Benelli M2
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 470 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.04 kg
- Introduced
- 2004
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Benelli M2 is a semi-automatic shotgun manufactured by Benelli Armi SpA of Urbino, Italy. Introduced in 2004 as the successor to the Benelli M1 Super 90, the M2 is built around Benelli's signature inertia-driven operating system, which relies on the kinetic energy of recoil rather than gas to cycle the action. A two-piece bolt with an internal inertia spring momentarily stays in place when the shotgun recoils; the compressed spring then drives the bolt rearward to eject the spent shell and strip a fresh round from the tubular magazine. This elegantly simple mechanism has only three operating parts, making the M2 exceptionally lightweight, easy to clean, and reliable across a wide range of ammunition from light field loads to heavy 3-inch magnums. The M2 is available in 12 and 20 gauge, with barrel lengths ranging from 14 inches (Entry model, LE/military only) to 28 inches (Field models). ComforTech models feature Benelli's progressive comfort recoil reduction system with gel cheek pad and sorbothane chevrons in the buttstock, reducing felt recoil by up to 48%. The M2 has become one of the most popular semi-automatic shotguns for competitive 3-gun shooting, upland hunting, waterfowl, and law enforcement due to its light weight, fast cycling, and proven reliability.
The Benelli M2's inertia-driven system traces back to Bruno Civolani's original 1967 patent that launched Benelli Armi as a firearms company. Exhibition shooter Tom Knapp made the M2 famous by breaking 10 hand-thrown clay targets in just 2.2 seconds, a feat that became one of the most-watched shooting videos on the internet.
The M2's inertia system is fundamentally different from the ARGO gas system used in the Benelli M4. The inertia system has fewer moving parts and does not vent gas into the action, keeping the internals cleaner. However, it requires a minimum recoil impulse to cycle, meaning extremely light loads may not reliably operate the action. The M2 Speed and 3-Gun variants are specifically tuned for competition use with enlarged loading ports, oversized controls, and extended magazine tubes. Exhibition shooter Tom Knapp famously used a Benelli M2 with an extended magazine to break 10 clay targets thrown simultaneously in 2.2 seconds. The Crio barrel treatment involves cryogenically freezing the barrel to relieve stress in the steel, improving pattern consistency.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Benelli Armi SpA
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2004
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 470 mm
- Overall length
- 1010 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.04 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Inertia operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Tubular
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Anodized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Effective range
- 45 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
Comfortech recoil system
Rotating bolt
Crio barrel
Ghost ring sights
3 inch chamber
Interchangeable choke tubes
Chrome lined bore
Oversized bolt release
Sling swivel studs
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 | 3.04 kg | 3.29 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1010 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 | 5 | 3 | Holds more rounds than about 80% |
Answers
Questions about the Benelli M2
How much does the Benelli M2 weigh?
The Benelli M2 weighs 3.04 kg (6.70 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Benelli M2?
The Benelli M2 is chambered in 12 Gauge and 20 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Benelli M2 hold?
The Benelli M2 holds 5 rounds, fed from a tubular magazine.
How long is the Benelli M2?
The Benelli M2 is 1010 mm (39.8 in) long overall, with a 470 mm (18.5 in) barrel.
Who makes the Benelli M2?
The Benelli M2 is made by Benelli Armi SpA (Italy). It was designed by Bruno Civolani.
When was the Benelli M2 introduced?
The Benelli M2 was introduced in 2004.
How does the Benelli M2 operate?
The Benelli M2 uses an inertia 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 Agencies
- United States
- IPSC / 3-Gun Competition Shooters
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
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-m2' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "benelli-m2", "name": "Benelli M2", "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": 2004, "barrel_length_mm": 470, "weight_empty_g": 3040, "action_type": "inertia_operated"}