[ranger]

Anyone have any experience with the Benelli Super Sport II 12 gauge in sporting clays? I am looking at one with the 30" barrel. I am experinced SC shooter - I now use a 325 and shot autos (Browning Gold SC and Beretta 391 SC) in the past. This new Benelli caught my eye at a local dealer and he wants to move it (about $1300). This is the one with the space age carbon fiber look and the "special" stock that supposedly soaks up recoil and has multiple pads for adjustable length of pull and multiple combs for adjustment, too.

I know that it will be light. I will shoot mostly 1 oz loads plus an occasional Super Handicap or White Rhino through it.

Do not need it but I am being drawn back to buy it............

[JD45]

From what I have seen and heard gas-operated guns are about the only game in town for competitive clay target sports. If Benelli can make a gun that kicks less than the gas guns I'm sure you will see lots of pros shooting them. So far, they aren't. No doubt Benelli makes good guns, but recoil adds up when shooting hundreds of rounds in a day.

[crazyloks]

i have a legacy sport in 12 ga and a super sport in 20 ga. love them both. my wife shoots a browning gold sc. the best thing i can say that the benelli has been more reliable than the browning. the browning has cycling problems 3to4 times out of a 100. i shoot the 20 ga the most now and the for stock is very slim i like that. the browning has a very fat (wide). $1300 is a lot less than i paid for either one of my guns. i would buy it. the comfort tech stock with the chevrons of rubber in them works quite well i have that stock on my wife's M2 field.

[Tangram]

I have shot a couple thousand rounds 30" Benelli with a Comfort Tech stock and a few more from a 391.

I enjoyed shooting it- pointed well for me and is very easy to clean the works. Since it is a nongas gun there are no combustion left in the works. Comparing it to my 391 Technys Gold Sporting. The 391 points very well and is reasonably easy to clean. My 391 is both gas operated and heavier (8oz recoil reducer is stock in stock). There is not doubt in my mind that there is less recoil with the Beretta. However, with target loads, 1oz - 2 3/4 drams I did not find it significant (currently I am not particularly recoil sensitive). Reliability? I've seen both shotguns have problems feeding on a sporting clays courses. I had one problem with the Benelli during driving rain (open bolt on sporting clays course with reliably feeding a round into the chamber. The Beretta ran smoothly the first couple thousand rounds with no failures then it would jam with the shell hanging up on the right side of the chamber. (Replaced shell carrier lever and all springs recoil, magazine, .... recoil spring follower) No problems for 10,000+ rounds. Experienced some feed problems at this point and replaced springs. No problems for 10,000+ rounds. After that I replaced recoil spring every 5 to 10K. I am not a fanatic about cleaning but keep the gas ports clear and run the gun with light lubrication including the gas system. I have disassembled the fore end nut a couple time while I have owned the gun. Only broken part on the Beretta was the operating rod and sleeve.

If I were going to buy a new semi auto for Sporting I'd get the 391 - lots of doodads to experiment with, lighter recoil especially with heavier 3 dram + loads, wood stock can be reshaped easier, heavier but still balances and moves well.... But if I already owned a Benelli I'd probably just shoot it and not worry about it.

I got carried away but there should be some useful info in my post.

This post has been edited by Tangram: 21 January 2009 - 05:29 PM

[ranger]

Great insights - I appreciate the feedback and comments. I'll swing by and see if the Benelli Super Sport II is still "beckoning".......

[steveyacht]

ranger, on Jan 21 2009, 09:58 PM, said:

Great insights - I appreciate the feedback and comments. I'll swing by and see if the Benelli Super Sport II is still "beckoning".......

I have friend that had one and I shot it extensively. I found it to be a reliable shotgun but also found it too light for my liking. It felt "whippy" to me, particularly compared to my Kemen KM-4 with 31.5" barrels. The other thing that I did not particularly care for was what I term to be a mushy trigger, again compared to my Kemen.

What I do like is the simplicity of take down for cleaning, reliality, and durability.

You may want to find one you can shoot before laying out your money, particularly since you are used to shoting an O/U.