SgtCathy

What is the total length of pull (LOP) you're going to finish with? I'm not familiar with Marine Tex Putty so I'm curious as to the finished texture and weight. Will it remain a soft gel or solidify? Is your finished recoil pad going to be a soft type or hard butt plate?

A reader asked, with all the information available, why does the Army and Marine Corp still stay with 00 buck. During the Vietnam war, the military tried many different size buckshot all the way down to #4 buckshot, slugs and fleshette rounds. The bottom line was, irregardless of science and ballistic information, 00 buck out performed all other types of shotgun shells in the environment of Vietnam against the enemy our soilders were facing at the time. Of course, the environment in your living room and what the local deer population uses may be different. I personally have seen the end results of #6 birdshot at 5 feet and #7.5 birdshot at 10 feet (both accidental shootings but more realistic HD distances) against persons clothed with hunting apparell and it wasn't pretty. The bottom line isn't so much as birdshot verses buckshot, or what size buckshot has or maintains terminal velocity, but rather to have a firearm available to use. I believe it was the famous Jeff Cooper that said "use the largest firearm you can safely handle".

ERdept- Absolutely, DO NOT listen to any advise from these guys. Snap on your bayonet and lunge forward !!

In my collection, I have a very small amount 12 guage military 00 Buck Shot still in the card board boxes (5 per box). The shells are manufactured by Winchester and the crimps are melted in the center. The primer is liberally coated with a purple solution for waterproofing. Recently purchased a large box each of LE127 RS, Rifled Slugs (10 boxes of 5 each) and a large box LE133 00, Buckshot. All these are Fereral Ammunition. These are also for my collection but nice to have around just in case.

In Taxachusetts, they actually have a limit on how much ammunition a private citizen can keep in their home at one time. This law was snuck in under Fire Code regulations. H & K is so far over the limit ! Be happy you live in California. The local fire chief even decides who can purchase black powder, pyrodex or gun powders. Buying ammunition through the Internet went out many years ago. Your choices are whatever the local gun store sells, or nothing. My state is the most unfriendly place for shooters and hunters. Our countries original "Minutemen", must be rolling over in their graves with disgust.

what is your LOP exactly (Length of pull) That's from the center of the trigger to the end of the buttstock. Benelli's usually are 14+1/4 inches. What is tours now?

I believe I read someplace that they took a few Vinci shotguns to the Dove fields in Argentina and the shotguns functioned flawlessly. A true and sometimes brutal test, many shotguns never pass. However they should have named it Vinciette, because she sure does look pregnant.

Hey !! I only own one Citori and I call it my Quail gun. A Browning Special Field in 20 guage. I feel the need to take pokes at "Vinci" while I can because like most Benelli products, the name might sound silly but they work better than any other sgotgun I've owned or still own and that's straight out of the box. I've owned a H+K Benelli M1 S90 in Defense Configuration since 1986, and during my LE career that shotgun has been nothing short of a star performer. I'm guessing Benelli's newest shotgun ( I forget the name but it begins with V ) will also be a great performer. If they could just do better with the names....

I now own and have owned, almost an embarrassing amount of shotguns over the years, with my Special Field Browning Citori 20 gauge O/U being the one with the slimmest fore-end. However since you asked about auto-loaders, my shotgun with the next slimmest fore-end would be my Benelli Montefeltro short stock in 20 guage. Actually, since I've owned the little Monty, my poor Browning doesn't get out in the field very often. I usually load my Monty it with the cheapest, low power rounds I can purchase and use two rounds at a time to keep the weight down on those long afternoon walks. Needless to say, a lot of Quail, Pheasents and a few Grouse have fallen to my little Monty. The short stock has a 12+1/2 inch LOP, which may/may not be the proper length for your wife depending on how long her arms are. A normal size 20 guage Monty should have a LOP of about 14+1/4 inch which can be shortened to her for a perfect fit. All my shotguns are shortened to a LOP of 13 inches except the Monty. I find in cold weather wearing a coat and shooting vest, the Monty works just fine.

I'm not buying any shotgun named "Vinci". Way to sissy even for me. I'm not going into the field and have one of my hunting friends ask what I'm carrying and to answer him, I would have to flutter my wrist, dance around on tip toes and say in my highest voice, It's a "Vinci". Benelli is the worst company when it comes to naming different models of shotguns. Maybe in Italian "Vinci" sounds nice, but it's not for me. And besides, unless it comes with a straight English stock, weighs under 5 pounds and fires .410 shells, I'm not interested.

Hi There M4p226n, By any chance do you recall where you got the bolt-on bayonet attachment displayed on your shotgun? Inquiring minds with a 16+1/2 inch M1917 shotgun bayonet would be interested....

