Smokin Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 What are the optimal gunsmiths that can build "the best" M2? Im not trying to start a "ford vs chevy vs dodge" thread, but trying to find a list of the "few" guys who have this market covered. I poked around in Salient's website. Who else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) Mike Cyrwus - Accurate Iron Benny Hill - Triangle Shooting Sports Jeff Cockrum - C-Rums Edited May 17, 2011 by jtischauser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmchambers06 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Love my Accurate Iron Benelli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usp45ss Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Jesse pretty much covered it. I don't really know what you mean by "the best" m2, but any one of those guys will do a good job. I heard Grams used to do Benelli work but may not anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow patrol Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Well, I just sent my new 21" M2 to Salient along with a rather hefty check for the mod work. Now the impatient waiting begins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 How many here have seen Salient shotguns in action/person? Their work is beautiful. My concerns with them are that they 1) dont accept credit cards, and 2) need payment upfront. When a merchant wants everything up front, I get skittish. Just have heard too many horror stories of smaller shops going under with other people's cash. With a CC at least you have recourse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Salient is good to go. The guys that run it are known in the industry. Taran Butler is a big part of the company as well. They do need to get setup like a big business though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trail3 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 (edited) I went thru Velocity Shooters to get my Salient. It is a work of art. Shot a buddies and had to order one the next day. Edited May 19, 2011 by Trail3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow patrol Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 How many here have seen Salient shotguns in action/person? Their work is beautiful. My concerns with them are that they 1) dont accept credit cards, and 2) need payment upfront. When a merchant wants everything up front, I get skittish. Just have heard too many horror stories of smaller shops going under with other people's cash. With a CC at least you have recourse. No they don't take credit cards. But Tony at Velocity Shooter vouched for them. He said Salient is extremely busy with production of these shotguns. Tony didn't have any completed Salients in stock, so I did some scrounging around the internet and located a NIB 21" M2 for $1,100 OTD. Once I got it, I called Tony back. He was nice enough to provide me with the cell number of a contact person at Salient with the strict condition I not give it out. I called the guy at Salient, talked with him for about ten minutes about the shotgun package, prices, and options. He said they are VERY busy and it seems everyone all of a sudden wants one of these shotguns. Decided to make the move and shipped off my M2 with a payment check for the work. I'm looking at about a month wait to get the gun back. Worse comes to worse, Salient is only about a six hour drive away in case I need to do business face to face. What I have noticed is the price on the Salient M2 is slowly but steadily going up. Price is now hovering around $2550 for a new, complete gun - but it seems they're all spoken for. I wanted to get my hands on one before they start nearing $3K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Posted May 19, 2011 Author Share Posted May 19, 2011 Other than the trigger work, what do they do thats different than Triangle, Accurate Iron, C-rums, etc? Is it about $500 in anodizing/ion-bond/laser etching cosmetics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow patrol Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Other than the trigger work, what do they do thats different than Triangle, Accurate Iron, C-rums, etc? Is it about $500 in anodizing/ion-bond/laser etching cosmetics? Off the top of my head: Lighten the bolt carrier by machining away some of the metal, make the bolt able to accommodate a ghost load, and ion-bond. Lighten the trigger pull/match trigger job Machine/bevel the metal around the loading port Radius/smooth out the rough spots on the shell latches Welded lifter Oversized safety button Dave's Metal Works mag tube, Wolf mag spring Stippling on the grip area of the stock and fore end Arredondo bolt release button I went with the Salient because it was "one-stop shopping". Send the gun to one place, one time, and get everything done at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinT Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Other than the trigger work, what do they do thats different than Triangle, Accurate Iron, C-rums, etc? Is it about $500 in anodizing/ion-bond/laser etching cosmetics? Off the top of my head: Lighten the bolt carrier by machining away some of the metal, make the bolt able to accommodate a ghost load, and ion-bond. Lighten the trigger pull/match trigger job Machine/bevel the metal around the loading port Radius/smooth out the rough spots on the shell latches Welded lifter Oversized safety button Dave's Metal Works mag tube, Wolf mag spring Stippling on the grip area of the stock and fore end Arredondo bolt release button I went with the Salient because it was "one-stop shopping". Send the gun to