And due to the stupid barrel overlap at the receiver, you can't use sub gauge tubes. As for the dimensions of the new introduction into the over-and-under market, the drop of the adjustable comb was set at 1.5 inches and drop at the heel was set at 2.25 inches when we assembled the shotgun for testing. I like the unusual appearance, most people don't. You know, the funny thing is that I've probably spent hundreds of hours reading these forums over the last few years. I even tried to tell her I wanted to buy her a new shotgun didnt fly when she saw the price tag. The length of pull was 14.75 inches. Been loving this game since 01. I personally have doubts about it holding up to heavy shells and shooting at volume. Once my eye adjusted to the height of its rib and the glow of its fiber-optic bead, I began to routinely connect with clays that were 30 or more yards out and receding rapidly from sightthats with a gun straight off the rack that had not yet been fit to my particular physique. At this point, its worth noting that the 828U was designed for easy access to its breech. Somebody with too much money paid about $700 to take one shot with it and decide he didn't like it. I have good things to say about all of them. Thanks Sera- I appreciate the opinion. Our trip to the patterning board before field testing on the clay target range with the Browning was an eye-opener. They each have their strengths. It utilizes Benelli's innovative Progressive Comfort Stock. Hosts Mark and Robin Braatens comfortable lodge provided an ideal setting in which I was able to discuss the guns design with the Urbino-based engineer who spearheaded it: Marco Vignaroli. In addition, such guns were usually made with steel receivers that bore the stresses of firing, meaning that their bolting and hinge mechanisms had to be made to account for wear that occurs after repeated use. We smacked most targets with authority. I have been wanting to buy some benelli pens for a while now, so Im glad I bought it at a discounted price. When I first got the firearm it became stuck in the cracked open position not able to come apart or even be closed. Her biggest complaint involved the force required to operate the opening lever: Because she had to press on its tip to gain an advantage in leverage, she found that the barrel selector on the safety button could be inadvertently moved to select the bottom barrel. Texas. The block also contains spring-retracted firing pins that are impacted by strikers during firing. Benelli 828U Black Anodized & Blued 12 Gauge 3in Over Under Shotgun - 28in, https://www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/828-u-upland-performance-shop-shotguns, Recommendation for a tarp for my pack - mostly going to use to put quarters on but, FORLOH AllClima Softshell and AllClima Stretch Woven Pant Review. When I picked up the 828u it felt very similar to me, probably the first o/u that I really liked the feel of. I'm not sure why I need to get short and rude responses. With that being said, every gun I have bought I have shot beforehand, so it would be uncharacteristic for me to buy one without trying it, though it is clear there aren't many of these around. Recoil with the Browning using the two light loads was well within the comfortable range, and spent shells were ejected with authority each and every time there were no malfunctions of any kind. The fore-end iron attaches in such a way that the fore-end itself is nothing more than a cosmetic cover. The construction of the barrel assembly is fairly unconventional. It was the only one I could ever have made that I could put my finger on. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Both receivers are sculpted to evoke the wings of a mallard in flight. We liked the feel and looks of the checkering on both the pistol grip and the newly designed forearm. I have been in the market for a midtier over under and am a huge Benelli fan as well. The shotgun just does not have the feel and look of a standard over-and-under. The company promoted the design as Inertia Drivea form of delayed-blowback operationbut, in a twist of literary serendipity, the ID label came to be synonymous with its corporate identity. As to the stock, Vignaroli said, The grip shape and wrist have been developed through studies of different hands and gloves to ensure a better fit and better approach to the trigger. A replaceable polymer cheekpiece allows for changes in comb height, and the Progressive Comfort recoil-mitigation system inside the buttstocka series of interlocking polymer tines that flex to soften the guns movement into the shooters shoulderis capped with a soft rubber recoil pad radiused at the heel to encourage snag-free mounting of the gun. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. While we had no problems working the system, our experience leads us to believe that over time, and after extensive use in the field and on the range, we worry that there may be issues that develop with the mechanism. It also exhibited generally neutral handling. They are generally not well regarded, in spite of several glowing articles by gun writers. