Benelli M2

[NRai2001]

What do you guys think of the M2? I saw one at the LGS for about $1200. I ve been looking for an M4 for a while now.. How does it differ from the M4? You guys have any experience with it? Is it a good gun? Worth the price?

[acorn]

I LOVE my M2, 20" barrel with mag tube extension. Looks just like the 3-Gun model. The M2 is a "Inertia" cycling system and the M4 is a "Gas" cycling system.

Not mine but looks just like it, my mag extension is flush with the barrel.

[missiondude]

I dont think you can go wrong with a M2. I have had mine just over a year, shoots everything from light bird to heavy slugs with out missing a beat. It is very soft shooting. I use mine for trap very occasionally, 3 gun, tactical shotgun, and sporting clays. I have a 26" barrel which is a little long, but a good compromise for doing multiple sports.

[NRai2001]

Is the inertia driven system more prone to failure or jamming with lighter loads? Is it worth the extra $ to wait and find an M4? It would likely serve as my HD rifle so I m willing to wait and pay more if its worth it for HD?

[acorn]

Is the inertia driven system more prone to failure or jamming with lighter loads? Is it worth the extra $ to wait and find an M4? It would likely serve as my HD rifle so I m willing to wait and pay more if its worth it for HD?

Benelli's are the best Inertia guns made. "prone to failure with lighter loads"? Not from my experience and from any internet research I've done. The argument that always seems to come up with Inertia vs Gas is "Inertia cycling issues" and "Gas system reliability". I have a fairly new M2 so not too much experience with it yet. First range trip I loaded dozens of rounds of Walmart bulk birdshot to test out this rumor and the gun cycled every time right out of the box. I don't have the M4 but I do have a Beretta 390 gas gun that I use for sporting clays and I have purposely never cleaned it to see how dirty it gets before reliability issues. The Beretta has never missed a beat with thousands of rounds through it, I have still not cleaned it. I guess it depends on the brand but I don't think you're going to have any issues with Inertia or Gas if you stick with Benelli or Beretta and maybe a few others.

[kingsfan8888]

I LOVE my M2, 20" barrel with mag tube extension. Looks just like the 3-Gun model. The M2 is a "Inertia" cycling system and the M4 is a "Gas" cycling system.

Not mine but looks just like it, my mag extension is flush with the barrel.

That is a sick set of weapons

[osis32]

Is the inertia driven system more prone to failure or jamming with lighter loads? Is it worth the extra $ to wait and find an M4? It would likely serve as my HD rifle so I m willing to wait and pay more if its worth it for HD?

no the inertia system is supposed to be more reliable as the gas doesn't gunk up the piston. everyone that I've talked to loves it barring the slightly heavy recoil. I haven't shot mine yet but I'm going to compare it to my 930s.

[NRai2001]

no the inertia system is supposed to be more reliable as the gas doesn't gunk up the piston. everyone that I've talked to loves it barring the slightly heavy recoil. I haven't shot mine yet but I'm going to compare it to my 930s.

So wait inertia system is more reliable? Why is te piston system more expensive? Is the 930 inertia? So the piston system has less recoil ?

[hermosabeach]

The inertia system can be impacted by adding weight to the gun and using ligher loads.
I added and then removed the surefire foreend as it made standard bird loads hang up.

Two things that helped mine work with the lighter loads was polishing the inside of the bolt where the inertia spring is housed. The second was understanding that the "tail" of the bolt slides into the stock. If this is too tight or if it binds, it slows down the recoil or causes a hiccup

You can take the metal tab that slides into the stock and is held in place by the recoil system and open up the hole in the stock by 10-20 thousands

This prevents binding in the stock recoils system.

Both are great guns

[223556]

I have yet to shoot mine but $1200 it about the normal price for it.

I bought the Tactical model and have so far replaced the stock with a Mesa Tactical Urbino Stock.
Its shorter and much easier for me to hold now.

[acorn]

So wait inertia system is more reliable? Why is te piston system more expensive? Is the 930 inertia? So the piston system has less recoil ?

"Inertia system more reliable" that's what "they" say.
Piston more expensive due to manufacturing cost and probably because the M4 is marketed as the ultimate military shotgun.
The 930 is a Mossberg gas gun.
Gas guns are softer shooting than Inertia.

[NRai2001]

I saw a hatsan escort semiauto at big 5 ... It's piston driven and almost seems like a clone of the benelli M series??? Any experiences with the hatsan?

[L84CABO]

As others have said, the M2 is an inertia system vs. the M4 gas system. And it can be affected by hanging a lot of weight off of it. The M4 has lighter recoil because of the gas system. It's pure awesomness. I love mine. You can't go wrong with one for a defensive shotgun. The one bummer about them though is that there are no other barrel options...errr...well there's the short 14" barrel. I know it's a defensive shotgun but I always thought if Benelli would come out with a couple longer barrel options for it, they could sell a ton of them. Seems like a no brainer to me.

But with the above said, I want an M2 in the worst way. I'd have it setup for 3 gun...and I don't even shoot 3 Gun. LOL

[acorn]

I have no experience with Hatsan but from what I hear, you don't want one. Turkish made I believe. It may look like an M4 from a distance but thats about all.

[osis32]

So wait inertia system is more reliable? Why is te piston system more expensive? Is the 930 inertia? So the piston system has less recoil ?

everything Ive read is that the m2 is the most "reliable" shotgun around. the versa max is supposedly right up there too due to its gas design. the 930 is a gas gun and should have less recoil. Ive only shot 2 3/4" slugs out of it and it kicked pretty good but I havent shot light loads or anything like that out of it yet.