The Firearm Blog

On display at the DSEi 2009 defense expo was this cut down Benelli Super Nova pump action shotgun. Apparently it is popular with South American Law Enforcement.

In this short and stock-less configuration it is more like a pistol than it is a shotgun.

The information and photo were kindly provided by Lusaka who took the time to hunt for, and photograph, new and interesting arms on display at the expo. Thanks Lusaka, your efforts are appreciated. More cool guns from the show will be posted tomorrow.

On Point Firearms have just started selling a great looking over-sized charging handle for the Benelli M1, M2, M3 and M4 shotguns. It is machined from aluminum and simply bolts onto the existing charging handle.

Benelli M4 with Extended Charging handle.

On Point are selling them for $30.

Benelli, not wanting to miss out, has entered the lucrative black rifle market with Benelli MR1 Carbine, a 5.56mm gas piston operated rifle.

Benelli MR1 Carbine

The MR1 Carbine is the civilian version of the Beretta Rx4 Storm (which never took off). Benelli, a subsidiary of Beretta, designed the ARGO gas system used by the MR1/Rx4 and manufactured both the MR1 and the Rx4 Storm.

Beretta RX4 Storm with accessories. The collapsible stock is not available currently on the RX4.

What differentiates the MR1 from other 5.56mm rifles is the gas system it uses. Originally the Auto-Regulating Gas System (ARGO) was designed for the Benelli M4 Super 90, better known by its US Military designation, the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun. Benelli then adapted the system for their ARGO line of hunting rifles (branded the R1 in the United States). In 2005 the Beretta Rx4 Storm, a tactical version of the ARGO rifle, was introduced and marketed to law enforcement. As far as I know the Rx4 has never been available in a select fire variant but they decided to market it to civilians as the Benelli MR1.

Benelli M4 Super 90 / M1014

Benelli ARGO EL

The ARGO gas system has an interesting short stroke piston design. Gas is trapped very close to the chamber. The high pressure gas ensures reliable cycling regardless of ammunition. This means that it can cycle any shotgun shells, regardless of the load. For a rifle it means the barrel can be very short and a suppressor could be fitted without any cycling issues. This gun is just asking to be converted into a Short Barreled Rifle!

The gas is then fed into an expansion chamber. The pressure in the chamber drives the piston assembly, which has dual rods. The high pressure is regulated by a release value. These diagrams should illustrate how the system works.

The receiver is made of aluminum, it is fully compatible with AR-15 magazines (including the 100 round drums) and, like all Benelli shotguns and rifles, the main spring is placed inside the butt stock - meaning a folding stock is not an option, although hopefully an M1014 folding stock will be made available.

MR1 Specifications:

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO / .223 Rem. Barrel: 16". Hard chrome lined. 1:9 twist. Rear Sights: Military-style Aperture Weight: 7.9 lbs.

The MSRP is $1299. I think they have priced it right. Although not cheap, and they can do better than the one five round magazine they ship with it, I doubt they could sell it much cheaper.

MR1 with 5 round magazine.

The Coach Gun is the name given to the relatively short double barreled shotguns which were popular for self defense in the Wild West where they were issued to the drivers and security personal of stage coaches. If you have ever seen a Western movie you have probably seen a coach gun.

They were effective and simple to operate self defense tools back in the mid 1800’s and still they are today, although they are almost never mentioned in self defense literature. Hollywood movies reinforcement the perception that autoloader pistols are the only effective self defense option.

Maybe today this attitude will change. Stoeger, a Benelli brand, have unveiled their new tactical shotgun which drags the coach gun, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century

Double Defense 12 gauge. Click to expand image.

Double Defense 20 gauge. Click to expand image.

The Double Defense has a picatinny rail on top for red dot sights, and under the barrel for lights, lasers or pistol grips. Another unique feature for a coach gun is a fiber optic front bead. The photos above show red dot type sights and flashlights – these are not included.

The barrels on both the 20 gauge and 12 gauge models are 20″ long and have a fixed improved choke and can chamber 2.75 and 3″ shells.

It has single trigger which is more convenient than a double trigger in a self defense situation and a tang-mounted safety that is automatically applied when the action is closed. The hardwood stock and metalwork is matte black in color.

