Jump to content

Inertia Power over Gas power


hunter1014

Recommended Posts

I know Benelli is inertia driven. So I'm hoping to get unbiased opinion,if it's possible. I'm looking at shotguns and can't decide which is the better of the two. I firmly believe the power of inertia is greater due to no power is lost during operation. What alot people don't understand is when a Benelli kick like a mule as some have said.There's a good reason for it. Your looking at pure power. Sure you felt the recoil but you have no loss of power. Gas on the other hand maybe alot smoother with a kiss of a kick but it doesn't have the power. Where inertia really gives you that extra edge is when you Goose,Duck,and Turkey hunt or take those long range shots a Doves. All four can be long range targets to hit.The Benelli has that extra hump in it to make the difference. Besides from what I've read it seems Benelli has somewhat tamed the recoil issue with the Comfort Tech stock. What alot of people don't know is the main reason they came out with Gas operated shotguns was for the recoil.I remember growing up that all my Dad's autoloaders were indeed inertia driven.Back then there was no Gas . All the new gas ones out there that claim to be so soft are correct but your losing alot of the power. Most of the gas is being circumvented away from the gun. In other words it's being blowed out the gun,so you'll get that nice soft whisper kick. I know alot will disagree with me on this matter but that's alright. The only way to prove my theory is to do an energy foot pound test. Without a doubt the Benelli and other inertia guns out there will indeed smoke the gas guns. I'm sure Benelli will never do such a test cause it's Parent company Beretta makes the gas ops. What are your views on this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recently I was shooting my Cordoba with 3 other people. They were shooting a Remington, Winchester, and Browning; all gas autos. The Cordoba was the only one that would cycle the low brass 2.75 drams of powder ammo. I have had this type of experience on several occasions. My neighbor has same problem with his Smith & Wesson gas auto.

 

I do not hunt geese or ducks much so have not noticed a "kick" problem when using 3" ammo. I shoot Remington Nito Pheasant and have not noticed a kick problem in the field.

 

I frequently shoot 125 rounds at trap, loading 3 and then 2 rounds, firing 25 at each station before moving along the line. I do this when no one else is using the trap, which is voice activated. Never had a miss-fire or ejection problem in two years. I mostly shoot Remington Gun Club Target Loads; 2.75 dr. eq.; 1.125 oz. shot; #8.

 

I highly recommend a Benelli.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I firmly believe the power of inertia is greater due to no power is lost during operation. The only way to prove my theory is to do an energy foot pound test.

 

I would be interested in the results should you ever end up doing the test. I don't know that it really would make a real world difference. The gas bleed holes are very small and depending on how long your barrel is could be relatively close to the muzzle so the time spent bleeding gas is relatively small. So yes technically the inertia system should use the gas to the fullest but I don't know how that translates to ft/sec or ft-lbs.

 

I'm sure Benelli will never do such a test cause it's Parent company Beretta makes the gas ops.

 

Perhaps, but it would be a marketing tool for Benelli, and when Benelli makes money so does Beretta.

 

I'm looking at shotguns and can't decide which is the better of the two.

 

I have an M2 and it is 1000x easier to clean than my gas guns, there are much fewer parts to play with. These two reasons alone have sold me on the inertia system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hunter,

 

The first place I would go if I were you is the 2010 Benelli promo DVD. In that DVD they have the test you speak of; measuring at the buttstock the ft-lbs of energy with varying brands and types of stocks, in addition to a regular Benelli vs. Comfortech. I know it's not unbiased, but it's information that has its merit. Besides, you get entertained with trick shots from T. Knapp and T. Bradley.

 

Which one is best? Well, for us mere mortals (i.e. NOT being Knapp or Bradley above) is there really a difference? Well, maybe. Gas or Inertia? Well, I LOVE my M4, but. .. that isn't a duck hunting gun either. I get my Supersport today, but I can't speak to my personal experience of inertia or comfortec. . . YET. ;)

 

I shoot trap better with my 18" M4 than I EVER did with my 26" 11-87. :eek: I have NO idea why either. Is the 11-87 a bad gun? No. Bad for me? Apparently. Both of those are gas guns. Why do I say this? A Benelli seems to be something special. In this forum, there is a LOT of passion for them.

 

Are there people that don't like them? YOU BET! Why? Some say they have frozen on them duck hunting. Some just can't seem to pay that much $$ (yet they'll spend $5k on an O/U for trap?) Some just don't like fit.

 

I think in the end, get what fits you, you like looking at, and see if you can experience the guns you're contemplating. I held, swung, mounted about every 28-30" semi-auto shotty I could find. For me, the closest 2nd was a Beretta, but Benelli inertia guns are just lighter, slimmer, elegant. Gas is certainly more maintenance. But... I look at gun cleaning as a perfect opportunity to get away from the nagging wife, relax and get away. She doesn't like Hoppe's 9 smell. To me, it smells a couple hours of freedom. I guess she doesn't have to know an inertia gun is easier.

