Benelli Super Black eagle question. upland&deer
Hi,
New member here. I am thinking of buying a new shotgun and could use a few $.02. I have been using a 42 yr old (no steel shot) Rem 870 for the past 25 or so years. I also have a Rem 1100 in 20. Anyone have a good opinion about using this (Benelli SBE) for hunting with a slug barrel (deer) and smooth (26??? or 28???) for upland and waterfowl? Basically for all around hunting. I hear all about the waterfowl use, but none about upland and deer. Thank you in advance...
New member here. I am thinking of buying a new shotgun and could use a few $.02. I have been using a 42 yr old (no steel shot) Rem 870 for the past 25 or so years. I also have a Rem 1100 in 20. Anyone have a good opinion about using this (Benelli SBE) for hunting with a slug barrel (deer) and smooth (26??? or 28???) for upland and waterfowl? Basically for all around hunting. I hear all about the waterfowl use, but none about upland and deer. Thank you in advance...
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"Perfection"
I've hunted, collected and in general "Loved" my Brownings forever..
But, when the Benelli "Inertia" system came along; I had to try one.
New Love in Shotgun Land.
Smooth, fast and neat.
Little Pricey, but worth it.
I've got a 24" in a Montefeltro 20 and it's an Upland Dream to carry.
Got a SBE in 26" choked for waterfowl and a 24" Rifled Slug for those needs.
You don't need the "Long Tom" barrels we thought we once did.
The SBE at 7.5 lbs, is a little on the heavy side (for my aged legs anyway)for an Upland gun, but as light as many other guns on the market.
But where I use it, I'm not doing that much carrying of the SBE.
AND>>>>>>>Look at the versatility you'll have.
You won't go wrong.0 -
For whatever it may be worth. I do not recommend using one gun for everything. For slug shooting....Ithaca Deerslayer III 12 gauge w/heavy target barrel. It is a pump, but nothing will outfperform that I have found. 0 -
Wildbbad, Thank you for the reply. I thought Ithica went out of business???
I have never liked Ithicas. It comed from watching several become basket cases as they were shot at pheasants when I was about 14 years old. Parts just dropped out of the bottom ejection assembly like confetti. Being a wise old hunter at age 14, I recognized a pattern after seeing at least 2 of these guns malfunctioning like this. Sure, that was almost 30 years ago, but I can still vividly picture the moments!
I am not disrespecting your choice of firearm, just stating my personal impression of the companies products.0 -
The top part is a C&P from my reply on general discussion:
I have a SBE 28", and have been using it for 10+ years. In fact, it is the only 12 gauge I have (and I've owned quite a few). The ONLY problem I can think of with them is that they won't correctly cycle the el-cheapo 7/8 oz. loads. I can shoot cheap 1 1/8 oz. loads without trouble. Also, the SBE is THE best patterning shotgun I've ever owned. The barrels aren't cheap (but then again neither is the gun), so if you get one, be prepared to drop a chunk of change for the other barrel. Incidentally, the standard barrels are a lot easier to find than the slug barrel. The slug barrel takes a different forearm than the factory smoothbore barrel does so keep that in mind (I think it costs ~$85 bucks).
Aside from the fact that they are very reliable and lightweight for a 3.5" mag capable semi-auto, they are an absolute breeze to properly clean, epecially compared to a gas-operated gun. Here's what the inertia-recoil operation system looks like:
http://www.benelliusa.com/innovations/inertia.tpl
In summary, if you can afford it - you won't regret it!
I had an Ithaca 37 also, never had that problem winmag, but the slug barrel I had for it would only barely outshoot the smooth-bore for that same gun. You won't have that problem with the Benelli. One more thing, if you get a Benelli, the top of the receiver is actually part of the barrel. Therefore, if you mount a scope on your slug barrel, and you swap barrels between smooth and slug the scope is always exactly where you left it and is MUCH more solid than using cantilever mounts. Of course, if you're using open sights then this part doesn't matter that much. I'd still argue that they are among the best (non-dedicated) slug guns.
