Burley Outdoors | November 3, 2026

Well, I did it.

After years of hunting with shotguns that cost considerably less money, I finally bit the bullet and bought a Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 A.I.

And I’m not going to lie.

I think I was a little sick to my stomach walking out of Scheels.

There’s something about spending that kind of money on a shotgun that makes you question just about every financial decision you’ve ever made.

Especially when you already own a shotgun.

But after fighting reliability issues, comparing different models, talking to people I trust, and spending entirely too much time thinking about this purchase, I finally decided it was time.

So here’s the story of how I ended up with a Benelli, why I chose it, what I think about the Advanced Impact technology, and whether I believe a premium waterfowl shotgun is actually worth the investment.

And no, this isn’t going to be one of those reviews where I tell you it’s the greatest shotgun ever manufactured before I’ve even put it through a hunting season.

We’re going to be realistic.

Because at this price, I expect a hell of a lot more than a pretty gun.

Where It All Started: My Trusty Remington 870

For a long time, I hunted with a Remington 870.

Probably close to ten years.

And there’s something to be said about that.

The 870 isn’t fancy. It doesn’t have a bunch of cutting-edge technology, and nobody is going to confuse it with a premium Italian autoloader.

But it was a shotgun I knew.

I understood how it operated, I was comfortable shooting it, and I didn’t have to spend much time thinking about whether it was going to function.

That’s one of the beautiful things about a dependable pump shotgun.

You develop a rhythm with it.

But eventually, I wanted to move into a semi-automatic.

When you’re hunting waterfowl regularly, the appeal is obvious. Less manual cycling, quicker follow-up shots, and the ability to stay focused on the birds.

So I made the switch.

And unfortunately, the experience wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be.

The TriStar That Finally Pushed Me Over the Edge

My previous semi-automatic was a TriStar with a 3-inch chamber.

And I want to be fair here.

I’m not saying every TriStar shotgun is unreliable.

I’m talking about my experience with mine.

Because mine has been frustrating.

The biggest issue has been feeding problems.

And not just an occasional malfunction.

I’m talking about problems happening often enough that I never felt completely confident in the gun.

Sometimes the first shell would create an issue.

Other times, it would happen when the third shell was supposed to feed.

And the frustrating part was how inconsistent it could be.

One sequence would work fine.

The next wouldn’t.

There were times when it felt like a coin flip.

That’s not what I want from a waterfowl shotgun.

Reliability matters more than almost anything

When you’re sitting in a blind at first light, watching a group of geese lock up and start dropping into the spread, the last thing you should be thinking about is whether your shotgun is going to cycle.

You’ve already done the work.

Scouted the birds.

Set the decoys.

Brushed the hide.

Waited for the opportunity.

And when the moment finally comes, your equipment needs to do its job.

A malfunction doesn’t just cost you a potential bird.

It interrupts the entire experience.

And after dealing with those issues repeatedly, I was ready for something different.

I didn’t necessarily need the most expensive shotgun on the rack.

But I wanted one I could trust.

The Franchi Versus Benelli Debate

When I started seriously shopping, I had a few shotguns in mind.

The Franchi was a major contender.

So was the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3.

And then, of course, there was the SBE3 A.I.

Naturally, I managed to turn what should have been a relatively straightforward purchase into an entire research project.

But when you’re talking about spending somewhere around $1,500 to well over $2,000, I think it’s worth taking the time.

The Franchi was appealing for a lot of reasons.

It offered an inertia-driven semi-automatic platform, a reputation worth considering, and a price that was substantially easier to swallow.

And initially, I wasn’t convinced the Benelli was going to justify the extra money.

Then I started handling them

This is where things got interesting.

Looking at shotguns online is one thing.

Actually shouldering them is another.

I went back and compared different models and configurations.

And the more time I spent handling them, the more I started appreciating the Benelli.

The SBE3 felt particularly good to me.

It was comfortable.

It shouldered naturally.

And despite the price difference, it was difficult to ignore how much I liked the way it felt.

Now, does that mean the Benelli is automatically better for every hunter?

Absolutely not.

Shotgun fit is personal.

What feels fantastic to one person might feel awkward to somebody else.

But when I started thinking about the number of mornings I spend hunting waterfowl, how many times I shoulder a shotgun throughout a season, and how long I plan to own this gun, the difference started becoming more important.

