Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I am a poor college student that wants to make a solid purchase, I have found a store around albany NY that sells the Benelli M1 Field for 850 new, and I am willing to spend that kind of money. I just want to know that I really should and that I am going to see a solid difference between the Benelli and a Franchi model 612 or the Beretta sold at wal mart. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Woody

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

Benelli all the way. The others are great guns, but the Benelli is a step above in my opinion. If you don't mind the price, why not add another couple of hundred and go all the way with the Super Black Eagle. You'll never need another shotgun.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

Thanks Danny I am stretching the bank as it is although I know what you mean. 3 and 1/2's are fun rounds, I just can't afford the gun to cycle them.........:(

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

Benelli, Franchi and Beretta are all made by Beretta. I own a Benelli Nova pump 3.5 inch and I love it. It is only about $360. If I was going to get a semi auto it would be the Benelli SBE if not it would be the Nova.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

They would all be good guns. I would probably go with the Franchi because of its great price and quality. Although that is the one that I know most about. Good luck with whichever one you choose.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I think it depends on what you want to use the gun for. I bought the Wally world special Beretta mostly for duck hunting and couldn't be happier. It's basically the old AL 390 without the fancy features. It has been reliable so far. It doesn't like Kent shells though. ;) I also own a Benelli Nova that I use for turkey hunting...it too is a great gun. The finish is very durable. With the Beretta...I wanted an automatic but couldn't see paying a lot for an auto that was going to get abused. Duck hunting as well as most other hunting situations are hard on a shotgun...water, banging around in blinds and boats, mud, etc. I know friends and other duck hunters that have had problems with their Benelli Super Black Eagles...they don't function well while wet and some don't cycle light loads real well.

That being said...for the money I would proabablyt go with a Beretta Extrema or a Browning Gold. I think the Benell SBE is over priced.

Good luck with your choice.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

The bretta pintail is on the cheaper side of autos and realy take the abuse.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

i would either wait and buy the SBE or buy the Nova and get the SBE a few years down the road; not sure if you realize it, the Nova handles 3.5 inchers.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I've heard somewhere about that, maybe another post you did. I've never had mine hiccup, and it's been in some pretty nasty hunting situations. Also, shoots light loads great. I shot it sometimes because I was better with it than I was with my Franchi Veloce O/U 20 gauge on the skeet range.

The only thing I have against Browning Gold, Beretta, or any gas operated semi-auto is you have to keep them meticulously clean. Especially the gas port. If you don't, you may as well take a single shot with you.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

Yes you're right about that...sometimes that is the case. My Beretta is that way but it needs only a few cleanings during the season. Ususally one good one right before the season then a few during the season and a good one after the season. Depends on how many times I drop it in a mud hole. :D Sometimes my Beretta ejects the shells faster than I can pull the dang trigger. ;)

Both are great guns. I just prefer the gas operated auto.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

If you aren't set on getting an auto I love my benelli Nova, it is functional and inexpensive, i bought it for waterfowl and turkey hunting. I couldn't afford one of the expensive autos cause I am also a poor college student!!!

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I shoot the Franchi 912. Wanted a Benelli, but didn't like the tag. Went with the Franchi and very glad I did. Great gun at a great price.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

All three that you listed would be a good choice. There are some very good buys in semi auto shotguns today. For the extra money for the Benelli you will get better fit and finish on the wood/blue models. They will be eaiser to maintain than most other semi auto's unless you include the recoil spring. Quality will be slightly better. You won't gain any reliabilty over the other two. With the Franchi you get quite a few features, light weight, and easy maintiance. The Beratta has the least features and is more complicated to maintain. Reliabilty is high and the price is low. I'll list some of my favorites. They are all 3" semi auto's priced the same or lower than the Benelli M1. Some have been previously mentioned and some have not.

Beretta's 391's, 390/3901, Pintail/ES100.
Benelli M1
Browning Gold's
Franchi 612
Stoeger 2000
Weatherby SAS
Winchester SX2

Look at and hold as many as you can. Even though the models I listed are all in the same class. They each have there own fit, feel, and balance. Pick the one YOU like the best.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

Woody,
I have owned a M1 field for two years and wouldn't trade it for another semi-auto. The SBE is great but your adding weight. A 3" will do you very well. I took my M1 field to South Dakota last year for pheasant and the entire group was astonished at how light it was for a semi. I actually bought the Benelli Nova (a great gun in it's own right) for "back up" if my semi would break down out in SD. Never happened. Dust, dirt, blood in the action- no problem. Never jammed yet in hunting or trap shooting situations.

