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Photo courtesy of Benelli
When outfitted with an X-Full choke tube, the Vinci shot a wide variety of turkey loads with excellent results. The gun requires no special adjustments to go from light bird loads to heavier turkey loads.  |
Benelli’s Vinci: A Work of Art
How would you like to have a turkey gun that shoots turkey loads with 72 percent less recoil and up to 40 percent less muzzle climb than your current shotgun? What if it has a total camo finish? What if it’s almost maintenance-free, but when it needs cleaning, you could disassemble and clean it within minutes, without tools? What if it weighs less than 7 pounds and breaks down quickly into three parts for easy traveling?
Is it the stuff of dreams?
I just returned from a dove hunt in Argentina, where I shot one more than 4,000 times in three days and never had a malfunction. In fact, my hunting group shot more than 87,000 rounds out of 12 production shotguns without a single malfunction and with very little cleaning. It was one of the most intense shotgun tests in which I have ever participated, and no one came home with a sore shoulder or bruised cheekbone.
And, no, I wasn’t dreaming. We were shooting the new 12-gauge, 6-pound, 9-ounce, semi-auto Benelli Vinci — a revolutionary shotgun five years in planning and three years in development. It is, indeed, a true work of art worthy of its Italian heritage and namesake.
The Vinci is a totally innovative design, built around three unique modular components — barrel/receiver group, trigger group/forearm and the stock.
The barrel/receiver module houses Benelli’s trademarked In-Line Inertia-Driven action completely within the upper receiver. The entire operating system, including the short bolt and return spring, functions on the same axis as the bore. The barrel — available in 26- or 28-inch lengths — and choke tubes, are made in the Benelli’s Crio metal treating system, which means they freeze the metal to -300 degrees F to produce an even grain for truer patterns and cleaner shooting. Weighted at the center of the gun the Vinci is perfectly balanced.
The trigger group/forearm module contains a modified Benelli R-1 rifle trigger group, safety, shell carrier and self-contained magazine tube. This module has a V-Grip non-slip surface molded into the forearm and an improved ergonomic relationship between the wrist position and the trigger-angle. The safety is conveniently located in the front of the trigger guard, ideal for turkey hunting, requiring minimum movement to operate.
The third module is the polymer QuadraFit Buttstock with ComforTech Plus recoil reduction system. According to Benelli engineers, this, plus the gun’s unique design, reduces recoil by as much as 72 percent and muzzle climb from 14 to 42 percent. The stock can be custom fitted to the shooter using comb and butt pads. The ComforTech Plus System gives a constant level of recoil reduction throughout the complete range of loads from 2¾-inch dove loads to 3-inch heavy turkey loads. Also, I should point out, no adjustments are required when switching from light loads to heavy loads.
The three modules come in a high-impact plastic carrying case that makes traveling with the Vinci as easy as traveling with a cased clarinet. The shotgun goes together quickly using no tools. Cleaning is a breeze, and the simple bolt is just as easily disassembled for deep cleaning.
Five other gun writers and I joined the executive staff of Benelli and the two engineers who designed the Vinci for three days of hunting Argentina’s eared doves. According to wildlife officials, more than 80 million doves reside in the agricultural area in which we were hunting. The birds reproduce year-round, and the females mature quickly. The high populations of doves are eating the local grain farmers out of business. The farmers’ problems were our targets, and the harvest was donated to a mission for underprivileged children. We had non-stop shooting for three full days.
Impressed with the Vinci’s performance on the dove hunt, I ordered one of the camo models with a 26-inch barrel for some range testing using an X-Full choke tube and a variety of turkey loads.
Shooting a mixture of 2¾- and 3-inch Federal, Remington and Winchester turkey loads, once again I appreciated the greatly reduced recoil of the Vinci. The gun I was using shot the tightest patterns at 40 yards with Federal Premium Mag-Shok Heavyweight Turkey with 15/8 ounces of No. 6 shot. They virtually destroyed the head on the turkey target. It was, however, a pleasure to see this gun produce excellent turkey patterns with all of the tested loads.
At this writing, I have yet to lure a gobbler in front of the Vinci, but based on conversations with others, it slams them down with authority. The Vinci received highest marks for accuracy, low recoil and ease of carry.
Based on my three days of all-day dove hunting, I can say that the Vinci is a joy to carry, thanks to its lightweight design and balance. — J. Wayne Fears
Benelli Vinci The details
Finishes: black, Advantage Max-4 HD or Realtree APG
Barrel lengths: 26 inches or 28 inches
Overall length: 45¾ or 47¾ inches, depending on barrel length
Sight options: Features a vent rib with red-bar front sight and metal mid-sight; drilled and tapped for scope mounting and comes with a set of Crio System choke tubes
Additional features: Turkey hunters will appreciate the molded-in sling studs.
Price: $1,379 to $1,479
Tester’s note: I think it is safe to say that in the coming months there will be a shorter-barreled turkey Vinci, and high on my wish list is a turkey version in a 20 gauge. — J.F.