Anyone have experience with Benelli Vinci

[guitarpicva]

Thinking of getting one. I'd like opinions from practical shooters that live on this forum.

 

[Widude]

The closest one I have is an M2 'Steady-Grip', 24" camo with an extended choke. This has a 3" chamber, which is all I need or wanted. The main use is turkey & predator hunting. I have a hunt in a few weeks & plan to use it. Benelli makes nice guns, upper end with prices though.

 

[03mossy]

I can not attest to the Vinci itself but I can for Benelli semi autos in general. I received a super black eagle as a bonus from a homeowner on a retaining wall project years ago. Most people would cringe at the things I have put that gun through. I don't abuse it by any means but I hunt hard with it. Never a jam or malfunction of any kind. The most memorable time was me and my father in law were sneaking up on some ducks and geese sitting on a pond. We crawled about 75 yards through cattails with about knee deep water. That gun was submerged multiple times. When it was time to shoot I got to a knee tipped the gun barrel down to drain the water out and fired my three shots, reloaded and fired 3 more times. We limited out on mallards and even got 2 bonus geese, one of which was my first banded goose. Now that's reliable!

 

[guitarpicva]

Excellent. My gun will be a 50th birthday gift and I have a generous budget as you can see.

I was looking at the M-2 also, because you can get a slug barrel. I suppose you can with the SBE also.

My thing is, if I can use a slug, I can use my ML. Are second shots on deer all that common with slugs? My guess is no from my ML experiences. That being the case, I'd just as soon have a dedicated waterfowl/upland/buckshot/turkey gun. Plus it's darned nice.

Thanks for the reliability confirmations.

 

[Widude]

If you are a M-Ling guy I'd use that over a shotgun slug. As one would expect, an extra Benelli slug barrel costs a lot anyway. I did mount a scope on my M2 & tried slugs with the smoothbore barrel. It was O.K. at the shorter ranges I tried, 50-75 yrds. Even at those ranges & much more so beyond, the modern in-line runs circles around it. This was a smoothbore & 'rifled slugs'.

The only time I really miss a quick 2nd shot is when I have 3 anterless tags in my pocket & here come a handful of deer. Nothing wrong with prolonging the effort either. The quiet & expeditious reload usually does the trick.

I may of related this story elsewhere. I was on a late anterless hunt in IL in Jan. My 3 buddies had upper end slug guns(Browning/Savage) & I carried my Knight. They acted like I was handicapping myself. The 2 that bagged deer fired about 3 shots per deer. I fired 2 shots & got 2 deer. I'd say close to 90% of game shooting is that 1st, carefully placed shot. I realize any of us can come up short at times.

 

[guitarpicva]

... I'd say close to 90% of game shooting is that 1st, carefully placed shot. I realize any of us can come up short at times.

Agreed. I have seen packs of doe and young deer come right back after a ML shot and quiet reload also.

Think I will keep the shotgun for scattergories...

 

[edmehlig]

Don't get it. My friend just bought one and while on a duck hunt his finger behind the trigger guard was getting wrapped hard from the recoil. Make a long story short, he could hardly bend it by the end of the day and was badly swollen. Talked to a few gun store owners and they all chimed in that was the major problem with the Vinci and is why they redesigned the Super Vinci to provide more space.

All stores recommended the SBE II or the M2.

 

[guitarpicva]

Don't get it. My friend just bought one and while on a duck hunt his finger behind the trigger guard was getting wrapped hard from the recoil. Make a long story short, he could hardly bend it by the end of the day and was badly swollen. Talked to a few gun store owners and they all chimed in that was the major problem with the Vinci and is why they redesigned the Super Vinci to provide more space.

All stores recommended the SBE II or the M2.

I have seen those comments.elsewhere also, but I suspect it may affect short-fingered folk of which I am not one. I won't know until i actually hold one. since I have no bad shotgunning habits I am less likely to have the minority problems such as this. that's my story and I *may* stick to it. everyone does rave on the M2, so I will definitely look at it also, stock willing these days.

But then if I do that, may as well have a hard look at Browning Silver and A5 as well.

 

[guitarpicva]

Come to think of it, I do have a use for a slug barrel. Our property is in a county that allows slugs from the ground but you have to be 10 feet off the ground to shoot a muzzle-loader. A slug could extend my reach significantly over buckshot.

 

[03mossy]

Come to think of it, I do have a use for a slug barrel. Our property is in a county that allows slugs from the ground but you have to be 10 feet off the ground to shoot a muzzle-loader. A slug could extend my reach significantly over buckshot.

Man i thought we have some goofy regs but that one might take the cake!

 

[guitarpicva]

Come to think of it, I do have a use for a slug barrel. Our property is in a county that allows slugs from the ground but you have to be 10 feet off the ground to shoot a muzzle-loader. A slug could extend my reach significantly over buckshot.

Man i thought we have some goofy regs but that one might take the cake!

I know, moronic layering of things over the years. Originally a shotgun means buckshot, and a ML means a bullet....now since then, a shotgun means a BIGGER bullet that goes just as fast or faster than the ML, but that's OK.

We also have an idiotic "no hunting with rifles over 22 caliber unless it's groundhog season". This county has some real winners on the council.

Of course, I can go and shoot any gun I want in any manner I want, just not while hunting!!!

 

[Flhtr]

I don't own a Vinci but I can say that any Benelli is worth having! :wink:

 

[guitarpicva]

Don't get it. My friend just bought one and while on a duck hunt his finger behind the trigger guard was getting wrapped hard from the recoil. Make a long story short, he could hardly bend it by the end of the day and was badly swollen. Talked to a few gun store owners and they all chimed in that was the major problem with the Vinci and is why they redesigned the Super Vinci to provide more space.

All stores recommended the SBE II or the M2.

I have seen those comments.elsewhere also, but I suspect it may affect short-fingered folk of which I am not one. I won't know until i actually hold one. since I have no bad shotgunning habits I am less likely to have the minority problems such as this. that's my story and I *may* stick to it. everyone does rave on the M2, so I will definitely look at it also, stock willing these days.

But then if I do that, may as well have a hard look at Browning Silver and A5 as well.

I had a similar issue with a Ruger Blackhawk with a Bisley grip frame....until I learned to grip it properly.

 

[guitarpicva]

Wel the Vinci feels awful to me. very awkward and the forearm feels like it is a foot thick. I did not care for it at all. Well balanced though.

The Browning Maxus fit me like a glove and I can get an accessory slug barrel which is not possible on the Vinci.

I also handled the Beretta A400 Xtrema. Just a gorgeous gun. The pull length was short for me, but no slug barrel is possible.

Look like a Maxus is in my future. Happy birthday to me!

 

[Widude]

I do have a Browning Gold, it's been great with me. Yes, the Maxus may be a tad less $$ & a little easier to find a slug barrel, if you even need one.

 

[stevenm2]

I have an M2 but only because I am left handed, My hunting partner has a vinci. I would have one too if they made it left handed.
He loves his.
My M2 smacks my finger behind the trigger guard if I am shooting 3" steel and the gun is wet.
Both guns dead reliable

 

[edmehlig]

I heard good things about the Browning Maxus. The only bad news is it does not eject light 2 3/4" shells well. The Benelli Super Black Eagle II or M2 are ones I would look at.

 

[guitarpicva]

So this is what I ended up with. Happy Birthday to me!

http://www.browning.com/products/catalo ... 11&tid=640

Also found a used slug barrel while I was there! All set.

 

[guitarpicva]

bump since I added the picture.

 

[03mossy]

That is a fine looking shotgun!!! Almost to pretty to hunt with lol