Benelli R1 300 Win Mag. Experience? Worth it?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Huntolive

Huntolive

Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2012
Messages
1,139
Location
Virginia
I once again I'm seriously considering getting a Benelli R1 in my beloved 300 Win Mag. I know already have Browning BAR in 7mm Remington mag. I also own a few excellent bolt action 300 Win mags.

I am seriously considering getting the R1 even though I realize I probably could get by in life without it. I do love my Benelli Super Black eagle 2 s.

Who has direct experience with these semi auto rifles?
Do you think they're worth it?
Looking at around $1000 or $1100 with the comfort tech synthetic stock

BTW do the Walnut stock versions come with the comfort tech feature?
I only saw this confirmed as being available in the R1 pro which I believe is only in 30 ought 6. I am only interested in this in 300 Win Mag and would like the features of the R1 pro which include excellent stock sites and a walnut comfortech stock but I don't think that's available in 300 Win Mag..
 
Last edited:
Huntolive said:
I once again I'm seriously considering getting a Benelli R1 in my beloved 300 Win Mag. I know already have Browning BAR in 700 Remington mag. I also own a few excellent bolt action 300 Win mags.

I am seriously considering getting the R1 even though I realize I probably could get by in life without it. I do love my Benelli Super Black eagle 2 s.

Who has direct experience with these semi auto rifles?
Do you think they're worth it?
Looking at around $1000 or $1100 with the comfort tech synthetic stock

BTW do the Walnut stock versions come with the comfort tech feature?
I only saw this confirmed as being available in the R1 pro which I believe is only in 30 ought 6. I am only interested in this in 300 Win Mag and would like the features of the R1 pro which include excellent stock sites and a walnut comfortech stock but I don't think that's available in 300 Win Mag..
Click to expand...
So I've been LOVING my r1, they DO take a lil break in, but once you find a load it likes, it lives up to the hype.
The chevrons in the comfortech stock help to disperse the recoil throughout the stock so recoil in all of my loads thus far (.270wsm) have felt like the force of a hot heavy .243 (maybe a touch heavier) but instead of the sharp slap it's more like the push of a semi auto 20 ga, once I get its permanent scope on it and take it hunting this fall I'll give a full write-up but so far it's just been a blasting blast! Even my scrawny 12 year old daughter is eyeballing it over her .243.
Lop is short for me but there are add on pads to swap out as well as comb risers. The comfortech chevrons are the only ones guaranteed to reduce the recoil the way this does. The walnut stocks have a very nice recoil pad but that's it. Either way the gas port will be closer to the chamber to utilize the heat to clean the piston (iirc). If you watch GunBroker you can find them sub 1000 from time to time. Barrel swapping is a tool less breeze and would allow using the same platform to experiment with several other chamberings.
I don't know how it compares to the browning, but honestly after having this baby, I'll never need to know except as an academic exercise, it's made me that much of a fan (and no, that was not really easy).
 
I actually have experience with a 30-06 R1 with Comfort Tech stock. I got to test it side by side with my own Remington 7400 in 280 Rem.

As far as shooter comfort is concerned, the R1 is head and tails above the Rem. Ergonomics first me were about the same with the nod also going to the Benelli.

That is all I really remember. The R1 wi sell around here used for 1000. I got my Remington used for 300. The differences definitely were not worth the price difference but the R1 was of definite better quality I would still encourage anyone who could afford it to spend the extra money for it. For example, the Remington was cheap and unenjoyable so I sold it probably would not have sold an R1 for those reasons.

There is no doubt in my mind that the R1 is a better rifle from a technical and shooting aspect.

I think if they could get a bit under 1000 they could be wildly popular hunting rifles.
 
Huntolive said:
I once again I'm seriously considering getting a Benelli R1 in my beloved 300 Win Mag. I know already have Browning BAR in 700 Remington mag. I also own a few excellent bolt action 300 Win mags.

I am seriously considering getting the R1 even though I realize I probably could get by in life without it. I do love my Benelli Super Black eagle 2 s.

Who has direct experience with these semi auto rifles?
Do you think they're worth it?
Looking at around $1000 or $1100 with the comfort tech synthetic stock

BTW do the Walnut stock versions come with the comfort tech feature?
I only saw this confirmed as being available in the R1 pro which I believe is only in 30 ought 6. I am only interested in this in 300 Win Mag and would like the features of the R1 pro which include excellent stock sites and a walnut comfortech stock but I don't think that's available in 300 Win Mag..
Click to expand...
I know you said 300wm, but hear me out:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/875249395
The .300 wm models I could find ranged from 1000-1200ish, but this lil baby needs a home and it can be your gateway purchase, after you have that in hand a 300wm barrel should be obtainable for roughly 550, getting you a 2 barrel set r1 for just a little more than the .300 wm would to start with.
 
horsey300 said:
I'm with ya now lol! I have an stw, in bolt configuration, not sure even a semi auto would help me like a 700 magnum lol!!! Now a semi auto 7wsm......hmmm yes I could get behind THAT!
Click to expand...
Sure as hell wouldn't wanna be in front of it......
Any of the .338 semis could probably be set up to run an STW.
 
dh1633pm said:
The Walnut Stock does appear to have the comfort tech stock. See review at: https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/review-benelli-r1-pro/326841

Let us know how your experience goes. It's quite a rifle.
Click to expand...
To add to what horsey300 said, in the article it states the R1 has the “Progressive Comfort System”. That is different than ComforTech.

To me you can’t have ComferTech without the chevrons , and you can’t have the chevrons on a walnut stock.

