# Benelli SBE2 or Winchester SX3



## Gofish206 (Sep 9, 2014)

This discussion is only about these two shotguns. Id like to here personal stories not opinions. There is a major price difference between the two but I want to hear what everyone has to say as far a reliability and ease of use and ease of assembly/cleaning.


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## creekrocket (Sep 9, 2014)

My buddy blows my eardrums out of my skull each year with that Winny.... We sit side by side in pirogues and my ears don't quit ringing until turkey season... My experience....


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## GSURugger (Sep 9, 2014)

Inertia system > gas system.  All day everyday in terms of cleaning and simplicity.


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## rockwalker (Sep 9, 2014)

*Benelli sbeii*

It's been sunk 
It's been dropped
It's been frozen
It's been beat up
It's been banged up
It's been muddy
It's been wet 
It's been hot 
It's been cold
And it still shoots when I pull the trigger 

It's a Benelli


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## Gofish206 (Sep 9, 2014)

GSURugger said:


> Inertia system > gas system.  All day everyday in terms of cleaning and simplicity.



I agree I shoot a SBE 1 right now and I love the simplicity of cleaning it.


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## king killer delete (Sep 9, 2014)

I got a Super x3 nice gun. I have a new A5 Better gun. I an old Bennelli  3 inch gun great gun. All my guns are great. But if you are not going for a Browning. I would buy the SBE II


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## rnelson5 (Sep 9, 2014)

Have shot both. I like the SX3 better for a few reasons. #1 it fits me better.#2 it is $600 cheaper. #3 Although gas operated guns are dirty they are time tested work horses. Cons would be it will be heavier and will get dirty quick. Both will go bang without hesitation though.


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## Chase4556 (Sep 10, 2014)

I've never had my SX3 misfire. It has also never had issues shooting light 2 3/4" loads. It goes boom every time I pull the trigger, and it always loads the next round.

I clean my shotgun after every time its in the saltwater. The gun being dirty after a day of shooting is not an issue for me, because if you don't like cleaning guns, I suggest you stay out of the marsh. If I'm out target shooting, I wont always clean it after the day is done. I have put hundreds of rounds through the SX3 without cleaning, and it still has never failed. 

Gas system soaks up some of that recoil. Little easier on my shoulder.

Sx3 fits me well. 

Winchester has been making guns since when? Benelli has been making guns since when?


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## king killer delete (Sep 10, 2014)

Chase4556 said:


> I've never had my SX3 misfire. It has also never had issues shooting light 2 3/4" loads. It goes boom every time I pull the trigger, and it always loads the next round.
> 
> I clean my shotgun after every time its in the saltwater. The gun being dirty after a day of shooting is not an issue for me, because if you don't like cleaning guns, I suggest you stay out of the marsh. If I'm out target shooting, I wont always clean it after the day is done. I have put hundreds of rounds through the SX3 without cleaning, and it still has never failed.
> 
> ...



Benelli 1967/ Before that it was motor bike for Monkey wards , But it still is a good shotgun.


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## king killer delete (Sep 10, 2014)

*This could be said for an 870*



rockwalker said:


> It's been sunk
> It's been dropped
> It's been frozen
> It's been beat up
> ...


 Back up until the Benelli came out no one carried a auto into a duck blind unless it was the old Browning A5. Unlike most folks on this forum I know this. I am a primary source of this information. That means I was there. The 1100 would freeze in a minute. A few folks did carry the Super X1 which I did along with  an 870. I always have an 870 as a back up in the boat or on the bank to this day. The 870 has been around since the 1950s and is the most produced shot gun in the world. Before there was Bennelli ther was the 870 and before the 870 there was the Model 12 Winchester and Before that we had the model 1897 Winchester pump and the Rem model 11,all except the 870 and the super x1 were designed and perfected by John Browning. Before there was drake there was Columbia and before Columbia there was Duxback and Herters. The Benelli is a great shot gun hands down, but the new A5 is every bit as good if not better. The Super X3 is a great mid range gun that holds up to the test. It is all up to you. For all you new folks and If you have not been hunting for at least 20 years you are a new guy. We were doing all of the above and killing ducks before we Benellis. The old days your hands froze cause you did not have WP gloves to set decoys with and when you got wet and cold it was because that cotton jacket you had on had soaked through. The reason you carried a pump was you could make it work when it froze up. just a bit of history.