I think this gun is a winner for those who are not “gun” people and who are not likely practice at the range. The only problem will be convincing people that it is a better option than a pistol. James, a self defense expert and trainer who blogs at Hell in a Handbasket, often laments that he cannot convince his clients that a shotgun is better than a pistol. A few days ago Jay emailed me a link to this news article where a woman could not shoot a home invader because she did not know how to operate the safety on her semi-automatic pistol. Chances are that a round was not even chambered. From VolunteerTV.com:

“He had that gun pointed and he was hollering ’sit down, sit down,’ ” Graves told WVLT.

Next came a struggle. Billy went for a gun in the bedroom. That’s when Vickie heard gunfire.

She says she had nothing to lose at that point, so she reached for another gun kept in the living room.

“I kept pulling the trigger and just pulling, pulling, pulling. I couldn’t get the safety. I don’t know. I hate guns.”

If your spouse, grown-up child, parent, girl or boyfriend “hates guns” or simply has no intend to practice but needs one for self defense consider getting them the Double Defense, it is simple, reliable and effective.

There a a couple of things I would change if I had designed the shotgun. I would have preferred a synthetic stock, a 18″ barrel and a butt stock shell carrier for quick reloading. A shell carrier is an essential accessory for a double barreled shotgun that will be used for home defense.

Thanks to Joe from Benelli for emailing me the photos.

The much hyped Benelli Vinci shotgun has finally been unveiled. Benelli have proclaimed the shotgun to be a revolution. I will go through the features and let you decide if it is truly a revolution or an evolution of Benelli’s existing high-tech shotgun designs.

Benelli Vinci: In Advantage, RealTree and Black Synthetic finishes.

The modular design features is made up of three main parts: a removable stock, an upper receiver (barrel and operating mechanism) and lower receiver (trigger group, magazine and forearm). This configuration is not unlike many autoloader rifles. The three main modules can be broken down and reassembled quickly for easy transport and storage. The only extra module promised so far by Benelli is a tactical pistol gripped stock. Over time I hope we shall see a variety of lowers, stocks, handguard and uppers with different barrel configurations.

The removable stock has been made possible by a significant change to the famous Benelli Inertia recoil system. The old system requires a recoil spring in the stock. The new In-Line system has a recoil spring adjacent to the bolt.

Old Inertia recoil system. Note the recoil spring in the stock.

New Vinci In-Line recoil system.

It is outside the scope of this blog post to explain how this recoil system work. In short the whole shotgun recoils but the bolt (a separate component to the rotating bolt head) does not move because of inertia. The bolt stays still, the Inertia springs compresses, the bolt head is unlocked and the Inertia spring then forces the bolt and bolt head backwards cycling the action. If this does not make sense, read Wikipedia which has a section explaining the Inertia recoil system.

I personally cannot see how the newer in-line bolt will reduce recoil anymore than the older Inertia recoil system already does. But it does makes sense in that it allows for a modular stock.

A gun writer at the Argentina Torture Test firing a Vinci.

Trigger/grip on Benelli M2 (background, camo) and Vinci (Black, foreground).

One of the touted features is a straighter trigger pull that is more like a rifle than a traditional shotgun. I overlayed the Vinci with a Benelli M2 and you can see the stock has a more pronounced pistol grip.

The Comfort Tech system used on older models have been upgraded:

The ComforTech™ Plus Stock is divided into 12 synthetic, recoil-absorbing chevrons, arranged diagonally from the heel of the buttstock to a point just behind the pistol-grip. The stock is designed so that the exterior shell flexes outward to further dampen recoil. In combination with the ComforTech™ Plus recoil pad, this design spreads the peak force of recoil over a longer period of time than any competitor’s claim.

Comfort Tech Plus

Specifications:

Cartridge: 2.75″ or 3″ 12 gauge.
Magazine capacity: 3+1
Chokes: Crio C,IC,M,IM,F
Barrel Lengths: 28″ or 26″
Sights: Red front fiber optic bead (receiver tapped and drilled for mounting)
Overall length: 45.75″ / 47.75″
Weight: 6.8 or 6.9 lbs depending on model.
Finishes: RealTree APG, Advantage Max-4 HD or black synthetic.
Also included: Fitted gun case.

