SBEs are pretty nice. I've got two buddies who have let me shoot theirs. I couldn't hit much with either SBE, but fit is always the #1 thing to look for which is why you should shoot before you plop down that much cash.

I know a duck guide who shot one almost every day for a season and half without cleaning before he had the first failure to fully cycle. He goose hunts a bunch too. That weapon was filthy, but a couple of squirts of WD-40 (ugh!) fixed it right up.

(Now for the predictable "shameless plug" part of my post.)
The only other shotgun that I know of that will withstand that type of use/abuse is an A5.

This is a no brainer! I've shot Benelli shotguns for 8 years now and will not even consider purchasing a shotgun from any other manufacturer. If you don't need 3 and 1/2 shells, you may want to check out the Cordoba. The break down of a Benelli semi-auto is the easiest on the market. The reliability is unsurpassed. The pattern, well that depends on the choke. The recoil depends on the shot load selected. Both are great guns but, Benelli is the smarter choice.

Wow what an insanely gay answer ......jk rob

i shoot a m1 super 90 just never needed the 3.5 shells yet

I have a 30" Cordoba and love it. I only use it for dove and clays though due to the 3 inch chamber. My waterfowl work gun is a Win. Super X2, I clean it about once a season whether it needs it or not. LOL That thing gets nasty but has never let me down in eight years of very heavy use. That's the reason I got rid of my SBE II, it was just too temperamental, even after being worked on under warranty.(and I kept it very clean) It sucked having a single shot auto-loader after setting out 1200 rags and the geese start coming in. Don't get me wrong the SBE II is a fine gun and it worked well when it worked. I just didn't have faith in mine anymore and at the time my backup gun was a mule kicking Mossberg Pump that made me cringe to pull the trigger after about the tenth 3.5" round.

SBE II is well worth the money...just go get it!

Well,,, I owned a SBE for years and never really liked it. It was very light and easy to throw up to my shoulder, but with any amount of shooting I was fighting barrel weave. It also kicked like a SOB.

Beretta Extrema II with kick off for me now. I went to the DU waterfowl festival in Wisconsin 2 years ago and shot every gun I could. The Beretta was the best for me....

Angie

Shoot an X2 and you won't want the Benelli.

Just get the SBE II so you won't wonder what the best gun in the world feels like.

(Yes, I shoot one. The older one.)

I got the extermaII and love it. My bro in laws both have the sbe 2 and love it. Go hold both and see which one you like.

It sounds like you have it figured out as well. Some don't though. I also have a SBE 1 but after patterning 3 and 1/2's, I put them in the closet and purchased my Cordoba last year. Don't plan on purchasing another gun in my lifetime.

Both are beautiful guns, but I went with the SBE II yesterday -- it just felt better when I mounted it to my shoulder. I'm not a big guy, and the Xtrema felt a little heavy for me.

Can't wait for the season to start! Also having a cabin built at our property this week/weekend. If it makes it through the storm, I'll post pics next week...

You won't regret it. Shoots great under any conditions and a breeze to clean.

I purchased the X2 when they first came out and kept it about a month just didn't feel right sold it and got a SBEII won't be getting rid of it any time soon

Congrats.

Next time I'm up in Honey grove you should invite me over and we can pass the X2 and SBE II back and forth.

I have shot Beretta shoguns my whole life. Not a super long track record, maybe 15 years. I have never had any problems with any of them, from the A303 to the DT-10. I have been shooting a 12ga and a 20ga A303 for my hunting guns since I was about 12 and I love them. I just ordered a Urika in Max-4 for a new waterfowl gun and I expect the same sort of quality and reliability as the rest of the Berettas that I own.

Bull_hit. As long as you don't throw the auto guns in the mud they will both work just fine. I have an original Xtrema and only clean it about 2-3 times during the entire season and I hunt once to twice a week.

The extrema is also a softer shooting gun. It is also the fastest cycling gun in the world.

Either way Benelli or Beretta you can't go wrong. Beretta actually owns Benelli so it's one in the same. If you buy the Xtrema post up and I'll share some knowledge of keeping the action working perfectly with 2 3/4 1 oz loads for skeet and trap. i'm not sure if you can shoot skeet loads through the SBE

Jughead

I'm shooting 7/8 and 1 oz loads fine through my Xtrema2. At a recent fun shoot a friend's SBE2 would not cycle all the shells. We were using the same shells.

I've cleaned my gun once since I got it after about 250 rounds and it was fine. I just wanted to do it since it was new. I've shot another 250-300 through it since then and might wait until it falls in the mud before I clean it again.

my buddies extrema hasnt been cleaned in 4 years and shoots like a dream, and we have been on some nasty hunts. i have the beretta urika but plan on the extrema 2. so sweet shooting.