tl;dr version:
Benelli Montefeltro 12 ga, 28" barrel. Took it out last weekend for the first time at Bull Run. Pics below.
long version:
I shot clay games only a few times, borrowing several different O/U's, but I was definitely hooked. Decided it was time to get my own shotgun but didn't want to go all out quite yet. Keeping it under $1000 was the plan.
My first choice was a Beretta A300 in wood. When I saw DSG had a Black Friday special price on them for $600, I was salivating. The problem was I went to Ohio for Thanksgiving. By the time I got back two days later, whatever few woodies were gone. Wasn't interested in the black plastic ones.
I looked some other options, and saw the Benelli tag on a barrel. Hmm, Montefeltro was normally a buck short of the max limit, but DSG was having a sale on any gun in stock. So the price difference ended up about $150 more a A300 wood because it would need to be ordered.
Heard Benellis kicked like a mule, and about Benelli thumb. However, it mounted well and I figured an autoloader will have less recoil than the O/U's I usually shoot -- more on that below. I guess I'm part raccoon, because I liked the shiny chrome bolt. Barrel bluing also looked better than the A300, and the wood looked good quality. OK, sold.
Finally got to take it out last weekend to Bull Run with two friends, who brought a 686 Silver Pigeon and a 686 Onyx (edit: it was a 686 Silver Essential, not an Onyx).
We were shooting Winchester AA, 2 3/4", 1 1/8 oz, #7.5, 1300 fps to break in my gun. We went through four boxes each.
I wouldn't say the Benelli kicked like a mule, but all three of us agreed the perceived recoil on the Benelli was noticeably more than the (edit) Essential, and both were more than the Silver Pigeon. Shot them back-to-back-to-back with the same ammo so no differences there. I was a bit surprised by this, but I think it may have something to do with the Monte's light weight, as well as its autoloading is inertia based, not gas operated.
Still, I really like the Monte because it fits me well out of the box. I've shot several rounds with a Citori, and words cannot adequately describe my hatred shooting it because it doesn't fit me at all. So compared to that, I'll take a little more recoil for the good fit. It also swings to my liking -- not too light, not too heavy.
What I don't like about the Monte is its front bead, which is a tiny red fiber optic. I ordered a green Hi Viz, which will hopefully do the trick. I also did get a bit of Benelli thumb, so I'll need to work on not getting it caught in the gate.
Hope to bring it out to an MDS event soon. In the meantime, a couple of pics. Sorry my feet aren't in them
Benelli Montefeltro 12 ga, 28" barrel. Took it out last weekend for the first time at Bull Run. Pics below.
long version:
I shot clay games only a few times, borrowing several different O/U's, but I was definitely hooked. Decided it was time to get my own shotgun but didn't want to go all out quite yet. Keeping it under $1000 was the plan.
My first choice was a Beretta A300 in wood. When I saw DSG had a Black Friday special price on them for $600, I was salivating. The problem was I went to Ohio for Thanksgiving. By the time I got back two days later, whatever few woodies were gone. Wasn't interested in the black plastic ones.
I looked some other options, and saw the Benelli tag on a barrel. Hmm, Montefeltro was normally a buck short of the max limit, but DSG was having a sale on any gun in stock. So the price difference ended up about $150 more a A300 wood because it would need to be ordered.
Heard Benellis kicked like a mule, and about Benelli thumb. However, it mounted well and I figured an autoloader will have less recoil than the O/U's I usually shoot -- more on that below. I guess I'm part raccoon, because I liked the shiny chrome bolt. Barrel bluing also looked better than the A300, and the wood looked good quality. OK, sold.
Finally got to take it out last weekend to Bull Run with two friends, who brought a 686 Silver Pigeon and a 686 Onyx (edit: it was a 686 Silver Essential, not an Onyx).
We were shooting Winchester AA, 2 3/4", 1 1/8 oz, #7.5, 1300 fps to break in my gun. We went through four boxes each.
I wouldn't say the Benelli kicked like a mule, but all three of us agreed the perceived recoil on the Benelli was noticeably more than the (edit) Essential, and both were more than the Silver Pigeon. Shot them back-to-back-to-back with the same ammo so no differences there. I was a bit surprised by this, but I think it may have something to do with the Monte's light weight, as well as its autoloading is inertia based, not gas operated.
Still, I really like the Monte because it fits me well out of the box. I've shot several rounds with a Citori, and words cannot adequately describe my hatred shooting it because it doesn't fit me at all. So compared to that, I'll take a little more recoil for the good fit. It also swings to my liking -- not too light, not too heavy.
What I don't like about the Monte is its front bead, which is a tiny red fiber optic. I ordered a green Hi Viz, which will hopefully do the trick. I also did get a bit of Benelli thumb, so I'll need to work on not getting it caught in the gate.
Hope to bring it out to an MDS event soon. In the meantime, a couple of pics. Sorry my feet aren't in them
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Last edited:
Sure seemed like it!
