Introduction
Benelli shotguns are famous for their quality and inertia driven operating systems. These popular autoloading shotguns have become a reliable standard on the racks at many gun stores, and with good reason. Today we are going to take an in depth look at one of the many options Benelli offers in their Montefeltro line of shotguns. Our review of the Benelli Montefeltro 12 gauge will take us from the trap range to the duck marsh, so grab your boots.
The Benelli Montefeltro 12 gauge
The Montefeltro design is a walnut stocked semi-automatic shotgun, it of course uses Benelli’s famous inertia driven loading system. This is a significant departure from the normal practice of using gas pressure from each shot to reload the gun. Instead, the inertia system uses captured spring tension coupled to the recoil of the shot to unlock the beech and cycle the action. The system has become incredibly useful and boasts cleaner operation than traditional semi-auto shotguns.
Montefeltro shotguns use a handsome cut of walnut for the furniture, which is very handsome. But perhaps makes you less likely to drag it into a duck blind or john boat. This might explain why the guns enjoy a strong following from upland bird hunters and clay target hunters alike. The glossy high polished finish also gives the Montefeltro shotguns a classy look.
The Montefeltro shotgun models can be had in either 20 or 12 gauge, with barrel lengths from twenty-four inches up to twenty-eight inches long. There are a couple different finish options on the guns as well. The Montefeltro line also uses Benelli’s Crio choke system, this treatment offers a consistently dense shot pattern which should result in more hits according to Benelli. The Montefeltro came with a standard set of Crio chokes to adjust the pattern for your purposes.
Initial Impressions
Because I’m more of a rifle guy than shotgun, it took me the typical few minutes to go over the disassembled Montefeltro and get it together. The glossy finish matched beautifully with the polished chrome bolt-carrier. With the barrel seated, I snugged tight the ratcheting barrel nut making it ready for use.
Running the action of the gun felt just as I’d expected. The smooth slap of the bolt closing was matched by the easy to operate controls. Like most of its competitors, the Montefeltro controls operate in the same fashion which made it easy to become proficient shooting the gun. The finish of the Montefeltro is fantastic, which I have come to expect. And once assembled the fit and function of the gun looked flawless.
I couldn’t wait to get the Montefeltro out and shoot it, sadly it would take a few days. A cold winter day shooting clays with my kids was a great start to feel out the Benelli. Followed by a trip into the muddy wetlands of the Great Salt Lake looking for ducks and geese.
Shooting The Benelli Montefeltro
I grew up shooting cheap pump-guns at ducks, geese and other game birds, so perhaps my taste is a little more Mossy Oak versus Sitka or KUIU. I’ve had many opportunities to shoot fine shotguns though, and the Montefeltro seems in line with other Benelli’s, Franchi’s and Beretta’s. The recoil seems absorbed a bit by the operating system, enough that my daughter who doesn’t care for recoil seemed to enjoy shooting the Montefeltro.
The long barrel of the gun made swinging across flying clays very deliberate, and we quickly found a groove that was busting clays. Following both birds and targets with the bead felt natural like a favorite pair of boots. Comfortable follow up shots came as the smooth recoil impulse didn’t knock you off target much. Speaking of comfort, the Montefeltro has all the classic fit you’d expect. With a perfectly aligned comb and sight rib, as well as familiar operating controls. We tested the gun with both two and three-quarters shells, and three-inch magnum loads in anticipation of the next trip.
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