New Benny

[tjwatty]

OK guys, I bit the bullet and brought home my new Super Black Eagle II with the "Comfortech" and "Crio" system. I could give a hoot about 3.5" but as I get older that recoil is beginning to sting a might. Shot 100 trap yesterday in 90+ heat and this ole cripple is sore today. (wouldn't be so sore if I shot better)
I'll shoot the new toy on Wed. hope it works as advertised or I might have to call fabs favorite Browning into play.(Ha!) Sure feels nice here in the loading room.

[tjwatty]

Well I shot the thing last night at the trap club and I am surprised at several findings.
As advertised the felt recoil (with trap loads) is almost non-exsistant. Feels a lot like a .410 really, the light weight of the gun makes it a little difficult to shoot trap with but I actually did better with low gun position. I suppose that's because I'm so used to the heavier trap/skeet gun. I see no problem with it in the duck blind and am looking forward to skeet this Sat.
The new choke system has made my Briley full and waterfowl chokes obsolete but I had a friend buy the full for his Nova at the club and the waterfowl will go to one of my hunting pals so no big loss. I did find that the Benelli chokes seem to be quite a bit tighter than I expected the full and improved Mod. were more than enough from the 22yd back to 27. I think next week I will try Mod. and do a little more at the pattern board before the crowd arrives.
All in all I'm pleased, but I will need more practice to get real comfortable with the light weight.

[tjwatty]

Well I shot skeet with the new gun, I will now say I am really really looking forward to this waterfowl season. This could possibly be the finest shotgun, dedicated for waterfowl, that I've ever owned. I actually shot low house 8 without putting the gun to my shoulder and the recoil is just not there. Granted I'm shooting light loads but it feels like a .410. It cycled 1oz as well as 1 1/8, it's light weight makes it lightning fast, a little too quick sometimes, but a real joy to shoot. It is everything it is advertised to be. The recoil reduction of 30% might be a little underestimated, I wish I could have afforded one and they would have been available back in the day I was walking all over the place quail and pheasant hunting.
If anyone is looking to purchase a new waterfowl shotgun please please take a close look at the new SBEII, I know the cost is up there for new shooters and those on a budget but the gun is worth it. If you have the opportunity to try one please do, I let a 12yr old shot it and he had no trouble handling this light weight gun. Ideal for those of us who have a hard time handling heavier guns but still want/need the 12ga.

[fabsroman]

Welcome to the club TJ. LOL

I have had my first generation SBE for 8 years now and I love the gun. When I am waterfowling with it, I use a recoil reducer in the buttstock to reduce recoil because it doesn't have the comfortech system in it. If I am going to do a lot of walking, I take the recoil reducer out because I generally am shooting light shells.

I am glad you really like the gun, but I didn't have any doubts about it. I am trying to scrape together some change so that I can buy the SBE II as my wing shooting gun and used my current SBE as my dedicated slug gun.

How have you been shooting with it? Keep in mind that you can adjust the point of impact by using the shims that came with it. If you go to the pattern board and it is shooting high, try using a different shim selection.

[tjwatty]

Shot trap with it last week and I sucked, shot skeet last Sat. and shot 74 out of 75. Kinda makes you think there doesn't it? Last night back to trap but took my own advice and told myself " Don't think, just shoot." Worked out a lot better. The light weight was making me try and shoot a little too fast, and after slowing myself down was back in the comfort range. We shoot a lot of "Annie Oakley's and I did OK but I shot with a 12yr old in a brother-in-law and I hit 15 of our 20 targets. We missed only one and won a whopping $2.50. He was ecstatic and that my friends is what it's all about. He later got to the final 3 in an Oakley with his 20ga. it is amazing what a little confidence will do.
But back to the Benny, It is better than I had expected, I did shoot the pattern board and it's right on. I was canting a little and I worked on that so I think I'm back where I should be, For now anyway. I've had more people shoot this gun than any I've ever owned and I think if fabs was a divorce lawyer this gun might send him some business. Several are now looking to purchase.
I certainly would recommed one, but I had a M1 and loved it so wasn't expecting this much change.

[fabsroman]

TJ,

Pretty soon you are going to have me out there buying the thing. Lucky for me, my wife won't care about the purchase so long as the rest of the regular bills get paid.