Benelli M2 vs FN vs Mossberg 930X

[DAdams]

Benelli M2 Tactical 12 GA 18" Tactical Stock Ghost Ring Sights
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/37_919/products_id/411541405
$1092

FN Herstal 7 Round Self Loading Police 12 Ga w/18" Barrel
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/37_246/products_id/17641
1079.

Mossberg 930SX 12g 18" 8SH CB GRS MAT
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/37_336/products_id/52355
$579

Are the Benelli or FN worth $510 more or is the Mossberg a bargain?

For home defense it would be hard for me to justify the Benelli.
How about for 3 gun?

Money is not the issue so which should it be? Is the Benelli or the FN the better "investment"?

 

[Hal Carter]

I have owned both, and both have drawbacks, and pluses. My experiance was with the mossy it jammed once in a while. Not often but just enough to make me have a hard time trusting it. The plus;its reasonably priced and recoil is easy on the shoulder. If your wife might ues the gun she would like the softer recoil of the gas operated gun.(mossy)

The Benelli was the only semi shotty I've ever seen that was always reliable with full power loads. Benelli extended mag tubes are no longer imported but aftermarket high quality mag tubes are available. The m4 Benelli runs around 1600, but being a gas operated gun should be lighter recoiling, but you could get a custom Rem 1187 for less.

From what I've seen at the range the Siaga seems to beat all comers, IMO. They are around 600, and use the proven AK system. Russian mags are high, and they have the standard ak safety, but other than that I see no downside with Siaga.

 

[Chris Rhines]

I've seen a couple of people try to run Mossberg 930SPX shotguns in the local 3-gun matches. 'Try' being the operative word. Lots of malfunctions with different types of ammo.

I own a 22" FN SLP Mk1 and a 21" Benelli M2 Field.

The FN SLP will need a different gas cylinder to run with light loads (1-1/8oz. birdshot or lighter.) The gas cylinder you'll want is the Browning Gold Sporting Clays model, available from Brownells. Other than that, the SLP is very reliable and soft shooting.

The Benelli M2 is lighter than the others, in my subjective opinion has superior ergonomics and point-ability, and is generally reliable out of the box.

If it were me, I would pay the extra and get the Benelli.

-C

 

[Hal Carter]

At my local gun store the FN is around 1000, and the Benelli is 1100. High, but if its for home defense, and it's needed for that role, you are already having a bad day, adding a jam in the mix could be catostropic. You should not have to pay that much for a reliable semi shotty, but that's been my experiance over the last 10 years or so.

To be honest with practice reloading quickly I would not be too uncomfortable with a coach gun.

 

[orphanedcowboy]

I wonder how many malfunctions can be traced to actual problems with the gun?

I have bought a good number of Mossberg 935s and 930s that were problem children for their previous owners and once stripped, cleaned thoroughly, lightly and properly lubed, I never had an issue arise, ever.

The 930 is a fantastic weapon and very simple, the SLP and M2 are fantastic weapons as well, $500 more, maybe/maybe not, your decision.

I own all 3 and I believe the 930 out cycles the SLP, the trigger group is very simple and very responsive to "tuning", the gas system if properly maintained is nearly fool proof, the only draw back to the Mossberg is metal finish, it stinks.

I vote 930, you vote however, but my choice of HD shotty is a 930 that cost me $275 because the previous owner couldn't make it "run", bought it at a local range because the owner was frustrated and desperate. I tried to tell him we could make it work, but he wouldn't have it. His loss........

 

[jmr40]

Why would you NOT want to spend the extra for a gun that may be called on to save your life. On a gun for hunting or playing the shooting sports a malfunction is an inconvience. Is your life and the lives of your family members not worth an extra $510.

Never owned the 930, but I have a bit of experience with the older Mossberg 9200. Myself and a few friends have owned them in the past. Some of us got good ones and they worked just fine. Some others got bad ones and they never worked right. Guess which one I got. Left a bad taste in my mouth for Mossberg.

