I'm thinking of selling off some of my shotguns to help purchase a new Benelli Super Black Eagle or M1 Field. Can someone tell me the difference between the two other than the SBE can shoot 3 1/2" shells? I tried calling a couple of dealers yesterday and got stuck on hold both time for an extended period of time and ended up hanging up on them.

Also, are there any other shotguns that I should consider? I mainly hunt rabbits, shoot barn pigeons, and deer with the guns I have now. However, we now have turkey in our area so I may try my hand at those too.

The basic difference is the 3" vs 3 1/2".Unless you really need the 3 1/2" for things like long range geese stick with the M1. The 3" with all the different shells available and different chokes is extremely versatile.My M1 90 field has been used for sporting clays ,geese, squirrels. turkey etc.At 7 1/4 lbs it's a good weight for hunting. Check their website for details of the various models.

I can't make any comments about the M1 Field as I have never shot one. However, I can talk about my SBE. I use it for all my bird hunting, from dove to turkey. I load my own shells and stick with either 2 3/4" or 3 1/2" shells based on game hunting. I use 3 1/2" on ducks, geese, and turkey. I wanted a gun that I wouldn't be limited to with respect to shell selection. With the SBE, whether I load myself or not, I can get the right shell for the specific task at hand. If you know for a fact that you will never ever use 3 1/2" shells, then the decision is yours to make. If your going to hunt turkey as you state, I would consider the 3 1/2" shells a real benifit.

-tlfw

With the introduction of all of the newer shot types (bismuth, tungsten, Hevi-Shot, etc), the need for a 3 1/2" gun is no longer there. When steel was the only legal game in town for waterfowl, yeah, maybe a 3 1/2" was nice, but remember, we killed a truckload of geese back in the 3" lead shot days, and I bet nobody felt undergunned....

If you ever plan on buying a rifled barrel for deer hunting, the SBE's barrel is drilled and taped for a scope. M1 slug guns are drilled but the VR barreled guns are not. You would also need a diffent forend for the slug barrels. TTS

Just my own ignorance here, but why do you need a different foreend if you swap out a shot barrel to the slug barrel? That would seem like an awfully stupid thing for Benelli to do.

I really like their shotguns, but that $1,300+ price tag is like trying to swallow a golf ball. Especially since extra barrels are $300+/each. I may have to rethink my options.

Benelli slug barrels are thicker walled than their VR barrels. The opposite will work but there will be a gap on both sides of the VR barrel. TTS

I have had both guns and still have 2 M1-super 90's. I have hunted ALOT of water fowl and predators. I can hoestly say, I can do anything with a 3" shell that any one can do with a 3 1/2", as far as killing power. With the new shots coming out, the 3 1/2" just arent needed. Please dont get me wrong, I used to be die hard 3 1/2" man.
Its just not needed.
I shot sporting clays on a very competitve level and in one year I shot over 36,000 shotgun shells through my M1 and still have had NO problems. No I am not BSing you either.
These guns can take a beating and just keep running. The M1 has the least moving parts of any automatic shotgun on the market. They have 11 moving parts internally and a recoil operated action and hence forth great reliability.
You cant go wrong with the M1 or the SBE, My opinion is the M1 will suite your needs just fine.
Just my $.02
Nav

I have the M1 and love it. I shoot it mostly for turkey, varmints, waterfowl. I have had no need for the 3 1/2 " rounds. I am not sure of the weight difference but the M1 is the most balanced auto I have ever used. Well worth the dollars IMHO.