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. For our firing tests, we set up at the patterning range where we quickly discovered that the Crio Flush Fit chokes (Cylinder, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified and Full) included with the package were not a match for the Browning. Same thing happened again first time I attempted to assemble/disassemble the firearm. Good to see an honest and thorough review too many around that arent. It then recocks the strikers and resets the automatic safety unless a spring steel clip (below, l.) is removed. She praised the guns appearance, calling it nice and light and adding that it balanced and came to the face well. Because of reasons like their better handling ability, two-choke option, and the fact that most clay target shooting is limited to taking only two shots at a time, stackbarrels reign over clays. The First Benelli 828u video of UK Stock and we thought. Condor. Just to clarify, I am interested in the sport model (black steel receiver with SPORT written on the side). The 828U differs in a couple of important respects. Be ready for some hate. - Benelli. The pen is a very small, lightweight pen in a nice color. They have sold so few new ones there simply aren't many on the street.Look on Gun Broker. We value freedom of speech as much as we do the right to keep and bear arms. Here are the features to watch out for. However, we noticed there was a little creep or spongy feel to the pull with both triggers, unlike the crisp, sharp pull of the Browning. I have a Beretta 686 for example. 828U. The problem is, it is a very large pen that you have to get up really high to hold the nib in place while typing. We had plenty of semi-automatics, so we wanted to go in a complementary sector by adding a product that would match the needs of other Benelli customers, said Vignaroli. Both chokes however would screw into the bottom barrel with absolutely no issue. People are not being rude, but they are probably of the opinion that casting rose petals on a pile of dooty will not improve the stench. Im hoping that my new pen is just like that. Reliability issues, and it was just too light for a serious competition gun. This caused the Benelli to be a little harder to move into targets similar to the movement required to push a semiautomatic through targets rather than the glide-through handling of a well-balanced over and under. May just be magic beans but reading and listening to the reps the action design is very interesting and the first major divergence from the John Browning friction design. I bought the field version 2 months ago and I love it-Lights out in field and sporting clays-LOVE IT!!! Posts must be somewhat related to firearms and must comply with the Global Reddit Rules. Barrels are soldered to a monobloc that is machined to accept sears that are set to either extract shells or, if activated by the impulse of the shells expanding hull, forcefully eject them from the gun. When the new Benelli Model 828U was introduced, devoted fans of Benelli semiautomatics rushed to get more information. I like the unusual appearance, most people don't. Overall, the gun is well-balanced thanks to the weighted magazine cap. A ragged pattern that might only cause a chip to fly off a clay target is acceptable on the range, but a crippling shot on a bird in the field because of ineffective pellet trauma is not. But Is It Really That Good?Prior to going afield with the 828U in South Dakota, our party of writers had the opportunity to try it on machine-thrown clays launched off a bluff at the ranch, which overlooks the scenic Missouri River Valley. Rather, pressures are contained by way of a 1 1/4" wide by 2316" high by 15/16" steel breech block. 828U 04-2020.pdf (16.67 MB) For: 828 U Shotguns, 828 U Limited Edition. When I first got the firearm it became stuck in the "cracked open" position not able to come apart or even be closed. Assistant Editor Christopher Olsen, a dedicated hunter and clays shooter, described it as fast-handling and its balance as perfect. His sentiments were reinforced by his sister, Samantha, another NRA employee and a collegiate-level trap shooter. I've own 'B' guns, SKB's, and Rizzini O/U's. While the aforementioned is readily apparent by examining the guns exterior, it is inside that the Benelli departs from, or, more properly, defies convention. Realize, too, that this was legitimate wild-bird hunting among wide-open crop fields and across rolling terrain that was as natural as pheasant habitat gets. I shot it and it didn't fit me , pretty sure that I swallowed a couple of fillings that day. He has used it in S.D. A colleague of mine had one of the sporting versions. I'd like to hear from thoughts from some owners. Defiantly not my favorite sporting gun but it wasn't designed for that. B Britlover Member Feb 19, 2020 #5 I bought one about 3 years ago. My daughter can't move the safety lever and it takes me some good pushing. Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. The pen is very comfortable to write with, and is the perfect size for comfortable writing. Only broken it down 2-3 times. Here are our findings: This is another in a long line of solid, fine-handling over and unders. I have never seen one being shot in person. I had the opportunity to shoot a guys Benelli 828 12 ga. at some clays yesterday. The new 828U is ultra-lightweight at just 6 1/2 pounds. I did get an exceptional deal on it. Hello I purchased a 828U several months ago in 12 gauge, and have had nothing but problems. