[Glock Glockler]

So what is it? I'm thinking of employing this girl as my combat shotgun, so how well would it serve in that role? I know it is recoil operated, so the recoil won't be as soft as an 1187, but won't it be far more reliable?

Thanks

[CWL]

Same as the Benelli.

John Farnham uses one as his preferred SG.

I have one and it has never failed me. Just shot a 2 day course, burned 350 shells and did not experience one FTF/FTE. It cycles reduced police loads without a hitch.

The perceived recoil is pretty light.

I'd be careful about adding a SureFire front stock/light combo -it's too heavy & may prevent reliable cycling.

Has tricky manual of arms if you are not used to semis.

I thought that they stopped making these in order to use the recievers for their military M4s. :confused:

[jthuang]

My buddy has one that he uses at 3 gun matches. Excellent gun, never a problem -- even with low recoil loads.

Only complaint is that there are not too many accessories available for it. Surefire only makes a Responder weaponlight for the 1200, not the 1201FP. The late Mark Penman managed to modify the 1200 Responder to fit his 1201FP but he admitted the solution wasn't perfect.

More reliable than an 11-87? My political aversion to Remington aside, the Beretta will be more reliable than the 11-87 only if you don't really clean it on a regular basis. The inertia-operated action of the Beretta is much more tolerant of fouling, etc. than gas-operated actions. But if you clean on a regular basis, I'd say reliability will probably be equal.

Also, with an 11-87, you don't have the good old o-ring problem that plagued the Remington 1100.

My friend got an excellent deal on his 1201FP, he only paid around $460. I see them more for around $550 in these parts.

Justin

[Jim Watson]

The one I tried functioned reliably with everything from standard buck (no Magnums for me) down to cheap promotional Mart shells. It hung up desperately on a reload in an old AA hull, requiring (complicated) disassembly of magazine tube. It had substantially more recoil than my heavier, gas op 1100.

I should have bought it, the pros outweigh the cons.

[mete]

The beretta 1201 is a benelli. Beretta owns part of benelli. My experiences with a benelli are that it is an excellent gun ,very reliable and durable.

[Cthulhu]

Benelli 1201FP is a mechanical cousin of the Benelli 121/M1 Super 90 series. Bolts interchange, as do buttstocks and other small accessories (springs, recoil spring tubes, etc). I have a preban version with the rather tiny rifle sights. It's lightweight, throws good even patterns with 00/000 buck, shoots slugs extremley well, and has been faultlessly reliable with all shells I've tried except some 7/8oz Federal garbage from Wal-Mart. Just didn't have enough oomph to work the recoil action. High velocity 7/8oz worked though.

Same basic pro's (light, clean, fast cycling) and con's (aluminum receiver, senstivity to heavy add-ons, heavier recoil than gas gun) as a Benelli M1. Mine has the old irons that are a bit small for fast work, but very precise. I would prefer a Ghost Rings, but enough to ship it out yet.
Mag tube is fixed capacity holding 5 shells (6 pre-ban), although the Benelli trick allows you to carry it 5 (or 6)+1+1. Its method of attachment adds rigidity and strength to the design at the cost of extra capacity.

Light, reliable, affordable, highly recommended.