SBEII

I am in the market for a good auto shotgun. I was considering an SBE II or a Browning Gold at first, but am pretty set on Benelli's because they are inertia driven. Whichever gun I buy will be used as all purpose (deer hunting with slug barrel, trap, maybe occasional duck or turkey hunting). I can get a like new SBE II that has had 9 rds run through it for $1100 but I am wondering whether or not I really need the ability to use the 3.5" shells.

The guns I am considering are the SBE II, SBE, M2, and the M1. I will end up getting the wood finish, no camo or black. What I would like to know are if the guns are fairly similar except for the comfort tech stocks and what not that the SBE II and M2 has and the fact that M2 and M1 do not shoot 3.5's. I am currently under the impression that the SBE, SBE II, and the M2 are pretty much the same gun except the SBE's shoot the 3.5's .

I have also been told that once I run about 150 rounds through the SBE II that I will be able to shoot 2 3/4 a lot easier. And also that I can always shoot 3 or 3 1/4 dram 2 3/4's with no problem.

Any opinions or help would be greatly appreciated.

birdbustin

Before you buy any gun I would check out how much money the different barrels are going to cost you. I bought a SBE II and I love it don’t get me wrong but I check out how much a slug barrel was going to cost me and I said hell no I can buy a whole new gun for that price.

So I would just keep that in mind before you just buy one that you are going to inter change barrels with all the time. I think that the quote of the slug barrel was around $400. That is a lot of money just to spend on a slug barrel.(Well in my mind that is anyways) Well good luck to you and any gun that you decide on.

SBEII

Yeah I know that with any of those guns, that the slug is going to cost anywhere from 350-400. Thats fine with me

birdbustin

In reply to do you need the ability to use the 3.5" shells.

Well it all depends on wether you have a 10 gauge or not. If you do have a 10 gauge then you really don't need to spend the extra money for a 3.5" gun, but if you don't have a 10 gauge them you should really buy the 3.5" gun.

SBEII

ttt

bigcountry

SBE, if you are serious, I mean serious goose hunter than sure, 3.5" would be nice. But it shoots the price of the gun up. Raises the wieght a good deal.

I like the golds. Always have. Got my second one last week. But won't buy them for more than 700 dollars. You have to find deals. I wouldn't mind the SBE. But I can't see the cost difference, myself. Also not sure if SBE has a cantilever deer barrel. One more thing I don't like is the SBE limited use for low powered loads. They kick much harder IMO than a Gold or even 1187 due to the recoil operation.

You will be happy with both. Only I don't like with the gold is the hunter series comes with a glossy barrel and matte reciever. I just don't understand that.