Beretta 1301 vs M2

[mj2936]

I know this horse has been beaten a little bit to death but wanted some recent experiences with both, and which you would choose over the other and why.

I'm mainly going to be using for range/target, but looking to get into 3 gun, and once in a while may take it hunting or shooting clays.

 

Thanks all in advance

[davsco]

no exp with the beretta but my m2 has been 100% no excuses reliable since i got it a few years ago, in many 3 gun matches with a variety of ammo incl all the stuff at walmart (4-paks of fed, win or rem). 

 

prior to that i was using the sbe2.  it handled the win supersport shells perfectly but wasn't 100% with the walmart stuff and even worse with the light loads at skeet ranges, presumably because it's sprung for 3.5" shells so the lighter recoil isn't fully cycling it.  the nice thing about the 3.5" port is it is easier to load.

[CharlieD]

I have both of those guns used for 3gun, both are equally reliable.  The Beretta is softer shooting, but requires more frequent cleaning and is a pain in the butt to clean.  The Benelli is the Glock of shotguns, reliable and low maintenance.  

[TonytheTiger]

3 hours ago, CharlieD said:

I have both of those guns used for 3gun, both are equally reliable.  The Beretta is softer shooting, but requires more frequent cleaning and is a pain in the butt to clean.  The Benelli is the Glock of shotguns, reliable and low maintenance.  

This is pretty much it. I had to re spring my 1301 after 12 ish thousand rounds, but its possible I cuased that by cutting everything to minimum length when I got the gun. Other than that it's been awesome. The other big difference that gets overlooked is the wider fitment range of the 1301. LOP goes down to 12.5" which is a huge deal for smaller people. You can get youth stocks or cut down the M2 though, so its not an insurmountable obstacle if an M2 is what you want.

[Blockader]

Both are reliable and both need 3gun specific work to be ideal, it really comes down to personal preference. If you want tons of aftermarket support and components, Benelli by far has the upper hand. 

 

Advantages to the 1301 are;

 

1.  Because its gas operated you can add weight without effecting function. I have an 8 oz lead rod in the end of my tube and 12 oz in the stock. It barely moves under recoil. That's how I like it. 

 

2. Because it is gas operated it functions reliably in any position. Not only do we often get stuck in less than ideal positions in 3 gun, but sometimes in the heat of a stage you may get a less than ideal mount after movement of weapons transition. No big deal for the 1301. 

 

3. Its Longer foreend allows for a bit more aggressive support hand positioning.

 

I clean mine every 500 rounds or so, same as I would for any shotgun. I replace the mag tube spring once a year at least. I have also replaced the bolt spring once just to get ahead of it. The only malfunction I have had in many 1000s of rounds was once when I forgot to lube it after cleaning. 

 

A slight downside to the 1301 that often gets overlooked is that the mag tube sits much closer to the barrel in the reciever. That means there is more aluminum to remove to get a slick loading port, depending on your loading style and preference. 

 

I have some fancy guns, Dissident KL-12, Honcho on order. If I thought the 1301 was anything less than ideal for me I wouldn't hesitate to switch, but after shooting some different shotguns, I really do think my self-customized 1301 is tops. 

 

 

[Eagle4]

I have run both. Both are great choice.

My feelings : 

more recoil with m2 than 1301

easier to load faster with m2 than 1301

more tuning parts available for m2

M2 fits better for tall people (1.80m and taller)

if you don’t like  clean your gun : m2 is your gun

 

1301 is ipsc world champion, m2 is #2, #3, #4 and #5 for 1301 again.

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Eagle4

[mj2936]

4 hours ago, TonytheTiger said:

This is pretty much it. I had to re spring my 1301 after 12 ish thousand rounds, but its possible I cuased that by cutting everything to minimum length when I got the gun. Other than that it's been awesome. The other big difference that gets overlooked is the wider fitment range of the 1301. LOP goes down to 12.5" which is a huge deal for smaller people. You can get youth stocks or cut down the M2 though, so its not an insurmountable obstacle if an M2 is what you want.

 If you get the "compact" version to start, is there any difference between this and the standard version except the stock length (hence changing length of pull)?

[TonytheTiger]

28 minutes ago, mj2936 said:

 If you get the "compact" version to start, is there any difference between this and the standard version except the stock length (hence changing length of pull)?

I believe the compact is otherwise identical to a standard M2. They were unobtanium when I was in the market though.

[Frankly]

Owned both, the manual of arms is different so you pretty much have to stick with one. Personally I didn't like the 1301 bolt release or cleaning the gas block. 

 

Now I own a M2 and a Franchi (basically a M2 with recoil spring in different place). To me they feel more solid than the 1301. 

 

Note that Beretta owns Benelli, Franchi and Stoeger so they make guns at every price point. 

 

Don't overlook Bredas. 

[Blockader]

1 hour ago, Frankly said:

Owned both, the manual of arms is different so you pretty much have to stick with one. Personally I didn't like the 1301 bolt release or cleaning the gas block. 

 

Now I own a M2 and a Franchi (basically a M2 with recoil spring in different place). To me they feel more solid than the 1301. 

