mudhen

Great reply! My last 'click' was maybe 20 years ago, and it stopped when I learned how to clean the gun properly. Clean and lube the lock up area, and there should be no problem. Funny how someone says their 1201F's were great, I had two, neither would cycle despite numerous trips back to Beretta. The 1201F probably worked fine with short powerful loads, but we couldn't get either one to work with standard waterfowl loads. Sold both for scrap value, and I was fine with that... If all the Benellis didn't work, I think they would have gone out of business many years ago.... mudhen

Barrel length does matter. Longer barrels tend to throw a more dense pattern. It's easily proven on the patterning board. Up to 10%+ on some guns, which could mean 40+ more pellets on target. Go to a still target turkey shoot and see how many 18.5-24" bbls you see. Not many. That being said, it probably doesn't matter to most turkey hunters, as most guys will throw a killing pattern with a decent turkey choke and one of the many excellent turkey loads out there. And, maybe a super dense pattern is not all that great? Easy to miss at 15 yards with a pattern the size of a softball. A nice even pattern out to 40 yards might be just right. As to a red dot, I shot this year with a Burris Fast Fire II, and I'm not 100% sold on it. Kilt a bunch of toms, but hate worrying about the battery, bumping it, and it's hard to track a moving bird. Missed a KS double chance because it was almost impossible to find the second bird. Would have been easier with open sights... mudhen

It's easy, just lead them a bit!

Nice bird! Easterns are one of my four favorite turkeys! Poults are born primarily in the spring, so he's either 2 or 3.

I've had no luck patterning any 24" Benelli barrel for turkey guns. 28's have thrown much more dense turkey patterns for me. No such issues with wingshooting guns for me so far...

I use box calls from Albert Paul & SS Calls. Used properly, I think box calls are maybe the most effective turkey calls. I often use them all the way to the shot…

Nice I've got a few states upcoming, I'd love to see anything even remotely that nice

There were barrel ring issues with early M1's & SBE's. My 1991 SBE cracked a ring in 2000 after maybe 15,000 steel shot loads. Same deal, fixed by Benelli USA at no charge, upgraded ejector plate, yada, yada The sling swivel retaining washer is maybe a $.10 part. Call them if you want a new cap, they might send you one, or just tap the washer back in place. I found a new washer that fit from the trays of parts at Home Depot or Lowes. Receiver wear is a non-issue to me. It looked bad after a few years, but it got no worse after that....

25,000 steel shot loads through a 1991 SBE, most of it in the 1990's & early 2000's Got to be a few 100,000+ shell guns out there....

H-13 6's, Win XR 6's, maybe even plain old lead Win HV 6's. I'd try them in 3" & 3.5". Magnum Blend might be good as well. Much depends on your gun, so you will probably just have to try some different shells and see what your gun prefers

I'd say yes, at least try a Jellyhead in .660, then test any good #6 load for a more dense pattern.

With the factory full, I'd shoot large pellets, 4's probably, Win Supreme 3.5" maybe? Same shell in 5's might be good

Nice tom

Thanks! I'm a big fan of mid-range Cannon stuff, and I'm using the SX130 IS right now. I've stuck with this line going back to the SX100 IS a few years ago. A bit bulky, but I like the photos I get from it. Supposed to be $229, but Best Buy has it for $179 on occasion....

Probably a non-issue if you put the clipped end against the retaining nut. Brazing would be nice. A little Dremel work could clean it up too...

I think that might work. Worst case, you ruin a $10-$12 spring. Btw, the +25% Wolff is a beast of a spring. Even some of my 3" turkey loads won't always cycle Of course, they are 3" H-13, so you never really know how much powder EM uses on a given day, depends on their mood I think...

Jakes are turkeys too

Yes.......

Nice

Yes. I enlisted the technical testing services of this individual just a few hour ago. When asked what he thought of the SBE II + 3" MB - JH .660, he offered 'no comment' I'm really happy with my SBE II these days. I have strayed in search of the magic gun, but I should always remember my roots with Benelli, going back to my first SBE in 1989. The real issue is that out to 40 yards, most guns are equal. The right choke and load in any gun should work within reasonable ranges. I found a sleeper with the 3" MB & JH .660. For the Win XR's, I prefer the 3.5" #6's with the JH .660 or Rhino .660. I kilt more than one tom with the XR + Rhino combo....

Since the horse isn't quite dead yet, just got a message from a very nice gal that shops at Mack's on a regular basis, and she lives about an hour south of the store. She said they had at least 30 cases of Blind Side 3" #2's in the store in November of 2010. Her dad bought a case, and she bought some open stock. It was on the floor in cases, and priced in each boxes on the shelf. She said it ran out before the season ended. Almost certainly it was the leftover from some sort of limited run from Winchester, but nonetheless, it was still available at one retail store Word.....

Yep, I saw them somewhere, maybe Scheels? Cabela's? It looked very nice. I agree, the Banana Yellow Max 4 is too bright, and it gets brighter and more shiny over time

Thanks! Yep, the SBE II is back in action, 3" H-13 Magnum Blend, Jellyhead .660, bird was hammered.... Have not used 3" shells for turkeys in 20+- years, now I'll probably never go back

Sorry, I didn't mean a Florida bird, this is a Cali bird, I just meant much smaller spurs than that huge Florida bird posted already No Virginia plans yet, but will try for my Osceola in March of 2012...

Pre-release testing is very common, but kept pretty quiet. I heard about the Super Vinci the same day they announced the Vinci, but no one believed me. If the Super Vinci comes out in Mossy Oak Bottomland soon, I'm in big trouble There's another rumor for someone to bash me about. Benelli has worked out a deal to carry guns in Mossy Oak camo and Real Tree camo. Should be announced soon. Big box stores have already been doing this for years, and the results are good I hear. How well do you think the Super Vinci will sell in Mossy Oak Duck Blind