The 12 gauge shotgun has long been a staple for the American firearm owner because of its versatility and adaptability. It is commonly thought of as a home defense weapon, but in various configurations it is equally capable as a hunting weapon, a recreational weapon, or as a competitive weapon. Additionally, it's ability to run different types of ammunition loads make it a very adaptable platform regardless of configuration.
Benelli has been in the firearms industry for decades now, and they are well known for the quality of their shotguns. The semiautomatic Benelli M4 has become a staple with law enforcement and military organizations the world over, renowned for its durability and reliability. This model, the pump action Nova, has been in production since the late 1990s and remains a phenomenal value not just for a Benelli, but for shotguns in general. This Tactical model has an overall length of 39.75 inches and an unloaded weight of about 7 pounds, according to Benelli. It is chambered for 12 gauge shotshells, and can accept 2.75 inch, 3 inch, and 3.5 inch shells. MSRP for the Nova Tactical is $450 dollars, and I got this one at Brownells for a little less than that.
Of course the Nova also comes in other configurations with longer barrels and different finishes that tailor it more towards other use cases.
One very distinct feature of the Nova series is the extensive use of polymer in the receiver and buttstock. While the inside of the receiver both contains and is reinforced by steel, the outer casing is entirely polymer. Moreover, the receiver and buttstock is all one piece. (This is likely a cost-saving measure, as the more expensive Supernova has a receiver and buttstock that are two separate pieces). The buttstock is fitted with a rubber recoil pad, and offers a 14.25 inch length of pull to the trigger. For those that are interested, the stock also has a 1.25 inch drop at the comb and a 2.25 inch drop at the heel. The stock also features an integrated sling swivel mount on the underside.
Moving forward, the grip has very nice texturing by way of slots that are molded into it that work a lot better than they would seem to at first glance; I took the Nova out during the hottest days of August and even with sweaty hands, I was able to keep a secure grip on it. The trigger shoe is made of polymer, with a cross bolt safety and the action release lever both being mounted on the trigger guard forward of the trigger. The trigger action is pretty typical of a pump action shotgun, with minimal takeup, a defined break, very little overtravel, and a short audible reset after the action is run.
Speaking of the trigger, let's take a second and measure out the pull weight: (6.5lbs average)
Forward of the trigger group on the underside of the receiver is the loading gate for the magazine tube. The loading ramp has been coated this nice bronze color, which looks like it also makes the ramp a little more slick so shells slide down it a bit easier. The ramp pushes up to reveal the magazine tube follower, which is a bright red color that makes it easy to identify when the magazine is empty. The tube holds 4 shells, bringing the total capacity of the Nova to 5 rounds fully loaded with one in the chamber. The forward end of the tube has another integrated sling swivel mount as well as a ratcheting screw-down cap. The cap also has a small polymer tip molded into it, which serves as a takedown tool that pushes out the pins that hold the trigger group in place.
The pump-action forend is textured with the same surprisingly effective pattern that is found on the grip. It is an extended length forend, which makes it easier to run the action for people like me with shorter arms. The forend is wider at the rear with a bit of a finger relief, and narrower at the front with a larger area for fingers. It features a cutout that forms a bit of a shelf that can be used to get a bit more leverage on the action.
The Nova's party piece is definitely the magazine tube override button, which is located on the bottom of the forend. It is textured differently than the rest of the forend so that it is easier to distinguish without having to look for it visually. When this button is pushed and the action is run, the Nova will override its magazine tube and will not feed another round from the tube, even if there are rounds still in the tube. (Demonstrate) This allows the shooter to drop in a round manually into the chamber while there is still ammunition left in the tube. This can be useful if the shooter needs to quickly switch ammunition types for the next shot. For example, if the tube is loaded with buckshot but the shooter needs to shoot a slug, they can override the magazine and drop in a slug round without having to empty the magazine to do it.
This tactical model has a few features that are not found on other Novas. One of those is the barrel: it's running an 18.5 inch barrel that is finished in a matte blued finish, which complements the matte finish of the polymer furniture and receiver. Again, it is chambered in 12 gauge and can accept 2.75, 3 inch, and 3.5 inch shotshells. The barrel has a fixed choke, meaning that it is not threaded to accept replaceable chokes. Another feature specific to the tactical model are the ghost ring sights. They are adjustable for windage and elevation by adjusting the rear sight with the screws on the top and roght sides of the sight. This rear sight is screwed into the receiver and is removable, but I did note that the holes are not far enough apart to install a piece of picatinny rail to mount an optic. I also noted that the receiver is otherwise not optic ready; in order to mount an optic, it will need to be drilled and tapped to accept an optic mount.
Ive had about 200 rounds through this Nova so far, with a pretty even mix of 00 buckshot, 1oz slugs, birdshot, and random target loads. I've run loads from a bunch of manufacturers, from Remington and Winchester to Fiocchi and Federal and even some old Herter's I found in the bottom of my ammo can. Most of the target loads and birdshot have been low brass 2.75 inch shells, while the buckshot and slugs have been mostly 3 inch shells with a few boxes of 3.5 inch Winchester Super-X shells mixed in there as well.
As I would expect from a pump action gun in general and from a Benelli in particular, The Nova has been 100 percent reliable with everything that I have run through it. I cleaned and lubed the gun when I first got it, but I haven't cleaned it at all since. The action has never gotten stuck or slowed down or even gotten gritty to where it has taken more effort to run. It's just been consistently reliable all the time, with a smooth easy action. Nothing has worked itself loose or broken off, and the sights have stayed zeroed. The only appreciable wear and tear on it are these small marks on the barrel.
So as far as reliability is concerned, I would have no problems at all trusting my life to this in a home defense role. Even if it is dirty or treated roughly or just spends its entire life in the back of a closet gathering dust, I know that it would run perfectly if and when I need it.
As far as the rest of the weapon, there are a number of things that I like about it. The Nova is easy to handle with comfortable ergonomics, even for someone that is smaller in stature and has shorter arms like me. I really like the extended forend, the texturing on the forend and grip, and the arrangement of controls on the trigger guard. I particularly like the ghost ring sights; they fall right into my natural line of sight when I shoulder the weapon, and they pick up very easily during quick follow-up shots.
Of course no gun is perfect, and the Nova has a few things that I don't like about it, and all of them are centered around the buttstock. The first of these is the length of pull. At 14.25 inches, its a little bit on the long side for me. It still comfortable, but I do wish that it were a little shorter. Adding to this difficulty is the fact that I can't replace the buttstock with something shorter, because of that one-piece receiver and buttstock setup. Again the Supernova solves this with a two-piece arragement, but it's also a hundred dollars more expensive on average. Finally, the rubber buttpad on the Nova is, in a word, terrible. It's a grippy rubber, so it sticks to the shoulder well, but it's also hard as a rock and does nothing to absorb recoil of any kind. This is especially apparent when running those hot 3.5 inch Super-X's...after about 5 of those with with this buttpad I've pretty much had my fill for the day.
So that's it, the PT review of the Benelli Nova Tactical 12-gauge pump action shotgun. It's a solidly made, super reliable shotgun with some very unique features that comes in at what I think is a very reasonable value-for-dollar ratio. This would make an excellent home defense shotgun and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who is looking for a solid shotgun on a budget. If you're interested in picking up a Nova for yourself, you can find them at Brownells. That's all I have for you this time, so until next time: stay safe!