I've got one Super Black Eagle experience. It goes like this.
I imported the gun for my father (M1 Garand guy, heart and soul, 20 plus years active duty USMC, in some truly politically hot and shitty places) before the legwork was done for a US. importer-I think the serial is number 612. It is the first version of the gun, and my father expected it to be the cat's meow, since it would handle everything, right?
Wrong. This gun went back to Benelli USA twice, under the five year warranty they offered (they were OK with the warranty, even though they didn't import the gun, until the problem was out of their scope of ability) with instructions to NOT return it a third time, with over a year left on the warranty. It suffers a failure to return to battery problem, amplified with lighter (if one considers 1 1/4 oz loads lighter, in the grand scheme of things) loads. Pulling the trigger on a 3 1/2 inch round, without more in the magazine is a good way to suffer vertigo for the rest of the day, and, it was hideously expensive for what it is-a pretty consistant, recoil operated, Italian single shot gun.
Every Browning or Remington autoloader I've been in the presence of was more reliable than this thing, and you could have bought two or three of them, and thrown one away and been money ahead.
Please don't suggest I'm the only one-Dustin had one, and agreed with my evaluation, as have some names that have slipped my memory at the moment.
My Dad loved the gun, and spent about 15 years or so mostly disappointed in the thing. It is light, somewhat well finished (no rust, anyway) and at least has a piece of wood on it. Save those, I can find little to recommend in one of these.
I think about puking everytime I look at the little plastic bird on the pistol grip. Never underestimate the depth of poor taste found here in the states, and you will be a billionaire. That is all Benelli ever will show me.
I suppose it goes without saying that I'm un-interested in the new model?
Best,
Ted