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The 828U makes some guys turn into hostile teenage girls. This Benelli test target is "within parameters" according to Benelli. Shooting just a little high is exactly what a field shotgun should do to handle rising targets. We made allowances in our testing for the slightly better handling characteristics that are generally attributed to longer barrels and a heavier gun, ensuring these factors did not influence our evaluation. Want more gun reviews? The 828U is a lightweight gunimportant for a long session of upland hunting in which it is likely to be carried much more of the time than it is shotbut it is the distribution of the weight that is key. There were 202 hits in the 20-inch circle with the Modified choke and 164 hits with the Improved Cylinder choke. I dont try and go fast and never use anything force, more just move the parts. The cryogenically treated barrels, which are highly polished and blued, do not have side ribs, leaving a gap of approximately 5/16" between them starting 378" in front of their join at the monobloc to a point 2" from the muzzle. A replaceable, solid carbon-fiber vented sighting rib measuring 0.280" wide is topped with an 0.078" red fiber-optic pipe set about 1" back from the muzzle. Overall, our test team members were satisfied with that configuration. The design provides steel-on-steel lockup that fully contains the forces of firing. Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Weatherby Brings Back the Orion Over/Under Shotgun, Winchesters New King Buck Classic Youth Sporting Clays Event Will Have $10,000 In Prizes | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, Rifleman Q&A: St. Louis Arms Co. Instead of a hinge-and-pin system, the 828U has a free-floating steel locking plate. Recently, in a move unexpected by nearly everyone. " I pulled the auto safety as well. Key to the 828Us operation is a steel breech block that engages corresponding surfaces on the monobloc as the action is closed, containing the firing forces. That the 828U breaks with the tradition of previous over-under shotguns and with all other guns that have come from its family before it is without question. That is always the answer before buying a new gun. Time will tell. This article, "Breaking With Tradition," appeared originally in the November 2015 issue of American Rifleman. The trade-off in the field is that most shooters will take a lighter gun that carries better, because just one extra pound adds up over several miles of kicking pheasants up. Benelli says that they subjectively estimate the felt-recoil reduction at around 30 percent. An included tool allows easy removal of the module from the gun. While pump-action and semiautomatic shotguns are the overwhelming favorite field guns throughout the shooting community, over/unders are the kings of clay-target shooters. This field shotgun provided a solid, well-balanced platform for handling clays and birds, as expected. Nice shot! came a shout of approval from a fellow hunter, at which point I realized that the 828U had just done exactly what it was made to do: serve as a seamless extension of a hunters body in order to bring game to bag in challenging situations. That truism may be one of the reasons why the release of a first-ever over/under produced by veteran semiautomatic manufacturer Benelli was greeted with such fanfare. A. . The Benelli also failed to eject any of the light loads from the bottom barrel, which caused us to consider whether there was a problem with the impulse-driven ejectors that might require gunsmith work. The ammunition, too, obviously, plays an important part, and ours was, somewhat appropriately, an Italian-made. I bought an 828U Sport May 2019 - 30" tubes, travelled some distance to buy one with a decent bit of wood - some of them look like they have stocks made from reclaimed pallets. But its also true that the 828U upholds at least one traditionthat of being a uniquely innovative and distinctive firearm bearing the now-famous marque of a motorcycle-turned-gunmaker named Benelli. He eventually gave up on it and moved on to a more reliable gun. Discuss firearms, politics, 2nd amendment news. For more than two centuries, Westley Richards has produced some of the worlds finest firearms, each wearing a timeless and classic look with bespoke flourishes. Along the way, it earned the respect of a new generation of hardcore duck and goose hunters beset by the same kind of weather and environmental conditions that had caused their fathers to rely on pump guns. At first glance, there are only minor differences in the appearance between this field model and its sporting-clays cousin introduced about five years ago. If it doesn't fit you, look for a Browning 725 Sporting, Caesar Guerini Summit Sporting, even a Blaser F16 (used) is in the realm of possibilities. If a shooter favors the looks and feel of a semiautomatic, the Model 828U may be just the ticket. It was the worst over under I've ever shot. Maybe one of those that you either love it or hate it. The breech block also contains the spring-loaded firing pins, making them easily replaceable should the need arise. An 828U sport with 30 inch barrels. