X5

HI Benelliboy, Unless you will be shooting 3.5 shells at geese, there is no reason to buy the SBE model. This is the only major difference, and the M2 will be lighter. I've been bird hunting all my life, and not once wished for a 3.5 inch shell for geese!..........you can kill any duck or goose with Remington Heavy shot in 3 inch..................much better than steel. I love my M2, and shoot better with it than the Beretta 391. Shot a 23 on 5 stand sportings, level 4, on my third round with the new gun..........and shoot consistent 22-23 on trap at the 21 yard handicapp...... about a bird better than the 391, and mostly psychological, no doubt!!!

On 5 stand, I stick with IC. Can bust even the duck tower at 45 yards out and 60' up. For trap, modified. For continental trap, full.....for those LONGGGGG shots!

I considered the 26" M2, but I felt it actually swung TOO quickly for my needs. Even the 28" swings pretty **** quick, it's easy to swing through your clays if not super careful.

Hi, The SBE II safety is identical as the M2, and it IS stiff until you work it in. It's gonna take me awhile to learn this safety, since all my shotguns have had the safety in the front of the trigger guard or on top in the case of o/u's...........overall, I really like the M2, more so than the Browning sporting o/u or Beretta 391....it just fits me so much better, and the front bead works real nice also.

Forgot to add a few things.........this thing shoots MUCH faster (cycling) than the Beretta.........and I like the rib design much better than the Beretta 391............and it weighs considerable LESS than any of my trap/clays guns. I know the ducks are gonna be in serious trouble this year, with me behind this thing!

Lazy, You will find the M2 much different than the M1. A couple of my buddies also commented on the reduced recoil of the M2. I really like the way it fits, much better than the Beretta 391 or Browning sporting clays I've been shooting for the last 15 or so years. I picked up the 28", black synthetic, and did quite well the first time out shooting clays with it a couple of weeks ago. I think you would enjoy the M2, the recoil is NO problem, especially with the newly designed recoil pad that is designed to fit into your shoulder much better... Good luck, and let us know how you like you new M2!!

Hi, Does anybody know where to order the shorter recoil pad for the M2? When I bought this gun, I assumed BOTH pads would be included, like the Beretta 391. The M2 came with NOTHING!!..except for the 5 different chokes.....NOT even a choke wrench!!!

I'd like to hear from any M2 shooters, and how they like/dislike their shotguns. Thanks!

Hi, I'm new to this board. After much research, I picked up a new M2 from GI Joes tonight. Went with the 28". I've been shooting mostly the Beretta 391, but after picking up this M2, it fits much better for me. I shot the M1 about 3 years ago, and chose the 391 then, mostly because of the slight increase in recoil for the M1. Gonna go shoot 5 stand tomorrow and see how it shoots!