The Benelli M3 is a dual-mode (hybrid
pump-action
Pump action or slide action is a repeating firearm action that is operated manually by moving a sliding handguard on the gun's forestock. When shooting, the sliding forend is pulled rearward to eject any expended cartridge
Cartridge may refe ...
and
semi-automatic)
shotgun
A shotgun (also known as a scattergun, or historically as a fowling piece) is a long gun, long-barreled firearm designed to shoot a straight-walled cartridge (firearms), cartridge known as a shotshell, which usually discharges numerous small p ...
designed and manufactured by Italian firearms manufacturer
Benelli Armi SpA
Benelli Armi SpA is an Italian firearm manufacturer best known for shotguns used by military, law enforcement and civilians, located in Urbino, Marche. Founded in 1967 as an offshoot of the Benelli motorcycle factory that sold motorcycles throu ...
, and one of the "Benelli Super 90" series of semi-auto shotguns. The M3 holds a maximum of seven rounds and uses Benelli's proprietary
Inertia-driven action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
system first showcased in the
M1. The M3 is notable for allowing the user to choose between semi-automatic or pump-action operation.
Background
Pump-action operation is employed when shooting less powerful shells, such as
rubber bullet
Rubber bullets (also called rubber baton rounds) are a type of baton round. Despite the name, rubber bullets typically have either a metal core with a rubber coating, or are a homogeneous admixture with rubber being a minority component. Altho ...
s, that do not generate enough
recoil
Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force requ ...
to operate the semi-automatic mechanism. Conversely, the semi-automatic mode can be employed with more powerful shells, absorbing some of the recoil. Switching between the two modes is done by manipulating the ring located at the front of the forend grip.
The Benelli M3 also features a removable
stock
In finance, stock (also capital stock) consists of all the shares by which ownership of a corporation or company is divided.Longman Business English Dictionary: "stock - ''especially AmE'' one of the shares into which ownership of a company ...
allowing the user to choose one of two styles, the traditional shotgun stock or a stock with a
pistol grip
On a firearm or other tools, a pistol grip is a distinctly protruded handle underneath the main mechanism, to be held by the user's hand at a more vertical (and thus more ergonomic) angle, similar to the how one would hold a conventional pist ...
.
The Benelli M3 is an updated version of the
Benelli M1
The Benelli M1 is a semi-automatic shotgun manufactured by Benelli Armi S.P.A., and the first of the "Benelli Super 90" series of semi-auto shotguns. Introduced in 1986, it is available in several versions for civilian, law enforcement and mili ...
shotgun. The M3 uses the same inertia recoil semi-automatic system as the earlier Benelli M1, but adds another Benelli-patented feature, which allows the shooter to lock the semi-automatic action and switch to the manually operated pump-action mode and back in the matter of seconds. The action type switch is located at the forward end of the forearm, and is formed as an annular knurled ring. Rotation of this ring either engages the action rods of the pump system and locks the semi-automatic recoil system, or disengages the action bars, locks the forearm and allows the inertia recoil system to operate the action automatically. This improves the versatility of the shotgun, allowing it to fire low-powered ammunition (mostly of special purpose, such as less-lethal rubber or tear-gas projectiles) in the manually operated pump action mode, and to fire full power combat loads with
slugs
Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...
or
buckshot
A shotgun shell, shotshell or simply shell is a type of rimmed, cylindrical (straight-walled) cartridges used specifically in shotguns, and is typically loaded with numerous small, pellet-like spherical sub-projectiles called shot, fired throu ...
in semi-automatic mode. An underbarrel
tubular magazine
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device for a repeating firearm, either integral within the gun (internal/fixed magazine) or externally attached (detachable magazine). The magazine functions by holding several cartridges with ...
usually holds 8 rounds for police or military versions, or less in some civilian models.
The M3 Super 90 is available with various barrel lengths and stock options, with fixed butt and semi-pistol or
pistol grip
On a firearm or other tools, a pistol grip is a distinctly protruded handle underneath the main mechanism, to be held by the user's hand at a more vertical (and thus more ergonomic) angle, similar to the how one would hold a conventional pist ...
s, or with top-folding butts and pistol grips. Sight options include shotgun-type
open sights
Iron sights are a system of physical alignment markers (usually made of metallic material) used as a sighting device to assist the accurate aiming of ranged weapons (such as a firearm, airgun, crossbow or even compound bow), or less commonly as ...
, rifle type open sights,
ghost ring (diopter) sights and various mounts for
reflex
In biology, a reflex, or reflex action, is an involuntary, unplanned sequence or action and nearly instantaneous response to a stimulus.
Reflexes are found with varying levels of complexity in organisms with a nervous system. A reflex occurs ...
or low magnification
telescope sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope informally, is an optical sighting device based on a refracting telescope. It is equipped with some form of a referencing pattern – known as a ''reticle'' – mounted in a focally appropriate po ...
s and tactical
flashlight
A flashlight ( US, Canada) or torch ( UK, Australia) is a portable hand-held electric lamp. Formerly, the light source typically was a miniature incandescent light bulb, but these have been displaced by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) since the ...
s and
laser pointer
A laser pointer or laser pen is a small handheld device with a power source (usually a battery) and a laser diode emitting a very narrow coherent low-powered laser beam of visible light, intended to be used to highlight something of interest by ...
s.
Variants
The Benelli M3 comes in several variations, most notably the M3 Super 90, which features a smaller body. There is also a shorter version, which is easier to transport, used by law enforcement officers and military personnel.
