February 16, 2026, 08:57 AM
egregoreBenelli Nova Tactical and 12-gauge "shorty" shotshells, range report. UPDATE: tried different shells. UPDATE 2: now with mag extension.
@ greyeyezz: Ordered some. Being a fairly regular customer of Midway, I don't know how I missed it.
I assume loads labeled "target", "sporting clays" and other such names will have about the same recoil as "managed recoil" buckshot (practice only).
February 16, 2026, 09:40 PM
greyeyezzNot bad for cheap buckshot @ 25 yrds.
[/url] [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/146780422@N05/]February 16, 2026, 11:06 PM
egregore^^^ A realistic defensive situation for me, if it were to happen at all, would be more like 15
feet. (the approximate distance from the kitchen counter to the front door)
I ordered an extended mag tube, spring & follower kit to increase the round count to 7. This is the second time; I ordered an 8-round first, but it protrudes one shell-length beyond the muzzle.
February 17, 2026, 06:14 PM
egregoreGot the mag extension kit installed today. With the supplied follower I just could not get the seventh shell to go in, and also had some cycling problems. The instructions did say the original could be used. Comparing them, the new follower looked to be about 3/8" thicker, which would make the spring/follower stack longer ... about the distance lacking to load the last shell. I disassembled them, put it back together with the original follower, and then was able to load the seventh shell, but it still took some effort. No cycling problems this time.
February 17, 2026, 07:43 PM
casquote:
Originally posted by egregore:
but it protrudes one shell-length beyond the muzzle.
Come on now, don't be that way.

February 18, 2026, 01:22 PM
mike28wJust to stoke the fires..... I have arthritic shoulders so just about any 12 gauge, 2 3/4" is unpleasant for me. I found that the Keltec bullpup KS 7 will feed the mini shells .... They are much lighter recoiling than anything else (for me). Both Augila and Federal (called "Shorty") makes them. Between the 2 companies you can find #8 and #7 birdshot, #4 buck and slugs. With Federal #4 Buck, my Keltec will give an 8-inch pattern at 15 yards. Which is good enough in my house.
When no one is around, I occasionally practice "clearing" my house. Even though it has an 18" barrel, the bullpup is amazingly handy.