 

[orphanedcowboy]

Why does the dollar figure make a gun more reliable, we pay government workers more than private sector workers, shouldn't they be more efficient?


I have never under stood why or how the price is a factor in determining quality of a firearm. There are a ton of over priced weapons out there just as there is a ton of value priced weapons out there.

The 930 is a value priced weapon, it has a ton of features found only on more expensive shotguns. If a person knows how to properly maintain a weapon then he or she should never have a failure out side of parts breakage or abnormal wear.

I have 2 9200s and guess what, never a problem with them either.

I have had FTE issues while hunting that were a result of sand, palm grass, primers falling out and other oddities, but never because of a design or the price of the shotgun.

I have 4 safes full of shotguns, over 75 of them, and while some make the task of cleaning more difficult than others, they have always worked when called upon.

I agree that a HD weapon should work everytime you use it, but to be 100% confident in it would take a few more than a couple hundred rounds down range.

 

[bkjeffrey]

I have a 930SPX. When I bought it it gave me a few hiccups with really light loads. I simply put a few hundred bulk pack shells through it. I cleaned it real good and lightly lubed it and she runs like a top now. I think it just needed a good breaking in. Im so confident in it that I keep it loaded in my office as my desk gun. I like it becasue it is really light and easy to swing. Id go with the Mberg of money is a concern. Just be aware that you may have to exercise it a bit before its running perfect.

 

[jmr40]

Why does the dollar figure make a gun more reliable,

It doesn't, but past performance is a pretty good indicator of future performance. The Benelli and FN both have solid reputations for reliability, the Mossberg does not. Some Mossbergs work well, some don't. I'm not playing the lotterey and hope I get a reliable gun when my life may be at stake. On a hunting or target gun, maybe. If you want reliability on a budget buy a pump.

we pay government workers more than private sector workers, shouldn't they be more efficient?

Not true either. When the economy is good it is hard for the government to hire quality workers because they can all make much more in the private sector. When the economy goes bad everyone in the private sector complains about the poor quality of government workers and the fact that they still have jobs. You work for the government for job security, not big paychecks.

 

[DammitBoy]

The Benelli is hands down the best shotgun I have ever owned. I have owned plenty of others before it, but none will take it's place.

(mine is a Benelli M1)

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I own the Mossberg 930 SPX and have never had a issue with it, including game and target loads, though those stank to high heaven. I consider it a true bargain amongst semi-auto shotguns and trust it implicitly. Don't know about the others, but wouldn't even consider them for double the price of my SPX.

You work for the government for job security, not big paychecks.

Depends on the job. Nursing, for example pays far more than private sector. Sis-in-law was a VA nurse, so I've seen it.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

1 Cordoba, 1Super Sport, 1 M2 in 20, 1 M2 in 12

Not 1 Jam, and I'm a cheap so an so, I have run, all manner of crap shells through them. My opinion, being recoil operated, they run cleaner.cleaner =better.

The FN , a fine gun, I think is gas, for me, I don't think I would do as well, probably kick less though.

If I got the Mossberg I would run enough shells through it to break it in. I believe some small town police depts are having pretty good luck.
I would not load it and stick it in the closet.

 

[Hal Carter]

A little embarassing to admit, but I've owned2 different mossy 935's. Both had the same problems. A lot of companies put big money into advertising instead of the quality of their guns. They just want to make them quick and cheap, and get them out the door. I agree you should not have to spend 1200 to get a reliable hd semi sd semi shotty. When I was growing up I had a rem 1100, that never malf'd and it had literally thousands of rounds through it. It may be just the luck or unluck of the draw.

If some of you have a mossy and are happy with it, I' not knocking yours. I've had trouble with 3 different 1911 kimbers and a lot of people love theirs, so maybe I have bad mojo for certain guns.

It may also be like a poster said they may just need a break in period, but with ammo prices so high, if you have to fire hundreds of rounds to break a gun in, you could get a benelli.

