New gun choice

[pacecars]

I have just gotten rid of my Mossberg 835 and want to replace it with a quality gun. I still have a couple of 20 gauges and a 28 ga O/U but I want a good all around gun. It will be the go-to for Turkey and ducks. I looked at the Beretta Extrema and Urika and then the Benelli SBE, SBEII and M2. The M2 camo with 26 inch barrel fit me perfectly and feels a lot better than the others. I have been thinking that 3 inch shells will do anything the Roman candles will do especially with the newer lead-substitutes. How does the M2 handle the real light loads? How well do the squishy parts on the stock hold up? I also want to get an extra-full Turkey choke so which one would be a good one and do the regular Benelli chokes fit the new cryo barrel or is it totally different?

 

[ 02-08-2006, 07:09 PM: Message edited by: pacecars ]

[cousin dan]

I say the M2 handles the light loads fine, others may say different. I've used 2 3/4 dram 1 oz shot with no problems, however the minimum Benelli recommends (for all their Inertia Driven shotguns) is 3 dram, 1 1/8 oz.

 

The squishy parts on the stock uses material patented by Bayer AG Leverkusen. It's plasticizer-free, is used in the medical field, and according to the paperwork that comes with the gun, does not migrate, harden, or age. So far mine has held up great.

 

Carlson makes some good choke tubes. The ones you'll want for a CrioTech barrel are called CRIO PLUS.

 

do the regular Benelli chokes fit the new cryo barrel or is it totally different?

The CrioChoke tubes are for the SBE II and M2. The Extended CrioTech tubes are for the Sport II and SuperSport models, and the regular Benelli choke tubes are for all others.

[Cleric]

With you light loads, it is all about breaking in the action. If you pickup a new M2, you will want to put a couple o' boxes of heavier loads through it to get that action where it needs to be.

 

Other than that, it's a solid performer. Since it fits you well, it would appear that you have found a winner!

 

Oh yes, bah on 3.5" shells. Never need them.

[IdahoDucker]

Originally posted by Cleric:

Oh yes, bah on 3.5" shells. Never need them.

I agree. I bought an SBE because I liked it best not because it shoots 3.5's. The only reason I buy them is simply because my gun can take them. I'm primarily a duck hunter and geese are normally just bonus birds. About half of the time that I shoot a goose it's with my 3" #3 steel loads. Always works fine. When I have time to switch loads it's for 3.5" hevi-shot 2's just because I can.

My brother has an M2 and has done just fine without 3.5's.

Off the top of my head I can't think of a 3.5 that would give me more range than the same shell in 3". You get more range with higher velocity and most 3.5's are a bit slower than their 3" counterparts. You just get a little more pattern density and a bit more kick out of a 3.5 because of the extra shot weight. You do get a litte better pattern density out of a 3.5 but the individual pellet effectivness is less because of the slower speed. Then again, if you're using the almighty hevi-shot who cares about speed? Awsome stuff.

[pacecars]

Picked up the M2 yesterday in Timber and can't wait to go shoot in the morning. I have never had a shotgun that fits me so well. I can look at a spot and then close my eyes and through up the gun and it is right where I was looking. I hope it shoots as well as it feels.