I have a semi-auto, M107 Long Range Sniper Rifle in .50 BMG and it doesn't cycle light rounds. I've been shooting .50 AE rounds (from my Desert Eagle handgun) in it, but it just doesn't cycle these light rounds. Can anything thing be done to make my M107 cycle light loads? The range I use is close buy and only allows the .50 AE rounds. I would have to travel 650 miles to shoot the .50 BMG rounds my M107 was designed for. I need more options and I don't take criticism well... :p My apologies for ruffling ERdept's feathers. Shoot a few hundred more high power rounds through your M4 and give the insides a healthy spray of Rem Oil before you start shooting the low wall range appoved ammunition. Many times the #7 rounds ranges use are reloads with questionable and non-reliable pressures. Of course, I do have 44 years of watching folks buy hard shooting shotguns and then complain about why they won't handle light loads, accompanied by the usual swearing and jestering. It does get old after a while but hey, maybe you can only own one shotgun. Oops, their I go again making assumptions on why people do that. I'm a wicked, old mean woman. So, how do I get my .50 BMG M107 to fire .50AE rounds?

I have an older (23+ years) S90 M1, in Defense Configuaration and it's worked every single time for myself and fellow LE types I've loaned it to. Fired every thing through it from 3" magnums to light 2+1/2" English rounds. Never had a single burb of any kind and their have been qualification days at the range where my baby has seen hundreds of rounds of 00 buck and slugs shot in a day. Just love to show up those old Remington pumps the local PD's bring with them and watch them break down.

Maybe ERdept should buy a Monty in 12 guage. They will eat low power loads faster than you can feed them, especially the Wally World promo packages (Remington or Winchester). The M4 series and SBII series were all designed to fire heavy loads. In the case of SBII's, 3+1/2 stove pipes. I'm always a little confused when folks buy these hard firing shotguns and stoke'm with little lamb shells. Most fellars I know wouldn't dream about buying a little Toyota Tercel and exspect it to go 200 MPH ?? The Monty's thrive on light loads all the way up to 3" magnums. But then again, why would someone by a Monty to fire 3" shells all day when you have the M4's and SBII'S for that? As for ERdept's M1, which model exactly was that bad boy? I have the H+K Benelli M1 S90 in defense configuration, and it loves the light loads included some 2+1/2" English loads I got my hands on a few years ago. And yes, when I fire a 3" out of my baby, it DOES let me know. But hey, what 3" load doesn't?

About 18 years ago, I met a group of guys who considered themselves to be the best Pheasent hunter group ever. Real traditionalist. They invited me to tag along the following Saturday to see how the pro's hunt. I was sternly advised not to show up with one of my "girlie" 20 gauge guns and only bring a pump or semi-auto. The following Saturday, their I was with the only 12 guage that I owned. A H+K Benelli M1 S90 in defense configuration. All black, pistol grip, 20 in barrel with open rifle sights. After the laughter and mean looks died down a bit, I reminded them it was a semi-auto in 12 guage as required. They had never heard of Benelli, and inertia operation was beyond their grasp of gas/recoil type experience. Needless to say, I didn't shoot well as I wasn't used to the pistol grip and open sights and perhaps cylinder bore. No pheasents for me but I had provided them with enough amusement so that they invited me back the next Saturday. That Saturday, I showed up with the same gun only I had outfitted my Benelli with the standard grip stock and a 28" vent ribbed hunting barrel with modified choke. They still didn't like the black synthetic stock and again, I didn't get any pheasents. My poor Benelli was a beast to lug around mile after mile. The next Saturday, I converted my Benelli back to it's police configuration and left it home. Took one of my favorite 20 guage girlie guns (Browning Special Field O/U) and bagged two nice pheasents, although I wasn't with the elite group anymore. What I learned was, shoot with whatever your good with and used to, and that some hunters are so wrapped up in working the perfect hunt with all the "correct" equipment, clothing, dogs and electronics, they forget to have fun. Now-a-days, it's mostly my little short stock, 20 gauge Monty that goes walking with me, but I can say all the Quail, Grouse and Pheasents I've dropped with this little Monty don't seem to notice the difference.

If that shotgun was my daughter, I'd march her straight upstairs and have her wash all that war paint off. It's what's on the inside that makes your shotgun glow at the range. A wise man once said, "Perception is the first step to excellance". When you pop that baby out at the range, folks are going to think you are the real Team Benelli, so you had better shoot like the wind. Any thing less and not only will you make Benelli and yourself look bad, but you'll give Tom Knapp a nervous break down and miss some of his great trick shots (God forbid!) Kinda like Bling, for a shotgun. What ever happening to rich deep bluing and a high quality gloss wood stock?

Hi Mrs. Gun Guy, I should have typed my remarks more carefully. It's my H+K S90 M1, that I've owned for 23 years. The Mossy, like I mentioned, is just for show and tell and is only 3 years old. My local gun dealer had four of them. Two 590's with speed stock and Ghost sights. One 590A1 with speed stock and Ghost sights plus the Mossy 590A1 I bought with standard stock and bead front sight. Quick story. Back during the Viet Nam days, we had to use the weapons the U.S. Army supplied us. Our armory had 5 new Winchester pumps outfitted with heat shields and bayonets lugs. Every year we would take out the Winchesters and each MP would fire 10 rounds for familiarzation. Each time 2 or more of the pumps would fail and be shipped to depot for repair. Wish we had Benelli M4's back in the day !! By the way, Mrs. Gun Guy's opinion is very much appreciated. I love reading her comments as well as others. I hope she keeps up the good work.

