Help Me With My Shotgun Quandry

[Audifn]

So I want to get into the 3 gun game now that I'm living in Texas and there are actually some matches to shoot.

However, I haven't shot 3 gun since the 2001 nationals so I'm a little out of the loop.

I've got a Benelli M1 with an 18" barrel, rifle sights, and and extension tube.

I know this is not ideal, so I'm trying to figure out the best as well as the most cost effective route for getting a dialed in 3 gun shotgun.

So here's the question...

Should I try and upgrade my existing M1 or sell it and buy a different shotgun?

I eventually want to shoot open, but for now I'm gonna start with a tactical division shotgun.

Give me your thoughts and ideas.

And since I've got a baby on the way, I'd like to do it as cost effectively as possible.

Thanks in advance.

[gng4life]

I was in your same shoes about a year ago. I had a M1 that I loved but it's in the same configuration as yours. After pricing things out to "upgrade" it, to me it was more practical to sell it and use that to get a ready to run M2. Since you want the most cost effective way, sell your M1, use that and add some funds to get an M2. Then do little upgrades as you can throw money into it.

Another option would be to sell it and add minimal funds to get a Benny 930, if you want to go with a Mossberg. If Benny touches it, it will be fine I'm sure.

[RH45]

You should shoot a few matches with what you have.

If you're planning to move to open, and put an optic on your shotgun, the short barrel won't hurt you. Hopefully, it is threaded for choke tubes, and not a fixed, cylinder choke. Even then, I think you could get it threaded for tubes.

[Audifn]

You should shoot a few matches with what you have.

If you're planning to move to open, and put an optic on your shotgun, the short barrel won't hurt you. Hopefully, it is threaded for choke tubes, and not a fixed, cylinder choke. Even then, I think you could get it threaded for tubes.

I know how it shoots, and I shot it in many 3 gun matches years ago and even then the rifle sights were a hindrance.

It does have choke tubes though.

Also, how would the short barrel, not hurt me in open? Most all the open guns are running 24 and 26 inch barrels right?

[ken hebert]

barrel length dont mean squat for open, youre not dealing with a sight radius. Optics dont care about sight radius.

magazine length is what you should be concerned with in open, like 10+1. and yeah, its ok to have your mag tube extend out past your muzzle. plenty of guys do that. in fact there was a shooter in my squad at RM3G who had, i believe, a 15 round tube on his gun, possibly a 24" barrel.

[StealthyBlagga]

Stick a 8+1, 9+1 or 10+1 magazine extension on your M1 and get some matches under your belt. As mentioned above, the mag tube protruding past the muzzle is not a problem.

When you move to Open, you may well want to go down the box magazine shotgun route anyway (Saiga 12 or Akdal MKA 1919)... that will be the time to make a considered and mature decision about budgets and new guns.

[Audifn]

Thanks for the advice guys.

My biggest issue with this shotgun is the rifle sights, I don't like shooting with them, and If I take them off, I don't even have a vent rib to sight along.

So what are my options here? All I can think of is to try and find another barrel, but from what I've heard, those are hard to find and a 1/3 of the price of a new gun.

Also it eats my fingers on reloads...can you open these M1s up just like they do on the M2's?

[gng4life]

What my gunsmith did was remove the front rifle sight and put a fiber optic there. It's small but gets the job done. Yes, the M1 can be opened up some. I can take pics of mine if you would like.

Forget finding a barrel. I looked for months and gave up and bought a brand new one from Midwest for my M2 and sold my original barrel to pay for that. They come up sometimes but very rare.

[philg80]

You want to shoot OPEN......I used to shoot OPEN......I helped a friend setup his Saiga to make it run smoothly. He told me the other day he wants to sell it. Gun has a 19" barrel, fiber optic site, thumbhole stock with converted trigger, and I think he has 4 or 5 mags. Said he wanted a $1000.00........