Benelli users: will the M2 cycle a lighter load than the SBE-2? Just curious if the longer action on the SBE-2 requires a heavier round to cycle it.

Really just curious about these two guns right now. So, if you have a different duck gun and love it, thats awesome, but i would appreciate input on these two guns right now. gracias.

I shoot 2 3/4" #6 shot for 75% of my use and it works great (SBE-II) No idea on the M2, looks to be a nice gun. Can't go wrong with a gas rig either, check out the Browning Maxus, and the Beretta A400.

BTW: I own a Maxus as well it cycles the light loads good too, can't tell your even shooting!!

-Matt

Yes, but it takes a pretty light load to start noticing...like a7/8oz 1230-1300 fps load. A M2 will cycle them and my buddies SBE jammed on occasion.

Either gun will serve you well in the blind and in the field for a long time--no real wrong decision here.

My SBE2 will not cycle 7/8 ounce promo loads or 24 gram international target loads (1350 FPS). My Cordoba will. Both guns will reliably cycle 1 ounce promo loads all day without a problem. The Cordoba and M2 have a little lighter recoil spring to allow them to handle lighter loads.

For what it's worth I'm a bit of a nerd and keep stats on my hunting/shooting and my average "shots needed to kill" a duck/goose is better when I shoot 3" vs. 3.5" shells. For Turkey hunting where velocity matters far less than the amount of lead in a pattern I still shoot 3.5" loads.

My SBEII does not like dove loads....it hasn't missed a beat in two seasons on 3" or bigger

The short answer is yes you need heavier or faster loads in a SBE than a M2. I think the manual of the SBEII says you should shoot 1 1/8oz loads or heavier but 1 oz promo loads normally work unless they are slow. I've shot 7/8 oz duck reloads (fast)out of my SBEII with zero problems. I was at a clay shoot once where they provided some cheap and slow 1oz loads that were like 1150fps. The second round I had a failure to feed the next round....I used my own shells after that for the first shot and those for the second shot.

Overall this stuff is of minor importance unless you want to shoot lite loads a bunch at clays or dove...standard dove loads will never be a problem. So really the M2 vs SBE comes down to do you want a 3" or 3.5" chamber. I'd rather have the 3.5" option...I goose hunt a handful or more times every season and like shooting the big loads at geese....but you don't need it...you can bring them down with 3" loads just fine. But when it comes to picking out loads, shotguns, trucks, etc what I need is normally exceeded to give me the best chances and performance I can get for the money.

That goes against what most other people have experienced...including myself...see my last post. I don't doubt your personal experience though. I'd suggest to you to use 1 1/8oz dove loads if you are having issues....and if you are then something is actually wrong with your gun.

I've shot light #7 dove loads through my SBE II a lot and have never had a problem. My Benelli has never jammed on me and I don't take care of my duck gun like I should. Only time I ever had a problem was towards the end of duck season one trip. I had not cleaned the gun at all during season, it had been out through snow, rain, mud and sand. Anyone that knows me, knows that I put a lot of rounds through that SBE II and a lot of trips during season. It would eject shells that day. I had to shoot like it was a single shot. After I cleaned it up that night, it never did it again.

my sbe2 will cycle 1 oz just fine..

I shoot the M2 and have never had a problem with any load, the only thing I havent put through it is a 3.5, and I think that reason is pretty obvious.

Great Gun!

Love my M2.

I don't ever see a need to shoot a 3 1/2 shell so I bought the M2 instead of the SBE-2.

There is no wrong decision regarding either gun. Both are well made and will cycle pretty much all shells as long as the stock is resting against your shoulder.