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Opinions on SBEII


wvz71

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Hey guys, i'm new to this site and just wanted to get some of yalls opinions. I want to get a new shotgun and I'm leaning towards the SBEII. The thing is, it is so expensive. Is it really worth the money because I want a shotgun that is tough and reliable. What do yall think?

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Well...i've had my SBE since Dec11.2007...Patterned it.. adjusted it for me, duck&Goose hunting with it.....Trapped with it twice in the last 2 weeks...and its been a great Gun...no jams, no cycling problems...right now im just trying to get used to it...i hit about75% with it....and have added a new Easyhit sight to try and help me...the only complaint, i have is the little beads they put on the barrels...otherwise its a great Gun and well worth the price ,if your someone who's going to Takecare of it...its the gun for you...Honkers41!!!

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I had a SBE for 18 years, used it for buckshot & had a slug barrel. It had 1,000's of shots and never failed to cycle. Cleaned it once a year or if wet. Now have two left hand(one SBE & one SBEII) guns and they work fine. The larger guard on II is a nice touch. Have had a Berretta Ext. and a Browning Gold 3 1/2, I will take the SBE hands down.

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I have had all of the 31/2" auto guns made. They are all good in there own way. I like the SBE II very much as it is very small and compact. I also like the idea of how easy it is to take apart and clean. It really does not get any easier than them to clean. The SBE II is a big thumbs up for me. The SBE I I would not own.

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I love mine...

 

I had a Browning Gold 3 1/2" before and it was a nice gun but the one I had didn't pattern like I wanted it to. I tried various choke tubes and was never satisfied. Last spring a friend bought a SBEII and it patterned awesome. It got to eating at me and I got rid of the Browning for the Benelli.

 

I've owned about 6 shotguns and the SBEII is by far my favorite. It cycles lightning fast and I've never had a problem. Of course, I haven't had mine as long as some of these other guys. I have used it in cold temps but no rain yet. It patterns like a dream. I have a Primos Jellyhead choke tube that really impresses me for the money, and an Indian Creek that is just amazing. I have cleaned it a few times, which is real easy, and I keep it oiled with CLP. I think it will provide me with many years of great hunting.

 

My friend says "Its the chit" or something like that...

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It really doesn't matter on the camo pattern.

Just get whichever one appeals to you the most.

I've hunted for years with shiny guns and with camo guns.

The main thing is to stay still when game nears.

 

More on the SBEII.

 

Pros:

  • Lightweight
  • Shorter forearm
  • Easy to clean
  • No gas system fouling or o-rings to worry about
  • Shims to adjust cast and drop
  • Great warranty and customer service
  • Excellent resale value

Cons:

  • Lightweight (more recoil)
  • Non-locking bolt (the bolt can and will unlock with a light bump on the buttstock. If this happens, there will likely be a fail to fire) Benelli owners get accustomed to this and know to watch out for it.
  • May not cycle loads lighter than the recommended minimums. Many do, but some don't, and Benelli will not warranty the gun to cycle 7/8 ounce trap loads
  • European sighting means more rib and having the target fully visible above the bead.
  • Parts and extra barrels are expensive, difficult to find, and there can be long wait periods for them
  • Customer service in busy seasons can be slow

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camo pattern is a personal preference and what hunting you plan to do most....if it's mostly waterfowl i'd lean toward the Max4 pattern for everything else the HD Timber of APG patterns are outstanding!

 

Make sure you follow the "break-in" proceedure in the manual when you get the gun....this will help you avoid any failures caused by lighter loads! These guns are extremely reliable but like any firearm that shoots 2-3/4", 3" and 3-1/2" they must be maintained and if your like most guys you won't look at the manual until somebody tells you to do so later........good luck!

 

BTW - I own 4 Benelli's right now, some I have had for over 12 years they are fantastic shotguns! I also shoot a Browning Gold 10 bore for waterfowl mostly, it is a highly specialized firearm intended for longer distances and larger shot, it patterns an shoots extremely well, too. Several friends shoot the Browning Gold 3.5's (12ga) and my Benelli's and the Gold 10 outperform nearly every one of them. Matter of fact my old Browning A5 Mag Twelve out performs many of the newer guns I see in the duck blind....buy it has a Hastings Wadlock barrel, too!

 

DITTO - "tucks" reply!!!!!!!!

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It really doesn't matter on the camo pattern.

Just get whichever one appeals to you the most.

I've hunted for years with shiny guns and with camo guns.

The main thing is to stay still when game nears.

