Let’s get one thing straight: “youth models” of rifles and shotguns are safer than “adult” versions for women, smaller men and children. They are much easier to safely hold, carry and shoot than “over-sized” firearms. The fact that an irresponsible gun owner let their child have access to a loaded firearm without adult supervision—a story that’s fired-up the gun grabbing community—does not change this fact. That said, Benellli’s at the NRA introducing their Compact Versions of M2 Field in 12- & 20-Gauge. As you’d expect, they’re not cheap, both in terms of construction or price. But asking a smaller shooter to use an ill-fitting shotgun with uncontrollable recoil is like asking Dudley Moore to marry Susan Anton. Only worse. Press release after the jump.
Benelli Offers Compact Versions of M2 Field in 12- & 20-Gauge
ACCOKEEK, MD (January 15, 2013) — Benelli’s venerable “workhorse,” the rugged and reliable M2 Field is now offered in a Compact model available in both 12 and 20-gauges, specifically designed for small-statured and young shooters. The M2 Compact features a short stock complete with ComforTech® and a gel butt pad ergonomically designed to fit the shoulder. The M2 Compact also comes with a set of shims for adjusting the buttstock’s drop and cast. Benelli’s M2 Compact 12-gauge comes in a 26-inch barrel and the 20-gauge model comes with a 24-inch barrel.
Compact guns, when properly designed integrate form and function in order to provide the perfect gun for small-statured and young shooters. These scaled-down guns are important because they play a key role in establishing how a smaller-framed shooter or beginner safely and effectively handles guns. In many cases, compact guns provide the first hands-on shooting experience for a learning shooter, and as such, that experience will influence their future participation in the shooting sports. The main feature of a compact gun, and which, determines its proper fit for a shooter is a shorter buttstock. This is what provides the shorter length-of-pull (LOP), enabling small shooters to enjoy and participate in all types of shooting sports, from hunting to clay target games. When the time is appropriate, a full-size buttstock can be fitted to the M2 Compact.
“Typically a youth’s gun is considered to have just a short stock in a sub-gauge, but the M2 Compact available in both 20 and 12-gauge will serve small statured shooters in every type of shooting or hunting endeavor,” said Stephen McKelvain, Benelli USA’s VP of Marketing. “Our customers asked and we responded with a gun that will serve beginner shooters as well as those that just need a gun to fit better.”
M2 Compact 12-Gauge
COMMON SPECIFICATIONS: Magazine Capacity: 3+1 Crio® Chokes: C,IC,M,IM,F Sights: Red bar front sight Length of Pull: 13⅛” Drop at Heel: 2⅛” Drop at Comb: 1½” (Includes shim kit to adjust drop and cast). Overall length: 46.25” Weight: 7 lbs. Minimum Recommended Load: Use 3-dram, 1-⅛-oz. loads in all Benelli 12-ga. semi-auto shotguns. MSRP: $1359
M2 Compact 20-Gauge
COMMON SPECIFICATIONS: Magazine Capacity: 3+1 Crio® Chokes: C,IC,M,IM,F Sights: Red bar front sight Length of Pull: 13⅛” Drop at Heel: 2⅛” Drop at Comb: 1½” (Includes shim kit to adjust drop and cast). Overall length: 44” Weight: 5.8 lbs Minimum Recommended Load: Use 2-½-dram, ⅞-oz. loads in all Benelli 20-ga. semi-auto shotguns. MSRP: $1409
Both my Marlin 60 and my Mossberg 500 20 gauge are “youth models”, simply because I prefer the size, for all the reasons you mention above.
I have had several Benellis over the years and still own one, a full size 20 gauge Cordoba. Benellis, when they first were introduced were known for reliability. Well this Cordoba and an identical one that belongs to a friend of mine’s wife could not go through a box of shells without jamming at least twice. It didn’t matter the ammo, reloads, factory loads whatever. They would both jam.
The woman’s husband is a real Benelli fan and knows the guns inside out. He stripped them completely down, cleaned them and lubed them. They still jammed.
We sent that back to Benelli and they came back only slightly more reliable. I decided to fix the problem myself. You see the inertia action as been changed since introduction on behest of USFW. When the guns first came out a person could put an extra shell on the shell carrier and thus have four rounds total even though the guns were plugged for a three shot maximum. USFW had a hissy fit about this and said that unless the shotgun was changed they would not allow it to be imported. This despite the fact that if a hunter wants to cheat you can remove the plug on a Benelli in about 20 seconds and make it a five shot gun. Idiocy.
So Benelli changed the gun and became less reliable. But no problem! If you have access to a tig welder it is fairly easy to make the gun operate as it was designed to operate. Yeah, it will load a round on the shell carrier and fire it just like the old guns. Big deal.
I think the different departments worry too much about how hunters can cheat. If hunters want to cheat they can. Really what are the odds of getting caught? You are really on your honor to play by the rules. Departments making more and more rules to prevent cheating is stupid.
Jim wins best comment of the day. Other entrants need not apply.
Youth models rock. I’m 6-1. My wife is 5 zip. She can shoot a 12 ga. pump, mine, but she has trouble reaching the controls comfortably with the standard stock. Solved the problem with a youth model.
She can shoot a .45 1911. but her hand size is more comfortable with a j frame style revolver. I’m happy to oblige her needs. I have a wife that’s supportive of my firearms addiction.
It is about darn time. Folks have been clamoring for a shorter LOP on M1’s and M2’s for years.
Benellis rarely go for MSRP. And with today’s craziness, those listed MSRP’s aren’t really all that bad.
Nobody show this to my 12-year-old! He’ll be relentless in lobbying me to trade in his perfectly-good Weatherby SA-09 youth model for this bit of Italian loveliness…
Have a 12gauge M2 benelli for about 8 years now,went out this week end for duck opener in ks.shot limit and wrecked my shoulder, what has caused the extreme kick in this gun? Was not shooting heavy loads 2 3/4 1&1/8 oz “5 shot, appreciate any input. Fitz
I had my M2 for 8 year and never had a misfire or jam or any problem and I shoot trap loads hunting 90% of the time. I can’t believe the people who complain about recoil,get to the gym and workout … I’m 61 and shoot my m2 with the recoil pad OFF. LOP is to long and I guess i’ll dish out 100$ for the short recoil pad.
I disagree. Look at
http://www.ammoland.com/2013/01/benelli-compact-m2-field-shotgun-in-12-20-gauge/
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