000 Freedom (Stoeger is wholly owned by Benelli) and I've been happy with it thus far. I have a few hundred rounds through it and have not had it hang up yet running everything from target loads through 000 Buck. I've not shot any mini shells through it as there are reports that it doesn't cycle them well, as might be expected. As noted already up thread, it is much cleaner than gas operated.
     

    hobiecat590

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2016
    2,434
    If you ever go on a SA dove hunt where thousands of rounds are expended, you will be handed a Benelli. This would imply superior reliability. My SBII with a rifled barrel with Rem 3' Cor lokt sabots shoots 1 moa at 100 yards off a bench. It kicks less than a Win 1300 pump. I believe the Stoeger 2000 is the much cheaper version of the SBII but 18 years ago one could not find a rifled barrel for it due to some issue in Turkey. 3" is max size shell for the rifled barrel. up to 3.5" for the bird barrel that comes w/ 5 chokes. IMHO, The SBII is the best do all shotgun out there but is a bit pricey. YMMV
     

    dist1646

    Ultimate Member
    May 1, 2012
    8,758
    Eldersburg
    I have an original Benelli SBE, it works with everything I have put through it from magnums all the way down to light trap loads. Recoil isn't bad, even with magnum shells.
     

    Bikebreath

    R.I.P.
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 30, 2009
    14,836
    in the bowels of Baltimore
    Stiffer recoil but not bad. Runs cleaner over long term and tolerates water a lot better. Have run a 12.5" m1 for several hundred rounds with no service. Wouldn't want to try that with an 1100 or an m4

    I have both a Benelli and Remington 1100. My 1100 is very comfortable to shoot. Have been told it was the least recoil 12ga the person had ever shot.

    I got a used Benelli M1 Super 90 Police trade-in from Shooter's Discount. Lou sold it to me around 2011-12. It was nicely broken in and likes everything I put in it, (2 3/4). It has a stout recoil and lays claim to being the fastest chambering shotgun...faster than I can recover. I use it for 3-gun...or did. Not sure I can keep that up. I rarely clean it and when I do it's not all that dirty. It's in my safe and the mag tube is loaded, holds 7, but nothing in the chambered. Shotguns can go off if dropped and I don't trust safeties 100%. It's my favorite of 3 shotguns...because it's the coolest. I'd love to shoot trap and skeet with it, but no where do they allow a 20" barrel.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,381
    maryland
    I have both a Benelli and Remington 1100. My 1100 is very comfortable to shoot. Have been told it was the least recoil 12ga the person had ever shot.

    I got a used Benelli M1 Super 90 Police trade-in from Shooter's Discount. Lou sold it to me around 2011-12. It was nicely broken in and likes everything I put in it, (2 3/4). It has a stout recoil and lays claim to being the fastest chambering shotgun...faster than I can recover. I use it for 3-gun...or did. Not sure I can keep that up. I rarely clean it and when I do it's not all that dirty. It's in my safe and the mag tube is loaded, holds 7, but nothing in the chambered. Shotguns can go off if dropped and I don't trust safeties 100%. It's my favorite of 3 shotguns...because it's the coolest. I'd love to shoot trap and skeet with it, but no where do they allow a 20" barrel.


    Bike-
    I will agree that the 1100 is smooth. I used a friend's Beretta a400 to shoot starlings for a day and it felt smoother but I am no shotgun expert. Most of my experience with them is on barrels 20" and under with more than half of that being 14" and under. My 1100 shot well but I hated cleaning it all the time and the smooth action want to crap if I didn't keep it tidy. The m1 is a working gun to me. As for chambering shotguns, I never do. Not in the locker or in the vehicle.

    If I had to pick one auto shotgun, I'd probably opt for an m1 and get both a 28" barrel and the 12.5". Not super slick or fancy but darn if it doesn't get the work done.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    Most Benelli pattern guns specify in Owner's Manual to use minimum 1 1/8 oz loads . As noted above , after break in , most guns will cycle many 1oz loads , but that's not garrantied under warranty .

    But in recent years with the reasonably well made Turkish exact clones selling for 1/3 the price of actual Benelli's , you need to think real hard about cost/ benefit .
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I own several shotguns, including a Benelli M2, Beretta 391 and 400, Browning B2000, and Remington 1100. I've owned a Remington 11-87 and an FN SLP. They've all been reliable, but the gas guns require more maintenance than the one inertia gun. I've shot more out of the Benelli than all of the other shotguns I've owned combined. The M2 has problems with super light loads (Winchester AAs). Otherwise, it's cycled everything else I've run through it.
     

    SWO Daddy

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 18, 2011
    2,468
    Not an expert.

    Yes recoil is more harsh than a gas gun.

    IMO, if you don't really *need* 3.5" shells skip the Super Black Eagle and get an M2. I feel like the SBE is more compromised to run 2.75-3.5". My friend's SBE2 chokes at least once every time he uses it (stovepipes, OOB FTFs) whereas my M2 has been perfect.
     

    Duckncover

    Member
    Jan 14, 2021
    77
    howard county
    I remember reading the inertia driven shotguns are supposed to be held a little looser than normal shotguns for the inertia system to work properly. The one time I got to use one I tried to hold it as tight as possible and really lean into it to see if I could make it malfunction. I couldnt. that being said I dont remember it being worse than any other 12ga and it was pretty clean after a day of trap&skeet
     

    duckslayer

    Active Member
    Feb 3, 2009
    554
    southern dorchester county
    For a given load due to the way the inertial system works the recoil impulse ( to use fancy words ) WILl be less with a gas operated system.
    The Remington versamax seems to be the softest of all the ones I own. It also has the( in my opinion) the best system to eat all varieties of loads. I load a very soft 1 oz load for targets ( 18 grains of Greendot) and it will function them reliably. Super Black Eagles won’t.
    Unfortunately with Remington current situation I wouldn’t advise anyone to buy one. The other big player is Beretta.
    My youngest got an A 400 yesterday and so far he is very pleased. No function issues yet though we’ve only shot 1 box. So in my experience buy a gas operated shotgun.
    YMMV
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,881
    The total recoil energy will be the same ( for shotgun of given weight) . A gas gun will spread it out over more milliseconds , reducing the peak spike .
     

    Bisleyfan44

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 11, 2008
    1,758
    Wicomico
    Recoil is more robust relative to gas. The Benelli ID system came with my Stoeger M3000 Freedom (Stoeger is wholly owned by Benelli) and I've been happy with it thus far.

    But in recent years with the reasonably well made Turkish exact clones selling for 1/3 the price of actual Benelli's , you need to think real hard about cost/ benefit .

    Save your money and get a Stoeger M3K.

    ^^These are the ones I was looking at. How are the Stoegers doing overall? Reliability, durability? I realize they are relatively new, but any insights?


    Check out Retay, no affiliation to benelli like Stoeger and Franchi. Looks like a Benelli to me!!

    Will definitely be my next shotgun, located in Easton, MD.

    https://www.retayusa.com/

    Haven't heard of these before. Have to check them out. Thanks.
     

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