JetPilot

Hogwild - I doubt your dealer forgot about you. More likely is that Benelli forgot about him. I have had several ridiculously lengthy waits trying to get parts and accessories through stocking dealers. Benelli is notoriously slow providing their stocking dealers with after market accessories. I'm sure a non-stocking dealer would be even worse. Now I'm here to tell you that the Benelli stocking dealers can sure get guns from Benelli USA plenty quick though. The supply problem seems related only to their parts and accessories. I love their guns, but I hate their customer support in regard to the timely supply of their Benelli branded parts and accessories. It's inexcusable at the lofty price point they operate at. A couple alternatives for parts are Brownells and Numrich. It's also been reported by others that it's quicker to order parts and accessories dierectly from Benelli USA. Maybe that's their ploy in providing such slow service to their stocking dealers?

My advice would be to find a gel pad at a stocking dealer or at a parts supply like Brownells or Numrich. The factory is exceedingly slow, at least they have been on each of my orders. My latest order that I just received a few weeks ago took them 4 months for a pitiful three items: a L/H gel pad, a raised gel comb, and an SBE II camo barrel. That's a ridiculous amount of time to wait for small parts or accessories. I'm a died in the wool Benelli owner, I have 8 right now including 4 new 2006 models, but Benelli USA's parts and accessory supply department is ignorantly slow. That's totally inexcusable for a maker of such expensive auto shotguns. My hunting and clays O&U's are from Italy and Germany and I get parts and accessories from their American operations almost immediately irregardless of what I order. But I guess they see the logic in taking care of their customers who are buying their guns. When people ask me about Benelli I talk up the guns big time, but I also tell them the sad truth about Benelli USA's weak support of their buyers.

Even the SBE II parts that should be easy to get are almost impossible. I currently have 3 SBE II accessory parts on order from an authorized Benelli stocking dealer. They've been on order for over 2 months now. And lest you think they are weird exotic parts, they are a recoil pad, a comb insert, and a vent rib barrel. Now these are not cheap parts mind you. With a bit of discount they are $645. I prepaid them 2 months ago and the dealer can't even get a shipping date out of Benelli for any of them. As an owner of many Benellis of all descriptions (including a new one that has been "in transit" from MD for over 2 weeks now), I find this "customer support" policy inexcusable. I get the majority of my spare Benelli parts and accessories off of gun auction sites on the net. That's really a ridiculous way to distribute parts. These guns, parts, and accessories are far too expensive for such shoddy customer support. Benelli should hire somebody with firearms support experience and technical knowledge, who knows the typical parts and accessories that a shooter will want or need, and then bring them state side and actually STOCK them in proper numbers and on a consistant basis. Again, it's not like the profit margin isn't there to keep some commonly ordered parts on the shelves at all times. When people ask me about Benellis I tell them they're great shooting guns, rugged guns, and tough all condition and all weather guns. But I also tell them that they're poorly supported guns. I shoot both competitive skeet and sporting and I have given up on both Beretta (Benelli's mother company) and Perazzi (also mothered by Beretta at one point) due to this same exact policy of shoddy customer support.

This story doesn't surprise me. That's what a Benelli is all about. Congrats on your find Russ.

IdahoDucker, I agree with you on that point 100%. I have several black Benellis and several camo Benellis, and I think their finishes hold up really well, particularly for how hard they're hunted. I've always thought that those inevitable little knicks, scrapes, and scratches that happen when hunting are hard earned battle scars, and lend some honest character to the weapon. I have "pretty" guns but my Benellis are tools, that's one of the reasons I like them so well. Because to me their beauty lies in the fact that they're tough, rugged, all conditions, terrible weather shotguns. And a few mars and scars here and there just serve to remind me of that fact.

Buckeye - Yes, by changing a very minimal amount of parts, an SBE can be either RH or LH. The parts listing shows just a few parts that are different besides the barrel (which as you pointed out forms it's own ejection port depending on the barrel extensions position). The LH SBE's are easier (parts count wise) for them to make compared with the LH M1 and M2 which must have a dedicated LH receiver due to the ejection port. And yes DuckGooseEtc., the ComforTech stocks do in fact have cast adjustment available through the shims for both RH and LH shooters.

I wouldn't think on an M4 that you would need to worry about cast on for L/H shooting since it's a tactical weapon that comes with zero cast. As far as the ejected hulls and spent gases flying by your face, R/H Benelli's have never been known as abusive to the face's of L/H shooters. But you will always want to wear glasses when you shoot it. The bigger issue is controls. The safety, bolt, and bolt release all being on the "wrong" side but since you're already used to shooting R/H guns, you've probably already adapted to those control issues as well. Enjoy your M4. It's a very cool tactical shotgun!

Yes - get the SBE II. It's worth the extra price for most buyers. That's why there are some great deals out there on left over SBE's right now, because the SBE II's, even at a higher price, are out selling the SBE's at most dealers.