This is the Super Black Eagle 3 built for flooded timber and tight cover: a 20 gauge with a 24" barrel, finished in Mossy Oak Bottomland Original on the stock and receiver with a Patriot Brown Cerakote barrel. At 45.5" overall and 5.7 pounds with 3+1 capacity, it is the most maneuverable SBE 3 configuration Benelli builds — the one you want when you're shooting straight up through a hole in the canopy or working out of a small boat. Benelli item number 11252, UPC 650350112528.

Bottomland and Patriot Brown

Mossy Oak Bottomland is the original 1986 pattern and still the most effective concealment in flooded timber, cypress, and hardwood bottoms — a mud-and-bark palette that disappears against a tree trunk rather than trying to imitate leaves. Benelli applies it to both stock and receiver. The barrel wears Patriot Brown Cerakote, a hard, non-reflective ceramic coating that resists corrosion and abrasion and ties visually into the pattern without adding gloss.

Why 24 Inches

A 24" barrel on a 20-gauge SBE 3 produces a 45.5" overall length, roughly four inches shorter than the standard 28" 12-gauge configuration. That is the difference between mounting cleanly in a timber hole and clipping a tree. Combined with 5.7 pounds of carry weight, this is the SBE 3 for hunters who walk in, hunt small water, or shoot from cramped blinds and layout boats.

Inertia Driven — The Hallmark

The Inertia Driven System is the hallmark of Benelli strength and reliability: clean-burning, never requiring adjustment, and cycling consistently in conditions that border on the unfair. Gas systems cannot compete on cleanliness or speed — and Inertia-Driven Benellis are known to fire 500,000+ rounds and still function without flaw. The gun is chambered for 2¾" and 3" with a minimum recommended load of 7/8 oz.

Built to Be Run Cold, Wet, and Gloved

• ComforTech 3 with Combtech — the diagonally split stock and optimized shock-absorbing chevrons turn the whole stock into a recoil pad; the Combtech comb pad greatly reduces facial impact and vibration.
• Easy Loading System — beveled, wider loading port with grooves that guide shells in without taking your eyes off incoming birds. A must for gloved hunters.
• Easy Locking Bolt System — works flawlessly across everything from light clay loads to heavy waterfowl shells.
• Oversized bolt handle, bolt release, and safety with outward-angled drop lever — operable with cold, wet, gloved hands.
• Drilled and tapped receiver — unusual for a waterfowl SBE 3, and it means you can mount a red dot for turkey or timber work.
• Crio treated barrel with carbon fiber stepped rib.

Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 11252 Specifications

Who This Shotgun Is For

Flooded timber hunters, small-water and public-land duck hunters, and anyone who has grown tired of carrying a 12-gauge that weighs a pound and a half more than it needs to. The drilled-and-tapped receiver also makes this a credible 20-gauge turkey gun with a red dot and a dedicated turkey tube, which is a real advantage over most SBE 3 waterfowl SKUs.

What's in the Box

• Benelli Super Black Eagle 3 20-gauge shotgun, 24" Patriot Brown Cerakote barrel
• Flush Crio choke tubes C, IM, F and extended Crio IC, M, with wrench
• Stock drop and cast shim kit
• Standard hard case and owner's manual

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the whole gun Patriot Brown?

No. Stock and receiver are Mossy Oak Bottomland Original; the barrel only is Patriot Brown Cerakote. Some listings get this wrong.

Why is capacity 3+1 rather than 4+1?

Benelli publishes 3+1 for this SKU, which is at the federal three-shell limit for migratory birds — no plug required.

Is 24" too short for waterfowl?

For timber, small water, and decoying birds, 24" is a deliberate advantage. For open-water pass shooting, a longer barrel gives a smoother swing.

Can I mount a red dot?

Yes. Unlike most SBE 3 configurations, this receiver is drilled and tapped.