Benelli SBE III or Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus

ssrhythm

FNG
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
6
Not that good...the gun shoots ridiculously well and just murders ducks with a decent heavy load and the factory IC early and FC late season. I have an old wing master 16 IC that I shoot lights out too. I was never a good wing shot and always frustrated in the dove field from 8yo thru ~20 yo. My dad bought that wingmaster, and it seemed/seems like all I have to do is be in the ballpark when I pull the trigger and the dove dies...so I told him thanks and kept it. It must throw a very wide snd very even pattern. That SBE 2 is the same way with ducks. I don’t take shots that are Hail Marys, and those two guns do the work. I can take my browning gold 20, 1187 12, JC higgens 16 on the best dove shoot you can imagine and not kill a limit with five boxes, but I can take my wingmaster and kill a limit with a little over a box nearly every time. It’s the gun...which makes me having a damn lemon so sucky! I can’t afford to be buying another 1700$ gun without getting rid of the one I’m replacing...and there is no guarantee that I’ll be able to hit the broad side of a barn with a new SBE3 or A400ex. I think I’m going to get my 2 to a local, long in the tooth gunsmith and see if he can figure out what the issue is. Maybe it’s something simple.
 
Joined
May 2, 2016
Messages
563
Location
Reno, NV
+1 SBE 3

Bought the Benelli in late November and birds die when I shoulder it. I do love the ergonomics of a gun that feels smaller.
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,230
I like to think I am biased towards Benelli but I keep reading that the SBE III has POI issues yet I know two or three people that own them and say that theirs shoot 60/40. Which isn't a problem for me. Are there anymore SBE III owners out there that can chime in? Am I better off going with the a400 Xtreme plus? Its too bad you can't return these things if you dont like them!
The SBE3 has major POI issues due to the faulty stock. Because the chevron’s compress so easily, POI shifts are random and vary. I have several buddies who have/had them and they have all dumped them and moved on to Franchi. I also have a Franchi Affinity 3.5 and it is awesome.
 

ssrhythm

FNG
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
6
The SBE3 has major POI issues due to the faulty stock. Because the chevron’s compress so easily, POI shifts are random and vary. I have several buddies who have/had them and they have all dumped them and moved on to Franchi. I also have a Franchi Affinity 3.5 and it is awesome.
Will a SBE 2 stock fit the SBE 3? I don’t know where you would find a random SBE 2 stock, but it might be worth trading it out and just keeping both and toting the SBE 2 in the truck for a backup in case something malfunctions on a hunt somewhere. You can’t shoot two guns at once. I realize there is a theory that the chevrons are the cause of the high POI, but I’ve also read that Benelli intentionally made the gun hit high for better numbers on trap courses. I’ve also read once where a 3 was sent back to the factory to have them alter so the poi would be same as 2. This fix would go along with the theory that the rib pitch was causing the high poi problems.

I’d like to see someone put the 3 in a vice of some sort that would lock in the aiming position throughout the shot and take the chevrons out of the equation to see where POI is snd if it is consistent. If chevrons are causing the problem, then POI should be dead on and consistent, and it might be something that can be fixed.

I get that Benelli won’t admit to putting out a defective product, but surely it seems the powers that be there would silently make changes to the chevron material/design or rib pitch or whatever is causing the issue to bring the POI down to 40/60 for production runs moving forward. Has anyone tested the 2017 SBE3 against a 2020 SBE 3?

just hard to believe a company would keep cranking out their flagship product year after year with a design flaw that is costing them a ton of sales...and this issue has cost/is costing them a ton of sales.
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,230
Franchi is essentially the same gun as the SBE II. Same inertia system as the Benelli’s without the stupid price tag and faulty stock. 7 year warranty. Buy a Franchi and don’t look back.
 

Ehiggins

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
335
Will a SBE 2 stock fit the SBE 3? I don’t know where you would find a random SBE 2 stock, but it might be worth trading it out and just keeping both and toting the SBE 2 in the truck for a backup in case something malfunctions on a hunt somewhere. You can’t shoot two guns at once. I realize there is a theory that the chevrons are the cause of the high POI, but I’ve also read that Benelli intentionally made the gun hit high for better numbers on trap courses. I’ve also read once where a 3 was sent back to the factory to have them alter so the poi would be same as 2. This fix would go along with the theory that the rib pitch was causing the high poi problems.

