Need advice on what to do with a Benelli M3

[tamalpias]

I was over at my dad's place yesterday helping him with a couple issues. He has a brand new Benelli M3 that he bought but never shot around 20 years ago. He decided to give it to me so now I am in the process of doing the intra-family transfer.

Features are it has ghost rings, +2 round extension tube, and a field stock.

My dilemma is this. I own 3 shotguns already, a Franchi O/U(my upland game bird gun), a Benelli Nova(my waterfowl gun), and a Mossberg 500 (was my first do everything shotgun with 18" barrel and 28" barrel with choke tubes).

My needs are in 2 areas, I want a dedicated home defense shotgun, and a semi-auto shotgun for trap/skeet for my wife. The Benelli M3 can go to fill in either role. I can add a pistol grip stock and flashlight to make it a dedicated home defense shotgun or I can remove ghost ring sights and buy the field barrel (around $535 from Benelli) to make it a trap and skeet gun. Once set I don't plan on changing it back and forth between the two setups.

The reason why this decision is rather difficult is I have 3 choices to make that I hope you guys can help me weigh in. The cheapest route is to make it a home defense shotgun, but the gun will seldom ever get used. The expensive route is to buy the field barrel for it at $535 from Benelli, problem is at that price I am almost there to buy a good used semi-auto shotgun for trap shooting(if I go this route I will make my mossberg 500 my home defense shotgun). Or the last option is to sell it and buy a 20 gauge semi-auto for the wife and just go as originally planned to convert the mossberg to a home defense shotgun.


So what should I do? Anybody have a bright idea? Is there a 4th option and that is to get rid of the ghost ring sight(it hinders the sight picture needed to trap shoot) but somehow make that M3 do 2 roles with just the swap of the barrel? Help?

[Roach_Infinity]

I tend to consider business before pleasure.

So the first question would be, when in the configuration you prefer, would the Mossberg or the M3 be your preferred home defense shotgun?

If you like the Mossberg best for the home defense role, then my opinion would be to sell the M3, and buy something more suitable, I feel that there would be more value lost with the addition of the field barrel, versus unloading the thing as is and finding something else more suitable... (Dros / PPT fees versus parts / labor, not to mention that the used barrel will add value over all, but not have a great return compared to its own initial cost.)

My less objective take:
I'm not sure how easy barrel swap is on an M3, I wouldn't think it would be that tough, so if that gun is a good shooter already that may be a big point in its favor for either home defense or sporting use, or both, if you really like the gun already. And configured the way it is would be my preference for home defense anyway, give or take the ghost ring sights depending on the day of the week.

New, off the shelf I would prefer a pump, but if this gun has a good track record, and semi appeals to you then why not keep it? I have a different level of confidence in every gun I own, and only the highest are home defense worthy, for me that is the #1 factor.

Hope my opinion helps.

-Eric

[tamalpias]

Hi Eric,

This m3 has no sentimental value to me because it wasn't a gun my dad gave me with a history of being a family gun. Unlike my 22lr glenfield or mossberg that has a lot of sentimental value due to my dad and i's history of shooting/hunting together. So I would not feel at a loss selling it.

This gun was suppose to be the military/swat operations shotgun due to it's duel system of both pump and being semi-auto. So with training I am confident it will make an excellent home defense shotgun. My only thing is if it is made a home defense shotgun it will not be used nearly as much(but then again that will be true with any shotgun I will have dedicated to this role).
As far as your first question I would say I'd prefer the Benelli as the home defense shotgun.

[L84CABO]

Well the M3 is nice for sure. If I were going to keep it, I would put it into the home defense role.

That said, I'm not a huge fan of the M3 even though it's a very nice gun. Here's your "4th choice"...What I would really probably do is sell it and either buy a M4 for home defense or a M2 for the range...maybe even a 20 Gauge M2 if it's for the wife. But that's me.

[tamalpias]

Well the M3 is nice for sure. If I were going to keep it, I would put it into the home defense role.

That said, I'm not a huge fan of the M3 even though it's a very nice gun. Here's your "4th choice"...What I would really probably do is sell it and either buy a M4 for home defense or a M2 for the range...maybe even a 20 Gauge M2 if it's for the wife. But that's me.

Talking it over with you guys it got me into adding up the price, if I can sell it new I can get 1,000-1,100 for it and by the time I add in that $535 barrel that would make it a $1,600 gun. For that price I can get a used entry level dedicated trap gun for my wife. So option 2 is now ruled out, i will either keep it as a home defense gun or sell.

[451040]

keep it as an HD shotgun (8 shells ghost loaded or 9 shells with one in the pipe) sans pistol grip and buy wifey a semi auto 20ga.

[GW]

The M-3 is an odd-duck with the pump or semi -auto capability.
Have you shot it at all? You might want to do that then make up your mind

[JohnCCW]

I hunt upland with my Benelli M1S90, with an 18.5" barrel. Just choose the proper choke. Game Wardens will definitely check your magazine plug!!!

I would keep it.

[Sicarius]

I wish I had these dilemmas... The M3 is not going to be a good skeet gun. It can be done but it is not the right tool for the job. It is purely a tactical shotgun so leave it at that. For the cost of getting another barrel you are much better suited getting a dedicated trap gun like a 1100 for a couple hundred more or a Mossberg 930 for roughly the same price. The M3 is more of a collectors piece these days so keep that in mind too. It is a wonderful shotgun and very unique. There aren't many convertibles out there and the workmanship that benelli put it in makes it the best.
Kevin