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## swamprat93 (Sep 10, 2014)

I purchased a SBE 2 this year and just dove hunted with it for the first time and loved it. It cycled well and fits me perfect. I'm satisfied with it and look forward to duck season. But I do not know a lot about the  Winchester sx3


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## king killer delete (Sep 10, 2014)

The super X3 is claimed to be the fastest shotgun in the world. My Super X shots fast.


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## MudDucker (Sep 10, 2014)

Never had my old A-5's screw up.  I've had the SBE and the SBEII and had trouble with both cycling.  I had a Maxius which is nearly a WinX3 clone.  Good gun, just didn't like the feel of it.  Got a new A-5 and I like the feel of it.


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## southgabowhunter (Sep 10, 2014)

I have an SBE2 and absolutely love it. It cycles 2 3/4" target loads, 3" shells, and 3 1/2 magnums with ease. It fits me great with minimal recoil. Also the simplicity of cleaning it is another pro


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## mattuga (Sep 10, 2014)

rnelson5 said:


> Have shot both. I like the SX3 better for a few reasons. #1 it fits me better.#2 it is $600 cheaper. #3 Although gas operated guns are dirty they are time tested work horses. Cons would be it will be heavier and will get dirty quick. Both will go bang without hesitation though.



^^^Shoulder both and see which one feels/fits better.  I have the SBE 2 but was dead set on getting it and didn't compare, I got lucky and it fits me great.  If they fit equally on you then I would go SBE 2 personally, I like a lighter gun.


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## king killer delete (Sep 10, 2014)

MudDucker said:


> Never had my old A-5's screw up.  I've had the SBE and the SBEII and had trouble with both cycling.  I had a Maxius which is nearly a WinX3 clone.  Good gun, just didn't like the feel of it.  Got a new A-5 and I like the feel of it.



Good choice


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## HalOutdoors (Sep 10, 2014)

never shot an sx3 but never liked any other winchesters.i have a sbe,i have dropped it completely under and it still works,it cycles all shells,and rarely,rarely jams.Several friends of mine have the sbe2 and hardly ever see one of them malfunction(dont think i have). but  borrow one of each and test it on clays and go from there.


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## dillakilla12 (Sep 10, 2014)

I shoot the Benelli. Love it. That being said I like the Sx3 to. It's been said a million times, go to the store and see which one fits you. See if you can find a couple buddies that have them and go shoot.


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## king killer delete (Sep 10, 2014)

The best advice so far^^^^^


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## GLS (Sep 10, 2014)

killer elite said:


> Benelli 1967/ Before that it was motor bike for Monkey wards , But it still is a good shotgun.


Benelli has been owned by Beretta since 2000.  Beretta's been making guns since 1526.  That's a mighty long time.
Winchester has had many changes in ownership and mfg. locations.  Both are good guns.


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## strutlife (Sep 10, 2014)

Better yet, if you are fortunate to go on a hunt with "Killer," you could just about shoot whatever you would like. This is no lie, "Killer" pulls a boat behind his boat with a shotgun and shell armory along with an armor. I'm just joking about the armory and armor. I can tell ya, he is well equipped to have a few back ups just in case. Nothing wrong with that. Uncle Sam's Army will train you to always be prepared. You never know what you are gonna run into. Got a chance to shoulder his A5. If I had the money, I would have me an A5. One great shouldering and feeling gun.


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## king killer delete (Sep 11, 2014)

GLS said:


> Benelli has been owned by Beretta since 2000.  Beretta's been making guns since 1526.  That's a mighty long time.
> Winchester has had many changes in ownership and mfg. locations.  Both are good guns.



