12g Slug

[brown dog]

Had a bit of a go with a Benelli (M2 I think) on Fri.

 

I've never been one for recoil, but putting slug downrange had a whole "Grunt" thing going on; it felt like firing house bricks downrange.

The sheer impression of energy was awesome....and, er, surprisingly fun.

 

...I think I need to find a reason to get one!

[baldie]

You rapidly get used to the "grunt" Matt. Especially from such a lightweight gun as an M2. For the first couple of weeks of owning mine...i nearly sold it again, because i felt it kicked too much. It didn,t...it kicked "differently" due to it being recoil operated.

It also depends on what slug you fired. Cheddite and pmc are hunting slugs, and way more powerful than the target loads like S+B, Geco, Rottweil, etc. These shoot just the same as a normal shotshell.

 

If you try this stuff through a gas opped gun, its a lot smoother still....but everyone knows only men shoot benelli's the rest are faggot guns.

 

[brown dog]

If you try this stuff through a gas opped gun, its a lot smoother still....but everyone knows only men shoot benelli's the rest are faggot guns.

 

 

I just had a peep at guntrader - lots of l/h autos

 

As a boy I had a Franchi recoil-operated semi for rough and clays -it was the hardest kicking shotgun I've ever fired, that thing intensified recoil-horrible! At that time I thought the rem 1100 was a rolls-royce - I see now there's an 1187.

 

Can those be cheaply converted into competitive slug guns? Or the l/h Benellis?

 

I know nothing about these sorts of shotguns - any chance of an idiot's-guide teach-in?

[Alycidon]

I also borrowed a Franchi and an old Browning A5 recoil operated for an afternoon, did not kick as hard as my single barrel hammer gun, that is evil but they were both not pleasant to use.

 

A

[sako75]

I used a number of different makes of slug when in Malawi on the Wild River hogs and Warthog; through my Tikka 412S they kicked like a mule, and left you’re shoulder looking black and blue for days on end

 

 

Bloody horrible things those slugs, god knows where they were made, but they were very popular with the locals who did not have access to a rifle, which was most of the population

ATB Bob

[Deserttech Europe]

Hi Brown Dog, it was a Benelli M2 practical you were shooting along with Remington Slugger rounds.

 

Just checked the price for this shotgun on the GMK site, RRP of £1550 yikes!!!!

 

You can normally pick up section one shotguns at very reasonable prices.

 

 

I am still waiting on the description of your groups though !!!! ;-)

[brown dog]

I am still waiting on the description of your groups though !!!! ;-)

 

They were OK

[baldie]

The gun i,m shooting in the pic is an M2 practical too Matt.

It has, however, had some modifications.

Firstly, its got an extended mag tube, that allows 10 + 1 in the breech [ i think ]

The ghost rearsight has been removed, and an Aimpoint micro fitted for slug shooting, fast, and very accuratly. It has a teflon coated mag follower, and a nordic mag tube clamp [the std one is junk, and slides ]

It has a welded up floorplate to stop benelli thumb, and the whole loading areas are radiussed and polished for faster, smoother loading.

There are sometimes old M1 super 90,s floating about that can be had reasonably, and all these mods can be done to them, and more besides. You dont often see that many benellis for sale, because people generally "trade up " for one.

 

If you stick to the aforementioned target slug, you should have no bother shooting a couple of hundred in a day, the recoil is no different to shotshells. I think remmy slugger is a little pokier. Remmy actually do a reduced recoil slug for target work, but all of it is horrendously expensive.

 

Remmy 1187,s ?

popular shotgun. Gas opped, and cheap...ish. They need a larger cocking handle and extended magazine, and clamp, and also a custom floorplate which does away with the "tongue" that needs depressing to load it.

I,ve built several guns to this spec, and they are a good shotgun when on a budget. They need drilling and tapping for a rail, because the saddle mounts are shite and the gun needs rezeroing every time its stripped.

 

This is a point to remember on picking a gun. Benelli,s very rarely need cleaning, because there is nothing in there to that which promotes growth and vigour up. The action does not utilise any of the gas to work....hence all the that which promotes growth and vigour goes down the barrel. A good gun to fit a red dot to, because you aren't constantly stripping it to clean it.

 

If you go for a remmy, or winchester, or any gas gun, it has to be stripped and cleaned regularly, otherwise its gas ports clog and it wont work [sLR days ? ]Hence the best sights for these fella,s are the truglo turkey sights that bolt onto the rib. If you remove the barrel...they stay zeroed.

 

I do all these conversion etc and carry all the go faster bits. Shout up with any questions.

[Deserttech Europe]

Hi Baldie, those upgrades sound really, interesting, perhaps you could let me know the costs and time required.

