Which HK Shotty?

[Stinkyshoe]

I know little about the quality and availability of part for an HK tactical shot gun. These certainly are considerations.

I am interested in getting a Tactical 12 shotgun. I think the HK M1, M2 or M3 would be nice. I am leaning toward the m3 because of the auto loading and pumpable feature. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

What other options do you consider for a tactitical 12? An 870 with a solid pistol grip stock?

Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated,
Luke

[nwilliams]

HK? Or do you mean Benelli?

I assume youre referring to the Benelli tactical series. If you want an HK shotty look into Fabarm.

I like the Benelli M2 myself although I've only ever fired one, never owned one, not yet anyway:D

The convertables are pretty cool, but I've never used one so I can't suggest it to you. However I'm sure its a fine weapon and I suppose if you got the money for an M2 then why not spring for the M3.

If I could have any I would get the M4 is desert camo, very slick looking shotgun!
http://www.benelliusa.com/firearms/m4.tpl

[ravencon]

Those model numbers do look like they belong to Benelli shotguns:

http://www.benelliusa.com/

I've been admiring them for a while now and I'm considering the M4. It is a really fine HD shottie, but it does cost a large pile of federal reserve notes :uhoh:

[Cawdor]

HK imported Benelli shotguns for a time.

[pcruz]

I have a few questions about Benelli M model shotguns.

1) Is the M2 basically the successor of the M1? Are they significantly different?

2) What are the advantages of the M4's gas piston versus the M1/M2's recoil system (aside from being able to shoot lighter loads)? Which is more reliable?

3) What's the advantage of the semi/pump on the M3? From what I understand, it's good for LE since it's easier to switch to non-lethal rounds.

Any info would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to learn as much as I can so I know what to buy in case I hit the lottery :D .

[Zak Smith]

The M2 is the new version of the M1. It is substantially similar, with a different recoil-absorbing stock and a little different trigger group.

The M4 is heavier. The one I've seen used in local 3Gun matches was choking a bit, but I don't know what the issue was.

[ktd]

I have a couple of M1s. They are great guns, and these days you can find one at an okay price (I see them for $600 sometimes). That would be the way I would go. The M2 is nice but I do not have much experience with them. M1s cycle fast, but you have to be careful about adding accessories as the inertial system likes things to be a certain weight.

I know some people with the M3, but they never use the pump function (but in movies, no one ever uses the auto function (probably because of blanks)). If for some reason it appeals to you, great, otherwise, it makes it more complicated and a little harder to get parts for. But it seems to be a better choice than the Franchi SPAS12, which weighed a ton. Most of my friends seem to like it for the cool factor than any real practicality (my friends who do launch tear gas or door breaker rounds have a specific launcher or shottie for it, provided by their department).

The M4 went to the gas piston mostly for military requirements to my understanding. The recoil setup was sensistive to weight, the the USMC wanted a gun they could attach stuff too. In my experience it is not as reliable as I would like.

A more comparable gun in the Remington line is the 1100 or 11-87 tactical rather than the 870. Either way, you can trick them out whoever you like, just get a Choate catalog or a Brownell's catalog.

[Skunkabilly]

If you get an M1, and you plan to shoot mostly birdshot (3-gun matches?) don't load it up too heavy with accessories. Mine ran like a champ but sold it to finance an image $tabili$ed len$ for my Nikon $LR. :D

FYI HK also imported Italian Fabarm shotguns. Don't know if they still do. They used to import Benelli shotguns way back when.

I'd go for the M1 for simplicity's sake and you can probably find more accessories for it should you want to configure it a certain way. Don't know if my Surefire light would fit on the M2.

Speedfeed makes a shorter LOP stock for the Benellis, but only with the pistol grip stock. They're ugly.

[Stinkyshoe]

Thanks for the replies, Guys.

I thought the M3 would neat, and wondered if the pump feature would be an advantage as far as clearing Jams and being able to shoot versatile loadings. I can see for 3gun or other tactical training that having a pistol grip for the firing hand would be very advantageous as far as reloads go. (sorta why a FAL or AR might be better than a M1a in that regard).