The MSRP is $1379 for the black models or $1470 for the camo models.

At the Argentina Torture Test.

So is it a revolution? I don’t think so, but I do think it is a solid evolution of Benelli’s technology.

Twelve gun writers were invited by Benelli to a game lodge in Argentina to test fire the shotgun (I am very bitter about not being invited ). They shot a total of 88,000 rounds and apparently it functioned really well. I am looking forward to a comparison with the new Browning Maxus shotgun once both are on sale to the public. The Maxus and Benelli both claim to be significant improvements over the previous generation of the fowling piece.

A promotional video about the shotgun:

Some photos from Nodak Outdoor Forum:

UPDATE: Mark Keefe, Editor In Chief of American Rifleman has a write up and video of the Vinci

And now we know what the hype was all about. Benelli officially unveiled the gun yesterday at noon, but before that NRA Publications was granted an extensive preview. Not unexpectedly the Vinci is a semi-auto 12-gauge that relies heavily on polymer for its manufacture. It sports a 3-inch chamber with a new In–Line Inertia Driven bolt system and excellent, radically styled ergonomics. All that might have been predicted. What makes it so different—and worth the wait—is a revolutionary modular design that may change how future shotguns are built.

At the end of the month Benelli will be unveiling their much hyped Vinci shotgun, which they hail as a revolution in shotgun design. A commenter on my last post about the firearm said he knew that it in fact uses the KRISS MVS operating mechanism.
The KRISS MVS, which is currently vaporware, makes use of a downward ejecting / feeding operating system designed to reduce felt recoil. I have searched in vain for more information other than this tiny diagram (I enlarged it below) and a single paragraph of text.

From TDI:

TDI is in final development of what will be the most innovative breakthrough in auto-loading shotgun operating systems in more than 100 years. The KRISS MVS 12ga. shotgun will be chambered to 3″, feature a downward eject/feed system, and in keeping with the tradition of the KRISS Super V System, will reduce felt recoil and barrel elevation by as much as 50% over competitve gas or mechanically-operated auto-loaders and will be the fastest-cycling and lightest weapon in its class. No matter if your passion is the field, the pond or the range, please stay tuned to this site and look for the introduction of the KRISS MVS 12ga. at the 2008 ShotShow in Las Vegas..

From what I can see it makes use of a buffer tube in the stock like the AR-15, other than that I cannot make anything out apart from the obvious fact that it has a tube magazine. I cannot see any similarities to the KRISS Super V submachine gun. As far as I know it was not shown at SHOT Show 2008 but if it was, nobody has been talking and no photos were leaked onto the internet.

I tried to following up the comment and find out the source of this information but the commenter never got back to me. It seems plausible.

UPDATE: A reputable source (who shall forever remain anonymous) has told me that the KRISS MVS is not the basis for the Vinci.

Benelli gets new media. They have a new website that is very aesthetically pleasing and modern with some nice touches like providing their promotion videos in the iPod format.

Benelli are utilizing the web to hype the “next generation hunting shotgun” which will be unveiled on March 31.

A dedicated “Vinci” website has movie clips showing a secret agent dodging AK-47 wielding thugs carrying a box that supposedly contains the new shotgun.

Benelli USA is now importing the Stoeger X Series air rifles.

The rifles come in a variety of models, finishes and scope options. They are all .177 in caliber and have a break barrel action.

X5: Scoped, hardwood, 16.5″ barrel.

The “Made in China” is prominently displayed …

They have a nice website, although a bit flash heavy, with more info.

Sean @ Everything Hunting has reviewed the Benelli Nova 12 Gauge Shotgun

The Benelli Nova 12 gauge shoots up to 3 1/2″ shells and cycles smoothly and with little effort. The pump handle is not loud and sloppy like most other shotguns priced just below this one.

The gun is very comfortable to handle and priced in a range that even poor folk like me can afford it with a little saving. Academy Sports has the black matte 20 gauge for $329.99… I believe that I paid about $350 for my 12 gauge, in Realtree APG, at Bass Pro Shop last year.

Read the review here.