Until now, over-unders have been the province of traditional gunmaking, in which the various mechanical functions were interrelated by mechanisms that had to be finished by hand to ensure reliability. Citing the guns operation as part of the global comfort theme, Vignaroli said the 828Us unique breeching system eliminates the need for a close-tolerance fit at the locking catch, making the gun easy to open. Same ejection problems and GMK unable to fix (not their fault - they didn't manufacture the thing). 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. 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. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The Fire-Lite mechanical triggers in the Model 725 are both smooth and crisp, going the extra step to help a shooter stay on target when touching off a shot. Its weak, problematic ejection, vulgar aesthetics, high recoil and annoyingly violent gun movement is topped-off with a nosebleed price. The other issue already mentioned is long term durability due to the alloy receiver. 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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The ammunition, too, obviously, plays an important part, and ours was, somewhat appropriately, an Italian-made Fiocchi GPX offering consisting of 2" shells carrying 138 ozs. You must log in or register to reply here. Removing two more screws frees it for access to a nut on a stock bolt that fixes one of two metal drop plates. The Beretta you have will run circles around it if it fits you. The 828U is what you would expect from Benelli - a hardworking, lightweight and low-recoil shotgun. In combination with five drop shims and four cast shims, each of which fits between the receiver and buttstock, a few minutes of tinkering can result in 40 different combinations of stock adjustment. The plate features four contact points with the barrel and moves forward and backward on springs as the shotgun is opened and closed. The lever cocking the firing mechanism felt very solid and is a new concept you don't see on other guns. Zent, reflecting on those early discussions about the 828U in Italy, said of the gun that he was finally able to hold and shoot, I think what we see now is very close to what was on the drawing board then. It handled very well on the clay-target course, excelled on the patterning board, and helps a shooter look sharp to his compatriots while serving as a solid shooting tool. That makes bringing it to the target nearly effortless. I actually witnessed the trigger group falling out of the gun during a round of sporting. Benelli's 828U shotguns deliver mandatory . 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. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a28dd07b9c52d16 Thanks for the replies. It is a pen that is also very expensive. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. This field shotgun provided a solid, well-balanced platform for handling clays and birds, as expected. Over on Shotgun World in I love my Benelli, there have been some problems reported about the 828 U trigger assembly dropping out, ejector problems and problems with the breech lock popping open. The 828U makes some guys turn into hostile teenage girls. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 828U Sport, always black, steel action so heavier, better recoil characteristics. The 828U opened and closed smoothly and felt solid at lockup. BTW my buddy ended up keeping it but hardly ever shoots it. The 828U and it's sporting counterpart are simply ill designed for heavy sporting use. I am not aware of any of my hunting buddies (who never shoot clays) buying or using an 828. After that round I omitted the Benelli 828 from my list of "want to try". Ive made several small changes to my pen, and these were done using a pen for a few minutes, and then a few minutes of practice until I got the pen ready to use it. 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. The company made its humble start in 1963in Gussago, Italywhen Giuseppe Pietta made a commitment to produce guns as authentic and true-to-original as possible. Silver Pigeon. Through a thick Italian accent, the Benelli technical director and 20-year company veteran enthusiastically explained the ins and outs of the 828Us development, but it wasnt long into that conversation that I realized the 828U would require little translation to resonate with certain American shooters. Here are our findings: This is another in a long line of solid, fine-handling over and unders. If a shooter favors the looks and feel of a semiautomatic, the Model 828U may be just the ticket. Time will tell. I did handle it, I couldn't get over how long the reciever was. This pen is currently only available for $39.95 at benelli.com, and it is available in 16 different colors. The matte-blued barrels and receiver helped reduce glare and seemed to be of high quality. It is no stretch to suggest that the new gun offers appealing aesthetics, innovative engineering, precise manufacturing, intuitive handling and satisfying shootability. With birds in the air, we should note we were particularly impressed with the trigger-pull