Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, I once shot a CG O/U a few times and had to have one. Our shooters documented no handling problems in any of our testing. It is a pen that is also very expensive. He has used it in S.D. The solid carbon-fiber rib is another potentially customizable component, requiring only the loosening of a single screw for removal. The internal recoil system did nothing for me, although I have had 4 shoulder surgeries. 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. Has anyone on this site purchased a Benelli 828 U? We value freedom of speech as much as we do the right to keep and bear arms. Somebody with too much money paid about $700 to take one shot with it and decide he didn't like it. Current offerings are in 12 gauge with 3" chambers and 26" or 28" barrels. Where it stands now. At this point, its worth noting that the 828U was designed for easy access to its breech. Your email address will not be published. Hardly ever. The 828U makes some guys turn into hostile teenage girls. Everyone that I know that has bought one of these got over them fairly quickly. That pattern was 13-87 percent, with 153 hits (28 percent) in the 20-inch center circle. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I have been wanting to buy some benelli pens for a while now, so Im glad I bought it at a discounted price. She appreciated the buttpad for not hanging up on clothing, liked the matte finish of the carbon-fiber rib and pointed out that the removable breech block would make cleaning easier. The recent release of the Browning Citori Model 725 Field seemed to be perfect timing for the head-to-head competition. 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. It's the OU that folks love to hate, I guess it bucks traditional builds and some folks just aren't receptive to that. But around 2012, Benelli engineers, spurred by the belief that they could contribute something new to traditional shotgunning, quietly began work on an over-under that would be engineered like none before it. My buddy bought one for a retirement present for himself. ozs. Both receivers are sculpted to evoke the wings of a mallard in flight. Poor patterns, weak target hits, and uninspiring features all contributed to our low grade for this shooting tool. 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. You know, the funny thing is that I've probably spent hundreds of hours reading these forums over the last few years. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. 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. They introduced a 20 gauge version this year. 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 is designed to provide a stronger, tighter seal, but to our eyes, it looks like something that could be found in a semiautomatic shotgun. A lip at the guards front engages a groove in front of the receiver well, and a spring-loaded plunger at the housings rear locks the unit in place. The new 828U is ultra-lightweight at just 6 1/2 pounds. I think that I had the barrel seared firmly in the receiver, like I said done this many times over quite a few years with other over under without issue. Click to reveal IMO, I think in O/U shotguns, especially those used for targets, a receiver made of steel not alloy is a must. They made it so Benelli fanboys could have Benelli O/U. 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. Benelli 828U Steel Specifications Chamber: 12- and 20-gauge (2 3/4- and 3-inch) Barrel Length: 26, 28, 30 in. I'll get my hands on it sooner or later and give my opinion on it. Posted by 2 years ago Archived You are using an out of date browser. I know it is a challenge to try, but I think it is a very good pen for writing. 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. - Benelli. Condor. The length of pull was 14.75 inches. It consists of a cast steel fire control housing pinned to an aluminum trigger guard. I do not recall the barrel length of this 828, it is at her place. The Benelli didn't fill me with the same inspiration. You should make sure the barrel lug is seating firmly on the pivot pin before closing. It was about as loon as my A400 xcel reciever, balance from what I remember felt so so, it didn't fit me at all, and it felt like it swung light, as a field gun should or would. And that brings up another major point in describing how the 828U is different from traditional over-unders. I have to admit I pondered getting a Benelli 828U as a 'wet weather gun' rather than taking the 'P' gun out on foul days - it's not like it comes to any harm but it's a beautiful tool that deserves better (maybe an owner that could match it's capabilities would help too ).). As the project progressed, he said, it moved even more toward a hunting gun, but he added that, the way it was conceived in terms of separate assembliesthe stock, the barrels, the triggermade it a platform that, in time, might be easily expanded to other sectors., Vignaroli said the 828U, which was in development for three years and was granted three patents and a revision on a fourth, was the result of every one of the Urbino factorys 270 workers. True to Vignarolis characterizations, the 828U proved to be a very dependable gun and ejection of spent hulls was in fact very energetic. Everyone who shot the gun had positive things to say about its neutral balance, ease of pointing and light weight. in front of their join at the monobloc to a point 2" from the muzzle. I personally have doubts about it holding up to heavy shells and shooting at volume. Only broken it down 2-3 times. She praised the guns appearance, calling it nice and light and adding that it balanced and came to the face well. Title. My friend that I go to S.D. The 828U Steel comes chambered for 2 3/4- and 3-inch shotshells in both 12- and 20-gauge. Firearm has never even been fired, and I have only assembled/disassembled it twice, once when purchased and the second time when I received it back. 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. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Make one with a steel receiver, adjustable rib 30" and 32" barrels, improve the trigger a little bit, and get rid the funky comb and people would be breaking down their door to buy one. Overall, the gun is well-balanced thanks to the weighted magazine cap. I.e Beretta, Browning, Ceasar. Very nice gun and I liked the slim profile, but didn't impress me enough that I would buy one. 