Shot a Benelli and liked it!

[ArmedBear]

I don't know what's wrong with me.

It was a Cordoba 12 Gauge with a 30" barrel. OAL was like my 34" trap gun. Felt good, with a neat surface on the stock. It was quick to mount and easy to hit with, with nice geometry.

Despite all the fancy recoil-absorbing features, the gun still has a very distinct bounce with each shot, even with dove/trap loads. It doesn't hurt, because of all the padding, but it definitely has more noticeable recoil than even a break-action shotgun, and much more than a gas-operated semiauto. And it's one EXPENSIVE gun, especially for one that doesn't have a speck of walnut on it.

The guy bought it because he goes to some 500-round-per-day dove lodge in Mexico somewhere and an 11-87 failed on him the first day he used it, with a melted o-ring, etc., he said.

Does that really happen? How hot does the gun have to be to trash the O-ring in a Remington? I've used my 1100 in really hot desert conditions, dove hunting in bright sunlight and 117 degrees in the shade ambient. No problem. But not 500 rounds per day.

 

[jmr40]

I ran across a good deal on a lightly used Benelli M-1 right after duck season this past winter. The previous owner used it one season and traded up to the Cordoba. I have only used mine during turkey season so I have not shot it a lot but really like mine. Yes, it recoils more than my 11-87 but it is 1 1/2 pounds lighter. Most of my hunting involves long walks to beaver ponds or turkey hunting. I often walk up to 9 miles a day so the lighter weight is welcome

I have heard of Remington 0-rings giving problems but have used 1100,s and 11-87,s a fair bit and have never had any problems.