20ga Cordoba question

Rapier · #1 08-02-2007, 12:39 PM

I see that Benelli has finally come out with the 20ga Cordoba. Have any of you guys bought one or tried one out yet? I kinda had it in mind to buy a 20ga when they came out but thought I would ask here as I am laid up after surgery. I have used several 12 ga Benelli guns so I know a bit about the Benelli system.

I have owned a 12ga and three 20ga 391 Beretta guns. They are great shooters but real dirty for high volume use. Kinda had a trip back to SA next year in mind and thought I might look at a Benelli Cordoba if the 20ga came out.
Ed

fabsroman · #2 08-03-2007, 12:58 AM

Can you go wrong with a Benelli? If I didn't shoot so well with my 391 Teknys, I would regret buying it over the Benelli Sport II because of the cleaning issue. While I love having clean guns, I hate spending a ton of time cleaning them.

skeet · #3 08-03-2007, 01:19 AM

Honestly if you are thinking of a HIGH volume shooter...stay with the Beretta...even in the 20 ga. Recoil is cumulative in nature. Even a nice 500 20's in a day is enough with a gas gun...and the benelli system guns are NOT gas guns. They definitely have more recoil than any gas gun...just the nature of the beast. More felt recoil means you get tired a little sooner. Most of the operations in Argentina have people that clean the guns in the evening anyway. Yeah...I know. Not mine either! I can usually get 5-600 shells through my 391 without a detailed cleaning. Heck 4-5 minutes with an 1100 and it is ok too.

I must admit after having a few B guns the 3 1/2"... Benelli guns are more reliable than the other guns in the same chambering....but they do kick more. I have one of the Benelli Sport guns (3") with a wood stock..pretty etc but really don't have much use for the darn thing. Still in the original box. Been shot a whole 100 times or so. Shoot the Beretta 391 quite often. SHot it in a registered skeet shoot at doubles last month. Broke 98 in doubles which isn't too shabby for me and not one bobble. Wish my 1100 would shoot that reliably

Rapier · #4 08-08-2007, 02:13 PM

Thanks guys for the reply. I am really trying to figure the Benelli loading port width and ejector system compared to the 391. After taking 391s on three trips to Argentina, I really do not want to do that again, just because of the cleaning regiment, twice per day with a trigger group removal at night. The last three times to AR I have gone with two O/U guns and they are definately a lot more pleasurable to clean, snake 2x per bore and a spot of greese on the hinge, done. Pass the cool libation please.... Two hours later the 391 scrubber staggers in, muck to the elbows.

I might just have to carry my 525 Browning 20ga 32 inch gun and my two barrel 20ga 391 gold sporting gun next year. At 500 - 600 rounds per day for pigeons the 391 should only require cleaning once per day. If I have a problem, the 391 stays in the sack and the 525 gets the bulk of use.

The real problem is the volume of shooting and the quality of shells you might run into. If you get some bad powder, you do not want an auto gun at all.

In the mean time I have gone on the net and found some not so good reviews on the Cordoba, several folks said they had jamming problems shooting in the US....that ain't good.
Ed