touch-offs of 4.5 pounds for the bottom barrel and 4.25 for the top barrel. The 828U Compact, which weighs 6.5 pounds, features an engraved nickel plated receiver and has an MSRP of $2,999. They are not cheap as they run about $2,300 for the black receiver and $2,600 for the silver receiver. The 828U Steel comes chambered for 2 3/4- and 3-inch shotshells in both 12- and 20-gauge. of No. I even tried to tell her I wanted to buy her a new shotgun didnt fly when she saw the price tag. Experience with both, shot a 725 Skeet for 12 months and put nearly 20,000 rounds thru it. The latter has laser-cut panels of fish scale checkering at its lower rear corners along with floral scroll engraving designs in panels on the top, sides and bottom. Benelli 828u Sport - First Look Review - NEW 2019 1,027,956 views Jan 25, 2019 The Benelli 828u Sport has just been delivered to us. The gun's main appeal is the weight, and it is light. She praised the guns appearance, calling it nice and light and adding that it balanced and came to the face well. The pen is a very small, lightweight pen in a nice color. But their final question was telling: What is the proper balance between tradition and innovation? The groups consensus advice, he said, was that Benelli must stay true to character. A few media representatives were let in on the then-secret project during a mid-year 2013 trip to Italy, where they were asked to contribute ideas about what a new and different Benelli should be. That's the extent of my dealings with one. It was the worst over under I've ever shot. Vignaroli used the term global comfort to describe the 828Us combination of weight, balance and ergonomics. The detachable trigger module has a cocking plate that is pressed rearward by a projection when the top lever is moved to open the action. Maybe one of those that you either love it or hate it. Lots of 'creep' and pretty heavynot knowing the formal measurement. Was a surprise to see him with it as he typically shoots a Perazzi. Over Under shotguns are considered to be out of style nowadays. It was the worst over under I've ever shot. I shot it and it didn't fit me , pretty sure that I swallowed a couple of fillings that day. It consists of a cast steel fire control housing pinned to an aluminum trigger guard. It may not display this or other websites correctly. This, despite its low build cost, means that the 828U is a product condemned to please no one. I have only seen one of the sporting versions in use in the area I shoot. These dimensions are right on the average mark for an out-of-the-box shotgun, and our various team members had no problems adjusting to the fit. 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 flew to another city and had to break down for checked bag as my case cannot fit it assembled. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. By the time the shot connected, he was likely 50 or more yards out, but was hit solidly by the center of the swarm, which sent him unceremoniously into the stubble. I.e Beretta, Browning, Ceasar. Recently, in a move unexpected by nearly everyone, Benelli created an all-new, lightweight over-underthe 828Uand, with it, an opportunity to capitalize on its reputation among brand loyalists, waterfowlers and shotgunners in general. I know the guy that bought it but in the year of Covid I haven't had an opportunity to ask him about it. with pheasant hunting every year has one and likes it. The 828U differs in a couple of important respects. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. A plain top lever lies just ahead of the safety along the left side. The Sport model in Benelli's 828U lineup contains features that benefit clay-target shooters by way of adjustabilitythe gun's balance, choke constriction, sighting rib, stock and trigger can. I like the unusual appearance, most people don't. Benelli Model 828U No. 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. Poor gun fit increases felt recoil, and insufficient drop is the main culprit, but the 828's three-tiered shim system lets you go from 42.5mm to 65mm of drop in 2.5mm increments until you get the perfect fit. That is always the answer before buying a new gun. I shot 50 rounds and was impressively sore. In addition, the Model 828U has a unique lever that re-cocks the hammers when pushed to the right, rather than relying on opening the action to reset the hammers as in standard over-and-unders. It seems like the 828U Sport is a better gun than the original/field model 828U, certainly so for clay shooting. This article, "Breaking With Tradition," appeared originally in the November 2015 issue of American Rifleman. Two versions are available: one with a black anodized receiver and one with a silver-tone receiver said to be the result of a nickel-based treatment. When a firearm manufacturer with a reputation of producing high-quality, durable semiautomatics ventures into the under/over market, a lot of shooters will take notice. I have shot one and it's definitely no slouch but after years of growing up on Bronwing SO's and now Beretta 68x guns I just can't get with it, it's just too "different" for me to get comfortable with. You don't want opinions on the gun, but that's the truth. The surprising part, though, was how nonintrusively it had done so. The new Benelli also features its Progressive Comfort recoil reduction system, a removable trigger group, Crio free-floating barrels, a carbon-fiber rib and red fiber-optic sight. They introduced a 20 gauge version this year. The First Benelli 828u video of UK Stock and we thought. There were only 38 pellet hits above the center of the target and several large areas with no strikes at all. JavaScript is disabled. In 2014, early production samples were unveiled during an upland hunt at Browns Hunting Ranch near the town of Gettysburg in the pheasant-rich game fields of South Dakota. 