Considering a new turkey getter

[wkyhunter]

I am an 870 junky .... but as always I want to try something different.
I'm considering a new Benelli SBE2 in a 24" or 26" barre ll. Just not sure I can pull the trigger on a $1500 gun. Let me hear your thoughts especially if you've set one up to turkey hunt.
Thanks!!!

[allaboutshooting]

I am an 870 junky .... but as always I want to try something different.
I'm considering a new Benelli SBE2 in a 24" or 26" barre ll. Just not sure I can pull the trigger on a $1500 gun. Let me hear your thoughts especially if you've set one up to turkey hunt.
Thanks!!!

I am a Benelli fan, having owned those guns since 1991 when I bought my first SBE. I currently own several Benelli shotguns, with 24", 26" and 28" barrels. I'd encourage you to consider the 26" barrel over the 24" barrel. I don't think that you'll find the extra 2" to be burdensome or get in the way in the turkey woods but it will give you some better (evenness/density) patterns.

A Benelli shotgun, properly choked, will throw excellent patterns. In mine, I've never seen an advantage of the 3.5" shell over the 3" shell, when the choke is right.

They are expensive guns but they are also reliable and fit many people very well. I sold my SBEII when I bought my Vinci but I would never part with my original SBE. That gun just fits me. I really love my Vinci as well and would have to think long and hard to ever consider parting with it.

There are a variety of chokes that work well with all of those guns since the bore is the same in all of them.

Good luck and please let us know what you decide.

Thanks,
Clark

[cahaba]

Winchester SX3 is a great gun for about $300.00 less. Mine throws a wicked pattern and is as reliable as they come.

[nyhunter]

I have a SBEII with a 24" barrel. If high 10" pattern numbers are what your lookin for you dont want a Benelli. I have had fits with mine getting descent killing patterns out of it. I have gone threw 9 different choke's to get good killing patterns. The Benelli .723 bore can be tricky to find the right combo "choke, shell" for it. I love how mine fits and feels and how it handles. If I could do it all over I'd buy the 26" barrel hands down.

[TauntoHawk]

I really liked the SBE2 in my hands as well just cant throw that kind of change, especially when turkeys are the only thing I hunt using a shotgun

Stoger 3500 isn't a bad alternative and one I looked at, more than likely I will keep the 870 another year put the money into out of state hunts

[WVhuntEER]

I'm right there with you.  I would love to have an SBEII.   It will probably be my next purchase for a shotgun.  Right now I shoot a supernova and it shoots a great pattern but everytime I shoulder a SBEII I want one.  lol

[WildSpur]

Every turkey hunter has to have an 835 at some point!

Otherwise I like the looks of the winchester semis.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

[budtripp]

I bought a sbe2 in 2011 and I don't regret it one bit. Every time I put it to my shoulder it just feels like it belongs, and it eats anything I decide to shoot in it from trap loads to 3.5 inchers. Makes my 11-87 feel like a 2x4 in the hands. Of course its an all around gun, not just a turkey gun. If your only looking for a turkey gun you can get by with one that feels like a club, as long as it throws a good pattern

[Sand Man]

I'm a Benelli nut as well.  Every Benelli I've patterned has thrown great patterns.  This includes two 26" barrel SBE I's and one 24" barrel SBE I.  All were using Indian Creek .665 choke with either TSS reloads, TSS X Hevi reloads, or Hevi shot.  Here are some of the patterns.  You decide!

All of these were with the 24" barrel.  I can dig up the 26" if you want to see them.

Shot some factory loaded Hevi-Shot 7's when I was dialing the Red Dot in.  Got some very nice results.  These were at 40 yards.





One at 20 yards just to see where the Red Dot was hitting.



Also, shot some of the TSS reloads.  The first was 2oz of TSS #9's at 40 yards and the second was 1oz of TSS #9's and 5/8oz Hevi-shot 7.5's at 40 yards.

[wkyhunter]

Thanks for all the replies folks!!!
Guess I need to find someone to let me shoot one, maybe that would get me over the desire to buy one. Or it could make it worse...LOL.

[spaightlabs]

I run an M2 for waterfowl and Turks.  Basically the 3 inch version of the SBE 2, and you can find them for a lot less than the SBEs.  I haven't seen a need for 3.5s since I switched to Hevi loads and I never see a need for 3.5s for waterfowl despite the fact that we hunt geese 90% of the time.

I picked up a well used but great condition M2 for $600 - reliable, easy to maintain, light and throws a great pattern.

If you go Benelli job 1 is to upgrade the factory recoil spring.  For $15 you can avoid ever getting. The infamous Benelli click when the bolt rotates slightly out of battery which can easily happen just by setting the gun down with the factory spring.

[savduck]

I think all of the guns mentioned are great turkey guns and with today's technology could all be made into lethal turkey killers. To me, that's the easy part of a turkey gun.

I think most importantly though you should consider the fit of the gun for you. I owned Benellis, but I didn't like the way they shot, or fit. I also used mine for wing shooting and I didn't like the raised rib on a Benelli or the way the gun recoil. They are excellent guns though.

Consider that you are sitting to shoot turkeys, I find a pump uncomfortable because I feel like I have to reach out so far to grip the fore arm. I also don't like 3.5 inch guns anymore....why take beating when I have a 20 ga that puts up an unreal pattern with its payload.


I think you have many things to consider. I'd suggest going somewhere that has many of these guns and handle them. Sit down in a hunting position and see if your comfortable. Buy a quality gun that fits, and then with all the knowledge available here you can make it a shooter.

I have had several good turkey guns. Remington 870 and 1187, Benelli SBE, beretta extrema, beretta 390( my long time favorite), Stoeger m2000, and now 20 ga Remington 870 and weatherby SA 08

[Sand Man]

I run an M2 for waterfowl and Turks.  Basically the 3 inch version of the SBE 2, and you can find them for a lot less than the SBEs.  I haven't seen a need for 3.5s since I switched to Hevi loads and I never see a need for 3.5s for waterfowl despite the fact that we hunt geese 90% of the time.

I couldn't agree with that any more.  In fact, I've gone to a Benelli 28ga for ducks this year.  I normally shoot 2 3/4" 1oz #3's at ducks thru my SBE and have killed geese with that load.  The ONLY reason I have keep my SBE over the M1 and M2 12's I bought is I absolutely hate the fact that the top of the receiver on the M1 and M2's are not part of the barrel like the SBE.  This and this alone makes cleaning the gun so much easier.  What gets me is the 28ga I bought is built like the SBE, but the M1/M2 12's as well as 20's aren't built like this.  Makes me scratch my head.