While other Benelli self-loading shotguns have the recoil spring inside a tube in butt-stock, in the M3 the recoil spring is placed around the magazine tube. This is an interesting feature for weapon modification, since other shotguns (such as M1, M2 and M4) attach the butt-stock to the recoil spring tube. The M3 has a dummy tube just for stock attachment.
Benelli's M3T is an OEM variant, where the butt-stock and dummy tube have been replaced with a pistol grip and up-folding skeleton butt-stock.
Benelli's SuperNova pump-shotgun and MR1 self-loading rifle have similar butt-stock attachment to the M3, so this adds two new butt-stock options to M3.
The M3 butt-stock and dummy rod can be replaced with a "Benelli SuperNova Tactical Collapsible Stock". The collapsible stock allows 5-position draw length adjustment, so a shooter can compensate the effects of thick winter clothes or body armor by adjusting the stock length. The required spare parts are: Adjustment rod, pistol grip and collapsible butt-stock.
A rare modification is to replace the M3 butt-stock and dummy rod with a "Benelli SuperNova Handle Grip". The "handle grip" is just the pistol grip attached to the receiver with a screw.
Users
![OH 06-0570-27 - Flickr - NZ Defence Force](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/OH_06-0570-27_-_Flickr_-_NZ_Defence_Force.jpg)
*:M3 Super 90 is used by
1º Batalhão de Forças Especiais
*:
Joint Task Force 2
Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2; french: links=no, Deuxième Force opérationnelle interarmées, FOI 2) is an elite special operations force of the Canadian Armed Forces, serving under the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. JTF 2 is known to wo ...
.
*: The M3T Super 90 is used by special units of the
Czech Armed Forces. Used by operators of the
601st Special Forces Group
, image = Znak 601. skss.gif
, caption =
, dates =
, allegiance = Czech Republic
, branch = Czech Special Forces
, type = Special forces
, role=
, size = Classified
, command_structure =
, current_commander =
, garrison = Prostějov
...
.
*:
Estonian Defence Forces
The Estonian Defence Forces ( et, Eesti Kaitsevägi) are the unified military forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces consist of the Estonian Land Forces, the Estonian Navy, the Estonian Air Force, and the paramilitary Esto ...
.
*: Select units of the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
.
*: M3T is used by the ''Komando Pasukan Katak'' (
KOPASKA) tactical diver group and ''Komando Pasukan Khusus'' (
Kopassus
The Kopassus ( id, Komando Pasukan Khusus, Special Forces Command) is an Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sa ...
) special forces group.
*; Irish
Army Ranger Wing
, image =
, caption = Shoulder flash and insignia of the Army Ranger Wing
, dates = – present
, country =
, branch =
, command_structure = Defence Forces
, garrison = DFTC, Curragh Camp, County Kildare
, size = Classified
, ty ...
, Garda;
National Bureau of Criminal Investigation,
Special Detective Unit
, headquarters = Harcourt Street, Dublin (D2)
, formed = as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
, preceding1 = Garda Special Branch
, preceding2 =
, jurisdiction = Ireland
, employees = Undisclosed~ 300
, budget = Undisclosed ...
,
Emergency Response Unit
An Emergency Response Unit is a name for a law enforcement or other civil government entity that is trained and equipped to respond quickly to emergency situations. In some instances, such a designation is given to a Special Weapons and Tactics uni ...
.
*: M3T model used by the
Maritime Self-Defense Forces.
*: ''
Unité Spéciale de la Police
The ''Unité Spéciale de la Police'' (USP) ( en, Special Police Unit) is the police tactical unit of the Grand Ducal Police that was created in Luxembourg in 1999. It is tasked with responding to especially dangerous situations such as hostage ...
'' of the
Grand Ducal Police
The Grand Ducal Police ( lb, Groussherzoglech Police) is the national police force of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The police is under the control of the Minister for the Interior of Luxembourg, although they operate in the name, and under th ...
.
*: ''
Pasukan Gerakan Khas
''Pasukan Gerakan Khas'' (Abbreviation: PGK; 'Special Operations Command — Police SOCOM', Jawi: ڤاسوكن ڬرقن خاص) is a special operations command of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP). The PGK has two distinct sub-units; the Specia ...
'' (PGK) counter-terrorism group of the
Royal Malaysia Police
The Royal Malaysia Police (often abbreviated RMP) ( ms, Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM)), is a (primarily) uniformed national and federal police force in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organisation. Its headquarters are located at Bukit Aman ...
.
*: NZ Defence Force; initially introduced in Army service in 2006.
*
*: Used by the
Special Anti-Terrorist Unit.
*: Used by Avon and Somerset constabulary
*
See also
*
Benelli M2
The Benelli M2 is a semi-automatic shotgun manufactured by Benelli Armi SpA, and the second model of the Benelli Super 90 line of semi-automatic shotguns. It is an updated version of the Benelli M1. Like its predecessor, it is available in several ...
*
Benelli M4
The Benelli M4 is a semi-automatic shotgun produced by Italian firearm manufacturer Benelli Armi SpA, and the last of the "Benelli Super 90" series of semi-automatic shotguns. The M4 uses a proprietary action design called the "auto-regulating gas ...
, successor to M3, adopted by
U.S. armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
as the ''M1014 Combat Shotgun''.
References
External links
World Guns: Benelli M3 Super 90
{{Benelli Armi SpA
Benelli Armi SpA
Pump-action shotguns
Semi-automatic shotguns of Italy
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1989
ro:Leone YG1265