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. More importantly, everything it makes has the performance to match. 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. This pen is currently only available for $39.95 at benelli.com, and it is available in 16 different colors. The new model features a rounded forearm designed with a slight palm rest, high-relief engraving on the receiver, and ivory front and mid-bead sights. That's the extent of my dealings with one. 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. 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. 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. Advertisement Barrel & Receiver The 828U comes with 26, 28, or 30-inch barrels that have three-inch chambers. I have been in the market for a midtier over under and am a huge Benelli fan as well. Come join the discussion about optics, hunting, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! This Model 725 Field was no exception. Phillips-head screws hold the pad in place, which, once removed, allows access to the Progressive Comfort module. The pen is a nice color, and the metal nib has a nice texture to it. Shot one once at a game fair a couple years ago. 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. A carbon-fibre rib sits atop the 30in barrels, and a unique, patented steel locking system has been developed by Benelli's engineers to reduce wear and tear on the action. I decided that I wanted to become a member and contribute to this community, and posted some questions in a respectful manner. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. An added benefit of the levers graceful design is that the shooting-hand thumb can rest naturally alongside it atop the receiver. The list of unusual features covers all aspects of the shotgun's operation, as discussed here. Each barrel is soldered to protrusions machined over the one-piece, heat-treated monobloc. I agree that Gunbroker is showing prices close to MSRP. The 828U makes some guys turn into hostile teenage girls. The 828U does not disappoint in that regard, balancing well directly at the hinge point. A point of potential mechanical wear, the hinge pins, while relatively small in diameter, are made of steel and serve only to pivot the monobloc on the receiver. The Benelli 828u is a pen that I received as a gift. The silver receiver model, well it was not pleasant for me to shoot, and I've owned a few Benelli s/a's with no issues. The Benelli 828U is a major disappointment and an outright embarrassment. Gun Value Conditions explained: New in box - 100% condition in unopened box. YMMV. Barrel lengths offered are 26-, 28-, and 30-inch. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! 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. It is released by pressing a button at its front. But againit's hard to build a field gun with a steel receiver under 7.0 lbs in 12 ga. When the new Benelli Model 828U was introduced, devoted fans of Benelli semiautomatics rushed to get more information. The nearly seamless union is not adorned on its exterior as in many traditional guns. 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. A. . I have used it for hours at a time, and it is very comfortable to write with. That's harsh Randy, but I certainly appreciate the thoughts. I had the opportunity to shoot a guys Benelli 828 12 ga. at some clays yesterday. There were 202 hits in the 20-inch circle with the Modified choke and 164 hits with the Improved Cylinder choke. The 828U is what you would expect from Benelli - a hardworking, lightweight and low-recoil shotgun. 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. The pen is a very small, lightweight pen in a nice color. 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. The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time. They have sold so few new ones there simply aren't many on the street.Look on Gun Broker. Of course, if a barrel does not fire, the plate remains in its extractor-only position, and separate rods gently press back the extractors, allowing manual removal of that unfired shell. In the field, my first shot on a live bird brought a similar, satisfying experience. The plate features four contact points with the barrel and moves forward and backward on springs as the shotgun is opened and closed. The 828U and it's sporting counterpart are simply ill designed for heavy sporting use. Looks goofy as can be, like a camo space gun, but I use it for upland, waterfowl, and turkeys and without an issue. I like the unusual appearance, most people don't. Written and photographed by Ralph Winingham, using evaluations from Gun Tests team testers. 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. I tried the 828U a couple months ago. 712 shot with an average muzzle velocity of 1,180 fps. Consider that we started from white paper. The benelli 828u pen is a small, high quality, battery operated pen. Kicked like a mule. If you're only going to drag it out for upland a dozen hunts a year or less I think one could justify it. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. We liked the feel and looks of the checkering on both the pistol grip and the newly designed forearm. 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. Same thing happened again first time I attempted to assemble/disassemble the firearm. We achieved very few hard, solid breaks with either of the two test loads fired at various targets, both close and far, using the Benelli. 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. An included tool allows easy removal of the module from the gun. Our Team Said: We were disappointed in the looks, feel, and handling ability of Benellis first venture into the over-and-under market. You are using an out of date browser. 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 . 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. I tried the 828U a couple months ago. 