M2 tactical new..questions

[Msl2007]

Hopefully I’m in the right area for this and the right people see it. I just bought a tactical m2 Benelli (11053). So of course I’m seeing conflicting issues on using light loads. All I can say is I’d like this gun to be for home, skeet, and maybe some hunting. I’m not a pro trap shooter or hunter, but I’m decent and it’s a lot of fun. I just always wanted a Benelli and semi auto boom stick at that. I read some M2s fail to cycle the next shell and others are fine. I highly doubt I’m doing any upgrades to this thing, keeping it stock. I would like some insight on ammo to use and not use. I assume the only time I’d need lighter loads is for small game or clay shooting. I’m a little skeptical as it wasn’t a cheap gun. 
 

Another more important question since I haven’t even shot this thing yet, I’d like to know if I can change the 18.5 tactical barrel and put on a 24-28 inch for hunting and clay if I wanted. I understand rear ghost sight would need to come off of the gun?? I then assume it would be a bead and just a bead on the end of the longer barrel? I’m perfectly okay with this. Not sure how I like the ghost sight anyway, maybe for slugs. Either way it’s a standard stock w short barrel and I’d love to be able to interchange as needed. Just would like to know if there’s any other requirements to changing a barrel. Where’s “the” place to get a barrel for my m2. 

[gumby510]

You don't need a different barrel for clays or hunting. I had the barrel for my supernova tactical threaded for chokes and I use it for clays and hunting. I use it often for sporting clays, I probably have 2-3k worth of rounds through mine just in clays. Ghost rings are a love or hate(great for slugs), I like them, they are slower for clays but I can still shoot in the lower 40's with a 18.5in pump with ghost rings.

[Msl2007]

I understand it isn’t needed I think I’d do okay with an 18.5 but I definitely want a longer barrel. I kinda wish I knew about the open rifle sights on barrel before I purchased this one with ghost sights. I like them, but I don’t want to use them skeet shooting. I wish I had bought a field in a good length and bought the 18.5 w standard sights but yeh I had no idea what I was doing lol. 

[cas]

Sadly you have the Benelli problem. For what a barrel will cost you, you could buy a whole 'nother gun from a different company. Or be 75% of the way to another used M2. 

 

 My M2 match gun, I've lost count of the many thousands of rounds through it, 98% of which has been cheap WalMart bulk Federal ammo without issue.  Of the inertia guns, I've got 3 M2's (had 4), an M1 and two SBE's.  Never had trouble with any light loads. even on the SBE's with their longer stroke.

 

 

 

[Steve Rose]

“Light Load” is tough to define....but a 3 DE (1200 fps) load using 1 1/18 oz of shot will function your M2 just fine.

Midwest Gun Works generally has the best stock of new Benelli barrels, but the supply seems to be sporadic (and Benelli barrels do NOT sell for 870 barrel / eBay prices, so get your heart and checkbook prepared)