Benelli M1 Or Remington 1100

[shred]

I always heard that the top dawgs liked the Benellis for longevity-- as in they aren't as likely to dump important parts on the ground in the middle of a match. For lower-volume users, the Rem is fine.

[chp5]

Slightly off topic, but here it is.

I bought a new M1S90 from an authorized dealer. I put an extended tube on it and, as a result, had to put a new stock on it (non-pistol grip).

The M1 NEVER patterned correctly and was about a foot off at 12 yards. My local smith looked at it, I tried different chokes and I had 6-8 people shoot it to make sure it wasn't my fault.

I sent it back to Benelli and they refused to do anything and blamed it on the aftermarket stock. I spoke to Benelli USA and wrote letters. Benelli essentially told me to jump in the lake.

I had to put it on consignment at a store and sell it.

This is the worst customer service I've ever received. I run my own business so I don't have time to take the matter "to the mat" (it would cost me more $ in my time than to take months trying to work it out).

My advice is DON'T EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM BENELLI!!!!! THEY SUCK!!

If you do want a Benelli, find one used and don't give those clowns any of your $$!

I think I'll post thios in the "What I hate forum."

[double down]

double down

Mine only has the standard recoil pad but it's not just about it kicking harder.  Hell, I started out as a pump gunner so why should I care? 

It's more that I could sense the action being snappier versus the smoother gas operation of the Remy and it never felt that it "flowed" as well.

Neil,

That's what I was getting at by saying the pad changed it into a different monster. The kickeez pad changed the felt recoil from the quick snap into a nice even push that now feels very similar to the gas guns.

I have no idea if any of the other aftermarket pads work but the sorbothane based kickeez really did change the feel of the gun.

[double down]

Slightly off topic, but here it is.

I bought a new M1S90 from an authorized dealer.  I put an extended tube on it and, as a result, had to put a new stock on it (non-pistol grip).

The M1 NEVER patterned correctly and was about a foot off at 12 yards.  My local smith looked at it, I tried different chokes and I had 6-8 people shoot it to make sure it wasn't my fault.

I sent it back to Benelli and they refused to do anything and blamed it on the aftermarket stock.  I spoke to Benelli USA and wrote letters.  Benelli essentially told me to jump in the lake.

I had to put it on consignment at a store and sell it. 

This is the worst customer service I've ever received.  I run my own business so I don't have time to take the matter "to the mat" (it would cost me more $ in my time than to take months trying to work it out). 

My advice is DON'T EVER BUY ANYTHING FROM BENELLI!!!!!  THEY SUCK!!

If you do want a Benelli, find one used and don't give those clowns any of your $$! 

I think I'll post thios in the "What I hate forum."

chp5,

Benelli as with many firearm companies can have customer service issues. I wouldn't rate them as the best but they are far from the worst.

As for your point of impact problem it happens from time to time with any gun or any brand that isn't tested at the factory for POI. Generally you'll spend $4,000+ on a shotgun that is factory tested for POI and it will be a high end o/u.

With Benelli if you mod the gun forget about factory warranty. If you have some basic bolt on's change them out with all factory components before sending the gun in for service.

I am curious about that Benelli you sold, did you own up that it had a problem or pass it off on the next guy?

[Neil Beverley]

Neil,

That's what I was getting at by saying the pad changed it into a different monster. The kickeez pad changed the felt recoil from the quick snap into a nice even push that now feels very similar to the gas guns.

I have no idea if any of the other aftermarket pads work but the sorbothane based kickeez really did change the feel of the gun.

Thanks. Comments noted. I would certainly like to try one with a kickeez pad. I'll keep an eye out.

I've still got the reloading issue to resolve but I suspect that I need to do some smithing to solve the problem.

[kimel]

Errr...Shawn Carlock is Defensive Edge although he may have some ties to Evolution that I am unaware of as well. He lives in N. Idaho and is a damn nice guy.

The 4-shell kydex shotshell holders EricW speaks of are made by a relative of Shawn's and are pretty slick. Don't think they have a website...at least not that I have found yet.

