Benelli 828U

So I am really interested in this Benelli 828U for my next gun. I have been shooting a Reminington 1100 12 gauge since I was 13 that I bought a pawn store. I am finally starting to have issues with it ejecting the shell and my dad is having the same issue with Remington 1100 20 gauge LT. I have been hunting since I was 5 and I thought it was time to invest in a nice gun. I have been looking around and went to Bass Pro and saw the benelli 828U and it felt amazing and super light plus I am a lefty so finding left guns at the store is rough so O/U it is. I didn't get a chance to look at the Browning Citori 725 but I know these guns kinda fall on the same line and price. I am just looking for any type of knowledge or experience about the gun. I know the browning 725 has been around forever and has a huge following and benelli is rather new to the shotgun world. I am looking to spend around $2200 for the gun.

I’d stick with Beretta or Browning. The 828U’s don’t hold their value from what little I’ve seen. I’ve heard of several with loose top ribs as well, held on by an epoxy.
If you like the 828U’s modern appearance give the Browning Cynergy a look.

I'm a lefty and I shoot over unders. The 828U is a good choice for a lefty. It has adjustable drop and cast so you can set it up to be a true lefty without any added expense or searching. They are not for me though. I looked at them but just couldn't warm up to the looks. With $2,200 budgeted, I would at least take a look at beretta and browning.

If you buy a beretta you will need to either purchase one with a left hand stock or get the right handed stock bent in order to get to the center of the rib. Beretta over unders are stocked from the factory with a good bit of cast off. The beretta is going to be light and quick handling. I own a 687 with left hand wood. It is my favorite bird gun. It is a pleasure to tote and points quick.

If you buy browning 725, (you mentioned a 725), buy a 725 left hand. All the Browning 725 over unders I have shot come from the factory with a good bit of cast off. They are also available in a lefty with cast on. The 725's don't fit me very well. The Lightning models are stocked straight(neutral cast) and left hand friendly. The brownings are going to be substantially heavier, especially a 12 guage. The 12's make great waterfowl and clay guns. They are heavier than what I like for an upland gun. The 20 is a whole different animal. It is trim, great to carry, quick handling and makes a great upland or dove gun. I own two citori lightnings, a 12 and a 20. The 12 has the factory stock and I shoot it better than any other shotgun I own. It has substantially more drop than a beretta or the 20 guage browning. It's heavy. The 20 makes for a lively little upland gun. I really like the 20, but needed to have it fitted to add more drop before I was comfortable shooting it.
Good luck with your choice, pickings are slim in the way of left hand friendly over unders.

Yeah I know the benelli is a little modern looking different than the typical browning or Beretta. I just remember picking up the gun and just being impressed how well it fit me and being left handed. I don't dove hunt and I occasionally quail hunt whenever I get a chance to get to the panhandle. I think I was just so impressed how light the Benelli was and I am not worried about the resale because it probably something I would keep forever and let my kids have one day or shoot. I'll look into the Beretta 687 and maybe run up to Cabela's in Allen to see if I can hold a browning 725 to see what I think. I have always shot a right handed gun and it be nice to actually shoot a left hand shotgun.

Hey thanks, I have been meaning to look at GunBroker to see what the 828 run used, also I'll check out the Browning Cynergy. I like the modern look of things, I am a millennial of course lol

Order a couple of O rings for the 1100s and give them a good internal cleaning and I'll bet they go back to ejecting just fine...


O Rings

Yeah I have done that before too and it worked a little but came to the same issue again.

828 Great shotguns!! Lightwieght. They are coming out with a Sporting model too.

I’d recommend shooting a lightweight doublegun first. While I am a fan of “game” guns, that lightweight comes at a cost.

TDK is correct, if you go the 828, shoot the light recoil 12 ga 7/8 and 1oz loads. The Sporting Clays guys shoot these in their heavy O/U's , 200 rounds a day can get uncomfortable .

This being said, you might look at the Browning 725 Sporting and the Browning 725 Crossover, two more "affordable" O/U's.

I am really just using it for a bird gun and shooting the 1oz loads. I don't really plan on shooting the heavy loads very often if any. I don't duck hunt and occasionally turkey hunt so.

any idea on the timeline for the sport model?

Don’t overlook the Winchester 101

Echoing TDK, the 828 is too light for me to be used as a clays gun.

not sure i saw it on youtube

I have both a Cynergy (main hunting everything shotgun) and a 828U (pheasant, etc). I love them both. If I had to pick only one, I'd pick the Cynergy, but that shouldn't detract from the 828

SO SO SO much is matter of fit; I happen to shoot them both well (enough).

Hey thanks! I am going to pick up a few other guns but so far I am sold on the 828U. It felt good when I picked it up, just wish I could shoot one before I bought it.

Jlambe, holler when you get your 828, we can meet at Elm Fork for a couple rounds of skeet. I haven't shot my new Ethos Sport yet!!!.

I always like to start a new gun on skeet, since you know exactly what the targets are doing. We can also pattern them there after skeet for free.

The Benellis and Browning's fit me right off the shelf, the Beretta not that much

My Benelli feels the best in my hands but I shoot it like crap. My Beretta feels ok in my hands and I shoot it just ok. My Browning feel like crap in my hand but I shoot it lights out. Go figure. Sometimes how it fits and feels doesn't translate to hitting targets. I can't really explain it.

I have been shooting an 828U for the last 1.5 years. The floating breechblock greatly reduces recoil. In fact, the 828U in 12 gauge kicks much less than my Browning Superposed in 20 gauge. At this point, I have shot several thousand rounds thru mine without any issues and I enjoy it more each time I take it out.

I think what TDK was was hinting at is that light game guns put a lot of pressure on technique. They work best, if your shooting style leans more to the Churchill method, that is establishing your swing as your mounting the gun, firing almost as soon as the gun is mounted,, a compact follow through. If you use a more deliberate style the light weight can be problematic leading to stopping your swing .

A few months ago I got to shoot a H&H Royal 28 bore O/U with 28” tubes for a few rounds of skeet. Talk about one lovely lightweight gun at 5.5lbs. Skeet is a game of muscle memory, timing, and consistency. For years I’ve shot heavy guns for clays, shooting that Holland was an experience. I could get it moving with little effort which created problems with my timing, lead, sight picture, etc...due to the wire crossing in my mind my swing was jittery. Shot horribly. Given longer with the gun and proper fit things would improve. My 12 bore SxS game guns are 6.5-7lbs each. Fairly light but more inline with standard weights, I mainly use them for hunting anyways. My clay guns are 8lbs or more.

Coming from an 1100 there will be a learning curve. Also felt recoil due to lightweight and being fixed breach might be a surprise.

Well I got the 828U, I ended up getting the nickle plated one instead of the anodized black one. i was hoping to shoot some skeet next weekend somewhere before dove season so I can get use to the gun a little and see how it shoots. I would be down to meet up at elm fork. Also do you have any knowledge on Extender tuber, I have never used them before but is there a better brand than others or do I have to go with Benelli's extender tubes.

Did you have to shim the stock at all? Also did you put the extender tubes on it?

Jlambe, I got to shoot an 828U yesterday while I was shooting skeet. It was considerably lighter than the beretta 687 I was shooting and did jump a little with the 1oz loads I was shooting. It should be a dream to carry though and will make a sweet bird gun. I liked it. Congrats on the new OU!

Hey thanks! and thanks for letting me know. I was going to go shoot this weekend at Elm Fork Ranch to get some practice in.

I did not have to shim it at all. I did add Carlson extended choke tubes.

I actually bought some of those yesterday, I ended up going with the competition gold ones.
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