The way its looking, I may very well have the opportunity to buy a brand new Black Benelli Super Black Eagle II with a 24" barrel for 1150$. Gun has never been shot before. Its clean and legit. I just never thought Id pay that for a turkey gun. I like 28" for wing shooting and Im covered there, so this gun would be for the big birds only. Are they really that good? Ive turkey hunted the last 6 years with a 870 so it would be a change for me. Whats your advice?
I had one and got rid of it. It didnt pattern any better or worse than any of the others I owned. That inertia will rock ya.
I know where there is a camo SBE2 for around 900 brand new.
in my opinion if you are killing turkeys with your 870 then i would stick with it for $1150 you could buy 4 brand new 870's, IMO i would spend my money on ammo and chokes
since you will use it strictly as a turkey gun i would def say no, if you were going to use it for duck/geese/upland gun then thats a different story
I bought both my M2 and my SBE used, a little over half that price. I'd do it again. It's worth it.
God Bless,
David B.
They can be a little touchy when it comes to getting a great pattern. They will pattern good, but it sometimes takes a little playing around to get the great pattern. As far as the quality of the gun, it is superb. I own a bunch of them and have not had any issues at all. If you have the money, it would be a good move. There is nothing wrong with the 870. They are a great turkey gun, but, it kinda sounds like this is on your bucket list. You won't regret it..Mike
What Hog said :icon_thumright:
I have found the SBE II to be touchy in the 24" bbl model when it comes to patterning, and that version has always been the lowest priced model for whatever reason. I'm sure the culprit is being so underbored, and many go to the salt shot to get good patterns.
I've owned quite a few Benellis, and have a 26" SBE II that is tossing a nice pattern right now, but my new gun for 2011 is an 870 SM in MOBL. Feels kind of odd to run the full circle, but the 870 just seems like a good fit for me right now :)
$1150 is ok, but I've seen them in camo down to $850-$900 like someone else already posted...
Good luck with whatever you decide on!
mudhen
Every single penny. wouldnt trade mine if you offered me the world..... never used one as a turkey gun yet. going through that right now, chokes, ammo, etc. but it has been my go to shotgun for 8 years now and if my favorite gun in my safe by far.... :jackson:
FYI the gun use you as the recoil pad. a limbsaver pad will be your BFF if you get one. but of coarse you dont feel the kick in the woods only the range.
Quote from: Jourdan_D on February 22, 2011, 10:03:49 PM
Every single penny. wouldnt trade mine if you offered me the world..... never used one as a turkey gun yet. going through that right now, chokes, ammo, etc. but it has been my go to shotgun for 8 years now and if my favorite gun in my safe by far.... :jackson:
FYI the gun use you as the recoil pad. a limbsaver pad will be your BFF if you get one. but of coarse you dont feel the kick in the woods only the range.
:agreed: :icon_thumright:
Love mine. Recoil doesnt bother me any with 3" shells
Quote from: BigPeck215 on February 22, 2011, 09:32:59 PM
in my opinion if you are killing turkeys with your 870 then i would stick with it for $1150 you could buy 4 brand new 870's, IMO i would spend my money on ammo and chokes
since you will use it strictly as a turkey gun i would def say no, if you were going to use it for duck/geese/upland gun then thats a different story
:agreed: X2
(http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab7/Gobln2/013.jpg?t=1298459658)
Heres the pattern of my Benelli SBE2. I think they are well worth the price :newmascot:
I'm a firm believer in the SBE2. But as a dedicated turkey gun the 870 is probably a better value. My SBE2 is a do it all and it does it all well with minor adjustments here and there. You won't find a better gun for taking you from season to season. But I can't see spending all that cash for one season when there are much cheaper guns out there that are probably better "turkey guns".
I own a Legacy that I use at times upland hunting along with an O/U. I justified paying the price because I hunt from Oct-Feb. However I could not justify paying that much for a turkey gun (season is short and cheaper guns will do the job). In fact I would not buy a Benelli again even for upland hunting (no need too). So if I could shoot the 870 and it patterns well, I would stay with it. But to each his own.
I love my 20ga M2 with comfort stock. It's light, throws up great and holds a great pattarn at 40yds.
S.W.A.G., but I'd bet 90% of turks are killed with one shot. No 'need' for a semi auto then. That said, I shoot a Browning gold I bought used for $450 and souped up a bit and it's a stone cold killer, even though I don't shoot shells that cost $4 a boom. Inexpensive gun, plain old jellyhead choke, #5 lead and a bunch of dead birds from 5 to 55 yards...
I've got a Benelli M2 I run all season long for ducks and geese that I like an awful lot, still feel more comfortable with a 3.5 inch if I'm shooting 5 lead, just like the pellet count and pattern I get.
You don't NEED to spend $1100 on a turkey gun, but I know that like girls, once a gun gets in your head you'll find a million reasons to chase it even if you know you don't 'need' it..
If you were trying to buy a good all around gun that you would use to wingshoot, turkey hunt etc.etc.... Then I would say that they are great guns and worth the price BUT---
.....there is no way on gods beautiful green earth that I would pay that much for a pure turkey gun.