 

Regards

[brown dog]

Dave,

 

Thanks; I think cost might drive me down the 11-87 route -unless a l/h M1 pops up (there's a new one on guntrader at £900).

 

With the 11-87, what can be done with a normal ventilated rib barrel? Can the rib be taken off? (I see a sporter l/h on guntrader at 500)

 

Seems the way to go (mindful of the zero problems you describe) would be to mount something 'scout' style to the barrel; can it be done? (ie Rib off, short strip of picatinny on?)

 

[ Also intrigued by the Hatsan guns - what's the bobby on those? Look a bit unbeatable on price:

All the bits avail: http://www.hatsan.com.tr/escort_accsessories.asp

Left hand synthetic with 3 yr warranty £369!! http://www.guntrader.co.uk/GunsForSale/100729182626000 )

 

 

Finally, what's 'good reason' on these?

 

Mag capacity -vermin

 

presumably anything else (less than 24" and slug) requires 'club'?

 

[sLR days ? ]

 

Cheeky bugger -I'm not that old!

[TonyH]

...

 

Finally, what's 'good reason' on these?

 

Mag capacity -vermin

 

presumably anything else (less than 24" and slug) requires 'club'?...

My FAC shotgun has vermin control plus "practical shotgun competition" as good reasons - though I must admit I've done far less practical than I intended. Others might confirm, but I think to acquire/use solid slug you need an additional bit of bumf on your ticket. I've been toying with this for a while, must get round to it when time permits; I'd like to mould my own slugs, lots of moulds available from the States at reasonable prices.

I too fancy a semi-auto, and I've always assumed I'd go the Remington route; I hear what Baldie says but Benellis are clearly out of my league, and the Rems have a wide following Stateside.

Even one of these would cost hugely more than my present 5-shot pump gun, a venerable Savage-Stevens, built like a brick whotsit, cost me all of £70 from a chum...

TonyH

[baldie]

Matt, if there,s a new Benelli M1 leftie on for £900 ...you should tear their arm off mate. Seriously, thats cheap, and a new 11/87 will be not far off that new , and its not in the same league.

Removing a rib is not easy, and would difigure the barrel, as they are brazed on. Mounting a rail to the barrel would be even harder, providing you could get it to stay there. A rib is a desirable feature...its something to mount the slug sight to. The yanks love to mill a dovetail in the rib, and fit the rearsight from a ruger 10/22....it works, but the slugger sights are much better, and also adjust for elevation.

 

"good reason " is target shotgun, both for section one status, and slug. Vermin is a hell of a lot more difficult, as you need to prove you have the large amounts of critters to warrant a large capacity shotgun.

 

Less than 24" is section 5/pick up dat soap bitch. Not what you want for practical anyway....as you need the long barrel to fasten a long magazine to.

 

The hatsan,s ? they are great value for money. However, they have numerous faults for a practical/target shotgun.

The main one is that they have a "tongue" on the rear of the floorplate which must be depressed as you push a cartridge into the mag. Its fiddly, and makes reloading at speed...impossible. Its the first part of an 11/87 build that gets fixed with a replacement. There is no replacement for the hatsan.

They need drilling an tapping [some models ] or a rail, but so do other brands.

The now do a fully tricked out practical type gun, that is "almost " there...its main fault is that its fixed choke [i dont know what ] probarbly true cylinder, and it doesn't group slug at all. I tested one a couple of weeks ago, and it was putting 5 rounds into around a foot at 30 yards. My benelli will put them into the same hole almost.

The mag extensions aren't long enough.

Personally, and only time will tell, i dont think they will stand the hammer, long term, that slug dishes out to a gun.

 

Ewen,

Shout up with upgrade idea,s buddy. A lot of the stuff is bolt on, and i get it from midway, other stuff like my custom mag buttons etc, i make myself.

 

 

This is my other benelli, an M3. It has the welded up carrier, and my mag button. The bolt handle is a revolving one from GG+G.

[baldie]

Tony has the cheap method into practical/target spot on. One of the very best is the mossberg slugster. Its a pump, it will 7+1 i think, and has a shedload of bits available, the very best being the recoil reducing stocks from Knoxx. We put together this cheeky little number for Roger a few weeks ago, and its a pussycat to shoot with slug, due to that fabulous little stock.

 

 

They can be picked up for £50 but it needs to be the slugster model. It has a 10/22 style fold down leaf rearsight, and a foresight obviously, and the fixed choke is either true cylinder, or imp. cylinder, and they group well.

 

Plus the fact they look as hard as woodpecker lips.

 

I put the stock, and the new forend on, then a barrel heat shield, and i drilled and tapped a mesa tactical picattinney rail on too. The pic shows the gun in full recoil lift, but you cant feel a thing when shooting it. Lovely little gun.