[kurtm]

OOOPPS!!! I even knew it was Defensive Edge! For some reason I was thinking Evolution rifle works up there in the north country, and then even goofed that up with EGW....ahh a mind is a terrible thing KURT

[EricW]

Where to go to get a shotgun that more competitive than Kurt's Benelli:

Defensive Edge

[bigbrowndog]

i've heard it here before, but it obviously needs repeating. its not the shotgun its the operator. i'm sure if you gave kurt an 1100cm, he'd still be competitive with it, he just wouldn't like it as much as his own baby.

[EricW]

It was a joke, hence the

get it?

get it?

[chp5]

Benelli as with many firearm companies can have customer service issues. I wouldn't rate them as the best but they are far from the worst.

I am curious about that Benelli you sold, did you own up that it had a problem or pass it off on the next guy?

Gotta disagree with you there - Benelli ths the WORST based on my experience. When you spend approx $900 for a shotgun, it patterns that poorly (to be essentially unusable) and the factory does nothing for you - I'd say it doesn't get worse than that.

As for what happened to the M1 - I disclosed the defect and sold it for less than 1/2 of what I paid for it two months previous!

I'm not saying that the design is bad - because it's obviously very good. What I am saying is that Benelli's customer service SUCKS!!! I will never give them another cent.

[Neil Beverley]

Whoops! I posted duff information about my loading/shooting times and I want to set the record straight.

Actually my best time to load 6 shoot 6 was slightly better at 6.31 but my best load 6 shoot 1 was 4.68 and while I can boast a few runs at around 4.7 in the main I was only achieving around 5.1 to 5.2 but still with my total total times under 7.0 and often at around 6.5. (When I was working the numbers around in my head I thought I was shooting a bit slow but the numbers make more sense now at about 4 shots a second)

I've always reckoned that on a good day I could load at 0.6 seconds per round but I truly believe John Beazely (UK) is slightly faster and I suspect that when he's cooking he loads at splits of around 0.5. One day I'm going to have to time him.

On my one practice day last year before ESC I was still able to get sub 7.0.

[Stresspuppy]

Well, after spending an afternoon at the range this past week comparing shotguns, I think a Benelli will find its way into my "family".

I couldn't put words to it that day, but the comments here about the shove of the Remington vs the snap of the Benelli seem to be right on. For me, I seemed to be better able to control the Benelli, extra recoil or not. As for times running through a mock stage, I seemed a little faster with the Benelli as well. When I put "stout" loads in and did rapid fire to see how fast I could get all the rounds out of the gun, I was a little slower with the Benelli over all, but it was at the end of the shooting and I only did it once so I don't know if that is an accurate read.

But even with that, I liked the feel of the Benelli. I also like the fit and finish of the Benelli over the Remington. Could be something about the black finish (let's see, I have a Glock and an STG58 FAL both in satin black finish.............).

And this decision was made as KDMoore kept chanting "SAIGA" all afternoon!! Devil Incarnate, I'd say!!! But we did have a great time and got to see/feel the guns with all kinds of rounds. Walmart cheapies to avg bird shot, to stout bird shot, to buck shot and slugs. We had 2 failures, one on each gun (kdmoore with the Benelli and me with the CM), but we chalked both of those up to operator issues as there were no other issues, not even "hiccups" all day.

So, I have gone through the safe, put many things for sale to make room (and get the money without upsetting the wife!!) for a new Benelli. I am hoping to pick it up within the next week. I will probably shoot it stock for a little while, to break it in, so that if/when I do mods, I will have something to compare against.

As for customer service, with any gun, if you modify ANYTHING, I would assume they wouldn't touch it and say your warranty is void. Glock even says if you shoot RELOADS, they won't warranty it anymore. So you either put it all back to stock (if you can) and then send it to them, or you just realize up front that the minute you change something, you are on your own (even more so since they are not that responsive in the first place!!) I am not defending them at all. chp5, your gun should not have shot like that from the factory. So there are issues. This is one of the reasons I want to shoot mine as is for a little while to make sure that anything that is wrong from the factory can be dealt with without the "you did something" accusation coming out. But from what I read, if something does go wrong, it will take a LONG time for Benelli to do anything.

My take is that if they were really THAT bad, top shooters would not use the guns. But thanks to people like Benny at Triangle (and others), there is someone out there that can help your resolve any issues.

More to come when I get mine............