Everything has some drawback. The benelli m2 is a recoil operated gun so it pounds your shoulder and does not like some low recoil buck. The benelli m4 is at least 1600 but it is a gas gun. Always get the very best you can afford. I'd say if you can't afford a FN or benelli, then go with a pump and put a lot of rounds down range.

I've been trying to find an 11 87 P for a while now, but just can't track 1 down. Finally got my dealer to find 1 and he says 1200, plus a wait time of 2 months. ***?

 

[DammitBoy]

1) When I was growing up I had a rem 1100, that never malf'd and it had literally thousands of rounds through it. It may be just the luck or unluck of the draw.

2) The benelli m2 is a recoil operated gun so it pounds your shoulder and does not like some low recoil buck.

1) I love my Remington 1100's (12ga & 16ga) and have had zero issues with thousands of shells through both of them. (my first shotgun) So, not luck in my opinion.

2) My Bennelli M1 is smoother and has less recoil than my beloved 1100.

 

[Hocka Louis]

Have an M1. WANTED a 930. Would love an M2. The Inertia system of the Benelli is the best. The 930? After all the failures I've read about and the fact that the sights are so high you need the Monte Carlo stock to use them, I just thought $600 would be wasted. Not reliable enough for me and won't hit anything easily without modifications out of the box...

M2.

Gov't job? Are you kidding!? Ex is a junior highschool art teacher. After 15 years of teaching little monsters to fingerpaint in 5 classes 180 days a year she makes $110k with summers off (and always started complaining July 1st it was almost over). Benefits are better than most millionaires can BUY and she'll retire at 3/4 salary with lifetime inflation adjustments and full, Obamacare-exempted, medical coverage. Your Democrat tax dollars at work. She literally has so much money she doesn't know what to do with it. I had to force her to refinance the $80k mortgage to cut the interest in half! Paid a no-show carpenter and his day-laborer $800 a day to put down a hardwood floor in a medium sized bedroom -- took a week and didn't include urethane or buffing. Spent $15k to add a window, peg-board and a flourescent light fixture to the garage. Then she was going to put $3k reclining chairs in it which I killed. When she literally wanted to replace the kitchen sink because it was seven years old and wouldn't go to the UK for an 11-day vacation because a) it was less than two weeks and b) I didn't want to spend it on The Harry Potter Tour (yes, of the magical places that don't exist in the books I didn't read) it was way past time to get out...

 

[Girodin]

Everything has some drawback. The benelli m2 is a recoil operated gun so it pounds your shoulder and does not like some low recoil buck.

Also it is prone to problems if one starts adding a light, side saddle, RDS, extended tube, the things people like on fighting guns. Its also pron to problems if one doesn't have a proper mount, can you think of any situations that might end up being the case with a fighting gun?

I have a 930 spx. It is not my go to gun, simply because I have another gun I already used for that purpose and see no need to switch just to do so. That said I would be very comfortable relying on it as a fighting/defensive gun. I cleaned it first and since shell one have never had a problem. I've fired everything from walmart winchester and federal bulk to 3" slugs and 00 buck. I could have bought a Benelli or an FN. I spent about $1700 on my last saiga. The 930 cost my $490 NIB and although I only have a few hundred rounds through it. its been flawless and I've enjoyed it.

A benelli is the nicer gun, although I don't like the added recoil. For my purposes, HD secondary shotgun and casual three gun I don't know what a Benelli would really do that much better.

One thing with the Mossberg and all new guns is to clean it first. Packing grease isn't lube and I watch is awe as people cry about problems (with any gun) when they haven't bothered to properly clean and lube it. My 930 needed a good cleaning before shooting it the first time.

 

[Hal Carter]

On the issue of why should 1 shotty cost more that another as far as quality: thats easy, Why would a porshe cost more than a ford tarus? High quality hand fitted parts, master craftsmen/ women, high quality control vs getting the cheapest parts available, workers who only care about quiting time and a paycheck.

Granted high price does not always mean better quality, but it should.