 

More on the SBEII.

 

Pros:

  • Lightweight
  • Shorter forearm
  • Easy to clean
  • No gas system fouling or o-rings to worry about
  • Shims to adjust cast and drop
  • Great warranty and customer service
  • Excellent resale value

Cons:

  • Lightweight (more recoil)
  • Non-locking bolt (the bolt can and will unlock with a light bump on the buttstock. If this happens, there will likely be a fail to fire) Benelli owners get accustomed to this and know to watch out for it.
  • May not cycle loads lighter than the recommended minimums. Many do, but some don't, and Benelli will not warranty the gun to cycle 7/8 ounce trap loads
  • European sighting means more rib and having the target fully visible above the bead.
  • Parts and extra barrels are expensive, difficult to find, and there can be long wait periods for them
  • Customer service in busy seasons can be slow

 

 

 

Great lists! thanks

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I love my SBE2. I went with a comp-n-choke XX using Win HV 3.5" #4 and I literally took a turkeys head completely off last year at 11 paces. The recoil...well you feel it but it's not as hard as you think. When I first bought my gun I broke it in by shooting 30 rounds of the Win HV turkey load; 2 boxes of 3" #4 and 1 box of the 3.5" #4. I felt a little ache the next day, but nothing painful. I would post a pic of the turkey, but don't know how. Good luck with your decision.

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I thought the new inertia and comfortech system reduced recoil a lot? I heard it didn't kick a lot at all..

 

It's mostly marketing I'm afraid.

It's a very lightweight gun and there's no gas system to bleed off some of the muzzel energy.

It's all transferred to the shooter end on the gun.

 

Yes, the Comfortech stock dampens it some, but have no illusions, she's a kicker.

 

I never notice it, but I mostly shoot living targets.

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No, it kicks as hard as many and harder than some.

If you know someone who's familiar with physics, they can explain to you the science behind it.

 

The simple version is that:

recoil = muzzle energy - gun weight.

 

The Comfortech system doesn't remove recoil. That's not possible.

It simply amortizes the recoil over time and more surface area in order to make its effect less of a punch and more of a push.

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As much as I respect some guys here, I respect Benelli more :)

 

My Browning Silver and Gold kick the crap out of me with turkey loads. Both are gas guns. Sharp, hard, violent recoil.

 

My many SBE's and SBE II do not even remotely kick the same way. The SBE II kicks plenty, but not the same way. More of a firm push.

 

Apples to oranges for me. But that's just my take.

 

IMG_0094.jpg

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nice birds mudhen!

 

"tuck" has the basics covered.....a lightweight gun does (typically) kick harder than a heavy one but he forgot to mention the load is equally important. So being the mudane engineer i am here is.....

 

The "RECOIL" formula:

 

E = 1/2 (Wr / 32) (Wb x MV + 4700 x Wp / 7000 x Wr)squared

 

Where E = recoil Energy in ft. lbs., Wr = Weight of gun in pounds, Wb = Weight of shot+wad in grains, MV = Muzzle Velocity of shot in feet-per-second, Wp = Weight of powder in grains.

 

This formula will tell you just how much energy (recoil) a particular gun with a particular load will have. However, perceived recoil, what the shooter actually feels, is a highly subjective matter. Perceived recoil is influenced by many factors. One of the most important of these is the fit and shape of the gun to the shooter. A good recoil pad can help soften the blow to the shooter's shoulder just as the "Comfort Tech" system claims to reduce recoil. Gas-operated semi-automatic actions reduce apparent recoil by spreading it over a longer period of time. These sorts of things cannot be accounted for in the "formula" but engineers and shooters understand these variables exist. Also, keep in mind that there are dozens of loads for any given shot charge weight in any gauge that will produce the same velocity, but a different amount of recoil.

 

The bottomline for me if I'm shooting a gun and the recoil feels excessive the first thing to check is fit.....unlike Mudhen's experience my Browning Gold's feel much softer with the same turkey load that I shoot in my Benelli and I equate that to the Browning being heavier, fitting me better, and having a gas operating system. Once my Benelli's had the proper drop & cast set to fit me the "percieved recoil" was less. Perhaps "fit" is why mudhen has more perceived recoil with his Browning vs the Benelli.....his Benelli "fits" him better???

 

"tuck" makes another valid comment....shooting live game seems to reduce "percieved recoil" and many shooters have witnessed this over the years and I believe it is due to the adrenalin we have at the moment we squeeze the trigger?!?!

 

that's my nickles worth........

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