gasmandave
Member
I just picked up a Benelli Super Nova Tactical shotgun, 3&1/2 inche shells.
Anyone have any experience with this?
Anyone have any experience with this?
Benelli Super Nova
- Thread starter gasmandave
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Had the standard Nova and while it was a fantastic gun, fit well, shot well, I just couldn't get away from my luddite fascination with blue steel and walnut. Sold it, apologized to my Ithaca 100, 870 and model 12 and went back to life.
No, good guns. Reliable, rugged as all get out and will outlive you.
No, good guns. Reliable, rugged as all get out and will outlive you.
rbernie
Contributing Member
Good guns - very high quality for the price paid. I've had several Nova/SuperNova field guns.
I sold mine due to a quirk/feature of the design - I found that, once in battery, the action would not unlock easily in the absence of slight forward motion of the forearm. The behavior was similar to, but more obtrusive than, the behavior of a Winchester 12.
Since I shoot light field loads (7/8oz @ 1200fps - not a lot of recoil, so the action would not unlock itself), this meant that I was missing a lot of follow-up shots - I'd pull back on the forearm, realize that it was locked, push it forward, and then pull it back.
A tactical version, with buckshot or slugs to provide the recoil needed to get the action to unlock, should work just fine.
I sold mine due to a quirk/feature of the design - I found that, once in battery, the action would not unlock easily in the absence of slight forward motion of the forearm. The behavior was similar to, but more obtrusive than, the behavior of a Winchester 12.
Since I shoot light field loads (7/8oz @ 1200fps - not a lot of recoil, so the action would not unlock itself), this meant that I was missing a lot of follow-up shots - I'd pull back on the forearm, realize that it was locked, push it forward, and then pull it back.
A tactical version, with buckshot or slugs to provide the recoil needed to get the action to unlock, should work just fine.
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OP
OP
gasmandave
Member
Thanks for the feedback. I knew Benelli was a good mfg of shotguns. I never heard of the SuperNova. I've shot it with slugs and #4 birdshot high brass loads. Functioned fine, but nice to know that you have to push forward with the slide with low brass loads.
Also have the field version of the SuperNova with a 28" barrel. Use it as a skeet/trap gun for friends to use. Also have been pheasant hunting with it. Run's like a champ. Have put around 250 rounds through it so far, mostly light skeet rounds (1135 fps 1oz loads) and 1290 fps #6 shot bird loads with no issues. Like the ComfortTech stock. Recommended.
dak0ta
Member
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- Feb 14, 2008
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- 2,428
I shoot the Nova for waterfowl. I don't have the issue of having to pump forward to release the action. By it's very nature, it's a 2 lug rotating bolt head lock up and actually unlocks and opens half way using the recoil of the fired shell. If anything, it assists in shooting faster. It's not as described above based on the mechanical design.
It's an 8lb dedicated waterfowl gun, longer LOP. Simple and few parts and tool-less takedown. Magazine cutoff is handy for switching loads. Chrome lined bore for use in wet environments and makes cleaning easy. Machining quality is quite good, no rough edges or burrs. It's very tough and solid in the hands, no rattling. The magazine tube feeds shells smoothly and the shell lifter stays up.
Just make sure it fits your dimensions as the balance and LOP are different from an 870, 500, 12, or 37.
It's an 8lb dedicated waterfowl gun, longer LOP. Simple and few parts and tool-less takedown. Magazine cutoff is handy for switching loads. Chrome lined bore for use in wet environments and makes cleaning easy. Machining quality is quite good, no rough edges or burrs. It's very tough and solid in the hands, no rattling. The magazine tube feeds shells smoothly and the shell lifter stays up.
Just make sure it fits your dimensions as the balance and LOP are different from an 870, 500, 12, or 37.
rdstrain49
Member
After nearly 30 years, I switched from an 870 to a Super Nova w/pistol grip stock for a cruiser gun. Performance at and beyond 100 yards with slugs and excellent results with 00 sold me. Never regretted the change.
rbernie
Contributing Member
Judging from the samples I have owned and those that I have handled in the store, maybe 1 in 20 will unlock as soon as you pull the trigger. The other 19 will require that the forearm move forward relative to the rest of the gun in order for the action to unlock. That normally will happen as a natural function of holding the gun during recoil - but not necessarily, if you shoot very light loads. Dry firing the gun will tell you immediately if the sample gun exhibits this behavior, or not.
If you have one that unlocks as soon as the trigger is pulled when dry-fired, that’s the exception rather than the rule.
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I've tried really hard to like the standard gun, but just can't. I've had a couple, but ended up selling them. The Super Nova offers some improvements, but none important to me. The guns have some innovative ideas and I'm certain they are as reliable as any other pump action. The plastic and modern looks don't bother me, but I can't get accustomed to the fat receiver. I'm just used to other guns and prefer them.
I think that if I were a younger shooter that had not been used to other designs I'd probably really like them. I think they are a lot of gun for the money.
I think that if I were a younger shooter that had not been used to other designs I'd probably really like them. I think they are a lot of gun for the money.
Varminterror
Member
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- Jul 17, 2016
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I bought my first Super Nova on a whim, I traveled for a bachelor party in college for which we ran a trap day. I bought the Super Nova planning to resell it back to the same shop the same day, call it an unofficial rental. I liked it so much, I didn't sell it, and ended up mailing it back to myself, and over the ~15yrs since, I've picked up 4 others, and 3 other Benelli's. My wife found the Super Nova to recoil considerably less than my Rem, Win, or Beretta shotguns, so she shoots one as well.
Here's my coyote getter - started life as a standard, still have the barrel on hand, but it commonly wears an 18.5" Carlson's barrel with a Long Range Pattern Master. Added a cheap (yet proven reliable and durable) mag extension, did some action work to improve the trigger pull and slide response, added a SpeedBead mount and an FF III (had an FFII at one point). Made a bipod mount, and added the hillbilly cheek riser. I use my M2S90 for gun games, and my SBE II for wing shooting (formerly my wife's, since she upgraded to an SBEIII), but I end up using this SN for coyotes and home defense.
Here's my coyote getter - started life as a standard, still have the barrel on hand, but it commonly wears an 18.5" Carlson's barrel with a Long Range Pattern Master. Added a cheap (yet proven reliable and durable) mag extension, did some action work to improve the trigger pull and slide response, added a SpeedBead mount and an FF III (had an FFII at one point). Made a bipod mount, and added the hillbilly cheek riser. I use my M2S90 for gun games, and my SBE II for wing shooting (formerly my wife's, since she upgraded to an SBEIII), but I end up using this SN for coyotes and home defense.
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