mudhen

Wait for it...wait... mudhen - CA P.S. The X II is a very good gun...

It worked last time, so here goes; I think Benelli is not planning any changes for 2006. It's an 20+ year old design, and they just don't see any real need for change. How long did the A5 lead the way? I think the real creative influence comes from Beretta USA. Watch for them to continue to steal the show with the Xtrema II. Benelli USA is just along for the ride with it's big brother Beretta USA leading the way. mudhen - CA

Flooded rice, natural marshes, rivers, wherever there are dux... mudhen - CA

ER = Xtended Range from Winchester. www.winchester.com mudhen - CA

The Supremes pattern ok, the ERs pattern better. I have a Rhino .715 for mid-range ducks, but I'm sure a Rhino .690 or even tighter would work great with HS or ER in #4's. Both of those shells will hammer the birds at 45-50 yards. I also shoot the Primos Pass tube - it works fine with steel, Matrix, and HS. mudhen - CA

None of those tubes have ever been made. The ones in the photo are not even Crio Plus! mudhen - CA

You will get the 1.5" in the package - WS has been informed of the typo for over a year and they have not changed it. Rhino does not sell WS the 2", as the 2" is a special order tube from Rhino. I tested at least 9 tubes before last season, and only the Rhino .660 1.5" was worth a sheit. All the other makers just offered the Optima Plus tubes that they THOUGHT would work, none but Rhino actually tested them. Shoot Winchester ER #6's 3.5" - you should like that combination. mudhen - CA

I have heard of this on some Benelli barrels. Given that Benelli ID's vary sooooo much, nothing surprises me anymore! While none of my chokes tubes fit flush at the skirt (the bore is tighter than the tube), all are apparently evenly tapped. If you can truly see a huge difference in one side versus the other, you have an improperly tapped choke system IMHO. Call Benelli CS and see what they say. mudhen - CA

Steel shot is harder than lead and can bulge those tighter chokes. It's just one of the many bad features of steel shot... mudhen - CA

My GS has tons of HS in stock now at $13-$16 per box. I'm more concerned about the new shells and future pricing. It's going to get ugly... mudhen - CA

Ammo makers are blaming the raw material cost increases on tungsten for some of the new insane pricing. The SHOT Show will answer more questions. Recent reports have tungsten bulk shot at $30 per pound. Winchester's new waterfowl load is $4 per shell MSRP - my shop will be retailing the new load at $29.99 per 10 pack, $289 per 100. Given that all the main non-tox makers use Tungsten, I would expect all shells to be $3-$4 per shell for 2006 and beyond. At least MSRP. Hevi Shot will have to go up, Kent Matrix will certainly have to go way up, Federal's HW will go up, and Remington's new "The Shot" will certainly launch at a stiff MSRP. I'm going to stock up on Hevi Steel and go back to some of my old favorite steel loads... mudhen - CA

I really like it - #4's were great for small ducks. If you cut one open, you will see that the pellets are all different sizes. I think this is what makes it so effective. With the new price increases on any non-tox made with tungsten, I plan on buying 6-8 cases of Hevi Steel for next season. mudhen - CA

By calling ducks in the field during the season. It's the only way to learn IMHO... mudhen - CA

I say no, but only because of what you don't get. NIB SBE I's are running $1000 at full price at most dealers. I've seen blacks for $899 and camos for $949. So the $800 is just ok. The private market price on that gun is closer to $650. If bought NIB from a Benelli dealer, you get the 5 year Benelli factory warranty. You don't know what went on with that gun for the last 3 years. The SureCycle is a good indicator that the gun did not work well for this guy. No Benelli needs a SureCycle, a Benelli just needs an owner that knows how to shoot and/or maintain the gun. I think you may be buying a problem gun with no warranty. mudhen - CA

Yes. mudhen - CA

Yes. They were still perfect after 100 straight days in the field - but our weather is pretty mild... mudhen - CA

Yes. mudhen - CA

9 for 9 on toms last year with ER 3.5" #6's - I give the shot itself more credit than my own ability... It hits like a lighting bolt... Gotta find the right choke tube though... mudhen - CA

Cali just keeps rolling along until the 29th... mudhen - CA

I have not been happy with the drop on my SBE II. I needed more. Benelli does not make a D shim for the SBE II. So I made at least a D using the A + my Dremel tool. This has been working better for me so far... mudhen - CA

$24 at Macks, $29 at Bass Pro, $25 at my local gun shop, etc. Buy now while they are still in stock. MSRP did take a nice jump to $34 for the 3.5". Your shop added the $6. When I take a week off to hunt KS, MO, OK, the $4 per shell is worth it, no question, no contest over HS. Must be a material price increase. This is going to kill Winchester's non-tox waterfowl plans... mudhen - CA

www.photobucket.com No, rice in Glenn, CA. mudhen - CA

I hear the Prefit X-Coil for the SBE is the bomb. Let us know what you think. I have not seen a prefit for the Comfortech from anyone yet. I like my factory Comfortech pad, but I'd buy an X-Coil prefit if they came out with one. mudhen - CA

As much as I admire Patrick and his amazing talents, he is in no position to make an official statement on behalf of Winchester unless said statement is posted on Winchester's official website and offically sponsored by Winchester. I see no official press release on Winchester's website as of today. I will check everyday for updates. The industry has been buzzing a bit as to where the Model 70 & 94 production will end up. It is pretty widely accepted that the Model 1300 is done. First heard was China, then Japan, now Russia has entered into the fray. Only the future will tell... mudhen - CA

I'm at about 1500 rounds through the SBE II this year without a malfunction. I did have to deal with the rounded Kent Matrix shells, but the was not Benelli's fault, just poorly designed shells. mudhen - CA