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! Consider that we started from white paper. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. You could do most of this research yourself. You should make sure the barrel lug is seating firmly on the pivot pin before closing. Perhaps because of the well-known reputation of Benelli as the maker of fine semiautomatics, even a casual observer will notice the new Model 828U almost appears to have been constructed with some semiautomatic parts or features. 4 nickel-plated lead shot at 1485 f.p.s.not a particularly mild load for a 12 gauge weighing only 6 lbs., 9 ozs. It's an overly complicated gun. Ive been using benelli 828u for a few weeks now, and it is surprisingly fast and easy to use. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. That makes bringing it to the target nearly effortless. in front of their join at the monobloc to a point 2" from the muzzle. Print Thread: Benelli 828U Sport or Beretta 694 Sporting #8514994 01/27/22 02:45 PM: Joined: Dec 2010. An Over-UnderFrom Benelli?There had been no hint that Benelli might venture into more traditional forms such as break-actions. Very nice gun and I liked the slim profile, but didn't impress me enough that I would buy one. Though I wouldnt recommend it, I would love to see how it works with the other benelli pens. One was NRA Publications Editorial Director John Zent, an experienced upland hunter and clays shot. The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time. Benelli is the only shotgun I shoot. The stocks exhibit figure and also have fish scale checkering in panels on the fore-end and pistol grip. You are using an out of date browser. If you take a look at some of the videos that I have been sharing on YouTube, you will see that people are not always sure what they are doing. As far as technology is concerned, the Benelli 828U Shotgun stands out from the crowd with the help of next generation of recoil reduction and progressive comfort; custom fit with the QuadraFit Buttstock and Custom Fit Stock that is adjustable drop and cast; and Crio system for more uniform pattern. Rather, the guns strikers are cocked by operating the top-mounted opening lever. At the same time, and with a lot less fanfare, over/under manufacturer Browning Arms introduced a field version of its popular Citori Model 725, which is the latest in the Citori Model 25 line that dates back to the 1970s. AgainI shot a very limited number of times. It doesn't compare to 694, F16, or CG in that price range. When you are in a hurry, it is easy to forget to hold the pencil, or not to look at your phone. The Benelli didn't fill me with the same inspiration. But 30" in the 828u Sport (target gun). On this Benelli O/U attempt, first thing I noticed was the triggers. They point and swing super well. I actually bought one for my daughter, she probably shot 100 rounds through it on the Skeet field, it was too light for her, odd, she is a whopping 110 lbs., she ended up liking my old 325 the best, that is what she is shooting. I know steel inserts in the breech face are part of the 828U design, but the lack of weight mid point I suspect hurts it as a target gun. I've seen/read a LOT more dissatisfied comments and very few positive ones. Silver Reserve. You don't want opinions on the gun, but that's the truth. You must log in or register to reply here. But againit's hard to build a field gun with a steel receiver under 7.0 lbs in 12 ga. 828 U Product Manual (14.83 MB) For: 828 U Shotguns, 828 U Upland Performance Shop Shotguns, 828 U Sport Shotguns. A plain top lever lies just ahead of the safety along the left side. I just really like it. Maybe it's just me but I'm not a fan of field O/U's with aluminum receivers. The ammunition we selected for our testing on the target range and at the patterning board was Winchester AA Extra-Light Target 2.75-inch loads packing 1 ounce of No. I have only seen one in the wild as well, a guy had one last year at a local shoot, 30 inch tubes, and black reciever, totally different looking gun in person then in videos and internet pictures etc. It features a single, selective inertia trigger system with a tang-mounted barrel selector/safety button. We should note that the version of the Benelli made available to us was a 26-inch-barrel anodized-aluminum receiver model, while the Browning provided featured 28-inch barrels and a silver nitrite receiver. Its weak, problematic ejection, vulgar aesthetics, high recoil and annoyingly violent gun movement is topped-off with a nosebleed price. It is held just forward of the receivers face by two small springs when the action is open, and, as the gun closes, a lug in the monobloc under the lower barrel engages a recess at the blocks bottom, and a groove on the monoblocs upper end engages a lip at the blocks top, locking the two together and pressing the block reward against the receivers face. I have only seen one of the sporting versions in use in the area I shoot. The 828U represents a true breakthrough in over-under shotgun design, and Benelli hopes it will also help the company break through with a whole new group of upland and recreational sport shooters.