Wanted to share my experience with the Benelli M2 Tactical that I just recently purchased.  Found it at a LGS for a hair under $1k.  Configuration was ghost ring sights, factory extended magazine tube, pistol grip stock, and a Mesa Tactical 6 round side shell carrier w/ aluminum top rail mount.  Called into Benelli, and was told that the gun left the factory with the magazine extension and a standard rifle type stock (not sure if comfort tech or not) so someone swapped in the pistol grip stock which could be a positive or negative depending on your point of view.  Gun looked and felt in mint condition.



Bought a few different varieties of light birdshot, wanted to see what type of loads the gun would and wouldn't cycle.  I don't view the ability of a combat shotgun to cycle light birdshot as being of great importance, but still I was curious about the gun's limitations.  Did not break the gun down to clean or lube it, wanted to see how it would shoot as is.  I know inertia guns become more finicky the more weight you throw on them so I wanted to see how the gun would cycle in the stock configuration.  The Mesa Tactical side saddle + rail has some decent weight to it as the entire backing plate and connected rail are solid aluminum.  I, of course, also kept the side saddle fully loaded with 6 rounds of buckshot at all times of this testing, as I would have that loaded in any situation I had to use the gun.  The magazine tube extension also adds some weight, especially being fully loaded.  Other than that, I had no other crap or accessories on it.  A KISS shotgun.  Fully loaded Mesa side saddle, fully loaded gun with 7+1 rounds in it.  Ambient temperature was in the mid 40s.  

The first ammo I tested.


Fully loaded the M2 with 7+1 rounds of this Winchester "Xtra-Lite" target load.  1 ounce of shot at 1,080 fps.  All 8 rounds fired through the gun no problem!  Impressed, I loaded another 8 rounds into the gun and decided to see how fast I could fire her.  This time, I ran into two failures to feed throughout the 8 shots.  It seems that this load is in the "iffy" category in terms of reliably cycling the gun.  If I had lubed her up, would they cycle?  Maybe, maybe not.  Will test that next time.

The Next load

Federal "Ultra Clay and Field" 1 1/8 ounces of shot at 2 3/4 drams (listed as 1,045 fps).  I was curious to see what mattered more in terms of cycling this interia action, higher velocity, or heavier shot weight.  I know that the  gun will cycle 1 ounce loads at 1,200 fps or higher, and below that velocity is iffy.  How does a load cycle if it has lower velocity but a bit more shot weight?  I was about to find out.

Full loaded 8 rounds, all cycled through it like a sewing machine!  Decided to try to speed test the gun to see if it would cycle, and if I could outrun the gun.  Loaded up 8 rounds and fired as fast as I could pull the trigger.  I must have emptied that gun in close to 1.5 seconds, and all rounds just sang through the gun!  Which reminds me, I don't know what people are talking about that these inertia actions are "slow".  I couldn't really imagine being able to fire this thing any faster (not that you would use such speed in a practical application anyway).  I remember also that the benelli M1 used to have the crown for "fastest" shotgun and how the company would brag that the gun could fire 5 rounds in one second.  Anyway, the speed is great with this gun.

Loaded up the gun twice more with this load, using various shoulder holds (more vs less pressure) and it cycled no problem.  All future 1 ounce 1,200 fps and up birdshot loads cycled fine.  

Now, it was on to the slug and buckshot testing.  The Benelli M2 Tactical comes threaded for chokes, and I had the modified choke in there as, from my experience, it is the best overall choke with buck and slugs for most guns.  Being used, I could see that the rear ghost ring ramp was already dialed up a fair amount, so I had a feeling the gun was already sighted in (another bonus with buying some used guns).  I was correct, Brenneke KO slugs were pretty much dead on and grouped tight at 30 yrds.  Went to test it with a few different brands of buckshot I had brought.  As this range outing was just an initial test and evaluation, I wasn't doing extensive pattern testing but just wanted an idea as to what the gun is capable of.    

First up was Putin ammo, Fetter 00 buckshot.  Larger than normal 00 buckshot pellets (around .3350 dia) unbuffered stacked ontop of a simple plastic wad.  However, in my experience they pattern decently in most shotguns.  The below was 2 shots at 30 yards w/ modified choke.



Not bad at all!

Next up was one of my favorite non Flite control Loads, Federal Supreme 2 3/4" Magnum 12 pellet 00 buckshot.  Copper plated buffered shot, standard wad.  Federal's 00 buck is closer to 0 size (~32 caliber) than it is 00 so that they stack easier in their wads.  Again, below was 2 shots at 30 yards with the modified choke (I pulled one of the shots to the right).



Again, not bad at all!  I'd say that both of those loads had at least another 10 yards of effective range if engaging targets.  I also fired some Estate 00 buckshot (federal's budget brand) and that patterned well too.  Maybe next time I'll see how the M2 does with the full choke, but I was fairly impressed with the modified results.  Modified chokes also don't interfere with the flite control wads that much from my experience or slugs so maybe I'll just keep it in there.

All in all, it was a good range session and I must saw the M2 impressed me more than I expected it to.  I also had plans to test the Turkey MAC 1014 M4 clone along with it for comparison but, as some of you know, that gun is down and waiting on warranty repair.  When I get that gun back, I'll do a comparison between the two.  Aside from lower recoil (which honestly, the M2 was not bad, kicks much less than my pump guns) I don't see how much better the M4, or other conventional semi shotgun, could be in a combat gun role.  I suppose if you're someone who wants to hang a whole bunch of crap on the gun, that could be an advantage.  I don't see that even adding a light + red dot sight to this would effect the reliable cycling of slugs or buckshot though, so even then it's a moot point, IMHO.

I absolutely love my M1S90 that is setup exactly like your M2. Nice review.

Thanks.  What have you found in terms of cycling with your M2?  What loads doesn't it like?  And how have you found extreme cold to effect the cycling of the action (if you've ever fired it in the cold)?

Good review. I had one of these. They are awesome.

Good stuff, glad you picked it up!  I've been quite happy with mine.

I have the same M2.  Paid the same used, I did however clean and lube before my first range trip.   It’s been flawless, except one particular box of cheap birdshot.  Don’t remember the brand, but I remember it gagging on 4-5 shots.  
Probably another 600 cheap birdshot thru it since and a fair number of buck+slug.  No issues, other than ripping a thumbnail half off loading on the clock at a match.  There are a couple solutions out there for that, I haven’t pursued any.
Seems like a good, lightweight 12 g that doesn’t completely beat you up.  Less recoil than my pump guns for sure.