Benelli M2 Shotgun Review: The Ulti...

In its almost 25 years of existence, the Benelli M2 made the transition from high-tech alternative for the M1 to Benelli’s value level semiauto.  Whereas that may sound like a demotion,  it’s extra like a distillation: the M2 is the proper selection for the hunter who needs a rugged, dependable inertia semiauto with out extras like carbon-fiber ribs and three ½-inch chambers. In 12- and in 20-gauge, the M2 cycles a variety of two ¾- and 3-inch masses with unfailing reliability, a trait that has earned it followers amongst each hunters and opponents. 

At the same time as Benelli’s entry-level gun, it nonetheless sells for over $1200, so it is best to anticipate rather a lot. The M2 delivers. 

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Inertia Benefit

Like all Benelli semiautos (besides the gas-operated tactical M4) the M2 works on the precept of inertia. When the gun is fired and strikes again beneath recoil, the “floating” bolt stays in place, and the rotary bolt head locks much more tightly into the barrel extension. On the similar time, a stout spring contained in the two-piece bolt compresses, then, after the gun fires, the spring opens, throwing the bolt again to eject the spent shell and to select up a recent one because the return spring within the inventory pushes the bolt again into battery.

The system made a short look within the early 20^th century because the very odd-looking Swedish Sjogren Regular, however for sensible functions, inertia weapons have been invented in Italy within the Sixties when the motorcycle-making Benelli household met inventor Bruno Civolani. 

Early Benellis locked up by the use of a bar within the bolt that tilted to lock into the receiver. That design was supplanted by the “Montefeltro Tremendous 90” rotary bolt in 1986, seen first within the M1 Super 90.  The bolt had three lugs that locked into the barrel itself, which means that the gun’s receiver now not bore any of the stresses of the lockup. The brand new bolt allowed Benelli to make lighter receivers to looser tolerances. It additionally had an motion that stayed cleaner, longer as a result of it didn’t use gasoline for biking. The Tremendous 90 model of the inertia system grew to become the idea for Benelli’s legendary reliability and sturdiness. 

Start of the M2

People found the M1 Tremendous 90 after Heckler and Koch started importing the weapons to the U.S. within the 80s, though it will be the debut of the Tremendous Black Eagle in 1991, that began the Benelli buzz over right here. Beretta acquired Benelli in 2000, forming Benelli USA, and elevating the model’s profile within the states. As a part of that effort, they gave the lineup a makeover. The M2 was born in 2004, and the M1 was phased out.

The M2 had extra plastic elements than the M1, and it was lighter. It was up to date with the newest Benelli tech: the barrels have been cryogenically frozen to take away stresses within the steel and make them simpler to wash. The Crio barrels got here with lengthened Crio chokes. Whether or not the freezing helped or not is open to debate, however the brand new chokes positively improved patterns.  

The M2, together with the Tremendous Black Eagle II, additionally featured a brand new ComforTech inventory.  The rap on inertia weapons is that they kick arduous, which they do. Benelli engineers designed the ComforTech inventory that not solely had gentle cheek and butt pads, but additionally a collection of vibration-dampening of sorbothane chevrons within the inventory.  It appeared gimmicky, however it labored.

As Benelli promoted their weapons, nobody performed a much bigger position than exhibition shooter Tom Knapp. The M2 was a staple in Knapp’s exhibits and generally the star. Oct 20, 2004, Knapp threw and broke a document of ten clay targets in 2.2 seconds. He completed the feat with an M2 that got here, as he exclaimed after setting the document: “Off the shelf, out of the field, into my fingers.” Hunters and shooters, even waterfowlers who would by no means load greater than three shells, took discover.

M2 Variants

The M2 got here in artificial, camo and walnut, though the walnut fashions would finally be dropped because the gun settled into its workhorse identification. Pistol-grip turkey fashions got here quickly after. The primary time I shot an M2 was on a turkey hunt in Texas. With a Swarovski dangerous-game scope with an illuminated reticle on high, it made a deadly turkey gun. I purchased my very own M2, an all-black mannequin not lengthy after for waterfowling. It was brief, with a 26-inch barrel, and lightweight, at beneath 7 kilos, each traits I didn’t assume I preferred in a duck gun however I cherished it.

The M2 was made in subject, slug, tactical, and 3-gun variations, in addition to in particular Efficiency Store fashions made in collaboration with Rob Roberts Gunworks for turkeys and waterfowl.

The short-lived “American” mannequin, made in 2010-2011 with out ComforTech and with a decrease price-tag, foreshadowed the present spot the M2 would occupy within the Benelli lineup. As Benelli added extra fashions, the M2 was lastly relegated to the underside of the road, price-wise.

M2 Makeover

In 2023, the M2 acquired a makeover, one which addressed, for my part, the gun’s two weaknesses. The Achilles’s heel of the Tremendous 90 bolt is the clicking. The very rotary bolt that locks tighter because the gun recoils, that contributes a lot to the gun’s pace and reliability, may also be by accident bumped out of battery with ease. Shut the bolt slowly to maintain quiet on a turkey hunt, or snag it in camo netting or a ghillie coat, as I’ve, and while you pull the set off, the gun goes “click on,” not “bang.” It doesn’t occur typically, however it occurs on the worst occasions. I cherished my M2 till the primary time it clicked, and I used to be traumatized sufficient that I bought it. I had one other click on with a borrowed 20-gauge waterfowl M2 and the mallards almost landed within the decoys after which flew off unscathed solely strengthened my emotions: the clicking was a deal-breaker.

The brand new M2 options Benelli’s Straightforward-Locking bolt, a design launched within the Ethos in 2014. A detent pin and spring contained in the bolt nudge it into battery if it’s bumped out. It really works splendidly nicely. To my thoughts, it’s the final, obligatory enchancment on inertia semiautos.

The opposite change for the higher within the new mannequin is a softer journal spring and a two-piece shell latch. Loading M2s both in high-volume conditions or within the chilly was once an ordeal. Excessive-volume dove shooters, who typically select Benellis, armored their thumbs with athletic tape. That’s now not obligatory, and even when chilly saps the energy from my thumb I can simply slide shells into my M2. 

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Closing Ideas on the Benelli M2

Presently, M2s are made in 12- and 20-gauge synthetic-stocked looking fashions in addition to 12-gauge 3-gun and tactical fashions. After the makeover, I’m an M2 proprietor once more.  Any longer, there’ll all the time be an M2 amongst my duck weapons, and I’m certainly not alone in that sentiment. Whereas the outdated M2s are nice, the brand new ones are even higher they usually can nonetheless be had at cheap costs.