one place, one time, and get everything done at once. Accurate Iron and Triangle do or can do all of those things. CRums may be able to also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMAC Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 How many here have seen Salient shotguns in action/person? Their work is beautiful. My concerns with them are that they 1) dont accept credit cards, and 2) need payment upfront. When a merchant wants everything up front, I get skittish. Just have heard too many horror stories of smaller shops going under with other people's cash. With a CC at least you have recourse. No they don't take credit cards. But Tony at Velocity Shooter vouched for them. He said Salient is extremely busy with production of these shotguns. Tony didn't have any completed Salients in stock, so I did some scrounging around the internet and located a NIB 21" M2 for $1,100 OTD. Once I got it, I called Tony back. He was nice enough to provide me with the cell number of a contact person at Salient with the strict condition I not give it out. I called the guy at Salient, talked with him for about ten minutes about the shotgun package, prices, and options. He said they are VERY busy and it seems everyone all of a sudden wants one of these shotguns. Decided to make the move and shipped off my M2 with a payment check for the work. I'm looking at about a month wait to get the gun back. Worse comes to worse, Salient is only about a six hour drive away in case I need to do business face to face. What I have noticed is the price on the Salient M2 is slowly but steadily going up. Price is now hovering around $2550 for a new, complete gun - but it seems they're all spoken for. I wanted to get my hands on one before they start nearing $3K. Wow!!! I thought I was getting stuck just a little for paying $2100. My Salient Benelli is my favorite gun now. I actually shot a 4 birds better at a round of 5 stand with my 21" Salient compared to my Beretta Silver Pigeon II O/U. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diversmith Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Other than the trigger work, what do they do thats different than Triangle, Accurate Iron, C-rums, etc? Is it about $500 in anodizing/ion-bond/laser etching cosmetics? Off the top of my head: Lighten the bolt carrier by machining away some of the metal, make the bolt able to accommodate a ghost load, and ion-bond. Lighten the trigger pull/match trigger job Machine/bevel the metal around the loading port Radius/smooth out the rough spots on the shell latches Welded lifter Oversized safety button Dave's Metal Works mag tube, Wolf mag spring Stippling on the grip area of the stock and fore end Arredondo bolt release button I went with the Salient because it was "one-stop shopping". Send the gun to one place, one time, and get everything done at once. Accurate Iron and Triangle do or can do all of those things. CRums may be able to also. I think the biggest differences between Benny and Salient is that Salient refinishes all of the metal work they do and of course, all of the stippling on the stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Posted May 20, 2011 Author Share Posted May 20, 2011 The big question for me will be if An extra $500 is a good price for some ion bond/gun bling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinT Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Accurate Iron stipples his stocks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 If you compare the details of what you get from each of the 4 places that do Benelli work for the $ it's an easy choice really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadeslade Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 The main difference is that Salient has guys that make sure the gun shoots to point of aim for slugs and Taran has a big part in evaluating the final product. No one else bends barrels if needed. If there is somebody who shoots a Benelli for success more than Taran-I don't know who it is. Their machine work is top of the line and Rob's methodology in lightening the bolt is the gold standard. Kurt Miller is shooting one of these as well. I have had stuff done by Jeff-he is primarily a lifter specialist. I am sure that Mike Cyrus guns are excellent-I have seen them in action and they are great. Benny Hill's reputation is almost mythological, but he doesn't do cosmetic work. I like all these guys. What do you want? What kind of money are you willing to spend? I say it all the time-Carl Carbon runs a stock Benelli M1 and does exceedingly well. He loads right handed. I have been burned by a well know poster on this forum that sold me a modified M1S90 that even the Salient guys and Taran can't get running. It has been machined out out too much in the loading area. The lifter was front heavy-generally a mess. And I paid 1500 for it. I was assured by some other guys who shoot for a well known team that the gun was just fine. Maybe for duck hunting. These people are all friends of mine and by having a shitty Benelli that I had to work on, I have become the Forest Gump of Benelli takedown and reassembly. Sometimes I think Traprs method with hand tools to open the gate a little and get a welded lifter are all you need. I have two Salient modified M1Super90's of mine and I won't trade them for anything. I would value them at 3000 because I have pistol grips for both as well as standard stocks, and I have 8+1 and 9+1 tubes. About the only issue I have with Salient is that the machining they do on the DMW extended magazines is a little shallow and the clamp can start to slide. I have my