I wasn’t just buying a shotgun for next weekend.

I was trying to buy something I could be happy hunting with for years.

Two Friends Helped Make the Decision

Here’s something that played a bigger role than any manufacturer’s advertising.

I talked to two friends whose opinions I genuinely trust.

Both had experience and perspectives that mattered to me.

And both helped steer me toward the Benelli.

That doesn’t mean I blindly bought whatever somebody recommended.

But there’s something valuable about hearing from people who actually spend time with them.

Especially when they’ve used equipment in the same kinds of conditions you encounter.

Minnesota waterfowl hunting isn’t exactly gentle on shotguns.

Mud.

Rain.

Snow.

Freezing temperatures.

Wet gloves.

Cold mornings.

Equipment bouncing around in boats and trailers.

And plenty of opportunities for dirt and moisture to get into places they don’t belong.

I wanted something built with that kind of use in mind.

The more I talked to people and handled the different options, the more confident I became in my decision.

Even if my wallet wasn’t particularly excited about it.

Why the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 A.I.?

The Super Black Eagle name has been around waterfowl hunting for a long time.

It’s one of those shotguns that seems to come up whenever hunters start talking about premium semi-automatics.

But the Advanced Impact version brings something different to the conversation.

And that’s what made it especially interesting to me.

What exactly is Advanced Impact?

First things first.

The A.I. in Benelli SBE3 A.I. doesn’t stand for artificial intelligence.

Although at this price, it probably should be smart enough to scout the birds and set my decoys for me.

It stands for Advanced Impact.

It’s Benelli’s specialized barrel and choke system designed to improve shotshell performance.

The system uses a different barrel geometry along with Advanced Impact CRIO choke tubes.

According to Benelli, the combination is intended to improve pellet density and downrange performance.

The company’s testing also advertises up to 50% more penetration under specified test conditions compared with a non-A.I. barrel.

That’s an attention-grabbing number.

But it’s important to understand what it means.

It doesn’t mean every shell is going to penetrate 50% deeper in every situation.

It doesn’t mean you can suddenly take shots you wouldn’t otherwise consider ethical.

And it definitely doesn’t mean the shotgun is going to compensate for poor shooting.

It’s a manufacturer-reported performance result under specific testing conditions.

What interests me more is whether the barrel and choke combination produces consistent, useful patterns with the ammunition I actually hunt with.

Because that’s what matters in the field.

I’m particularly interested in how it patterns

For the most part, I’ve been shooting HEVI-Shot bismuth ammunition.

Depending on what we’re hunting, I use different shot sizes, including #6, #2, and #1.

And I’ve generally stuck with 3-inch shells.

That’s the ammunition I want to evaluate with this shotgun.

Not some specially selected test load designed to make a particular barrel look impressive.

I want to see what happens with the shells I’m already comfortable hunting with.

How evenly do they pattern?

Where is the center of the pattern compared with my point of aim?

How consistent are the results?

And does the Advanced Impact system produce a noticeable advantage over a conventional setup?

Those are the questions I’m interested in answering.

The A.I. system sounds promising on paper.

But the pattern board will tell me a lot more about what to expect from my particular gun and ammunition.

The Inertia-Driven Action

One of the defining characteristics of the Super Black Eagle platform is its inertia-driven operating system.

Rather than relying on gas tapped from the barrel to operate the action, Benelli uses a recoil-operated inertia mechanism.

There are some practical reasons this design appeals to waterfowl hunters.

The operating system is relatively straightforward, with fewer gas-system components to maintain.

And that’s attractive when you’re spending a lot of time in dirty, wet environments.

But I also want to be realistic.

Inertia-driven doesn’t mean maintenance-free.

And it doesn’t mean a shotgun is incapable of malfunctioning.

Proper cleaning, lubrication, ammunition compatibility, and correct operation still matter.

After dealing with feeding issues in my previous shotgun, I’m particularly interested in seeing how consistently the Benelli cycles.

That’s going to be one of my biggest measures of satisfaction.

Not how cool it looks.

Not what the marketing says.

Whether it works when I need it.

What About the Famous Benelli Click?

If you’ve spent any time researching Benelli shotguns, you’ve probably heard somebody mention the infamous Benelli click.

And believe me, I looked into it before buying.

The basic concern involves a bolt that isn’t completely locked into battery.