Not when they started in the 60s . motor bikes was their stock and trade and I know my history about Beretta. In 1526 Beretta started out making gun barrels for local gun smiths. But that being said the John Browning designs are still in use today. A good example is the M2 Maw deuce Browning 50 cal. MG/1911/ Winchester 94/ Browning 9mm High power/BPS /I could go on and on. I am sorry that I do not worship at the Benelli altar like most. I never said it was a bad gun. I own one it is an older m1 and it shoots great. But I also have an 1187/New Browning A5/ Winchester super X3/ Browning Citori. My next 12 gauge will be a Beretta cause I like the way they feel. But I was killing ducks with an 870 pump when a Benelli was making motor bikes. I am not saying that SBEII is a bad gun. I think it is as good as they come but, to many times here on this forum it has been implied that to kill ducks you had to have a Benelli and it just aint so. Back in those old days a duck hunter had to be a craftsman to duck hunt.  He had to know how to paint his boat ,build a blind for that boat, rig decoys , reload his shells. Now a days if you got the money you do not need to know how to hunt. You can go to the local big chain sporting goods store. Buy a new Benelli,  The latest Drake cloths, already rigged decoys, you are now a duck hunter in 24 hours and oh don't forget to cyber scout. Nope I never said that the gun or the company had anything wrong with it. Benelli shotguns are some of the best guns on the market today , but they are not the only gun out there and I will match my new A5 to any Benelli out on the market today.


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## king killer delete (Sep 11, 2014)

Oh there is always an 870 in my boat just in case. There are more 870s out there than any other shotgun


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## GLS (Sep 12, 2014)

One John Moses Browning design that has been around for close to a 100 years is the Ithaca M37.  It was a spin-off of the Remington M-17.  While the 870 has its fans, many of the river rats and public land hunters I ran with in the 70's preferred the bottom ejection of the M37 for inclement weather hunting.  I had one of the most expensive M37's ever made when you consider government costs in recovering it from the spoil area in the late 70's.  In the dark, Rip turned over the canoe when we were paddling out to set dekes out.  We couldn't find my gun.  He claimed I never put it in the canoe.  I knew better.  A hunting buddy, Dale, was a Huey skipper at Hunter at the time.  I called Dale and told him were I expected the gun to be and if he could "test fly" a Huey that day, to look in the spoil area near Light Bulb for any straight line about 40" long in the pluff mud.  Bingo, he spotted it.  With a man on the skid, he lowered to the gun.  Too much prop wash.  He returned to Hunter, got a light observation chopper and repeated the process.  With less prop wash, they recovered the gun.  The bluing disappeared when I cleaned the gun.  Back then, if one didn't have an M-37,  one had the A5.  Rip used an old beat up A5.  As popular as the 870 was elsewhere, I didn't see many in use around here with the handful of serious duck hunters (trailer ramp tramps) I knew and hunted with here in the low country. Gil


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## king killer delete (Sep 12, 2014)

You know the BPS is an improved model 37 and they still make the BPS


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## king killer delete (Sep 12, 2014)

Did Rip live in Port Wentworth and work at Dixe crystal?


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## GLS (Sep 12, 2014)

Yep.  We'd often put in at the ramp at Dixie Crystals in a old plywood boat he made with his lab, Scamp.  Rip had blinds at Pennyworth and King's Bend on Hutchinson before the refuge took it in.  I had a pup out of Scamp which was the skinniest lab God put on earth.  This was before the salt water intrusion from the tide gate finished off the good duck food  at Pennyworth and up river.  Pennyworth was a black duck and woodie haven back then.
Before the LNG tanks were put in at Elba, it was a spoil area full of teal.  Rip almost lost Scamp there on a cold day when Scamp almost died of hypothermia.  To warm Scamp up, he unzipped his insulated coveralls and held him against his body to revive him.