IMO the article was shabbily written. It states:
“Interlocking baffles within the stock act as shock absorbers when the gun is fired; the baffles flex to absorb much of the recoil before it ever strikes the shooter’s shoulder. Combine this with the R1’s cushy recoil pad and the system does an admirable job reducing rearward force. That not only makes for a more pleasant shooting experience—especially from the bench—but also allows for faster follow-up shots.”

Right below the statement is a photo of an R1 walnut stock. Where are the baffles? It states they are, “within the stock”. If true then when the baffles flex it would break the stock. Unless I’m missing something and if I am, someone please tell me. Bad, inaccurate and confusing writing if you ax me.
 
cdb1 said:
How could they?
Click to expand...
The R1 pro is AA Walnut And Has Comfort tech stock.
Maybe...
I agree now that the article is a little potentially misleading so I'm not a hundred percent sure.

Plus that is the R1 pro and noticed that's the only one that also has stock sights on it which look like great sites by the way I wouldn't mind having those on there.
so I can tell the R1 pro only comes in 30 ought 6 and may or may not take an interchangeable Barrel switch to 300 Win Mag plus they're expensive.
generally speaking I do not mind synthetic stocks and for a practical field gun often actually prefer them.
 
Last edited:
horsey300 said:
The walnut comfort stock and synthetic Comfortech are not the same, it IS a nice feature, but if looking for the comfortech itself, that's a synthetic only.
Click to expand...
From my research it looks like the comfort tech stock in the Walnut is a true comfort tech stock but is only available in the r-1 pro model which is only made in 30 ought 6

Can anyone else please confirm this?
If I could get a true comfort tech stock I might go with the Walnut otherwise I'd go synthetic for ease of care and comfort tech.
Also based on what horsey said perhaps I could buy the thirty-ought-six R1 pro and a 300 Win Mag barrel for it but I am not at all sure about that.
Also do the interchangeable barrels work no matter what the action is on the rifle? In other words can I put a 300 Win Mag Barrel on a 30 ought 6 action rifle or can I only go down in caliber from what I have?
 
Huntolive said:
From my research it looks like the comfort tech stock in the Walnut is a true comfort tech stock but is only available in the r-1 pro model which is only made in 30 ought 6

Can anyone else please confirm this?
If I could get a true comfort tech stock I might go with the Walnut otherwise I'd go synthetic for ease of care and comfort tech.
Also based on what horsey said perhaps I could buy the thirty-ought-six R1 pro and a 300 Win Mag barrel for it but I am not at all sure about that.
Also do the interchangeable barrels work no matter what the action is on the rifle? In other words can I put a 300 Win Mag Barrel on a 30 ought 6 action rifle or can I only go down in caliber from what I have?
Click to expand...
Yes, the barrel and action are one piece.
Huntolive said:
Please excuse my ignorance but what is an STW?
Click to expand...
It's basically an 8mm mag necked down to 7mm stw stands for shooting times westerner.
 
The Benelli Comfortech stock that has been around a long time is synthetic, it has “chevrons” embedded in the stock that flex, reducing felt recoil. I just did a little research and indeed Benelli states the R1 Pro has a Comfortech stock. This is the traditional Comfortech stock:
399CBBBB-E567-4859-A29C-DC3FF4FC8718.jpeg
This is the R1 Pro Comfortech stock:
1324FA3E-79A2-4C9C-A059-44850FAC0F2B.png
They are different animals. There is no way the walnut stock will ameliorate recoil like the synthetic stock. To me and I’d think most people, the R1 Pro does not have a true Comfortech stock.
 
horsey300 said:
So I've been LOVING my r1, they DO take a lil break in, but once you find a load it likes, it lives up to the hype.
The chevrons in the comfortech stock help to disperse the recoil throughout the stock so recoil in all of my loads thus far (.270wsm) have felt like the force of a hot heavy .243 (maybe a touch heavier) but instead of the sharp slap it's more like the push of a semi auto 20 ga, once I get its permanent scope on it and take it hunting this fall I'll give a full write-up but so far it's just been a blasting blast! Even my scrawny 12 year old daughter is eyeballing it over her .243.
Lop is short for me but there are add on pads to swap out as well as comb risers. The comfortech chevrons are the only ones guaranteed to reduce the recoil the way this does. The walnut stocks have a very nice recoil pad but that's it. Either way the gas port will be closer to the chamber to utilize the heat to clean the piston (iirc). If you watch GunBroker you can find them sub 1000 from time to time. Barrel swapping is a tool less breeze and would allow using the same platform to experiment with several other chamberings.
I don't know how it compares to the browning, but honestly after having this baby, I'll never need to know except as an academic exercise, it's made me that much of a fan (and no, that was not really easy).
Click to expand...
Horsey please describe exactly what you mean by DO need a little break in period.

Also I noticed that that listing you sent from GunBroker says it's a 300 WSM
I don't think the Benelli R1 comes in 300 WSM so maybe it actually is a 300 Win Mag anyway I sent the seller question about that

Can anyone confirm whether the Benelli R1 comes in 300 WSM or whether it possibly also comes in 7mm Remington Magnum?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Huntolive
  • Locked
Benelli R1 or Browning BAR in 300 Win Mag
Replies
11
Views
5K
tdbmd
T
M
  • Locked
Benelli R1 Price Drop?
Replies
2
Views
875
cal74
C
O
  • Locked
Benelli R1 rifle with ComorTech recoil dampeneing
Replies
0
Views
255
Outdoorguy
O
T
  • Locked
New Benelli R1
Replies
1
Views
359
skud_dusty
S
H
  • Locked
Recoil on a Benelli R1
Replies
0
Views
380
holmux
H
Back
Top