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. This tendency to shoot low and left went a long way toward explaining why our teams target busting experience with the Benelli was much less than satisfactory. Combine those conditions with several inches of snow on the ground and a temperature that failed to rise above the single digits, and the hunt proved to be the ideal opportunity to test the mettle of a gun that, at that point, still posed far more questions than it answered. Have only shouldered one, never had a chance to shoot one. Thought enough about itnot to ever think about it again. The length of pull was 14.75 inches. 712 shot shells at a range of 30 yards, we found the Modified choke in the top barrel produced a 57-43 percent pattern (57 percent above the center and 43 percent below) and the Improved Cylinder choke in the bottom barrel produced a 62-38 percent pattern. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. A forum community dedicated to Shotgun owners and enthusiasts including the Remington, Beretta, and Mossberg shotguns brands. Thomas Jefferson. When I tried an 828U for real the felt-recoil was more than I'd want on a 100 target round - even on 24grm shells . Looks goofy as can be, like a camo space gun, but I use it for upland, waterfowl, and turkeys and without an issue. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? However, I once shot a CG O/U a few times and had to have one. The action on the Benelli Sport II is strong, fast, and flawlessly cycles pretty much any target load you try to feed it. Benelli has stated that the receiver has wear from improper assembly. And they only weigh about 6.5 lbs. It also exhibited generally neutral handling. Seems like a solid gun if you need a field O/U. In the field, my first shot on a live bird brought a similar, satisfying experience. Benelli used everything they know about making shotguns simple, easy to carry all day, and reliable, to create their first over-under. But if you look at the under side of the safety lever with the trigger group out and work it back and forth you can see studs on both sides that ride under spring arms. Fit and comfort in the hands and to the body of the user are of critical importance to ensuring success on small, fast-moving targets. 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. 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. Benelli says that they subjectively estimate the felt-recoil reduction at around 30 percent. The Benelli 828U Cannot for the life of me find one on the shelf to shoulder. Be ready for some hate. Also, we fired 2.75-inch Nobel Low Recoil Target loads with 78 ounce of No. I did get an exceptional deal on it. They are generally not well regarded, in spite of several glowing articles by gun writers. In fact, it has been my favorite pen for so long. Maybe it's not beautiful in every way, but the ability to adjust this firearm makes it a fine choice for . Technical innovation must drive it, and function and durability must trump styling, but, ultimately, the styling must be distinctive. If youve got a computer and a pen, you can probably work with it. When you are in a hurry, it is easy to forget to hold the pencil, or not to look at your phone. Overall, our test team members were satisfied with that configuration. I have a Beretta 686 for example. The fore-end iron attaches in such a way that the fore-end itself is nothing more than a cosmetic cover. We were particularly impressed with the pattern spread, finding a very solid and uniform distribution of hits. Have only shouldered one, never had a chance to shoot one. 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. Benelli 828U Black Anodized & Blued 12 Gauge 3in Over Under Shotgun - 28in - A shotgun that feels and shoots like a Benelli from the moment you pick it up to the moment you break it open. You should make sure the barrel lug is seating firmly on the pivot pin before closing. The new 828U is ultra-lightweight at just 6 1/2 pounds. I am not/have not advertised it; but, I'd likely sell it, it is just sitting there unused and unappreciated. Nice guns. I bought one about 3 years ago. (20-gauge) And due to the stupid barrel overlap at the receiver, you can't use sub gauge tubes. Add in the sub-par patterning performance, plus some ineffective target busting time on the range, and our shooters said the new 828U stack-barrel does not live up to the standards of the high-quality semiautomatic firearm innovator. Bought one in 26"its 1" shorter than my SP1 was in 28", due to the longer action on the 828. A. . He said company engineers were reserved, not letting on that the gun they were working on was an over-under. As noted earlier, this is the latest version of a long line of Browning over-and-unders that have found favor with the shooting public. 