I’d like to see someone put the 3 in a vice of some sort that would lock in the aiming position throughout the shot and take the chevrons out of the equation to see where POI is snd if it is consistent. If chevrons are causing the problem, then POI should be dead on and consistent, and it might be something that can be fixed.

I get that Benelli won’t admit to putting out a defective product, but surely it seems the powers that be there would silently make changes to the chevron material/design or rib pitch or whatever is causing the issue to bring the POI down to 40/60 for production runs moving forward. Has anyone tested the 2017 SBE3 against a 2020 SBE 3?

just hard to believe a company would keep cranking out their flagship product year after year with a design flaw that is costing them a ton of sales...and this issue has cost/is costing them a ton of sales.

I can’t comment on the early SBE3s but I’ve had mine a little over a year and it doesn’t shoot high. I’ve read plenty of comments on the high POI issues and I’m not disputing those clearly something was going on. I’m not claiming I know what the issue was but I don’t really believe the stock was the issue. 1-The chevron in the comb of the stock is not near as compressible as it’s made out to be. 2- Recoil pad compresses long before the stock would defect. 3- The stock is not recoiling against a rigid object, it’s pushing against your shoulder which is going to move. Just my $0.02


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ssrhythm

FNG
Joined
Jan 8, 2021
Messages
6
I can’t comment on the early SBE3s but I’ve had mine a little over a year and it doesn’t shoot high. I’ve read plenty of comments on the high POI issues and I’m not disputing those clearly something was going on. I’m not claiming I know what the issue was but I don’t really believe the stock was the issue. 1-The chevron in the comb of the stock is not near as compressible as it’s made out to be. 2- Recoil pad compresses long before the stock would defect. 3- The stock is not recoiling against a rigid object, it’s pushing against your shoulder which is going to move. Just my $0.02


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I agree and that is great to hear.
 
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
69
The SBE3 has major POI issues due to the faulty stock. Because the chevron’s compress so easily, POI shifts are random and vary. I have several buddies who have/had them and they have all dumped them and moved on to Franchi. I also have a Franchi Affinity 3.5 and it is awesome.
The chevrons being an issue was speculation. Not the cause. Both are great guns and am tempted to add an a400 with my sbe3 myself. Just hard to have two great guns and can only use 1 lol

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Cockeye

WKR
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Messages
389
Location
Culbertson, Montana
I shoot my SBE 2 so well its ridiculous. Unfortunately, it requires that I break it down completely and clean it after every hunt the way most guns get cleaned once or twice a year....just to make it thru the next hunt without ejection/feeding problems. Sometimes, if its a barn-burner of a shoot, I'll get hang-ups despite thoroughly cleaning the night before. I clean it exactly like Benelli says it should be cleaned, and I shoot HeviShot, Heavy Speed Ball, Hevi-Metal, and Federal Bismuth 3" duck loads, so unless I'm clueless and those are junk loads, I have to say that I am extremely disappointed in the reliability of the gun. I had a Beretta xtrema in the early 2000s that was way to long for me (I shouldered it and bought it wearing a t-shirt...never again) and I sold that gun to a 6'8" friend/neighbor, but I hunted with it for a few years...and I can not recall it ever having the slightest hiccup. Both the Beretta and the Benelli have cost me longbeards due to the infamous Benelli "click," (Beretta does it too) so I was happy to see that Benelli pretty much resolved that issue with the SBE3. That said, I hate to not hunt with my SBE2, because when it goes bang, 90% of the time, a duck, crane, or goose has just died. That said, I go on week long turkey and duck hunts where I might be living out of my truck or a tent, and breaking it down and cleaning every nook and cranny after every hunt is getting old and it is going to result in me losing a spring or pin somewhere in the woods and being without a weapon.

I was hoping I just got a lemon, but it seems more and more as if there are a lot of fanboys willing to look the other way over assinine reliability issues simply because it is the sweetest swinging and shooting gun out there...when it dosent malfunction. It isn't just the shooting high issue giving me pause about the SBE3...hell, that may make it even more deadly in a duck blind; I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of my misses are low, but the fact that Benelli didn't just bite the bullet and fix it and reassure all potential buyers that it is a done deal and that the gun is guaranteed to shoot 50/50 0r 40/60 at 30 yards...that's indicative of a deeper issue that overshadows what the gun may or may not do.

I'm heavily leaning toward Beretta now. Everything from them since the xtrema 1 has shouldered well (and maybe someone sold me an xtrema 1 xl or something and I was too ignorant to realize it), and I don't see anyone anywhere reporting any cycling issues that come close to what I read about and have personally experienced with Benelli...I just hope I will see the same number (%) of birds folding when I pull the trigger as I do with my SBE2.