I would go pick up an 870 or a Benelli Nova and deck it out with whatever my heart desired because you are going to be money ahead buying one of those two guns and can use it to buy a couple good chokes and customize it however you like.
If money in no object- yes the benelli SBE is a nice gun and will do the deed on a turkey.
I don't think so
I all you are concerned about is the pattern/pellet count, stick with the 870. Benelli wins in every other category. I own both
I had one a couple years ago in the 24" barrel. Killed a couple turkeys with it, and it was a pleasure to carry but it did not pattern good. It also did not shoot straight. I would only buy it if the seller let you shoot it a few times to check POI as Benellis are known to shoot 6 - 12 inches hi/low/left/right frequently. I hunted 2 years with it and found somebody that wanted it and got all my money back out of it. I was lucky. I now think the SX3 is the way to go in an auto.
"Benelli- Are they worth the price?" Absolutely not, at least for the SBE2. They are plastic and metal, thats it. They don't jump through hoops of fire, or save a drowning baby. They shoot a plastic shotgun shell. That being said, I own one. I drank the "kool-aid" several years ago when peer pressure got the best of me. I do love the gun, it's very simple with fewer parts to break. I've put that thing through some pretty bad stuff and it has never failed. I've done the same with other guns costing literally half as much. But for semi-autos I do believe it is a great design, but definitely not worth the $1400 plus or minus. If you do decide to get one I'm sure you will be very pleased, but it is by no means superior to any other gun. The best gun for you is the one you like and shoot best.
If you are using it for more than one purpose then Buy the Benelli and don"t even consider another gun!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually alot of these new shotguns are not worth the money to some or many,but hey nothing new here right?
I have alot of different semi auto shotguns and i am an avid shooter of the shotgun but I must say I like the benelli's better than any other gun I have ever shot, the quality,the feel, and performance is second to none and plus they are quick,very quick on target recovery.
I have remingtons,franchi's,benelli's,and brownings and I really like them all but when hunting is in play I grab the benelli's. I have a two year old SBEII 24" that I designate and have it set up strickly for hunting Turkeys and Coyotes and it is very accurate and deadly. My New super vinci 26" is strickly a crow blind go to gun along with sporting clays and some upland hunting.
To me YES benelli's are worth the price and then some as it's all according to what you want in a autoloader shotgun IMHO.
I love my M2.. I use it for everything. Best purchase I ever made.
Are they overpriced? Maybe, but what isn't these days?
I started the fall waterfowl season with a brand new 26" SBE II. After hundreds of rounds fired at Canadas, ducks, and targets at the patterning board I can say that I've never had a shotgun that handles so well or fits me better. Because of that, I'd say it was worth the hefty price tag.
Plus, Benelli's are just plain sexy... :cowboy:
They are worth every single penny! :smiley-char092:
I have two M1S90's that I would hate to be without come hunting seasons. I've used those guns about as hard as any tool in a tool box for many years now and have yet to have a single malfunction regardless of weather, dry, wet, cold, heat, mud, dust, ice, snow, rain, ect. They just do what they're supposed to do, go "bang" everytime. They're light, fit me perfectly and point as naturally as my index finger, throw beautiful round and even 60/40 patterns right to point of aim, are simple to operate and even easier to clean if you ever get around to it. I've owned just about all of the various offerings over the years from Remington, Browning, Winchester, Franchi, Beretta, and maybe some I can't think of right now and none can scoot the Benelli M1's out of their place at the front of the safe.
I concur. Well made, easy to take down and clean, and reliable as all heck. :z-winnersmiley:
I bought a Super Black Eagle back in '97 for a dedicated waterfowl gun. I used it hard for several years...........and have no idea how many rounds I have fired through it. To this day, I still have not had a problem with it. I've also used it on the trap range some, as well as a couple days in South Dakota chasing pheasants. I no longer waterfowl hunt, so I made the SBE my dedicated turkey gun. I've recently added a Steady Grip stock and a FFII sight. I really love this gun.......it's light......patterns great.....and I know it will perform. It's a lot of money for a turkey gun..........but if the price doesn't scare you too bad......I say go for it. My dad has always joked and said, "If you want it................you need it!".
Different guns fit different people, but to me benellis are worth every dime. I have a Benelli Supernova decked out and souped up for turkey hunting, its a stone cold turkey killer. Throws awesome, deadly patterns with Hevi #6s and a IC choke. My all around, quail, duck, dove, and skeet shooting gun is a Benelli Supersport. Best shotgun I've ever owned, bar none. Could be a turkey gun as well I suppose, but I hate to put a gun of that type of quality what I put a turkey gun through. However, even if I did I imagine it would hold up well. Long story short, I wouldn't be scared at all of buying a SBE II. I've looked at them myself, just have no reason to buy one at this time.
For the "all around gun" I love mine and worth every penny. BUT for a dedicated turkey only gun, I would by either and 11-87 or a 870
Lets change this up some if you had a chance to by a SBE11 with wood stock brand new for $850 would you do it.
Quote from: stick bow on March 02, 2011, 05:29:59 PM
Lets change this up some if you had a chance to by a SBE11 with wood stock brand new for $850 would you do it.
I would and swap out the stocks to synthetic as I could afford to.