As it turns out, I also own a Mossberg 590A1. The pump is easily the best quality the company has put out, maybe because it was a military weapon. Smoother and slicker out of the box than any Winchester or Remington pump (new) with it's dual action bars. I understand the U.S. Navy is still purchasing them. If you take it completely apart, the owners manual for reassembly is confusing. However when apart, you can clean absolutely every thing. The pump does have that really cool, eye cathing heat shield and of course accepts the standard U.S. Army M9 Bayonet. With a black sling or better yet a military leather sling, the package looks great. I was very fortuneate to find a rare wooden buttstock for the 590A1 that shortens the LOP to 13" which is perfect for me (they were sold for a short time to Police agencies). So far mine will hold 8+1 of every brand 2+3/4" shotshell I have tried in it and it's a easy to stuff shells into the magazine without any effort. Mine is mostly for show and tell as I also have my world class H+K S90 M1 in Defense Configuration. That's pistol grip, 7+1 rounds Bad Boy Benelli. Think M4's grand-daddy. 23 years old, been fired by numerous LE types, carried by me and still going strong!

Okay, okay! I wasn't suppose to tell anybody but I just can't keep a secret. The new Benelli is a 12 guage semi-automatic that uses caseless 12 gauge shotgun shells and an electronic ignition source. The days of misfires, failures to eject, stovepipes and dozens of other issues are over as there is simply nothing to eject. The electronic ignition source permanently ends the infamous "Benelli Click". The 12 gauge shells will come in only 3" and 3+1/2" magnums for the time being, until more companies can produce the new caseless ammunition. Also the new ammunition will cost 1/3 less than current shells because of the need not to have any type of case or primer at all. And they are totally waterproof! I apologize for letting all this all out of the bag before March 31, but when it comes to keeping secrets, I AM WEAK.

Wow, a 20/12 combo !! What a great idea. That way, the Benelli shooters that understand shotguns and know how to shoot can and hit what they swing on, can use the 20 guage and the rest of the users that are still walking on their knuckles, can use the 12 gauge and blast into the sky and hope, method. "20 guage teaches skill - 12 gauge just builds muscle mass" (I just couldn't resist a comment)

I wonder how many dorked up guns and women, johnnwitt has dialed in?

Have you guys ever seen the muzzle crown of a shotgun, that the owner has stored muzzle down for years? Looks pretty nasty, all scratched and with dings. You might even find a few with the front bead broken off. We all would like to think we treat our beloved shotguns with kid gloves, but the truth is, if it's a working gun, most get beat up pretty good. So, store those working guns SD/HD or Zombie slayers muzzle up. Toss a dixie cup over the muzzle to keep out dust, spiders and fingers. If there is enough oil on your baby to cook french fries, you're already in trouble. But hey, what do I know, I only have 31 years experience in LE work as a Federal Law Enforcement Sergeant. Six in a special reaction force for the really big bombs. One thing I have learned, if you line up 100 long term LE types and ask a gun guestion, you will get 100 different answers that are all correct. Listen, contemplate, use common sense... then decide.

MATTMCG felt his new semi-auto M4 was a bit "complicated and limited" and Duggan went on to give an explanation of the workings of a M4. My story was to demonstrate an example of how the semi-auto M4 features could be used in the field with a "quick change" story. My Monty functions the same as a M4. Remember, his questions were about the M4 series not pumps. Perhaps a better, although made up scenerio, would be a Marine chasing after a bad guy and seeing him about 60 yards out, quick changes buckshot for a slug in his M4 and takes the shot. But I'm not a Marine or own a M4, so I stuck with what I have to show a quick change with the semi-auto M4 type shotgun. After all, how the M4 is set up and how you could possibly use it's features is what MATTMCG was asking about. Yes other shotguns can do the same, but he was asking about the M4. Besides, I was proud of my Pheasent shot and love to brag about my Benelli's and hunting stories.

Here's an example from one of my last years Quail hunting walks. I was using my beloved Short Stock 20 guage Monty, S90 M1, with the cheap Wally World 7/8 ounce load in 7.5 shot (Winchester loads). I hunt by myself and don't use a dog. I was walking next to a field of tall browned out grass and just came around a bend in the dirt path and spotted a Pheasent also walking in the warm afternoon sun about 30 feet in front of me. The pheasent turned to my left and ducked into the grass as I pulled back the bolt of my Monty, ejecting the 7/8 oz. load onto the ground. As I quickly stepped into the grass to cut the Pheasent off, I slipped a heavy 1 0z. load of number 5 into the chamber and let the bolt slam home. At that instant the Pheasent rose out of the grass about 15 yards in front of me sqawking loudly. I had my Monty up in a flash and fired bringing the rooster done hard. I did the shotshell change on the run without looking, as I was trying to find and cut off the Pheasent. And yes, I went back and picked up the live 20 guauge shell I had ejected on the path. Love that Monty!

Come on everybody, group hug.....