Here's a picture of how the barrels are made if you don't follow what I was saying:
http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/accessories.tpl
Here's their site:
http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/index.tpl0 -
Thank You Bambihunter!
I like the 1 piece scope/barrel mounting design. I was also thinking of going with a see through scope mount. I plan to make this a 1 time investment and want to have all the bells and whistles from the start. I did not know about the alternate foreend deal. Mo $ whew.0 -
It's a sharp initial investment to say the least. It will save you some money by not having to buy seals like you would for most gas-operated guns.
If money is tight then get the gun and one barrel and wait until later to get the other one. Like I said, the slug barrel is harder to find, so if you already have a shotgun you might want to get the slug barrel first.
If you're anywhere near Oklahoma City I'd be glad to let you shoot, disassemble, and clean, my SBE. I think once you did those three things you'd be hooked.
BTW, you don't need the different forearm if (and only if) you use an aftermarket barrel. I had an E.R. Shaw that I didn't think fit properly. It was a pain to put on and wasn't very accurate compared to my friends factory Benelli slug barrel (plus didn't have any open sights either). I sold it and will get a factory barrel later.
Keep us posted on what ya decided on. Oh, and welcome to the GB forums. [:)]0 -
Thanks, Looks like I found a friendly site!
I live in the republic of New Jersey (where slick Dems scare city folk about rampant fully automatic assault rifles sold to children in wall Marts just to be elected over pro-gun nut Republicans). (I have heard that down South and in the midwest Dems. have different views). Great offer about the shooting the SBE, unfortunately I'll have to pass on that.
I had a factory sales rep show me how to dissasemble the gun for cleaning. I told him I did not have much time. He told me that it only takes about 3 min to take apart and reassemble and if I had to leave in the middle of it it would be OK with him. He was right, could not be made much easier/quicker.0 -
I will agree with Bambi-Hunter on everything except that the slug barrel requires a different fore arm. The slug barrels are ER Shaw barrels with a 3 inch chamber, I have taken a deer at 110 yards with this set up. (It is extremely accurate) 0 -
Benelli sells a factory slug barrel that DOES require the other forearm. E.R. Shaw barrels are just that - E.R. Shaw, and they don't require them. Here's the link to the barrels and forends, but they don't list part numbers. They DO mention the modified forend:
http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/accessories.tpl
quote:Extra barrels are available for all models. Rifled slug barrels are available for Super Black Eagle, M1 and Nova models only. (SBE and M1 models require an optional modified forend)0 -
WHWarren,
I heard that the slug barrels Benelli markets are from ER Shaw. Is that what you mean?0 -
The barrel I have is stamped with ER Shaw, I do not know if it was produced by ER Shaw or Benelli but it works well. 0 -
You simply can't go wrong with a Benelli SBE or any Benelli at that.
It will outperform any other in reliability and durability.
Just feed it well in the beginning, but hunting waterfowls will break it in nicely - if you're using slightly heavy loads.
[:0]
Oops, forgot to mention - I too have a Benelli Super Black Eagle with real wooden stocks.
I can say - for hunting... I will never go back to (no pun intended) Winchester, Mossberg or anything like them - ever again.!
Don't do anything that I've allready done - That'd be just plain STOOOOOOPID.0 -
Thanks for the help guys.
I hope to buy a Benelli SBE soon, I almost scheduled a hunt for geese on the 21 st but the limit is 2 and it would have cost about $200 for the day. I hope the geese are in ~ Jan and Feb. I will go then and hopefully be totin a new Benelli. The limit then is around 6!
New jersey is trying to eliminate the resident goose population so when you see lots of geese, the limit is low and vice versa.
I have heard it is bad to shoot steel shot through my 1961 Rem. 870 so I guess I will have no other choice but to treat myself!
I think I'll opt for the recoil reducer to use when I launch those 3 1/2 artillery shells!0
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