If that happens, the gun may fail to fire when the trigger is pulled.

That’s obviously not something any hunter wants to experience.

Especially when a flock of geese is dropping into the decoys.

Benelli has incorporated design changes across its newer platforms intended to improve bolt operation and reduce this concern.

But I still think it’s something worth understanding.

I don’t believe any mechanical system should be treated as completely immune to problems.

And I’m not going to pretend that spending more money guarantees perfection.

For me, the goal is to understand the equipment, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and evaluate its reliability through normal use.

I’m also watching for feeding problems

This is probably an even bigger concern for me personally.

After the problems with my TriStar, I don’t want to deal with another shotgun that struggles to feed shells consistently.

That’s one of the biggest reasons I decided to spend more money.

I want confidence.

If the SBE3 performs reliably throughout the season, that alone will go a long way toward making me feel better about the purchase.

If it doesn’t, you can bet I’ll be talking about that too.

Fit, Feel, and Recoil

One thing I noticed while comparing shotguns was how much I liked the way the Benelli handled.

That might sound like a small detail.

But I don’t think it is.

When you’re hunting regularly, a shotgun becomes an extension of what you’re doing.

You’re shouldering it in awkward positions.

Shooting from blinds.

Standing in boats.

Wearing bulky layers.

And trying to make quick, controlled movements when birds finally commit.

A shotgun that fits naturally can make those situations more comfortable.

And comfort can contribute to more consistent shooting.

The SBE3 also incorporates Benelli’s ComforTech 3 recoil-reduction system, which is designed to help manage felt recoil.

I’m interested in seeing how that translates to my normal 3-inch waterfowl loads.

I’m not particularly concerned about having the softest-shooting shotgun on the market.

But if it helps reduce fatigue during long days or extended shooting sessions, that’s certainly a benefit.

Of course, the real test will come when I start putting rounds through it.

Let’s Talk About the Price

Because we can’t write an article about buying a premium Benelli without discussing the elephant in the room.

These things are expensive.

Really expensive.

When I was shopping, the Franchi was roughly in the $1,500 range, while the Benelli options climbed substantially higher.

And when you’re standing in a store comparing guns, that difference is hard to ignore.

You start doing some interesting mental gymnastics.

“Well, if I keep it for ten years…”

“If I hunt this many days per season…”

“If I never have to buy another shotgun…”

Suddenly you’re trying to convince yourself that spending several thousand dollars is actually a financially responsible decision.

And maybe it is.

Maybe it isn’t.

But here’s how I’ve started looking at it.

I spend an enormous amount of time waterfowl hunting.

It’s not something I do two weekends a year.

It’s a major part of my life.

It’s something Danielle and I share.

It’s part of Burley Outdoors.

And it’s something I hope to continue doing for decades.

When I consider how much money I’ve invested in decoys, blinds, boats, trailers, and other equipment, having a shotgun I genuinely enjoy shooting and trust to function seems like a reasonable priority.

That doesn’t mean everybody needs a premium shotgun.

Far from it.

I’ve killed plenty of birds with much less expensive equipment.

And there are excellent hunters using shotguns that cost a fraction of what this Benelli does.

But for my situation, I decided it was worth making the investment.

Even if I had a brief moment of buyer’s remorse on the way home.

Why I Didn’t Just Buy Another Budget Semi-Auto

This is something I went back and forth on.

Because realistically, I could have purchased another shotgun for significantly less money.

And there’s no guarantee it wouldn’t have worked perfectly.

But after the frustration of my previous semi-automatic, I wasn’t particularly excited about gambling on another inexpensive option.

I wanted to move into a platform that I felt more confident about.

Something with a strong history in waterfowl hunting.

Something that fit me well.

Something I could maintain and hopefully use for many years.

And something I wouldn’t immediately start thinking about replacing.

That’s what ultimately pushed me toward the Benelli.

Not because I think cheaper shotguns are automatically bad.

But because I wanted to buy once, be happy with the decision, and move on.

At least until the next expensive hunting obsession comes along.

Which, knowing me, probably won’t take long.

The Optifade Marsh Finish

One other thing worth mentioning is the finish.

I originally had some interest in a Cerakote configuration.

But availability played a role in what I ended up bringing home.

The Optifade Marsh look is something I’ve always liked, and it fits right in with the rest of my waterfowl equipment.

