FN SLP vs Benelli for 3 Gun

brandt9913 · Jul 24, 2011

I've seen a lot of marketing material about the FN SLP. How does it compare to a Benelli M1 or M2 for 3 gun? It would be nice to buy a shotgun "off the shelf" and be able to use it for 3 gun without having to do a bunch of mods to it. Are the FN's really able to be shot out of the box? Is a Benelli still the best option.

My only complaint about Benelli is the recoil vs non-inertia shotguns. I completely understand that this is what makes them reliable, but it is annoying. The Benelli Vinci is the best of both worlds, but 2+1 isn't very practical for 3 gun.

drmitchgibson · Jul 24, 2011

Loading the Benelli is weird. I'm still making mistakes a lot during dry runs. A lot. But I also have bad habits and preconceptions to overcome from handling other "more normal" shotguns.

Wormydog1724 · Jul 24, 2011

My FN SLP was 100% out of the box. Until I took it to its first 3 gun. Then it effed up all day. I am fairly certain it was the shells I was using, Winchesters. Since then it has eaten Federals 100%. It's a good shotgun for 3 gun, but I still wished I would have went with the Benelli M2 with the 'full meal deal' from Mike over at Accurate Iron. Wish he would do a 'happy meal' or at least something from the dollar menu on my FN SLP, but I think its beneath him. B)

Lance Jensen · Jul 24, 2011

My FN SLP runs 100% on federal ammo, but has to be 3 1/4 dram... I made a few mods to mine because it liked to bite my thumb, but so does a stock benelli. For the money the FN is the way to go... if you have extra dollars to blow go with the benelli.

Daniel Horner runs an FN and it doesn't slow him down

brandt9913 · Jul 25, 2011

Lance Jensen said:
My FN SLP runs 100% on federal ammo, but has to be 3 1/4 dram... I made a few mods to mine because it liked to bite my thumb, but so does a stock benelli. For the money the FN is the way to go... if you have extra dollars to blow go with the benelli.

Daniel Horner runs an FN and it doesn't slow him down

I kind of figured the lifter would need to be welded with both guns.

What is the recoil comparison? Recoil from 2-3/4" shells isn't much, but neither is the recoil of an AR-15 and most people use reduced recoil slugs and muzzle breaks on AR-15's .

I'm asking the Jeremy the same question. iPad doesn't do the multiple reply so well.

Lance Jensen · Jul 25, 2011

Recoil is very soft compared to the benelli, not as violent anyways. I shoot both guns equally as well, but the benelli feels like it loads much smoother. With some modifications FN loads just as easy... it really comes down to how much you wanna spend. They are both really good guns

Scott Hearn · Jul 25, 2011

My SLP is the softest shooting shotgun I've ever fired. Will they run out of the box? Mine has been 100% except for one single shell that hung up coming out of the tube onto the lifter. Speaking of the lifter, it's downright medieval! Get that sucker welded up. Why in the hell do they make them that way? You can seriously jack up your thumb on that thing. That's something I still have to get done. But I'm thinking about selling mine and getting a Benelli. The M1 seems a little lighter and quicker handling for me, but recoil is definitely higher so it might be moot.

Lance, do you get similar splits with both?

Lance Jensen · Jul 25, 2011

I shoot both about the same... I picked up my FN when they were still under $700 so it was an easy decision. If I had money to burn I'd buy the benelli. Its a wash for me

jtischauser · Jul 25, 2011

The FN SLP is the 2nd best and 2nd most popular shotgun for 3 gun. The reason is that the Benelli inertia driven shotguns are the most reliable shotguns built, PERIOD! The nature of the inertia driven system is that it has more felt recoil. You won't ever notice it once the timer goes off. If you can afford the Benelli that what you should buy.

Lance and Scott if I said I'd trade you even up your SLP for my M2 what would you do?

mike cyrwus · Jul 25, 2011

Lance Jensen said:
My FN SLP runs 100% on federal ammo, but has to be 3 1/4 dram... I made a few mods to mine because it liked to bite my thumb, but so does a stock benelli. For the money the FN is the way to go... if you have extra dollars to blow go with the benelli.

Daniel Horner runs an FN and it doesn't slow him down

daniel horner cant load for ****.

Wormydog1724 · Jul 25, 2011

Jesse Tischauser said:
.

Lance and Scott if I said I'd trade you even up your SLP for my M2 what would you do?

Trade me!!!

jtischauser · Jul 25, 2011

Horner was running one of those new Remingtons at Midwest 3 gun. I saw him having all kinds of trouble with it. It's a gas gun as well.

Wormydog1724 · Jul 25, 2011

I haven't cleaned mine since November after pheasant hunting in KS and getting blood in the action.

technetium-99m · Jul 25, 2011

My SLP was a ***** to get running.

Once it ran I sold it and bought a Benelli.

Wormydog1724 · Jul 25, 2011

And gave me a hell of a deal on some chokes!

technetium-99m · Jul 25, 2011

Thank FNH and Trapr man, I picked those off the prize table at High Plains last year.

Scott Hearn · Jul 25, 2011

Jesse Tischauser said:
The FN SLP is the 2nd best and 2nd most popular shotgun for 3 gun. The reason is that the Benelli inertia driven shotguns are the most reliable shotguns built, PERIOD! The nature of the inertia driven system is that it has more felt recoil. You won't ever notice it once the timer goes off. If you can afford the Benelli that what you should buy.

Lance and Scott if I said I'd trade you even up your SLP for my M2 what would you do?

Deal. When you wanna meet? :lol:

Chambers · Jul 25, 2011

Jesse Tischauser said:
Horner was running one of those new Remingtons at Midwest 3 gun. I saw him having all kinds of trouble with it. It's a gas gun as well.

That shotgun was garbage. It may not slow him down enough for anyone to beat him, but it's not doing him any favors.

brandt9913 said:
What is the recoil comparison? Recoil from 2-3/4" shells isn't much, but neither is the recoil of an AR-15 and most people use reduced recoil slugs and muzzle breaks on AR-15's.

I'll do my best KurtM impersonation and reference Katie Harris. She's a teenage girl that probably weighs 90 pounds and the recoil isn't too much for her. So I think you might be able to handle it.

Lance Jensen said:
Recoil is very soft compared to the benelli, not as violent anyways. I shoot both guns equally as well, but the benelli feels like it loads much smoother.

It doesn't come up much, but the Benelli is a lot easier to manipulate. The recoil spring is light and you can quickly rack the bolt with even your little finger. Try that with one of the gas guns and you'll need some band-aids.

Also the FN is terribly front heavy to me. After handling the M1/M2 I feel like the FN has a boat anchor on the front of it.

Scott Hearn said:
The M1 seems a little lighter and quicker handling for me, but recoil is definitely higher so it might be moot.Lance, do you get similar splits with both?

Shooting a shotgun isn't about splits. You gotta load fast, have 0 malfunctions, and not miss.

Lance Jensen said:
I shoot both about the same... I picked up my FN when they were still under $700 so it was an easy decision. If I had money to burn I'd buy the benelli. Its a wash for me

You can get a used M1 for under $700 and have the necessary mods done for $150. If you want bang for buck, look no further. You can't get a new FN for that, much less one that's ready for the game.

The M2 is nice but not necessary. I'll shoot my M1 against one any day.