 

Go check out the DVD, it has good information. Best of luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if it would be different with shotguns (though I can't think why it would be), but a lot of results comparing gas-operated versus fixed breech (such as bolt action) rifles has indicated that the difference in velocity as measured with a chronograph is minimal, often within the standard deviation of the load tested. I doubt there's any practical difference in "power" between a gas-operated shotgun and a recoil-operated shotgun - I certainly don't think that "your losing alot of the power."

 

I know Benelli is inertia driven. So I'm hoping to get unbiased opinion,if it's possible. I'm looking at shotguns and can't decide which is the better of the two. I firmly believe the power of inertia is greater due to no power is lost during operation. What alot people don't understand is when a Benelli kick like a mule as some have said.There's a good reason for it. Your looking at pure power. Sure you felt the recoil but you have no loss of power. Gas on the other hand maybe alot smoother with a kiss of a kick but it doesn't have the power. Where inertia really gives you that extra edge is when you Goose,Duck,and Turkey hunt or take those long range shots a Doves. All four can be long range targets to hit.The Benelli has that extra hump in it to make the difference. Besides from what I've read it seems Benelli has somewhat tamed the recoil issue with the Comfort Tech stock. What alot of people don't know is the main reason they came out with Gas operated shotguns was for the recoil.I remember growing up that all my Dad's autoloaders were indeed inertia driven.Back then there was no Gas . All the new gas ones out there that claim to be so soft are correct but your losing alot of the power. Most of the gas is being circumvented away from the gun. In other words it's being blowed out the gun,so you'll get that nice soft whisper kick. I know alot will disagree with me on this matter but that's alright. The only way to prove my theory is to do an energy foot pound test. Without a doubt the Benelli and other inertia guns out there will indeed smoke the gas guns. I'm sure Benelli will never do such a test cause it's Parent company Beretta makes the gas ops. What are your views on this?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started shooting my first HK/Benelli SBE back in 1992 specifically for the 3-1/2" steel loads and the reliability factor over gas shotguns. 18 years later and it doesn't skip a beat although I did have some springs replaced through customer service last year, first time ever to a shop. Having gone through one S&W 1000 and two Browning A500, having reliability problems in the field with all three and several opening day treks back to the truck for another shotgun to replace my one shot autos. I'm also a stickler about cleaning them. I have also owned a synthetic SBE, 20ga Montefeltro and just purchased a new Vinci a few months ago.

My Benelli changed the way I shoot...much better and the reliability, ease of maintenance makes them worth every penny I've spent for them, and I only buy when the deal is right.

I'm a strong advocate of the Benelli inertia recoil system and don't expect to buy another auto-loader for the rest of my life.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who needs a gas or inertia gun when you own a JC Higgins bolt action shotgun in 16 guage with a full 28" barrel with full choke and holding 7 rounds in the long magazine tube. When I was 16, I dropped a Dove at the length of two high power line poles (90+ yards?) with that 10 pound JC Higgins. Okay, okay, so the bird heard the blast and died of fright. That old JC Higgins would be the perfect turkey and goose blaster ever!

 

Where was I? Oh yea. I have owned so many gas operated shotguns and recoil types (mostly A-5's and Remy 1100's and 11-87's) and even a couple of inertia types. Then there was that weird shotgun from Canada with the fiberlass twisted barrel (think damascus). It looked like an A-5, only the charging handle was actually a bolt you pushed in to lock the mechanism. After firing the shotgun, you pulled out the bolt and pulled it straight back (ejecting the spent shell) and then pushed the bolt forward (loading a fresh round from the magazine), pushed the bolt back into lock position and you were ready for the second shot. It actually shot faster than it sounds. Not sure if that shotgun qualifies as a bolt action or single shot semi-automatic?

 

What was the topic again? Yes, Hoppe's 9 is incredibly foul smelling and only newbies use that stuff because it comes in every brand new $4.98 shotgun combo cleaning kit.

 

I hope all our readers realize, that in gas operated firearms, be it rifles or shotguns, the projectile has already left the building (like Elvis) before the gas mechanizm begins to do it's work. Now, all you guys with science degrees and slide rulers, prove me wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Below is a exert from a MBA level marketing paper for Benelli.

 

 

 

For decades, auto loading shotguns used one of four operating systems. Long-recoil operated guns were the first beginning with Browning's 1903 invention. Short-recoil guns appeared in the 1950s, while short and long-stroke piston gas operation became popular in the 60s. All three systems have been successful with the millions of guns using them. All have a common problem; they involve the barrel in the mechanical operation of the gun. What if the barrel could be cut out of the operating picture and allowed to function only as the barrel? That's exactly what Benelli operating system does. It uses inertia recoil operation, a system that is deceptively simple, which requires very few operating parts. The Benelli Inertia System is high- tech simplicity. It is the foundation of all Benelli auto loading shotguns. It is the heart and soul of its rugged reputation, and ease of maintenance. Dependability has set Benelli apart from the competition, the inertia system delivers uncompromising durability, simplicity, and the ruggedness that has defined perception and Benelli's reputation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...