really both are great guns. the extrema is a little heavier, but i also like it better. However, my favorite two duck guns are the sx3 and the maxus. they seem to be flawless and are quite a bit cheaper. in reality it is just all oppinion and what feels best to you

 

This needs to come down to fit and feel. The benelli is alittle slimmer and that feels better to me BUT it may not to you. The good news is you can't wrong. Those are the two best 3.5" guns on the market.

 

The good news is you can't wrong. Those are the two best 3.5" guns on the market.

Truer words never spoken.

 

Beretta is the parent company for Benelli, so they are "basically" made by the same company. They are both great and I would bring it down to how they feel to you.

 

I have both. I shoot the crap out of both. I can't really say which I like better. I love them both. The camo on the extrema has held up better then the SBE. The SBE fits better and I shoot more accurate, but the Extrema has ZERO recoil, and it truly a waterfowl beast and will not rust or be bothered by the elements. SBE is easier to clean, but the Extrema isn't bad at all. Like already been said, these ARE THE 2 best waterfowl guns available. Ask anyone who does alot of shooting, or talk to most any gunsmith and you will learn that 99% say Beretta is king.

 

Thanks fellas. Thats good info. I was doing some more reading and saw several threads where people have had problem with the SBE recoil pads falling off habitually. Anyone encountering this problem or is it just an isolated incident?

 

Mine never fell off in 6 years of use, but I take good care of my stuff and pay attention closely. It's pretty hard to have it just fall out. You have to bang it loose or catch it on something pretty hard to pull it out. I do know that it will never fall off now because I switched it out for a Limbsaver.

 

have never had my recoil pad fall off either

 

Have had the benelli for 5 years now and never had a problem with the pad... As an unbiased benelli owner, I say go with the SBE :biggrin: .. but as mentioned before they are both great guns and go with what feels and points better in your hands... wouldnt trade my benelli for anything but a new one!

 

I think your hunting style has some weight into your decision. The SBE2 is pretty light weight and swings quick (my preference), the Xtrema is a bit heavier and seems like swinging a 2x4, like somebody mentioned. I have a M2 Field that has been great, so Ive had great success with Benelli. Unless the Beretta fits you alot better, Id say take a good look at the SBE2. :thumbsup:

 

I had a buddy who's butt pad fell off the SBE2. His was one of the first ones that come out, and I am not sure what the deal was with it, but think that Benelli fixed the problem..

 

I have read about that problem on forums but I have never known of one to do it and I'm around a bunch of them. I'm my knick of the woods pretty much every one shoots a benelli with a good amount of berretas mixed in.

 

Like said before they are the two top models for waterfowling but all of the top 3.5" guns are really good to. So this is a no lose situation just buy the one that fits you best, I have owned most of the 3.5" guns out there and my opinion is that the Benelli will last the longest, The one advantage the Benelli has is that is the most proven model out there and if you start having problems you can get after market parts easier than dealing with Beretta or Browning direct, most of the SBE I parts will interchange with the SBE II other than the stocks. But I would not really expect to have problems with any of them the Maxus is having a few teething pains but they are minor, The Super X3 seams to be a great gun with no major issues, the SBE II problems seam to be from cleaning issues that can mostly be solved by adding a $13.00 Wolff spring for those that dont clean the recoil spring. and some Xtrema 2's have had issues with a roll pin wearing in the bolt causing light primer strikes but thats only after lots of use it's another cheap and quik fix.

Well thats my 2cents, Kurt

 

had a bunch of benelli's and sold them to buy a beretta 390.. then bought a 391 urika which I just sold for an xtrema 2.. the beretta's just fit me better.. I never really liked the raised rib on the benelli but that just a personal thing.. With that said, I've never had a benelli or beretta jam on me in the field.. Both excellent guns.. One thing I really like is how my new xtrema2 has the recoil spring in the forearm around the magazine tube.. Very much like my browning A5's which are awesome guns!

 

My vote is for the Extrema 2. Another poster said that it swings like a 2x4. I simply don't get that at all. The first time that I took mine to a trap range I shot three 25 bird rounds. My scores in those three rounds were 25 straight, 24 and 24. That tells me that the Extrema 2 swings pretty damn well. By the way, my Extrema 2 has a 26" barrel on it. So, do not be swayed by someone telling you that the Extrema 2 is sluggish on the swing. It most definitely is not. Also, being a gas actuated gun, it will naturally kick less than the Benelli, which is inertia actuated. Add in the kick off option and perceived recoil seems like nothing. After shooting mine for about a year I can't say enough good things about it.

 

I dont get the 2x4 comments about the Xtrema2. For me it swings like a dream. IF anything SBEII Swingle like a brick/2x4 for me.

 

I shoot and old sbe and love it have had almost no problems with it in over 10 years. I agree with the people that say the beretta swings weird I was set on buying one until I shot one and didn't like it at all. But saying that I hunt with alot of people that love them, the sbe and the beretta are by far the two most shot shotguns for waterfowl and everybody I hunt with except one person shoots one of those two and they all like there guns. Buy what fits you the best and shoot both of them before you buy either of them.

 

Extrema 2 does not swing near as well as the sbe2 to me. Its night and day difference which is why I chose the benelli. However, that comes down to proper fit. The forearm in the beretta is longer and that doesn't feel as good to me. I wouldn't mind having an extrema though. I'm sure I would get used to it.

 

Extrema 2 does not swing near as well as the sbe2 to me. Its night and day difference which is why I chose the benelli. However, that comes down to proper fit. The forearm in the beretta is longer and that doesn't feel as good to me. I wouldn't mind having an extrema though. I'm sure I would get used to it.

Proper fit is essential. I liked the Beretta's action and how the gun felt in my hands, but it didn't shoulder well and didn't swing smoothly. The Benelli feels so natural, thats what sold me on my M2 Field.

 

I own both guns and was in the same spot you are two years ago. I went with the SBE2 because it was lighter and fit me better. Then I won the X2 at a DU banquet. I can honestly say whichever one you choose you will not regret it. Go to the store and pick them up and see which one feels better to you, then just buy it (thats what I had to do).

The only major difference I would say is if you are going to shoot 3 1/2 shells a lot then the Beretta would be my choice because of the softer recoil. I hardly ever shoot 3 1/2 so this didnt really matter to me.

I picked the Benelli and did not regret it for one second. I am sure the same would have been said for the Xtrema 2. Both by far the best guns on the market.