Benelli M1 Super 90
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 470 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.18 kg
- Introduced
- 1986
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Benelli M1 Super 90 is a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun introduced in 1986 as the first model of Benelli's Super 90 family. It is built around the company's proprietary Inertia Driven recoil system, in which the energy of recoil acting against a sprung, free-floating bolt body and rotating two-lug bolt head cycles the action, with no gas ports or pistons to foul. The lightweight aluminum-alloy receiver and synthetic furniture keep weight to roughly 3.2 kg, giving fast handling and very fast follow-up shots. Marketed simultaneously to military, law-enforcement and civilian users, the M1 was offered in tactical, field, practical and short-barreled entry configurations.
Chambered for 2.75-inch and 3-inch (76 mm) 12-gauge shells. Barrels were offered in 14-inch (entry), 18.5-inch and 20-inch tactical lengths, and 24-28 inch vent-rib sporting lengths; magazine capacity ranges from 3 to 7 rounds depending on configuration. Produced 1986-2005 and succeeded by the Benelli M2. The related Benelli M4/M1014 is a separate, gas-operated USMC combat shotgun and not part of the inertia-driven M1 line.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Benelli Armi SpA
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1986 to 2005
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 470 mm
- Overall length
- 1009 mm
- Sight radius
- 299 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.18 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Recoil operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 7
- Magazine
- Tube
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Effective range
- 40 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Inertia driven system
Rotating bolt head
Ghost ring sights
Interchangeable chokes
Ventilated rib
3 inch chamber
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 3.18 kg | 3.29 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1009 mm | 1150 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 470 mm | 711 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 7 | 3 | Holds more rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the Benelli M1 Super 90
How much does the Benelli M1 Super 90 weigh?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 weighs 3.18 kg (7.01 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Benelli M1 Super 90?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Benelli M1 Super 90 hold?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 holds 7 rounds, fed from a tube magazine.
How long is the Benelli M1 Super 90?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 is 1009 mm (39.7 in) long overall, with a 470 mm (18.5 in) barrel.
Who makes the Benelli M1 Super 90?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 is made by Benelli Armi SpA (Italy). It was designed by Bruno Civolani.
When was the Benelli M1 Super 90 introduced?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 was introduced in 1986 and discontinued in 2005.
How does the Benelli M1 Super 90 operate?
The Benelli M1 Super 90 uses a recoil operated action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Italian Law Enforcement
- Italy
- United States Law Enforcement
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
74%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/benelli-m1-super-90' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "benelli-m1-super-90", "name": "Benelli M1 Super 90", "manufacturer": { "id": "benelli", "name": "Benelli Armi SpA", "countryCode": "IT", "foundedYear": 1967, "website": "https://www.benelliusa.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "5f08a63ece0051736f8d9999540da44cdb8fd0ff8028739abfd0a34bd79f0fdc" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "IT", "year_introduced": 1986, "barrel_length_mm": 470, "weight_empty_g": 3180, "action_type": "recoil_operated"}