Thinking of getting a Benelli M2...

[Youngster]

... Tactical for my new go-to and hiking shotgun, I want something lighter and capable of firing faster than my 870, and also able to take choke tubes so this fits the bill. I handled one at the gunshop back in February and while I liked the light weigh and balance I hated the looong LOP pistol grip stock and ghost ring sights it came with.

More recently I handed an M2 Field with Comfortech stock and fiber optic bead front sight, I REALLY liked that, was the best handling and more precise pointing repeating shotgun I've ever handled. It had a 26" barrel though so it was too long for my needs but they're also available in a 21" configuration.

Actually I'm having a hard time deciding whether I want a Tactical with rifle sights or a 21" field, it might just come down to which is easier to order as both seem to be surprisingly hard to get your hands on.

The only thing really stopping me from pulling the trigger on a purchase at this point is me wondering if there are any other interesting semiauto shotguns being released in the near future? Nothing worse than that "could have had a V8" feeling.

Anyways, my little ramble of the day.

 

[VA27]

For an 'all purpose' gun, go with the 21" field. IIRC they are drilled and tapped so you could put a mount and a red dot on it for 'tactical' use.

I don't like the pistol grip stocks or the ghost ring sights.

I wound up with an older M1 Tactical with rifle sights and choke tubes (not drilled and tapped). The Stock on the M1 wouldn't allow me to use the rifle sights and the way it's configured wouldn't allow the use of the shim kit, so I put a field stock on it and all is well.

If you order new, get it exactly the way you want it. Extra barrels are expensive and the field stock was $125.

 

[CPS1]

I used to have an m1 tactical. It really was a great gun, never jammed with stout loads. Real quick and I'm not 100% positive on this but I think the field and the tactical m2 have different recoil springs. I think the field's recoil spring is lighter (for birdshot and the like) than the tactical's recoil spring which is designed to handle slugs and buck mostly.

 

[Youngster]

^^^

Yeah they are, not a huge deal because I could always swap springs either way. The 21" Field configuration seems a little more versatile but I'd be a little worried about sooner or later denting that lightweight looking vent rib when out doing the hiking and camping thing.