One of the greatest costs associated with creating a firearm is the engineering that goes behind the design. Therefore, if you can clone a winner, it becomes effortless to drop your price point without having to resort to cutting corners that might hurt the product’s overall quality. For decades, the Benelli M2 has been viewed as the gold standard of inertia-driven semi-automatic shotguns. They have won countless competitions across the globe and account for a staggering number of mounts in the trophy rooms of the most discerning hunters. An international patent kept the core technology out of the hands of competing brands, but as that has long expired, several copies are hitting our shores. One of the latest comes from the Turkish company Spandau and is aptly named the S2, which serves as a nod to its predecessor. This fast-handling platform has been trimmed to fit several forms of hunting, and I was able to get my hands on a waterfowl edition clad in Realtree MAX-7 camo.
Understanding the inertia system helps to clarify why these shotguns are so reliable. Whenever a gun is fired, recoil drives it rearward until it meets resistance, typically your shoulder. When that happens, everything that is fixed will remain in place; however, parts that are designed to move will continue on this rearward path. In this case, those parts are the bolt assembly and the fired cartridge. Using your shoulder to essentially pry against, the action opens up and ejects the fired shell before a return spring slams it back into battery, taking a fresh round with it. Because we can’t escape recoil, the operating force will always be present. In contrast, gas-operated shotguns require shells to produce the right amount of pressure to cycle, which sometimes just isn’t there with lighter loads. Additionally, because the inertia system doesn’t push burning gasses back into the action, they typically run cleaner and cooler and have fewer parts involved to get the job done. This is important if you ever dunk your gun in the bay and need to take it apart for a boat-side cleaning.
Spandau faithfully reproduces this inertia operating system in the S2 and even imparts a few improvements. The bolt body is relieved to reduce receiver contact and overall weight. This enhances reliability, as it gives a place for dirt and moisture to collect that will not impede the action. The lighter weight also pays dividends when it comes time to cycle milder rounds, as this shotgun is built to accommodate heavy duck loads just as well as it does light dove shells. The action is complemented by an array of oversized controls intended to aid manipulation with gloved fingers and in low-light conditions, or, more realistically, both at the same time. The knurled charging handle is simple to find and can be racked overhand or underhand as you see fit. The bolt release is both extended and protected by a simple piece of sheet metal, and the cross-bolt safety is built to be easily flicked off, yet tough to engage accidentally. One control that retained its low profile is the shell interrupter, which isn’t too odd, as the bird hunter seldom needs to swap ammunition on the fly. Nonetheless, I would have liked to see this a little more pronounced as depressing it is required to unload the shotgun in most cases.
The barrel of the S2 Realtree Max-7 is currently only available in a 28-inch length, perfect for an all-around waterfowl gun, though an all-black S2 is available with a 24-inch barrel. Complemented by the composite stock, this creates a balance point right around the charging handle, which yields an overall neutral presentation. It is topped with a ventilated rib and an elongated fiber-optic front sight, which grabs the eye better than a bead and is inherently corrosion-resistant. The barrel is threaded to accept Benelli/Mobil-pattern choke tubes, and full, modified and improved cylinder chokes are included with purchase. As this particular S2 is intended for waterfowl, both the barrel and the choke set are rated for use with steel, bismuth and tungsten shot.
For my range day, I decided to pattern the shotgun with ammunition relative to its intended purpose. For duck hunting, I grabbed a box of Hevi-Shot’s Hevi Metal Xtreme load. This 3-inch shell is filled with a combination of No. 4 tungsten and No. 1 steel shot for dense patterns that are more effective than steel alone. On the lighter side, I chose Winchester’s Fast Dove and Clay loads. These 2¾-inch shells serve up an ounce of No. 7.5 lead shot at approximately 1350 fps. This lighter payload makes better use of the propellant charge, arriving on target sooner and reducing your required leads. After screwing in the modified choke and plunking down at 40 yards, I found that I was able to adequately cover a 20-inch target with each load, but I will note the patterns seemed to center about 7 inches low. While not ideal, this is certainly more manageable than being any amount left or right, as trying to calculate that into a lead is more than my brain can handle. I was sure that it wouldn’t cause any trouble in real-world use, but to confirm, I set up a Champion clay thrower and got to work. After breaking my first 15 clays, I started to appreciate the inch-thick recoil pad that comes with the S2, however, southpaws should be warned that it is angled to favor right-handed shooters. On the bright side, a set of stock spacers is included to help tailor the cast and drop to your liking. This is probably a great time to mention that the S2 is compatible with most Benelli M2 accessories and furniture, so there is a plethora of aftermarket fitting solutions available.
Looking back at a pile of tattered paper and a field of orange dust convinced me that Spandau Arms has delivered an excellent low-cost option for the aspiring bird hunter who wants more than a rattle-can camo job. Its performance was admirable, and its function was flawless, taking away most of my excuses come this duck season. Those who are in the market for a new scattergun for wingshooting or even just a casual clay-busting session are urged to check out this gun.
Technical Specifications
• Type: inertia-driven, semi-auto shotgun
• Gauge/Chamber: 12/3½"
• Capacity: 3+1
• Barrel: 28"; vent rib; interchangeable choke tubes
• Trigger: 5-lb., 12-oz. pull weight
• Sights: red fiber-optic front sight; drilled and tapped for scope mount
• Safety: cross-bolt
• Stock: synthetic; Realtree Max-7; LOP 14"; drop at heel 2"; drop at comb 1½"
• Metal Finish: Realtree Max-7
• Overall Length: 49¼"
• Weight: 6-lbs., 14-ozs.
• Accessories: choke tubes (F, M, IC), choke wrench, stock spacers
• MSRP: $499.99; spandauarms.com
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