Gas operated longevity?
I have a 16 ga. 1100 that Santa brought me 45 yrs ago. It has taken dove, quail, pheasants, turkey, teal, mallards, geese, sandhill crane, snipe, rabbits, and squirrels. With the mandate for steel shot, I got a 12 870Mag. A few years later, I went for the 1100 in 12 ga. I picked up a 20 ga, because it was a good deal and then added a 20 ga LWT.
The 1100 can and will do it all.
I have considered a Versa-Max, but I don't know why.
$1300+ for a Benelli? OK, if you have money to burn. All 4 of 1100s combined were less than a grand.
BTW, I have 5 870s, 12 MAG, 12 riot HD, 16, 20, .410.
Your probably more in tune with what the OP asked for as far as game. My 1100 has cycled thousands of rounds with very little maintenance other than massive amounts of lube for the same game you shoot.
The M2 lends itself to competition shooting, where in major matches there may be a hundred rounds of Buck, slug and birdshot within a couple of hours. They are also more easily highly modified for competition.
That being said, competition shooter require the ultimate in reliability. The M2 meets that requirement.