Cheeky, to your original post, I had one of the first vent-rib SLPs and it has never faltered in more than a decade of 3gun. That said, Tommy Thacker gave me some sage advice when I got it. He said: "If you want it to last, run it the way it is." No extended lifter, no hogged out loading port.
For me, that meant learning a thumb/knuckle loading technique to avoid blood loss. Certainly, no load-4.
Also, started shooting it with the light piston for the first thousand rounds, then moved to the heavy piston.
Reliable and durable? Heck, yeah.
However, I might suggest, if cost is an issue with respect to Benelli, take a look at the Franchi Affinity. Except for the recoil spring, everything else is similar. Even uses most of the same aftermarket parts.