Need advice on a charging handle for older M3 Super 90

[cartoonist]

Hello all,

New member here with first post.  I'm the original owner of a Benelli M3 Super 90 12 gauge shotgun that I bought new 25+ years ago.  I'll try to post some pictures soon.  It has a "BL" date code indicating it was produced in 1998.  From my research, this seems kind of a transitional period after the HK imports were done (mine does not have HK markings, only Benelli) but before some later modernizations like the tapering of the bottom of the receiver, the introduction of the small letter "m," and the newer ghost ring sight.  Mine still has an older style ghost ring rear sight with the small screws.  

Recently I decided to install an aftermarket charging handle on it.  There's a lot of confusing information out there, and I've tried a couple of them so far -- the Battle Steel oversized charging handle KZ-732898 from OpticsPlanet and the Oversized charging handle from ArmsUnlimited.  These are both the larger hourglass shaped ones that are not as big as the GG&G ones, which I think are too large.  Unfortunately, neither fits my M3 Super 90 -- they don't push all the way in -- as they are for the M4 and don't seem to have backwards compatibility (or I'm not pushing hard enough...).

Does anyone have any advice on a charging handle that will for sure fit an older M3 Super 90?  Not the giant knurled GG&G variety, but something a little smaller, and in black?  The closest I've seen is one by Briley, which says it fits the M1, M2, and M3, but the handle is aluminum which makes me a little reticent.

Thanks!

Edited November 16 by cartoonist

[John Doe]

Have you tried contacting Briley or, dare I say, FFT? They may be able to point you in the right direction on exactly what you need. The guys at Briley are really cool and helpful people and Im sure they will help you out with this. 

[bambihunter]

As an M3 fan myself, I had considered swapping the handle(s) out on one or both of my M3T folding stock models. Then one day I was looking at them and it I realized that it would be quicker to just twist the lock and pump it and either continue to shoot in pump mode or switch it back to semi-auto mode and send it.

Years later I started doing some low key shotgun shooting sports and I got fairly quick at loading a single round into empty chamber and hitting bolt release or cycling out a dud with my left hand over the top while maintaining hold with my right hand in the shooting position. This is not on my M3...