I have a friend who has a Benelli shotgun collection. He has an M2, M3, and M4 among others. What he doesn't have is a nice M1 Super 90. He also has an A300 Tactical and a 1301 of some flavor, I forget the details, but it's another tactical type. We haven't been out to the range to compare them all yet, but he's trying to talk me into trading out of my nearly-mint M1S90 for one of those Berettas. It may boil down to a matter of who's adding cash on top of the deal, I guess. I dunno.

I grew up on 12ga shotguns. I have thousands and thousands of shells through my 870's. I've been enamored with the M1S90 since I was a kid, and finally found a super clean one a few years back, paid too much for it, then spent the next several years moving, and kinda forgot about it. I finally took it out to the range last summer with a variety of shells and it beat the ever-loving dogshit out of me. I meant to tell you it absolutely kicked my ass. I decided on the spot that I hated it. I stuck it in the back of the safe until a few weeks ago when I took it out again, and it wasn't near as bad as I remember, but that was only with some light target loads, which I brought specifically because of that horrid range session.

Between then and now, the only thing that has changed is I got my thyroid removed, and went from being horribly sick and frail to losing several waist sizes of fat and putting on some decent muscle mass. I'm a lot stronger, and I have no doubt this is a large part of me having such a different experience both times. Still, I'm not in love with the idea of having a defensive shotgun that is so much more punishing to shoot than some modern options. I know the inertia system has a reputation for fast and reliable cycling, but with a fairly vicious recoil impulse. I can't even imagine how nasty a 3" slug would be out of this thing.

Is it worth trying to build up an M1 with a Mesa Urbino, magazine extension (it has a +2 and I think a +3 or +4 brings it up flush with an 18.5", right?) and a side saddle in the days where people haven't been making parts for these guns in years? Would it simply make more sense to walk it to my friend who is a collector and let him worry about what to do with it? It could be fun to SBS, but again, sourcing a 14" barrel seems like a "forget it" proposition after a quick look online. Another "forget it" is finding a Surefire forend and upgrading the head to an LED flamethrower - the Benelli M1 versions are apparently hen's teeth. It seems like the sun set on the time to do much in the way of tinkering with this platform maybe a decade ago. I could do all that tinkering and still end up with a shotgun that I hate shooting, so that's also a consideration.

I know there's been a lot of discussion about the 1301 and A300, and I haven't paid attention to it, so I'm trying to play catch-up. I know the Blink system and fast cycling is a selling point, but I'm also getting the read that either or both ought to be softer recoiling, or hopefully at least not as punishing. I bought fully into the "5.56 handles nearly all defensive needs" thing, but I still see the value in having a defensive shotgun around, especially a semi-auto. All my other 12ga guns are pump guns. I guess a range day will tell me a lot, but I'm asking for opinions here anyways.

This is not an "email me and ask about buying my shotgun" thread. I hope that much is clear. I'm either trading it to a friend or keeping it because I've always wanted one. Hell, I may keep it and just mothball it and buy an A300 when it's all said and done because having two HK marked 12ga shotguns in the safe is kind of neat (Fabarm FP6).

I can't help, I don't know what to do with mine either.

Only bought it, a police trade in with no barrel (was probably and SBR prior), because I didn't have one. But I DID have a barrel for it (that I bought about a year before because it was too cheap not to buy). Think I've had it to the range once ever. It has ghost ring sights, which I hate. Plus the gun's redundant several times over for me.


The short Beretta's intrigue me because they're short, and I don't own one. I'm sure it wouldn't see any more use than the M1, but that doesn't stop me from thinking about buying one.

Hey can I buy your shotgun?

Sell? heck I can't even give them away!

I legitimately have a Super Nova that I've tried to "sell" to two friends and a three coworkers. Plan was to try to sell it to them very cheap. And if they were willing to pay for it, I was just going to give it to them. With no success. With two of them even once they said no I told them my plan and still offered it to them of free. They still said no, holding out for a 20ga.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
I can't help, I don't know what to do with mine either.

Damn. Yeah, the only reason he's interested is apparently most of what's out there are beater police trade-ins and he wouldn't mind a clean example to stack them in order on his gun wall. The more I think about it, the more convinced I'd rather have it sit on his wall than me ever try to shoot it again, but I'm open to input.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Hey can I buy your shotgun?

Tree fiddy, or half a stick of gum and some pocket lint, whichever is more. Don't lowball me, I know what I got.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Sell? heck I can't even give them away!

[...]

They still said no, holding out for a 20ga.

Ouch. Yeah, nobody wants shotguns lately. I inherited a whole pile of them, and most of them are the type that the generation dying off gets excited about, and they're more into the liquidation rather than acquisition phase. So it goes.

