Benelli Nova Tactical...Aye or Nay?

[t16sugarbabe]

I'm interested in the Benelli Nova tactical but I hear mixed things about them. I heard everything from "they rattle and they're ugly but very durable and can't die", to "they're the poor mans Benelli". I read that they kick like mules and some folks report having nothing but issues with theirs. So whats the deal? Are they a top notch gun or should I forget about it?

 

[rule303]

Most of them seem to work well enough. IMO, there are better choices in the same price range.

 

[jim243]

They are nice guns, this is what it looks like but the Nova does not have the rail. This is a Weatherby. The Stock is made to be used with a tactical vest that's why it is wearing a slip on recoil pad.

Jim

 

[rbernie]

The Benelli pump guns have an unusual characteristic - if you have any rearward pressure on the forearm when you drop the hammer, the action will lock up until you both push the forearm forward *and* release the trigger. This is different than most any other pump gun, most all of which will allow you to cycle the action independently of the trigger reset.

I found that characteristic to be unacceptable, and I no longer own any Novas or SuperNovas.

 

[rcmodel]

I am not impressed with the Nova.
But I have never been all that impressed with any Benelli.

An extra barrel costs more the a Remington shotgun.

And they won't sell you one anyway.

I paid nearly $80 for a comfort-tec left-hand recoil pad 5 years ago.
And that was with a gunsmith discount!

Only took three months to get it too!

rc

 

[pps]

A Supernova is all I used for waterfowl for years. Got dumped in the drink, and in the mud a couple of times and never malfunctioned from it. In thousands of rounds the only problems were few times I short stroked the gun.

If the tactical is the same as the supernova, there is a button on the pump that will allow you to dump a round and port load a different round (such as dumping a duck load and dropping in a goose load when you are duck hunting and hear some honkers approaching) I would think this would make slug changeovers easy

 

[Fred Fuller]

The only way to know for sure is to own one and shoot the heck out of it for a while. Buy it as cheap as you can and, if you don't like it, sell it. It's a tool, you aren't marrying it...

 

[dak0ta]

I own the field version with 28'' barrel. If you have long arms, the Nova will probably fit you better since the comfortable point to put your hand on the pump is further out (3.5'' receiver).

The Nova has a slimmer receiver profile than the Supernova.

The pump action is really smooth, but not in a Winchester Model 12 kind of way. It doesn't have the classic 'ka chunk' lock up sound.

Fast rotating bolt design, a safety button forward of the trigger guard.

The shell elevator stays up when loading, and the feeding of shells is very smooth.

Ejection of spent hulls is very positive compared to an 870.

It's a heavy 8lb gun that is best for waterfowl and clay games. The barrel profile is nice with the stepped rib (field models)

Overall it's a good gun, IF it fits you.

 

[calibased]

It's by no means a high end shotgun but it's solid. I prefer mossberg.