 

Note that Beretta owns Benelli, Franchi and Stoeger so they make guns at every price point. 

 

Don't overlook Bredas. 

 

The Bredas look the most 3 gun ready from the box for sure, but I keep hearing about reliability issues...

 

A friend I got into 3 Gun found an amazing deal on a Franchi. He cut the port and added a mercury recoil reducer and it runs great and recoil looks really flat. I haven't gotten to shot it yet.

[dogtired]

I think the feel of the recoil pulse is different between gas and inertia.  You will quickly adjust to either but shooting one then the other will highlight that recoil difference.

Edited April 19, 2020 by dogtired

[mj2936]

On 4/18/2020 at 1:06 PM, Eagle4 said:

I have run both. Both are great choice.

My feelings : 

more recoil with m2 than 1301

easier to load faster with m2 than 1301

more tuning parts available for m2

M2 fits better for tall people (1.80m and taller)

if you don’t like  clean your gun : m2 is your gun

 

1301 is ipsc world champion, m2 is #2, #3, #4 and #5 for 1301 again.

 

Either one more or less reliable under not great conditions (ie wet, dirty, muddy)

[The Donald]

7 hours ago, mj2936 said:

Either one more or less reliable under not great conditions (ie wet, dirty, muddy)

I have a 1301, one of the first ones. I hardly ever tear it down and clean it, mostly just run some CLP on the bolt and have no problems with the gun not running. I don't shoot real crap loads like Wal-mart bulk loads, but it runs great with most shotgun ammo.

 

I have been to matches that the range is pretty dusty and the M2 and Versamax guys have to teardown and clean there guns.

[kurtm]

I have never had a dusty range choke my Benellis, nor have I noticed it with other Benellis or Versa Max shotguns, but living in the desert south west, and shooting in most Western States from Washington to Texas maybe I have never shot on a dusty range. I have seen plenty of poorly maintained shotguns brought to matches though, and the mere squirt of CLP you mention would be forien to many I have seen fail. I don't know why people just hate to use oil.....hey folks it's real cheap right now, take advantage of it!!!

[Eagle4]

I have shoot in Russia, Bryansk range : sand is everywhere. Only open guys (with sand in the mags) and some manuals have trouble.

[Frankly]

On 4/18/2020 at 5:26 PM, Blockader said:

A friend I got into 3 Gun found an amazing deal on a Franchi. He cut the port and added a mercury recoil reducer and it runs great and recoil looks really flat. I haven't gotten to shot it yet.

 

A couple of years back I got a new Franchi Affinity with adult and youth stocks for $500 from a store on Gunbroker who had dozens of them, now long gone because I should have bought several but I wanted to see how they were. Comparing them to the M2 I can't find any quality difference and the only design change is the location of the recoil spring around the magazine rather than in the M2 stock. Had Rose Action Sports do some work on it and it's great. Even at $750 it's a good base gun and is better finished than the Stoeger. 

[mj2936]

On 4/18/2020 at 1:06 PM, Eagle4 said:

 

 

On another note, does 922r even apply to adding extended magazine tubes? Or, if my understanding is correct, since most semiauto berettas and benellis (except the m4) are not on the list, 922r does not apply? I believe M4s have the 922r issue when trying to modify it (usually extended magazine tubes or a collapsible stock) because such modifications would essentially convert it into a "banned" configuration of an imported gun. Or are all imports subject to 922r?

[TonytheTiger]

922r only seems to exist on the internet, not in real life.

[Intheshaw1]

On 4/20/2020 at 1:26 PM, Frankly said:

 

A couple of years back I got a new Franchi Affinity with adult and youth stocks for $500 from a store on Gunbroker who had dozens of them, now long gone because I should have bought several but I wanted to see how they were. Comparing them to the M2 I can't find any quality difference and the only design change is the location of the recoil spring around the magazine rather than in the M2 stock. Had Rose Action Sports do some work on it and it's great. Even at $750 it's a good base gun and is better finished than the Stoeger. 

500 with youth stock is an amazing deal. I paid around 600 for mine last summer after all the m3ks were sold out and glad I spent a little more as it's a much nicer gun.

 

Dropped another 150 at MOA for a tube and some small parts and love the gun. I've also retired my old Benelli Nova as my hunting rig and hunt the Franchi in the 3 gun off season.

[Frankly]

12 hours ago, mj2936 said:

On another note, does 922r even apply to adding extended magazine tubes? Or, if my understanding is correct, since most semiauto berettas and benellis (except the m4) are not on the list, 922r does not apply? I believe M4s have the 922r issue when trying to modify it (usually extended magazine tubes or a collapsible stock) because such modifications would essentially convert it into a "banned" configuration of an imported gun. Or are all imports subject to 922r?

 

It just means you can't buy it configured with the magazine capacity the Good Lord intended it to have. 

[The Donald]

12 hours ago, TonytheTiger said:

922r only seems to exist on the internet, not in real life.

 

922r affects the manufacturer and to an extent distributors. Once you own the gun, 922r does NOT to affect you.