Benelli 828 S A.I. Silver and Black: field test of the 12-ga and 20-ga over-and-unders equipped with the new Advanced Impact barrels

The code identifying the city of Urbino as a Unesco heritage site – 828 – remains for the new Benelli 828 over-and-under, but the S for Superior is added to indicate the superior performance achieved through the new Advanced Impact barrel and choke system. Developed by the Urbino company's engineers, this new technology aims to achieve faster, more effective shot patterns at longer ranges, better ballistic performance of the ammunition and optimised gun ergonomics during firing.

Barrels and chokes: new Benelli Advanced Impact system

The results achieved by the Advanced Impact (A.I.) barrels in ballistic tests carried out in the Benelli laboratory have shown, compared to any standard barrel, a greater velocity of the swarm of shot pellets, greater power and deeper penetration. These advantages provided by A.I. barrels have also been noted when using steel shot ammunition, mainly due to the greater velocity at the muzzle. In fact, as is well known, steel shot cartridges, due to the different mass of the alternative materials to lead, tend to lose speed and power quickly, which is partly recovered thanks to the geometry of these barrels. A further advantage of Advanced Impact technology is the possibility of using the new chokes with steel cartridges with any level of constriction.

The particular design of the Benelli A.I. barrels provides for an internal profile with a 76-mm magnum chamber

the chamber is followed by a long forcing cone of about 40 cm ending in the cylindrical part of the barrel whose diameter is larger – between 19.6 mm and 19.8 mm in 12 ga and  16.8 mm in 20 ga. The cylindrical part is followed by the last section of the barrel, which towards the muzzle sees a constriction cone inside the choke tube redesigned by Benelli engineers to ensure that choke values are exactly matched and scaled to the barrel, thus guaranteeing the hunter the desired result and a clear differentiation between the shot patterns of different choke values chosen for the specific hunting situation.

The barrels are made of tri-alloyed NiCrMo steel, cold hammer forged and cryogenically treated. The internal chokes supplied with the 828 S A.I. over-and-under are 5, from * to *****, 100-mm long for the 12-gauge and 70-mm for the 20-gauge. The available barrel lengths are 65, 70 and 76 cm, equipped with carbon fiber rib and high-viz red fiber optic sight.

828 S A.I. Silver 20-gauge and Black 12-gauge over-and-unders

The Benelli 828 S A.I. over-and-under shotguns that were the subject of our test are available in two versions, Silver and Black, in both 12 and 20 gauge. Sharing the same mechanics and distinguished by the finishes, these shotguns offer the hunter a more traditional elegance and richer aesthetic details in the Silver version, with the particular engravings made on the nickel-plated ergal receiver with renaissance themes and great brightness given by the gold floral motifs. In the full Black version, the shotgun's elegance becomes more sober and meets the tastes of hunters who prefer an essential profile for their shotgun. In both cases, the receiver lines are slender and attractive. The 828 S Silver over-and-under in 20-gauge that was the subject of our test is a gun that proved particularly suitable for walked-up hunting with its weight of less than 2.7 kg. The A.I. barrels have 76-mm magnum chambers and are available in lengths of 65/70 and 76 cm, always equipped with a set of five internal chokes. The stock and fore-end are made from grade 3 European walnut and as in all versions of the 828 over-and-under we have the Benelli Progressive Comfort recoil reduction system inside the stock blade. As is well known, this system makes use of dampening fingers or leaves in the stock blade, capable of progressively cushioning the different loads fired, thus reducing the negative effects of felt recoil on the hunter's shoulder. A soft polyurethane comb also contributes to optimising ergonomics when resting on the shooter's cheek and protecting the ear from the vibrations of firing. The trigger pull revised by Benelli has been lightened to 1.6 kg and is clear and pleasant.

In the 828 S A.I. Black over-and-under the surfaces of the black anodised ergal receiver are smooth, but with different patterns that enhance the elegance of the shapes. The weight in this 12-gauge model is approximately 2.9 kg, again well manageable when transporting and swinging. The trigger is single selective with removable trigger group and a large trigger guard that allows quick and natural access when aiming. The manual safety has two positions and is located in the rear of the receiver, but an automatic safety is also available on request. Cartridge case ejection is automatic and selective while the established locking system is the Lock Plate, that perfectly seals the single-piece unit. The firing pressure remains contained in the plate/single-piece assembly, reducing the stress applied to the rotating pins. By incorporating this system into an aluminium or steel receiver, it was possible for Benelli to make the 828 over-and-under extremely robust and balanced. As always with Benelli shotguns, the Perfect fitting system is on board, allowing each hunter to find the right personalised stock set-up. A series of shims to be placed between the stock and receiver allows the shooter to adjust the cast and drop with 40 different possible combinations.

Our test with the Benelli 828 S A.I. over-and-under

What differentiated the two over-and-unders used in our test were obviously the gauge and the finish. With two different but nevertheless light and well-distributed weights, transport was easy and swing was precise, especially when hunting with dogs. The clay target shooting sessions, on the other hand, gave us the opportunity to appreciate the performance of the new A.I. technology visibly and perceptibly on the shoulder, shooting quickly and repeatedly at the clay pigeon of the sporting course. On targets at varying ranges and with different trajectories, we were able to experience the decisive impact and breakage of the clay pigeons even at the maximum distances. What on the hunting ground were immediate knockdowns, on the range were clay targets clearly shattered in flight. Both over-and-under shotguns demonstrated stability and ease of shouldering with a fully dampened recoil perception, especially in the 12-gauge. Using intermediate 4- and 3-star chokes, the shots taken both on the range and when hunting within and beyond 40 meters demonstrated consistent effectiveness.

Benelli 828 S A.I. Silver and Black specifications

For more information on the 828 S Advanced Impact over-and-under please visit the Benelli website.