gunsmith turn them down about .02 more to match the Benelli extended tubes notch and I smooth the edge and have them re-blued. A stock M2 with a welded lifter by Jeff Cockrums and opening the gate a little (and I mean a little) is as primo a gun you are going to get with Benelli. If you load right handed, you do not have to do anything to an M2. DVC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 I also bend my barrels for point of impact. I also cut my receivers down a 100ths before opening them up, no one else does. I also include c-rums in every package. Lightened safty, mod. shell release, Great hi-viz front sights, nordic componments, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan 45 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Benny, you've been working on Benellis longer than----Benneli, haven't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry weeks Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 My Benny Benelli has been flawless for the three or four years I've owned it. It's not pretty, but that's because I've shortened the stock and tried other things to get the fit perfect. Just to keep in shape with it, I shoot trap league. I've broken as many as 24 with it and am usually around 19-21. Folks sure do look at it funny, that 21" barrel, with the mag tube extending beyond and all black finish sure does look out of place among the nice wood, high rib trap guns! The gun just feels good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 The best way to figure out which one is right for you is to get out to a major match and see them all in person. All are great guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 If it set up right, if you have shot one, you have shot them all. After the buzzer, no difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 (edited) Other than the trigger work, what do they do thats different than Triangle, Accurate Iron, C-rums, etc? Is it about $500 in anodizing/ion-bond/laser etching cosmetics? Off the top of my head: Lighten the bolt carrier by machining away some of the metal, make the bolt able to accommodate a ghost load, and ion-bond. Lighten the trigger pull/match trigger job Machine/bevel the metal around the loading port Radius/smooth out the rough spots on the shell latches Welded lifter Oversized safety button Dave's Metal Works mag tube, Wolf mag spring Stippling on the grip area of the stock and fore end Arredondo bolt release button I went with the Salient because it was "one-stop shopping". Send the gun to one place, one time, and get everything done at once. Edited May 23, 2011 by smokshwn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 How many here have seen Salient shotguns in action/person? Their work is beautiful. My concerns with them are that they 1) dont accept credit cards, and 2) need payment upfront. When a merchant wants everything up front, I get skittish. Just have heard too many horror stories of smaller shops going under with other people's cash. With a CC at least you have recourse. No they don't take credit cards. But Tony at Velocity Shooter vouched for them. He said Salient is extremely busy with production of these shotguns. Tony didn't have any completed Salients in stock, so I did some scrounging around the internet and located a NIB 21" M2 for $1,100 OTD. Once I got it, I called Tony back. He was nice enough to provide me with the cell number of a contact person at Salient with the strict condition I not give it out. I called the guy at Salient, talked with him for about ten minutes about the shotgun package, prices, and options. He said they are VERY busy and it seems everyone all of a sudden wants one of these shotguns. Decided to make the move and shipped off my M2 with a payment check for the work. I'm looking at about a month wait to get the gun back. Worse comes to worse, Salient is only about a six hour drive away in case I need to do business face to face. What I have noticed is the price on the Salient M2 is slowly but steadily going up. Price is now hovering around $2550 for a new, complete gun - but it seems they're all spoken for. I wanted to get my hands on one before they start nearing $3K. This is squarely not a specific indictment of Salient or Tony at VS...just a relation of a story from the precision rifle world. There was a smith only four or five years ago who was very highly regarded and had a solid history of good work and many fans. He had some of the same practices with respect to pre payment, cash only etc. Anyone who dared question the process was pounced upon pretty hard on the forums and the smiths reputation was repeatedly touted. The smith got in over his head and began using new customer $$$ to finish waiting customer's guns and ultimately wound up hosing a little over a hundred customers at $2-3K per, many of whom never saw a dime of their money nor their parts back. At last sighting the ATF and Feds were involved etc etc etc. The point of relating this story is not to imply any indication of wrongdoing by any of the smiths mentioned in this thread, but simply that in the custom gun world things can and do happen. You have to be completely comfortable with all aspects of the build to prepay $2500+ to get a gun built regardless of reputation. Call the smith in question, and if they are unwilling to meet your comfort level then maybe it is an indication the fit may not be right. The converse is especially true in that many of the smith's mentioned in this thread will work very hard to accomodate your concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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