I'm looking for a top quality gun that I can use for a lifetime and its come down to those 3 choices. I hunt the marshes where I live on the NC coast and my buddy claims the finish on the Benellis won't hold up and parts rust and that the new SX3's finish won't rust. I'd like to hear what some of you have to on that. Also, how much difference in recoil does the comfortech offer cause I've never owned a satin walnut gun and the SBE II satin walnut doesnt come with comfortech, but still shoots a 3.5in shell opposed to the satin walnut sx3 which can only shoot 3's. I guess what I'm asking is, is it worth passing up the satin walnut look for the synthetic with comfortech. Also, how would satin walnut hold up to salty environments? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
SBE II, Beretta in the same $ range, or new SX3?
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Beretta will kick the least. It will be a guarantee if it has the kick-off system. I just bought one last week. I broke it in with a box of 3-1/2" shells. Kicked less with those than 3" out of my stoeger 2000. I will probably shoot a few more boxes of the roman candles soon. When I switched to 2-3/4" shells, I couldn't hardly tell the gun was going off. The recoil, or lack of, is amazing. Any of the mentioned guns will be great guns for you. Do some research and pick one based on the facts and the feel when it is shouldered.
All three are great choices and shoot great. The Winchester has the best trigger of the three (X2 greenhead and X3 are just plain smooth light pull triggers). The safety on the SBE2 takes getting used to. I shoot my Xtrema 1 a lot and believe it does reduce the recoil significantly even without the recoil system in the Xtrema 2. The Beretta does get noticeably more dirt being a gas gun. The SBE is iffy on light loads depending on break in and the gun.
All are good choices, whatever fits you the best is the one to go with.
Have fun!
All are good choices, whatever fits you the best is the one to go with.
Have fun!
I agree that all three are very good models. They are all geared for the likes of waterfowling mostly.
I don't think the ComforTech does anything to reduce recoil except for the soft comb that could help some with face slap.
Felt recoil is all about gun fit. What might be a light recoiling gun for one guy may be harsh kicking for the next guy. All of these models have shims to adjust the fit of the stock.
Try to hold them all side by side with different barrel lengths. Pick the one that feels the best to you. Can't go wrong with any one out of the group.
I don't think the ComforTech does anything to reduce recoil except for the soft comb that could help some with face slap.
Felt recoil is all about gun fit. What might be a light recoiling gun for one guy may be harsh kicking for the next guy. All of these models have shims to adjust the fit of the stock.
Try to hold them all side by side with different barrel lengths. Pick the one that feels the best to you. Can't go wrong with any one out of the group.
Awesome thanks for the help, just one more thing, about the rust, which brand has the best finish and wont rust cause again and would a satin walnut gun do ok in the salt air environment or would it dry rot...my buddy said the benellis rust and that the finish on the new SX3 wont rust.
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If you take reasonable care of your gun, it will not rust. If you pay no attention to it - it will rust. Regardless of the exterior finish.
My marsh gun (a very inexpensive Mossberg 500) has been used and abused since 1987, and it has absolutely no rust. Not a single pit. And, the wood is not suffering from "dry rot." It's been used as a boat paddle, a walking stick, a machete... I guess you've got the picture! It's been very well used. I spray it down with WD 40 (
) after every trip, and it's done its job.
All 3 of the guns you've mentioned are FANTASTIC waterfowling guns. They'll all last a lifetime, if you want them to. They'll all rust if you let them.
As far as the satin finish.... probably not quite as durable (or as ugly) as the plastic stocks.
- PJ
My marsh gun (a very inexpensive Mossberg 500) has been used and abused since 1987, and it has absolutely no rust. Not a single pit. And, the wood is not suffering from "dry rot." It's been used as a boat paddle, a walking stick, a machete... I guess you've got the picture! It's been very well used. I spray it down with WD 40 (
) after every trip, and it's done its job.All 3 of the guns you've mentioned are FANTASTIC waterfowling guns. They'll all last a lifetime, if you want them to. They'll all rust if you let them.
As far as the satin finish.... probably not quite as durable (or as ugly) as the plastic stocks.
- PJ
tmanker, what kind of Beretta did you get. I'm lookin at the Xtrema 2 and Urika. I like the Urika with satin walnut but it only holds 3in compared to that of the satin walnut benelli sbe II that holds 3.5in. I intend to use the gun for everything, waterfowl and doves to deer and turkeys. Also would Bass Pro Shops have all of these guns so I could hold them and see which fits me best?
I ended up going with the xtrema 2. So far I have shot 1-1/8 oz loads on clays and pheasants up to 3-1/2" shells on ducks/geese. Most of my shooting will be 3" steel I would imagine. The gun is very soft shooting and recoil was one of the big factors in my decision. This morning I went out duck hunting with two other guys. It was about 0 degrees when we got to the blind. We had to break ice on the pond and my gun was solid ice by the time I got into the blind. I opened the action once to break the ice and never had one problem the entire morning. I love the xtrema 2 and would buy it again in a heartbeat. I will say that the sling design isn't the greatest but I have learned to live with it and it doesn't bother me now. The SBE II is a very good gun, but I wouldn't think twice about my purchase. The gun can do everything from clays to pheasants to turkey and geese without a hiccup. Let us know how it turns out.
Well, held both the SBE II and Beretta Xtrema 2 and the Urika 2. For me, that Beretta just feels so comfortable and fits so nice. The Urika felt just as good if not better than the Xtrema 2. Both of the berettas pads felt softer on the shoulder. I was with my buddy and he held both and liked the Benellis fit better and thought the Xtrema2 was to big on the shoulder., and hes smaller than I am so I'm wondering if perhaps the Benellis are fit for smaller shoulders or something The SBE II felt good though, just didn't seem as soft on the shoulder with the smaller pad on the back. I want to shoot a benelli before making my final decision but as of now I'm leaning towards the Beretta, even though I already own a 390 Walmart gun and was hoping to buy something else.
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Could you get a gel pad like the xtrema 2's have put on a sbe2? I think that would make a world of difference and I'd probably take the benelli. The pads on all of them that I held were uncomfortable and thin compared to the big more plush ones on the berettas.
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I think the Beretta is probably the most durable to salt water environments. The BEII's come in second. The SX3 to me, is the best balanced and best looking, but I'm not sure if it will hold up to rust as well as the other two. I have never hunted salt water, and I'm not sure how wood holds up to it.
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