I think you are doing the right thing. I would rather buy a quality shotgun that will last a lifetime and give me no frustrations. Do it right the first time.

-Mathewsconquest2

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

If you keep your fingers out of the way, that won't happen. ;)

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I have a M-1 and a Franchi Alcione, Both are great. I had a Nova, never used it only b/c I had the other two. One of the few guns that I haven't regretted trading. Not to say that I wasn't happy with it, I was. But the M-1 and the Franchi O/U are 99% of my shooting. I have and old 870 that now sits above my closed door for HD. You won't go wrong with any gun from Beretta, Benelli, of Franchi...........but if you want the SA, go with the M-1.

I have two friends that both shoot sporting clays with me and both shoot the SBE's. They will on occation not cycle the lighter rounds. I have NEVER had a FTE or FTF with the M-1. Great gun!!!!!!!!!!!!1

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I am also a poor college student, and last year i bought a Browining BPS for less than $400.00. Personally I think that the browining was my best cost/quality gun in that price range. I have probably put 2000 rounds through it without any real problems. The only thing i would recomend is not to use remington shells in it, espically the cheepy "game load" shells. When they fire, the end of the shell blows out farther than most shells and they tend not to want to come out of the chamber. Other than that... it's been a great buy!

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

i used to sell guns. i demoed the beretta 390 and benelli m1, as well as several otheres. i ran 500 rounds through the guns without cleaning. the beretta never jammed, even with 3 dif shells in (2 3/4 low, high and 3). the benelli started to jam after 150 or so, and had trouble cycling 3 dif shells. but the benelli fired a little faster (not that you would ever shoot that fast hunting). i bought the beretta. i have put thousands of rounds throught the beretta and never had a problem. consider the 391 if you are already to spend the bucks, otherwise buy a used 390 or the wally world 390 and enjoy. benelli are great gubs, but i recommend the beretta every time.;)

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

If you have not purchased one yet check out the Stoeger it is in the same family as above mentioed guns. But cost alot less. I own 2 and the semi auto 2000 is a replica of the montrafeltra benelli. It also looks alot like a SBE and operates equally if not better. I purchased the 2000 for under $450 and now use it for waterfowling and skeet shooting. I also purchased a Condor Supreme O/U and it isa awsome Sporting clays gun all operat with no problems.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

You need to give more information on what you will be doing with the shotgun.
If you are looking for a duck and goose gun? Go with the Franchi 912. It is more reliable with little or no cleaning. It will be cheaper than a Benelli, and you can shoot 3 1/2. But if you are going to want to shoot cheap skeet loads. Then go with the Beneli. The Franchi is perfect with 3 and 3 1/2, but won't cycle light 2 3/4.
Have you considered the Mossberg 935? It does kick a little harder. At $450 you could still buy 4 cases of duck loads and shoot until you fill your limit.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

The Stoeger Condor is owned/imported by Beretta. Beretta owns/imports Benelli, Stoeger, Franchi, Tika (which has a Sako barrel & trigger and is made in Finland)

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Beretta pintail(es 100) pretty much the same gun as the Benelli m1 for less money?

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

The Beretta Pintail/ES100 is similar to the Benelli Legacy. They sell for around $500.00 in black synthetic. They are discotinued for 2004. The Stoeger 2000 will take it's place for the Beretta family.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I was facing the same purchase. All three and all three are excelent guns. and shows you are doing your homework. Personeely I liked the Benelli because of simplicity of the action and ease of cleaning.
I want an Alcione Titanium over and under myself.

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

i would look into the franchi 912. its an awsome gun, and i mean awsome. it cycles anything you put into it, from the lightest shell, to the 3 1/2" ones. its a great gun, and is priced right. i have owned the gun for almost 2 years now, and i have put many, many, many rounds through it, and i have not had one jam yet.:D

RE: Benelli, Franchi, Beretta, Please Help????
 

I would buy the benelli m2. You can find them in that price range and the comfort tech system will tame the recoil greatly. The inertia recoil system is the most reliable, easiest to maintain and the fastest cycling. If you couple all of that with lowest recoil I don't see how you could go wrong unless the gun just doesn't fit you.