Does anyone know if Beretta has improved/upgraded their rotating bolt head and Beretta "click" issues like Benelli did? If I call in another turkey and watch it haul the mail after another "click" I may lose it and flat ruin whatever gun does it to me again.that’s
That’s weird ive had sbe2 and 3 and only clean once or twice year we start our season in North Dakota then to Montana and over to Idaho on snake river when to Midwest and end up in Texas. And during that time it usually goes swimming probably 10 times. I do send all my benellis to RR and he upgrades them for me When they are new. Maybe that’s the trick. Anyway I just got my SBE3 back from Rob Roberts it’s bolt is polished has trigger job and trigger shoe installed, barrel been ported and forcing cone lengthy and slammer button installed. All that for $500 it’s basically a benelli waterfowl edition with a trigger job add.
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,230
The chevrons being an issue was speculation. Not the cause. Both are great guns and am tempted to add an a400 with my sbe3 myself. Just hard to have two great guns and can only use 1 lol

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It wasn’t just speculation - google is your friend here. The SBE 3 is seriously flawed.
 
Joined
Apr 15, 2014
Messages
360
I like to think I am biased towards Benelli but I keep reading that the SBE III has POI issues yet I know two or three people that own them and say that theirs shoot 60/40. Which isn't a problem for me. Are there anymore SBE III owners out there that can chime in? Am I better off going with the a400 Xtreme plus? Its too bad you can't return these things if you dont like them!
Go a400 and keep it clean. Gas gun don't like getting dirty.
 
Joined
May 6, 2018
Messages
8,820
Location
Shenandoah Valley
Pretty much all the "clicks" are from riding the bolt home. Or pulling the charging handle back far enough to make sure it's loaded, then closing. If you are getting it with a Beretta its definitely something you are doing. Some of the Benelli's had a light spring that setting the gun on the butt a little too hard could cause the bolt to come out of battery.

Browning, Beretta, and Benelli can all get the click when user doesn't allow the bolt to slam shut, just Benelli is most sensitive.

To the op:

Almost been a year, hopefully you figured it out, but it should really cone down to whichever fits you the best. I prefer gas to inertia when I can choose, but I'll take a good fitting inertia over any poor fitting gas gun.
 

Cockeye

WKR
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Messages
389
Location
Culbertson, Montana
I went from SBE2 to Super Vinci to A400 extreme back to SBE2 and now SBE3. SBE just fits me the super Vinci would put knot on middle finger. The A400 was nice gun but it just didn’t fit me right so back to SBE I went. As others say it’s got to fit you. Now looking at new SBE3 in 20ga with Boss Shotshells.
 
Joined
Oct 14, 2020
Messages
32
Location
SD
I shot a SBE II. The only regret I have is I didn't buy one 5 years sooner. I've never shot the III but I can't imagine you could go wrong.
 

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,886
Location
ND
Missed this when initially posted. Haven't shot a Benelli, but love the A400 XTreme Plus. It'll cycle everything from light #9 skeet loads straight through magnum turkey and waterfowl loads. Adjustable stock for drop and L/R cast. Front and rear beads. Receiver tapped if you want to add a rail for a red dot. Reported to have the best recoil management on the market. I probably shoot it better than my Beretta O/U on the skeet range right now.
Hell yeah love mine as well. Highly recommend!
 
Joined
Aug 19, 2018
Messages
310
Location
Central Texas
I killed a turkey yesterday morning with my SBE3. I put a fast fire 3 on it. Hit the turkey at 35 yards. This was the first hunt I’ve taken it on. No complaints so far.
 
Joined
Apr 12, 2021
Messages
20
I would look at the Retay Masai Mara. It has great reviews and you don’t get the Benellis click. My buddys shoot the SBE 2 and get the click at least one time a season when I am with them. The Retay bolt is designed to shut every time and you can’t jar it out of battery. The Retay Air King has a cerakote finish on the reciever and barrel. Looked like a duck hunters dream to me. I am thinking of getting one and making my SX3 my back up.
 

Ajax2744

FNG
Joined
Feb 11, 2019
Messages
36
The sbe 3 is designed to shoot 60/40 so if you like that then good, but people have reported having up to a 90/10 pattern and it can vary fun to fun. The sbe 3 redesign addressed the Benelli click from previous designs. But if I had to choose I’d go beretta personally.
 
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