67.205.62.133 The design provides steel-on-steel lockup that fully contains the forces of firing. Back at the office, during the course of several weeks shooting in different settings and throughout several hundred shells worth of varied ammunitionwhether plastic- or paper-hulled, having high or low brass heads and in various payload weights and velocitiesan informal test group encountered no failures with our nickel-finish, 28"-barreled test sample. I showed my wife, asked her which one she likes better, she said the silver receiverfunny how when I told her it was $500 more, she changed her mind to the black one. It is designed to provide a stronger, tighter seal, but to our eyes, it looks like something that could be found in a semiautomatic shotgun. JavaScript is disabled. We did find that the balance point of the shotgun was slightly behind the lightweight, aluminum receiver, rather than the preferred point right between the hands as with the Browning. Im not a shotgun expert by any means but before I bought the super vinci a few years ago I picked up as many shotguns as I could and that one felt right immediately to me. The block also contains spring-retracted firing pins that are impacted by strikers during firing. There were 202 hits in the 20-inch circle with the Modified choke and 164 hits with the Improved Cylinder choke. An Over-UnderFrom Benelli?There had been no hint that Benelli might venture into more traditional forms such as break-actions. It tipped the scales at 7.75 pounds and measured 44.75 inches in length, with our team finding no fault in its heft or handling ability. On this Benelli O/U attempt, first thing I noticed was the triggers. That makes two 828u's in almost the same number of weeks with the same issues. I don't particularly care for the looks but I'm old school. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When I picked up the 828u it felt very similar to me, probably the first o/u that I really liked the feel of. The Benelli 828U is a major disappointment and an outright embarrassment. 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. How Different Is It?Described dispassionately, the 828U is simply a wood-stocked over-under shotgun built around an aluminum receiver. Our Team Said: This shotgun, whose predecessors date back more than 40 years, is a true tribute to the solid, reliable, high-quality Browning over-and-unders on the market today. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! I shoot quite a bit, so I know that this should tell me something! My buddy bought one for a retirement present for himself. 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I took "that" gun back to Scheels and showed them the issue and they like me knowing the issues I have had with the two different guns couldn't believe it either. 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. 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. Why are you disassembling it so often? Kicked like a mule. The recent release of the Browning Citori Model 725 Field seemed to be perfect timing for the head-to-head competition. I have a pen that takes up a lot of space, and I really like the fact that I can carry both pens at the same time. Required fields are marked *. It's your money - your decision, asking strangers won't really help you decide- good luck. 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. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Im hoping that my new pen is just like that. Also, for the $$, there's a lot of quality gun options competing with it. Been loving this game since 01. Shooters of all ages seem to be fascinated with new toys from names they know particularly if the latest and greatest will help break a few more clays or help fill up the game bag a little quicker. 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. Hardly ever. The Price for a Benelli 828U has decreased in cost by $483.54 in 2023 compared to 2022. Maybe it's just me but I'm not a fan of field O/U's with aluminum receivers. Only broken it down 2-3 times. 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. Rather, the guns strikers are cocked by operating the top-mounted opening lever. I bought a Guerini instead with a kinetic balancer and love it. And if Benellis track record is any indication, there are likely to be extensions to the new over-under linea scaled 20 gauge would be a neat trick indeedin the years ahead. Reliability issues, and it was just too light for a serious competition gun. Crio -treated chokes in C, IC, M, IM, and F are also included. The companys first attempt at offering shooters a stack-barrel, rather than a semiautomatic, prompted our readers to call for our shotgun test team to put together a match-up of the Benelli 828U with a comparable model made by another firearm manufacturer.