onehorse

I have short arms, but still wanted a shotgun that would fit my L.O.P., so I got the thinnest recoil pad that Benelli makes for their M02. I was a little worried that the recoil would be pretty rough. Happy to say that it is NOT. I can't say how different it is from the pad that came on the gun because I never used the original. The thin pad is very comfortable and the gun fits perfectly. Of course, as with ANY recoil pad, you still have to hold the gun correctly.

I love my M-2, and can't imagine a gun functioning much better than it does. But that Vinci sure looks sweet, at least what I can see of it. The only problem I have with most of the ads I've seen is that the background for the black model is mostly black. What marketing idiot thought of that? I mean it's really hard to get a good luck at the gun. Makes me wonder if they are trying to hide something although I'm sure they are not. What do you think?

A little while back someone posted what I seem to remember as the USMC Benelli semi-auto manual. I can't find it on the site - not sure what the title was. Can whoever posted it please put it on again, or tell me the name of the post that I should look for? Thanks!!

Does anyone have any experience using the Burris Speed Bead? Does it really improve shooting, or is it just hype?

Does anyone have any experience using the Burris Speed Bead? Does it really improve shooting, or is it just hype?

I bought an M2 about three weeks ago. Here's why: 1. I wanted a good quality shotgun. 2. I wanted a relatively light weight gun (mostly for upland use). 3. I wanted a semi-auto that was easy to break down for cleaning. 4. I liked the way Benelli designed their gun to "absorb" felt recoil. 5. I didn't think I needed a 3 1/2 inch chamber - so I didn't need a SDE2. Unfortunately, I haven't shot it yet because the synthetic foer-end had a small crack, and I had to send it back for a replacement. I suggest you get the Benelli DVD to find out more about the M2 and also read all the posts on this site that are about the M2.

I just bought a Benelli thin pad for my M2. It shortened the LOP to 13 1/2" which is about 1 inch shorter than the LOP that comes from the factory.

Mark, thanks for the preview. I bought an M2 a couple of weeks ago, but haven't been able to shoot it yet because the fore-end had a crack in it, and I had to send it back to Benelli so they would send me a new one. Anyway, I was wondering about the recoil on such a light 12 gauge. I had to get a 13 1/2 LOP pad so the gun would fit me. Gave up about an inch thickness of pad. Can't wait to try this gun out. I did all the initial cleaning, and, by the way, I called Benelli about cleaning the recoil plunger/spring, and the tech told me it didn't have to be cleaned on a new gun and maybe only once or twice a year depending on how much you shoot. They will send you am email witj instructions for cleaning it if you request it. Good luck with you new gun!

From what the service person told me, your gun might be ready for that cleaning. You can get the directions right from Benelli - they'll send an email with them if you request them.

I spoke with the Benelli service tech about cleaning the recoil spring assembly on my M2. I was told to clean it by flushing it out with gun scrubber. 1.Take off the butt plate and locate a pin hole in th end of the plunger tube. 2.Remove the bolt. 3.Use a push pin, etc. to hold the plunger open and spray scrubber in to the tube. (The scrubber will run out the pin hole and look dirty depending on how much the gun has been shot.) 4.Repeat process until scrubber comes out of the pin hole looking clean. 5. Give the gun at least 2 hours (preferably over night) to dry out before shooting. She said I shouldn' t need to do this with my new gun, but I'm passing this on because I've read several suggestions on this site that say to apply heat and take the thing apart. Don't know if that's necessary given the "official" directions from Benelli.

In order to get the right fit for my arm length, I will have to get a 13 1/2" Benelli recoil pad for my M2. What is your opinion regarding this pad which looks about an inch thinner than the recoil pad which comes on the gun? Will there be much of an increase in felt recoil, and, if so, will it be worth it to have a proper fitting shotgun? I know people's tolerance to recoil varies quite a bit but what do you think of this trade-off?

It may be a hit-or-miss kind of thing. After trying unsuccessfully for three days, I was able to call twice in one day (this morning) and get a service representative both times. Don't give up.

I'd suggest you ask for references of people who have bought pups in the past. Then call them. Also, Gun Dog by Wolters (hope I spelled that right) is the Bible for training bird dogs for about 45 years. It's especially good for beginners. I even think they have a CD out now. I've had English setters in the past, so kind of have a soft spot for setters. Good luck!

Hey, Tucker, it shouldn't have to be a choice. You should be able to get someone who knows the answers to your questions AND not have to wait forever. That's just good customer service. By the way, I finally got through and the person with whom I spoke was very helpful.

Limbsavers are great, and one may help, but the Benelli recoil pad is pretty high-tech, itself. I wouldn't do any porting unless I checked with Benelli first. Number one: it may void the warranty. Number two: because Benellis are recoil-driven, so to speak, porting may screw up the cycling.

"Due to extreme high call volume, our hold time is longer than normal..." This is what I keep getting when I call Benelli for technical support. If that's all I keep getting, then that amount of volume and hold time IS normal or putting it another way, maybe the recording should say, "Due to insufficient staff at Bennelli, our hold time is longer than our customers should be expected to wait." Come on, Benelli, get it right. You need to get more efficient at promptly answering technical questions. What you have now is not acceptable! Really, does anyone ever get through to these people?

Check this out, and tell me what you think of this product as a lube for a Benelli semi-auto. It's called "Nanolube" and from the description seems like it might be the perfect lube for a shotgun. Has anyone heard of it or used it?

What do you recommend I use to clean the mechanism of my M2 before a shoot it for the first time? I thought I'd break it down as per the manual and clean any oil or grease off it with Outers Crud Cutter - cleaner/degreaser, wipe it off well and then put just a little Hoppe's Elite gun oil on it. Also, can you tell me specifically just what does have to be oiled - the manual is a little vague. Thanks a bunch!

In the directions that came with my new M2, it says to pull the bolt back into the locked open position before installing the barrel or removing it, but the pictures that correspond with the directions clearly show that the bolt is closed (forward). So, what is it, bolt locked open or closed???

Hey, Tucker, you were right-on. I called this AM. They were very polite and will replace the fore-end as soon as I get the cracked one back to them. Very good customer service! Thanks for your help.

It's a synthetic. I'll take your advice and ask them if I need to send the whole gun back - maybe they'll just send the fore-arm. I don't think I can bring it back to the dealer because it was on sale and the only one of its kind that they had. And they say no returns on firearms. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks!

This morning my wife bought an M2 for me for a Christmas present. When I got it home and began to assemble it, I noticed that the inside of the fore-end had a crack in it. The crack could not be seen until the fore-end was being slipped off the magazine tube. So now I have to send (at my expense BOTH ways) this brand new, not even assembled gun back to Benelli for repair. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! Anyone else had this problem, and how long might it take to get the gun back?

Thanks, guys. I'm new at this semi-auto stuff, so I appreciated you sharing your experience and wisdom.

My wife bought me an M2 for a Christmas present, and I'll be picking it up Monday. My first semi-auto shotgun. (I've had pumps and doubles.) So, some beginner questions: Does this gun need breaking-in? Can I use Rem. low brass, 1 1/8 oz., 2 3/4 in., with 2 3/4 D.E. loads? I believe that somewhere I read it needs at least 3 D.E. loads to function properly. Any advice on breaking it down for cleaning - those pumps and doubles are easy, so I'm a little intimidated by the semi-auto. Any help would be appreciated by this "newby".