Benelli m2 opinions

[Exodus343]

So I can get a m2 for a great price
It's got the PG stock and rifle sights
18.5 barrel

What are y'all opinions on these for those who have?

[Helixfury]

Get it, you can't go wrong with the M2. Ultra reliable, it will feed anything. I prefer shooting shotguns than AR's. BOOM!

[therealnickb]

Wife's 20ga field is fun to shoot and runs like a champ. I don't see how you'd go wrong with an m2.

[CouchOperator]

Good to go

[Exodus343]

What about the whole intertia cycling system?
What can I and cannot put on the m2? I want a side saddle
And some sort of light

[repomanNWP]

Benelli Inertia Drive is awesome. I have an Ethos, and an M2, they are uber crazy reliable. M2's are the preferred choice in 3gun for a reason.

[happy.thoughts]

I have an M2 field (21") and an M4 pg. Both are fighting guns that I have setup due to CA strict rules with the AR.
The M2 is lighter with much better handling. But I prefer a pg when the walls are closer; easier on the wrist and when making the gun "small". So you will be set nicely with that buy.
For added reliability with a side saddle, you could swap out the stock springs with Taran's spring package and/or use loads that are >=1300fps. No low recoil stuff.

Just my opinion of course.

[tdp113530]

You can't go wrong or regret getting a M2.

[jay_cue]

I have a 24" m2 field and have I problems with it. I haven't added anything on it so don't know what/if anything would weigh it down to cause problems cycling.

[bigbearbear]

My wife use a Benelli M2 Field Compact 12 gauge, with a 26 inch barrel for trap shooting and it has held up to a high volume of shooting (we shoot 2 to 3 times a week). After about 20,000 rounds, the recoil spring started to become loose so I sent it in for servicing by a local gunsmith.

I just got back home from collecting it back from servicing actually.

Overall, the M2 is a gun that can take a pounding and large volume shooting. It has been reliable for my wife and we've fed it just about all kinds of cheap bird shots known to mankind, because I don't reload (yet) and there's no way I can afford premium shells when 2 of us are shooting 2 to 3 times a week. You will sometimes see people complaining about how their guns won't work reliably with either Winchester or Federal value pack from Walmart, no such issues with my wife's M2.

About this particular gun you're looking at buying, I would advise additional consideration before you buy it. It is configured with a pistol grip stock and with a shorter barrel, and while cool and tactical looking, it also makes it difficult to use for clay shooting. Many ranges will not allow shotguns with pistol grip stock or barrels shorter than 24" (sometimes 26") for clay shooting. If you have plans to participate in clay shooting and don't have another shortgun setup for it, this particular M2 will not be a good choice.

Benelli is also known to make pistol grip stocks that have extremely long length of pull. If you are a very tall guy with very long arms, it'll fit fine. For most people, a shorter LOP is usually and this spawned a side industry of vendors selling replacement stocks for the M2 (e.g., Mesa Tactical).

[usmcspud]

I have an M2 w/ pistol-grip and ghost-rings. Extremely well-built and Very accurate with slugs. I also have Legacy and it, too is a very nice shotgun. Easily digests 250+ rounds in a day of clay-busting. Both are Inertia-type and are amazingly clean after shooting that many rounds. But they kick a little harder than a gas-gun, but I don't much care. Buy it.

[snowdog650]

I don't think I've ever seen a negative opinion of the M2.

Buy it. Before someone else does.

[L84CABO]

I don't have a m2. I have a m4 and I sure want to get him a little m2 brother in the worst way...all decked out for 3 gun. And I don't even shoot 3 Gun! But I don't care. I want one. The sickness is bad!

I can't imagine anyone being unhappy with a m2. They're a workhorse and can fill just about any roll you want them given a decent selection of barrels and stocks to choose from.

And sorry, I don't know at what point the gun becomes to laden down with accessories. You might try asking over on the Benelli forum. I'm sure someone there has experience with this.

[nothingextra]

Bullet points:
1). Benelli inertia guns can go a long time before giving you trouble. In my case 25 years before a spring replacement.

2). M1 and M2 are interchangeable where it counts: barrel + springs.

3). I don't think the M2's black matte finish is very good compared to an M1.

4). Parts are expensive, so try to get what you want before contemplating dumping half+ of the value of a used M1/M2 reconfiguring a gun.

5). A Wolff reduced spring swap will help you cycle low brass. You will want a limbsaver tho.

6). I have shot rifle sights on my M1 for 25 years, and I wish I'd gotten a field barrel sooner. A rib with a 10/22 rear sight dovetailed in works best in every situation I've used a shotgun for.

7). No one ever talks about the serial # on early M1's are behind the loading port. Cut away as much as you want.

I'm reconfiguring my 1991 HK era M1 tactical for action shooting.
There is some consensus about a pistol grip affecting cycling with under 3 dram 1 1/8 loads. I was having trouble with the Federal Slugs on special a while ago from SGammo. Longer barrels have less of an issue.

I am going to try a reduced power Wolff spring as well as a replacement factory power spring as soon as I get my new forend and field stock.

I had to get the new plug as my gun has had the factory spring in it since new. Old plugs had no wrench flats and were flush to spring tube.

I picked up a 21" M2 field barrel yesterday. It's an inch longer than my rifle sighted control bore barrel so there's no relearning the swing. Chokes, those are key unless all your shotgunning is happening within 25yds. If you want a 21" or 24", so does everyone else.

The finish on M2's doesn't seem as good as M1's. I've looked over a bunch of M2's given cost of barrel and parts, but all of them had rust. I scratched my new field barrel a little getting the ferociously long Nordic spring in my new tube.. My M1 has taken tons of kitchen table bubba abuse, and doesn't look it.

There's been long debate about chevrons on Comfortech furniture being that cool. Many many threads about guys just putting a limbsaver on an M1 and just going with it.

In the end, save $ and go with an M1. Preferably one you can ghost load out of the box. Hopefully setup the way you want BC stocks are $100+, barrels are $425+, tubes and little parts end up an easy $200 package.

[Horrendo Revolver]

I have a 24" m2 field and have I problems with it. I haven't added anything on it so don't know what/if anything would weigh it down to cause problems cycling.

Have you sent it to Benelli to get it fixed? No company is perfect, that is why there are warrantys and Benelli has good CS. I don't currently own a Benelli due to the way they fit. The M2 20 gauge does fit and will be the next shotgun I purchase. They are good shotguns.