Any experience with the Benelli MR1?

[Excelsior]

Anyone here have any experience with the Benelli MR1? It appears that it would be ready to go here in CA with a bullet button. I suspect they cost a premium given that they are from Benelli but it would be nice to know how well their A.R.G.O. piston system works.

[bernieb90]

For California the model with the standard stock makes a lot more sense.



Not only do you not need a BB. but you can use 20/30rd mags if you have them.

From what I have read accuracy is so-so with groups running in the 2 MOA area. Reliability seems very good however so for HD/SHTF where shots would most likely be under 50 yds I would say it is good to go. The price however means you can probably get a pair of SU-16s or a mini-14 with a pile of ammo so I am not completey sold on this thing. If accuracy was on par with an AR I think I would be more willing to shell out the $1300 for this rife.

[Excelsior]

For California the model with the standard stock makes a lot more sense.



Not only do you not need a BB. but you can use 20/30rd mags if you have them.

From what I have read accuracy is so-so with groups running in the 2 MOA area. Reliability seems very good however so for HD/SHTF where shots would most likely be under 50 yds I would say it is good to go. The price however means you can probably get a pair of SU-16s or a mini-14 with a pile of ammo so I am not completey sold on this thing. If accuracy was on par with an AR I think I would be more willing to shell out the $1300 for this rife.

Excellent input. I agree about the standard stock. Not sure why Benelli charges so much. It doesn't seem any more expensive to build than the Mini-14...

[gotshotgun?]

How is 2 MOA accuracy "so-so" with a semi-auto gas operated rifle?

[dfletcher]

How is 2 MOA accuracy "so-so" with a semi-auto gas operated rifle?

Because all AR 15s shoot 1 shot 3" groups at 100 yds - jeez, haven't you been paying attention ....

There are a few threads on the MR1 here. I have one and the two things I noticed were dependability and the interesting recoil impulse.

Regarding dependability, I've put all sorts of "what's the cheapest you have that's not steel cased" through it and after about +2K rounds had no failures. OK, maybe 1 but that's it. It feeds anything.

The recoil is snappy. That is, you don't really feel it on your shoulder so much as feeling it between your hands holding the gun. The gas system (gets dirty as hell) is under the forend and it punches the BC back. The heavy spring in the butt stock seems to stop its rearward movement at just the right moment - it doesn't slam to a stop, it's overcome by spring pressure.

It uses an AR magazine, the PMags and Lancer of course "look right" on it. A Beta Mag would be quite the addition too.

The trigger is a touch long and heavy, but breaks clean. The gunsmith at Valkyrie Arms threaded my barrel and I attached a Nordic Brake to it. Not needed, but I figured I wanted something different.

I didn't buy the Benelli rail set up. By accident I bought one for the Beretta Storm and found it fits fine - cost about $25.00 as opposed to $100.00.

[smittty]

My friend bought one and I shot it a few times but he ended up selling it. It wasn't very exciting. I seem to remember the comb was too high or too high or too low for iron sights. The only cool thing IMO is that it takes ar mags.

[Excelsior]

Because all AR 15s shoot 1 shot 3" groups at 100 yds - jeez, haven't you been paying attention ....

There are a few threads on the MR1 here. I have one and the two things I noticed were dependability and the interesting recoil impulse.

Regarding dependability, I've put all sorts of "what's the cheapest you have that's not steel cased" through it and after about +2K rounds had no failures. OK, maybe 1 but that's it. It feeds anything.

The recoil is snappy. That is, you don't really feel it on your shoulder so much as feeling it between your hands holding the gun. The gas system (gets dirty as hell) is under the forend and it punches the BC back. The heavy spring in the butt stock seems to stop its rearward movement at just the right moment - it doesn't slam to a stop, it's overcome by spring pressure.

It uses an AR magazine, the PMags and Lancer of course "look right" on it. A Beta Mag would be quite the addition too.

The trigger is a touch long and heavy, but breaks clean. The gunsmith at Valkyrie Arms threaded my barrel and I attached a Nordic Brake to it. Not needed, but I figured I wanted something different.

I didn't buy the Benelli rail set up. By accident I bought one for the Beretta Storm and found it fits fine - cost about $25.00 as opposed to $100.00.

Do you think Benelli's gas system is as good or better than Stoner's direct impingement system on the M16?

[MrPlink]

Friend got to demo a model demo'd for LE, he liked it a lot, but also did not feel it was worth the cash

[ap3572001]

I have an MR1 ( and a new style MINI-14)

Think or an MR1 as a VERY reliable MINI14 , that is easier to shoot and takes AR15/M16 magazines.

As far as accuracy goes, I can hold 9/10/X ring at 100 yards with factory sights and hit std IPSC target at 200 yards everytime.
WITHOUT A SCOPE OR A RED DOT.


GOOD ENOUGH for me!

[Mossy Man]

i just dont get where people come up with reliability issues with mini14s

mine has never had non-magazine related issues. once i stopped using the bad mags, it will eat anything every time, especially the cheapest of the cheap: tula

[X-NewYawker]

Had it. Sold it. Good gun bur CA-legal rifle stock put trigger too far away for comfort.(same for SCAR mini 14 stock and Monster Man grip -- you guys should LOOK at the design and "slide it forward" towards the trigger on these compliant stocks.) I was sad, too, because it was a great way to use my old 10+ round AR mags…

[GW]

I have one and like it a lot. I bought mine used and it came with the tr-rail on the forend. I have about 600 rounds though it so far with no malfunctions and I can use my AR magazines with it
The rail makes mounting an optic easy and it looks cool IMHO.
I have Mini's as well but the ability to use AR mags was a major selling point.
Shooting Illustrated had a nice review of the MR-1 a year or 2 back. I'll post the link if I can find it.
The MR-1 is a great used-gun buy. I wouldn't pay $1300 but the used price made it irresistible.

[starsnuffer]

It's a nice gun. The things I didn't like about it were the ergos with the california compliant stock. Trigger too far, mag release too far, bolt release too far, ect.

The big downside is the non-threaded barrel. Even if you have it threaded and attach a brake, you'd have to remove the brake to disassemble the rifle do to the way it comes apart.

The mag well is also tapered the wrong way, making rapid mag changes more troublesome then they need to be.

Reliability wise, it's a great weapon. Will feed anything but prefers 55 grain. The piston system is well proven and solid.

I think Beretta made the right choice when they dumped the "storm" on benelli and developed the ARX instead.

-W