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. JavaScript is disabled. Such is the case with the new Benelli Model 828U that made a big splash at the January 2015 SHOT Show. Have only shouldered one, never had a chance to shoot one. The 828Us price, too, is not out of line considering the quality of the guns construction and the adaptability that it allows shooters of differing physiques. Benelli is not giving me any additional information, but have stated it is damaged and they will not repair or replace the wear I have apparently done. Performance & security by Cloudflare. B Britlover Member Feb 19, 2020 #5 I bought one about 3 years ago. It was the worst over under I've ever shot. In a classic example of premature innovation, we found the new Benelli 828U simply did not function, feel, or perform as well as a veteran Browning Citori 725 when fired head to head. I flew to another city and had to break down for checked bag as my case cannot fit it assembled. I have the model with the silver receiver. Elsewhere, we thought the stock, forearm, and barrel finish on the Benelli seemed to closely resemble the features of a semiautomatic, rather than exhibiting the typical look and style of an over-and-under in its price range. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. I do, but no such luck, nothing on the website as in stock anyways, I'll call to double check. JavaScript is disabled. I'm not sure why I need to get short and rude responses. Every time I see him, I ask when I can shoot the space gun. 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. If a shooter favors the looks and feel of a semiautomatic, the Model 828U may be just the ticket. This offers added durability and eliminates the need . You must log in or register to reply here. The gun was impressive, apart from a few nags:2 1) Auto safety ! 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. Even with the light loads used in the testing, recoil was significantly more noticeable than with shots fired in the Browning. The shotguns length of pull was 14.25 inches, with a drop at the comb of 1 58 inches and a drop at the heel of 2.5 inches. Been loving this game since 01. Here are the features to watch out for. Rather, pressures are contained by way of a 1 1/4" wide by 2316" high by 15/16" steel breech block. An Over-UnderFrom Benelli?There had been no hint that Benelli might venture into more traditional forms such as break-actions. I did handle it, I couldn't get over how long the reciever was. But I can't get him to bring it out. The Benelli 828U Cannot for the life of me find one on the shelf to shoulder. 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. Internally, the Browning has a mechanical trigger system, back-bored barrels with lengthened forcing cones, and the Invector-DS internal choke tube system, with Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full tubes included with the Field model, the same features introduced when the original Model 725 hit the market. The chambers are then machined directly into the monobloc to ensure precise chamber alignment and finish. 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. 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. Matine1 - I have the same issue on an 828U. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. 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When I first got the firearm it became stuck in the cracked open position not able to come apart or even be closed. Buddy of mine bought one because he duck hunted with s SBE. The floating breech block us intriguing, as are the re-designed ejectors. Seems like a solid gun if you need a field O/U. 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. Firing the Winchester Extra-Lite No. 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. Lightweight with the strength of steel, the Benelli over under features a patented steel locking system that eliminates wear, an ergonomic opening lever which resets the trigger when unlocked, and responsive polymer buffers that compress to absorb recoil energy, adjusting to the load you shoot. The action on the Benelli Sport II is strong, fast, and flawlessly cycles pretty much any target load you try to feed it. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. 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. Crio -treated chokes in C, IC, M, IM, and F are also included. When you are in a hurry, it is easy to forget to hold the pencil, or not to look at your phone. Ridiculously overpriced. The design provides steel-on-steel lockup that fully contains the forces of firing. 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. Thanks, won't be out that way until end of Aug. 67.205.62.133 I have only seen one of the sporting versions in use in the area I shoot. 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. About 5 months in, it started doubling. 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. Archived 828U Sport thread. So especially the beginning was really tough for usunderstanding the over-under and its habits and the way the gun moved.. Although Benelli has a reputation for producing high-quality semiautomatic shotguns, we found the companys new over/under was lacking in both appearance and performance. In fact, it has been my favorite pen for so long. They do support the Franchi line, which isn't exactly an endorsement. I pulled the auto safety as well. I dont try and go fast and never use anything force, more just move the parts. 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. 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. And the birds we encountered were not only tough and of good size, but wary, running and flushing sometimes hundreds of yards ahead of the dogs. The modified choke in the top barrel produced a 39-61 percent pattern, with 306 hits (46 percent) in the 20-inch circle around the center. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It then recocks the strikers and resets the automatic safety unless a spring steel clip (below, l.) is removed. 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. He said company engineers were reserved, not letting on that the gun they were working on was an over-under. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. I feel like when I looked at them the longest I could find was a 28, 26" and 28" I believe in the 828uthe field gun. I believe his 828 has 30's and that might have been by choice as he is a smaller guy. And due to the stupid barrel overlap at the receiver, you can't use sub gauge tubes. We were particularly impressed with the pattern spread, finding a very solid and uniform distribution of hits. 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. However, 76 percent of the total hits in the 30-inch circle were in the lower left quadrant and there were four, 3-inch holes in the pattern, mainly in the outer 10-inch ring. The stocks exhibit figure and also have fish scale checkering in panels on the fore-end and pistol grip.