[LONG RANGE CAPT]

Hi Dave,

 

Think I could do with my floor plate being welded up on my M2

 

I have all the other go faster bits added.

 

Could you do the welding and how much are the sights and mounts ?

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Rob

[baldie]

Hi Rob,

I,ve had the welding done on mine in the states, by a guy who specialises in it.I think it cost arond 45 quid. However, its silly shipping work out, and i,m sure it can easily be done here. I have a spare carrier, and a mate who is a welder....leave it with me.

The slugger sights are £35 plus a couple of quid postage. They bolt onto every size rib i,ve ever come across, as they have 3 fitting positions. The foresight is a red truglo, and the rearsight has two green truglo dots either side. A very nice, and bright set of sights.

[brown dog]

Dave,

 

Thanks; great info. Think i'd better work on my 'reason'! (might have to give in and join a club )

 

 

[ This has prompted me to look up my old Browning liege on the net - just like this one but with really nice wood- had no idea they were worth anything; had it since I was 17 http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/admin/product_details.php?itemID=19884 sat in the cupboard for the last 6 years or so - time to sell I think!]

[LONG RANGE CAPT]

Cheers Dave,

 

Where abouts can I get an Aimpoint Micro and the mounts to pop it on.

 

Matt, can definitely recommend the M2, well worth getting.

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Rob

[baldie]

I,ve sent you a PM Rob about bits. I dont want this thread turning into a sales pitch.

 

Target and practical shotgun is undergoing a boom, helped in the north by various clubs/people. Our little smallbore club seems to get a new shotgunner every week.

 

Matt, are you a member of the NRA ? if you are, then you have good reason to possess a section one shottie, and also slug. The NRA hold 4 comps a year at bisley at the gallery rifle meetings, plus also the 2 special shotgun fests, on in feb, and one in oct. These are brilliant days, and well worth just spectating at, never mind competing.

[brown dog]

Matt, are you a member of the NRA ? if you are, then you have good reason to possess a section one shottie, and also slug. The NRA hold 4 comps a year at bisley at the gallery rifle meetings, plus also the 2 special shotgun fests, on in feb, and one in oct. These are brilliant days, and well worth just spectating at, never mind competing.

 

YES I AM! :D

 

I owe you a large beer!

[baldie]

On your variation you need to put as good reason ...." to use at Bisley, and all other ranges certified to shoot target shotgun with solid slug " and state you are a member of the NRA. Then you need to get along there and sort out your range cert for the gun when you get it.Tell them you also want to shoot clay pigeon with it. They grant this condition readily, and automatically in some forces now.

[TC]

Just sent you a mail re: Aimpoint Matt - if I don't sell that one I have another you can borrow to get started.

 

I would not get too hung up looking for a left hander, I shoot weak ahoulder most times out and have not found it to be an issue.

 

Remember - real men pump

 

On a serious note, way cheaper. Take a look at a Benelli Nova/SuperNova for example.

 

Tony

[brown dog]

Dave, Tony,

 

Thanks!

 

Bone question: How is a "more than 2+1" 12g described on a FAC / variation?

[Deserttech Europe]

Hi Brown Dog, I think it is merely defined as a section 1 shotgun and hen you define whether it is semi auto or pump.

 

Oundle would be another option if you struggle with the NRA, we shoot practical and target giving lots of justification.

 

Ewen

[baldie]

Yep, just ask for a section one shotgun Matt. DO NOT specify action type.

As Tony says, the supernova,s are excellent shotguns, i had one myself, briefly. They are very fast on reloading, because the floorplate will stop up if pushed with the first round, you can then shuttle the rest straight in.

However, it takes years of practise to become very fast with a pump, and the nra comps dont differentiate between actions, so you would end up competing against auto,s and you would lose.

Having said that, i know some pump shooters who are so polished, they can beat an auto, but they are few and far between.Look at some of the vids on youtube from bordergunz...they have some slick guys.

I also have an M3, its switchable between auto or pump, and its great fun.

Bisley is perfectly good reason for asking for one. The comps are a fixed part of gallery rifle, and as such are recognised by the police.

You will find though, that its highly addictive, and i would take Ewen up on his club offer.

[sauer]

Brown dog

i got an immaculate M2 off of guntrader for 750 quid last year and ita true left hander!!!

 

keep yer eyes open bud

 

i bought a welded up carrier coz i found occasionally the origianl caught me thumb which makes you swear loudly..not good in a pigeon hide...i got mine form the states but like dave says the carriage was stupid!!! could have had done here easily with hind sight.

 

i know nothing about shotty comps or the like but i love my M2 and wouldnt have anything else

 

 

sauer / paul