Three of these guys wanted shotguns, they either mentioned it or asked if I had anything I wanted to sell, that's why I offered. Like I said two wanted 20ga, one was looking for a trap and skeet gun, preferably an O/U. The one guy wanted one for home defense (one of the 20ga guys), still hasn't bought one because he doesn't have any leeway in the budget. I keep telling him.. "Free! You got no money, how can you be so picky with FREE?"

I've never shot an M1, but they're inertia-operated, correct? I have shot other inertia guns, and they are definitely not as nice to shoot as a gas-operated gun.

I really like my A300 Outlander. It's smooth-cycling and I haven't gotten it to malfunction yet (my kid even used it for an entire season of 4H with zero problems). I haven't tried the Patrol, but I imagine it's similar. I hear the 1300 is even better. I'd probably take whichever of the two he's willing to offer you. Either one is a couple of decades worth of development better than the M1.

Based on what you shared about the recoil of the M1, I would make a trade with him if you want one of his Beretta shotguns.

I have an M2 and the comfortech stock really works. Recoil is much more mild than the M1 or the Stoeger M3000 which is a very similar inertia gun but without the comfortech stock.


Personally, I have owned gas operated guns and I prefer the M2. But it sounds like you would be better off with a gas gun than that particular model of Benelli.

If you don't want any of his shotguns, ask for cash.

I thought the M2 is just a slightly lighter version of the M1 with different furniture. Identical inertia operation.

Same design, same parts just made differently, but the more modern Stock and recoil pad help

quote:

Originally posted by Dwill104:
I thought the M2 is just a slightly lighter version of the M1 with different furniture. Identical inertia operation.

Basically the same gun. M2 has a lighter receiver and there are some slight differences in the bolt carrier. Most parts interchange IIRC.

If you want an M1S90 that stands out…SBS it with a 10”-ish barrel. Add a red dot with a Burris Speedbead, and you’ll have a literal blast emptying 3+1+1 rounds!

I had a M1 Super 90 in the early 2000’s that I used as a deputy sheriff and it was an amazing shotgun. I had to retire it because we had to use dept issued ammo and it induced about a 10% failure rate. It ran flawlessly with the Winchester high brass and low brass that I had, but again, that issued ammo thing. Fast forward to current day and a friend picked up a Beretta 1301. This thing has noticeably less recoil and eats everything so far. While the M1S90 is a classic, I’d take the Beretta over it now.

The 1301 is a far superior shotgun to the A300 in every way. The A300 is a capable gun in its own right, but it probably wouldn’t pry the M1S90 out of my hands. Depending on the configuration of the 1301, I’d likely make the trade. If it required me to drop cash too, I’d likely pass. Maybe it’s not the fairest deal, but they’re not making any more M1S90s and they pump out different flavors of the 1301 everyday.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
It could be fun to SBS, but again, sourcing a 14" barrel seems like a "forget it" proposition after a quick look online.

FWIW... in recent years used ones would come up on gunbroke-me pretty regularly and sell "cheap" (compared to regular Benelli prices anyway).

Email sent!

quote:

Originally posted by cas:

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
It could be fun to SBS, but again, sourcing a 14" barrel seems like a "forget it" proposition after a quick look online.

FWIW... in recent years used ones would come up on gunbroke-me pretty regularly and sell "cheap" (compared to regular Benelli prices anyway).

Yeah, I’m seeing a couple SBS’ and even looking at a 14” barrel currently. The shotguns are cheap (relatively speaking), the barrel is not, and it’s got the ghost ring front, which I’d have to remove. My barrel has the rifle sights, which I actually like, but for a 14”, I’d be happy with a bead.

quote:

Originally posted by Creeping_Death:
Email sent!

Ooooh! There’s a thought! Just pay the tax stamp and cut that sucker down even with the mag tube like yours. I like how that turned out! You mind if I host and post your pic?

I have some threads on semiauto shotguns...
Sell the M1.
I think I posted pics of mine? It's cool, gone since I bought the M2.
"Fast cycling" as a feature in a shotgun is funny.
I think the Mossberg is very good. The 1301 is better on out of box features than the M2, the M2 is easier to clean..
These guns are all really good. The only pump I have left is the KSG.

I have had an M1 Super 90 since the late 80's. I have killed many turkeys and all the geese I have ever shot with it. The only bad recoil is with 3 inch Turkey loads and a super tight turkey choke. I would never sell or trade it. It will shoot when it is beyond dirty when gas operated ones would puke. I say keep it!

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

Originally posted by Creeping_Death:
Email sent!

Ooooh! There’s a thought! Just pay the tax stamp and cut that sucker down even with the mag tube like yours. I like how that turned out! You mind if I host and post your pic?

Yes Sir - please post it!