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## GLS (Sep 12, 2014)

killer elite said:


> You know the BPS is an improved model 37 and they still make the BPS


The only thing the bps shares with a model 37 is bottom ejection.  A lot of folks would disagree with it being an improved version. I’ve never had one so I can’t say.   Different design altogether. It has more moving parts.  The beauty of the M-37 design is fewer moving parts.  The M-37 is made today in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. All steel; nothing plastic or stamped.  Now comes in 28 gauge in addition to 20, 12 and 16.  It ain't cheap.  Here’s a comparison of the BPS vs. M37. 
http://www.randywakeman.com/Ithaca37_Browning_ BPS_Compare.htm
On top is a M17 Remington.  Bottom is a M37.  Both made in 1939 and are 20 gauge.  The Ithaca weighs 5 lbs, 11.5 oz.


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## king killer delete (Sep 13, 2014)

GLS said:


> Yep.  We'd often put in at the ramp at Dixie Crystals in a old plywood boat he made with his lab, Scamp.  Rip had blinds at Pennyworth and King's Bend on Hutchinson before the refuge took it in.  I had a pup out of Scamp which was the skinniest lab God put on earth.  This was before the salt water intrusion from the tide gate finished off the good duck food  at Pennyworth and up river.  Pennyworth was a black duck and woodie haven back then.
> Before the LNG tanks were put in at Elba, it was a spoil area full of teal.  Rip almost lost Scamp there on a cold day when Scamp almost died of hypothermia.  To warm Scamp up, he unzipped his insulated coveralls and held him against his body to revive him.



I knew RIP well and he was the first pro that started into duck dog training. You and I may know each other. I hunted that area from the late 70s until 1983 when I moved and was station in Augusta. No the BPS has then the model 37 design that is why I said it was an improved mod 37. They added another slide bar and did some other things to it. The Browning folks wouldn't put it out if Browning did not have his hand in it so they could link it to him and the History.. I wish the would bring back the model 12 in a modern version in 12 gauge. No those days were great hunting all around the refuge. I killed allot of ducks in that area the same time you did.


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## king killer delete (Sep 13, 2014)

You and I need to hunt together this year. I got all the stuff


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## king killer delete (Sep 13, 2014)

You have made my point for the young guys here we  did everything that the Benelli does with the older pumps and Autos.


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## GLS (Sep 13, 2014)

killer elite said:


> You and I need to hunt together this year. I got all the stuff


I'm game. <g>

Gear from the past.  My old pothole blocks—Soule Coastal cork black duck, down jacket, RNT calls, a few left over 1 3/8 oz. lead #4 hand loads.  Blue Dot and AA's.  You know what the gun is.


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## caver101 (Sep 13, 2014)

^thats a great photo!

I just picked up a SX3 a few weeks ago at academy, on sale for $799 and Winny has a $75 rebate going on till middle of Sept.

Both are good guns, the SX3 just fit me better and saving some money was a bonus.


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## tcoker (Sep 14, 2014)

a few years back I had every intention of getting the SBE 2, you know the inertia system, shoots everytime no matter what, yada yada, etc... When I shouldered at the gun store (in Butler) I handed it back. Didn't like the feel at all, too skinny and just didn't "feel" right. I left with a Beretta Xtrema 2 and have loved it, every single time I've used it. Fantastic gun. Haven't shot a SX3, shot plenty of SBE's over the years though. Good guns, kick a bit much on some 3"s and 3.5"s but works flawlessly.


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## king killer delete (Sep 14, 2014)

Like I have said and Dillakilla  has said it to . Get what fits and shoot what you like.


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## king killer delete (Sep 14, 2014)

GLS said:


> I'm game. <g>
> 
> Gear from the past.  My old pothole blocks—Soule Coastal cork black duck, down jacket, RNT calls, a few left over 1 3/8 oz. lead #4 hand loads.  Blue Dot and AA's.  You know what the gun is.



For all you young guys this is old school and all that stuff was made before there was a Drake company.


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