I am thinking it would be cheapest and most expediant to put a speedfeed stock on the 870 and learn to use that. However the semi-auto feature seems attractive for 3gun and tactical training.

I guess the M1-M3 are not HK products but actually Benelli. Are they hard to get parts for and hard to work on at home?

Thanks
Luke

[Zak Smith]

FWIW, the straight-stocked M1/M2 is the most popular shotgun in 3Gun.

[zinj]

I thought the M3 would neat, and wondered if the pump feature would be an advantage as far as clearing Jams and being able to shoot versatile loadings.

In a FTF or FTE it is quicker to reach up (or back if you are a lefty like me) and rack the bolt than to switch the gun to pump mode, rack the fored-end, and switch back to auto. Now the ability to shoot low-energy loads in pump mode is a good feature.

[Stinkyshoe]

Zak,
Thanks for that info. What is your preferred 3Gun shotgun? Would you go with a pistol grip or straight stock? Any preference on open sights and accessories? Thanks!


Perhaps the pump feature is pretty useless for me then. I don't plan on shooting low power loads at all.

[ktd]

Well.. just listen to the salesman..."for just $150 more you could have the pump option! yessireee, that is the one you want". It would not help too much in jam clearing, I have never had a failure to extract in shotguns (lucky me!), and I do not think you would get much in the way of extra leverage by using the pump over the bolt handle. Most issues I have are double feeds, which require some mucking around in the loading port area usually. Also, it takes an action or two to switch it over modes (I think the M3 had a ring you had to twist?) so there would be an additional time penalty in competition. If you think it is a neat option, by all means get it, but if you need it, I think you would know it and not need to ask about it, it is one of those specialized features kind of thing.

For three gun, the Benelli is my fav, either stock is fine, just depends on pref, but I have a straight so I could have the mag extension, otherwise, I do like the pistol grip. Sights are also a personal pref, I rather like a red dot sight, though on the Benelli I just use the factory sights. My pref is the ghost ring, but once again my gun has the rifle type open sights, just been too lazy to change out. Come to think of it, the gun is set up backwards from my preferences but I still like it, I guess it is that good. :)

[Zak Smith]

I run an M1S90, straight stock and ghost ring sights. The pistol grip M1's seem to have more problem with the inertia system.

[HMMurdock]

My understanding from experience and word around the campfire:

The M1's are cheap, but can be finnky on loads. They need very high pressure loads to cycle.

The M2 is more expensive but less finniky on the choice of loads. They can handle lower powered rounds with more reliability.

The M3 is pump/semi adjustable, but has recoil like a <insert expletive here>. It makes for a very reliable shotgun, but you're going to be knocked around on semi.

The M4 is expensive as sin, but very mild recoil and --after worked in-- incredibly reliable.

The Nova or SuperNova is a pump-only, but very affordable and very smooth. It also has a very short pump stroke (comparitively, or at least it feels that way).

Hk makes the Fabarm FP6 pump and a semi-auto tactical variant. I own an FP6 (had two of them) and they are mangificent. Never messed with the semi verison, but I hear they are top tier.

If you want basic home defense, I say go for a pump. If you want to invade a small nation, go for the M4. If you want to do competition or something then go with the best you can afford (Nova, M1, M2, M3, M4 respectively).

Nothing wrong with a good pump, but if you want sex appeal get a semi or a lot of accessories on the pump.

TRL

[Skunkabilly]

Zak, do you know if the M2 can take an M1 forend light and a 4-shot sidesaddle?

[ktd]

Skunk, just use picatinnny tape (duct tape). I am sure there is a carbon fiber one somewhere.

[Correia]

The M3s are going for quite a bit more also, since there aren't nearly as many floating around, especially with the pistol grip. I've got a new one for sale right now. The M1s are quite a bit cheaper.

[Zak Smith]

Not 100% sure about interoperability of parts.

[Sniper X]

I have an H&K M1 Super90 with a Surefire foreend, ghostring sights, and a side saddle on it and with the stock spring it won't cycle anything 2 3/4in except slugs and 00,000 buck. It will cycle 3in anything....oh and forget "low recoil buck" too.....

[Zak Smith]

You've covered almost everything you can add to an inertia operated shotgun to make it less reliable.