Is camouflage the most important thing on a shotgun?

Absolutely not.

Reliability, fit, and performance are much higher on my list.

But I’m not going to pretend appearance doesn’t matter at all.

If I’m spending this kind of money on a gun, I want to like looking at it too.

And I do.

The Benelli is a sharp-looking shotgun.

Now I just need to get over the fear of putting the first scratch on it.

Because let’s be realistic.

It’s going to get muddy.

It’s going to get wet.

And eventually, it’s going to look like a shotgun that’s actually been hunting.

As it should.

What I’m Going to Be Watching This Season

I’m not interested in declaring this the greatest waterfowl shotgun ever made based on a trip to Scheels.

I want to put it through the same conditions I expect any hunting shotgun to handle.

And there are a few things I’m going to pay particular attention to.

1. Reliability

This is number one.

I want consistent feeding, firing, extraction, and cycling with the ammunition I use.

After dealing with my TriStar, this matters more to me than anything else.

2. Pattern performance

I want to see how the Advanced Impact system performs with my bismuth loads.

That means checking pattern distribution and point of impact at realistic hunting distances.

Not just accepting the manufacturer’s claims.

3. Shooting comfort

How does it shoulder when I’m wearing multiple layers?

How does it feel from different hunting positions?

How manageable is the recoil?

And how comfortable am I after a long day?

4. Cold-weather performance

Minnesota gives us plenty of opportunities to evaluate equipment in unpleasant conditions.

As temperatures drop, I want to see how the gun handles normal late-season use.

Proper maintenance will be part of that equation, but consistent operation is still the expectation.

5. Long-term durability

A shotgun like this shouldn’t just perform well during the first few outings.

I want it to hold up through years of regular use.

That’s where the real value of a premium purchase should become apparent.

Will the Benelli Make Me a Better Hunter?

Probably not.

At least not by itself.

And I think that’s worth saying.

A $2,500 shotgun isn’t going to fix poor scouting.

It isn’t going to make birds finish.

It isn’t going to hide us better.

And it isn’t going to make up for bad shooting fundamentals.

Those things still come down to the hunter.

The Benelli isn’t going to find the birds for me.

It isn’t going to brush the blinds.

It isn’t going to move the decoys for the fifth time when geese keep sliding off.

Unfortunately.

But what I’m hoping it will do is eliminate one more thing I have to worry about.

When the birds finally commit, I want to focus on making a clean, responsible shot.

Not whether my gun is going to cycle.

And if this shotgun gives me that confidence, it’ll be worth a lot.

So, Was It Worth It?

That’s the question everybody wants answered.

And right now?

I don’t know.

I certainly hope so.

I know I love the way the gun feels.

I know I appreciate the design.

I know I’m excited to see what the Advanced Impact system can do.

And I know that after years of dealing with less-than-ideal reliability, I’m ready to have a shotgun I can feel confident carrying into the field.

But I’m not going to tell you it’s worth the money until I’ve actually had a chance to evaluate it.

Because that’s the difference between a purchase story and an honest review.

Right now, I’m excited.

A little nervous about how much I spent.

And very much looking forward to putting it to work.

A few months from now, I want to come back and write another article.

One that talks about actual performance.

The good.

The bad.

The things I love.

And anything I wish were different.

Because if I’m going to spend this kind of money on hunting equipment, I want to be honest about whether it delivered.

A New Chapter in the Blind

There’s something exciting about getting a new shotgun.

Especially when it’s something you’ve spent a long time considering.

I’ve hunted with my old Remington 870.

I’ve fought through the frustrations of my TriStar.

And now I’m stepping into a new chapter with the Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 A.I.

I’m hoping it’s a shotgun I’ll carry for years.

One that becomes part of countless hunts with Danielle, Braxton, Ember, and the friends we share the blind with.

One that gets scratched, muddy, and worn from actually being used.

And hopefully, one that spends a whole lot more time cycling shells than causing me headaches.

Because at the end of the day, I didn’t buy it to sit in a gun safe.

I bought it to hunt.

And if everything goes the way I’m hoping, this might be the last waterfowl shotgun I need to buy for a very long time.

Although Danielle will probably be reminding me of that statement the next time I walk into Scheels.

Now let’s see if this thing can live up to the hype.

– Max
Burley Outdoors

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