Benelli Waterfowl Shotguns
Benelli's waterfowl lineup is built around one requirement: cycling the heaviest magnum steel loads a duck or goose hunter can throw at it. The Super Black Eagle 3 is the flagship, chambered up to 3.5 inches in 12 gauge. The M2 Field covers the lighter end in 12 and 20 gauge, and the Nova and Super Nova pumps offer an inertia-free backup option. Impact Guns carries the full Benelli waterfowl lineup and ships nationwide to your local FFL dealer.
Read our full Benelli Waterfowl Shotgun Buying Guide ↓
Why the Super Black Eagle 3 Is Benelli's Waterfowl Standard
The SBE3 is the only production shotgun that reliably cycles everything from 2.75-inch target loads through 3.5-inch magnum steel in the same gun. That range matters for waterfowl hunters who load light for early-season teal and heavy for late-season geese without swapping guns. The SBE3's ComforTech stock and Cycle Control system also tame recoil from a steady diet of heavy steel loads better than any other Benelli.
M2 Field vs. SBE3: Do You Need the 3.5-Inch Chamber?
The M2 Field's 3-inch chamber handles the vast majority of duck loads and plenty of goose loads without issue, at a lower price and lighter weight than the SBE3. The SBE3's 3.5-inch chamber only matters if you're running the heaviest steel or tungsten goose loads. Hunters who mainly chase ducks over decoys rarely need the extra half-inch; dedicated goose hunters running max loads get real value from it.
Camo Patterns and Finishes for the Blind
Benelli offers its waterfowl guns in Gore Optifade Marsh and Timber, Mossy Oak Bottomland, and Realtree Max-5, alongside solid black for hunters who prefer to dress the gun themselves. Marsh and Max-5 patterns are built for open water and flooded timber; Timber and Bottomland suit hunters working timber holes and green timber flooding.
Pump Backup: Nova and Super Nova
The Nova and Super Nova pump shotguns give waterfowl hunters a mechanically simple, budget-friendly option or a reliable backup gun that doesn't depend on cycling gas or inertia at all. Both share the SBE3's core reliability philosophy in a pump-action platform, useful for hunters who want a second gun that will run in any condition without question.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best Benelli shotgun for duck hunting? The M2 Field in 12 gauge covers the vast majority of duck hunting situations. Hunters who also chase geese with heavy steel loads get more use out of the SBE3's 3.5-inch chamber.
Does Benelli make a left-hand waterfowl shotgun? Yes, both the M2 Field and SBE3 are available in left-hand configurations.
What gauge is best for waterfowl: 12 or 20? 12 gauge remains the standard for waterfowl due to payload capacity with steel shot, but modern 20 gauge loads have narrowed the gap and the SBE3 and M2 Field are both available in 20 gauge for hunters who want less weight and recoil.
See Also: Benelli • Benelli SBE3 • Benelli M2 • Benelli Upland Shotguns