It had been talked about for a long time, but we know that the hasty kitten made blind kittens, so in Benelli they didn't want to forge ahead and they took the right time for their first rifle with sliding revolving bolt before reaching the Wolf. . The name of the important novelty assimilates the predator par excellence to the hunter man with a parallel that we leave to the exegetes of thought and word to evaluate. On the other hand, we find ourselves very interested in observing the images that the Urbino company has proposed to us, just to draw a first cold evaluation of a rifle that touches us very closely in many ways: among these the rifled barrel has always been in top of our thoughts both for hunting purposes and for the use of shooting ranges and the classic Mauser-type shutter mechanism is flanked in our feeling only by the single-shot with block shutter.
Benelli Lupo | The appearance and the technique
In Benelli you cannot expect something remarkably banal: the company located in Urbino cannot escape the taste for beauty and refined, obviously seen in a current key because otherwise evolution would be an abstract concept and not put into practice. in the search for shapes, materials, processes. Ultimately, the purposes of beauty and functionality must go hand in hand, making the buyer of a product from this company feel the pride of participating in something unique and detached from the excellent competition. We do not play superheroes: even if talking about it seems vulgar like panting after a race, it counts, and even on this factor a fair, correct and wise evaluation of € 1.900,00 has been defined, adequate for commercial skirmishes today more than ever. current.
Accustomed to certain guns on which a sad and inelegant matt black patina is placed as a guarantee of stainless durability, observing the Be.ST treatment of the Lupo fills us with enthusiasm: let's spend a moment in addition to the guarantees of duration and cancellation of scars due to mistreatment on the hunting grounds, and we remain on the aesthetic that immediately leaps to the eye where the bright aspect, never too shiny, full and deep, brings back even the less accustomed to the concepts that have informed the classic harquebusery where the beauty remains beautiful and the ugly does not it is worthy of too much attention. We note how this finish is reserved for the European market, while for the one across the Atlantic a traditional and decent burnishing is practiced, heralding a lower cost.
Let's move on to the technique by observing how the working parts are made of steel with the various binders and thermochemical treatments chosen in order to optimize the yield. The layout is the classic one borrowed from the progenitor, the Mauser K98, with a castle made up of the front ring and sides that connect it to the closed rear deck. The shapes follow the concept of refinement, with elegant lines and measures defined with sobriety where robustness is the daughter of the goodness of the materials and not of their oversizing. The eye to the weight is a must considering that many will use this rifle in the mountains or in any case for long transfers burdened by optical aids, binoculars and long, and by what is stowed in the backpack, typical of selection hunting. The castle is coupled to the shaft of the synthetic stock by means of a separate frame, made of Ergal, including the guard and bridge assembly: this allows optimal stability between the different points, among which the median block stands out, acting as a discharge prism for the forces, which fits precisely with the corresponding transverse milling made under the ring: next to it is the front fixing Allen screw between the two components of the weapon. Also note how the frame extends backwards with a rod that acts as a tie rod to which the stock is fixed and, at the front, receives an Allen key for the joint of the rod.
The cylindrical obturator has three fins on the head, with a rounded peripheral profile, correctly executed on numerical control machines: they are positioned in the mortises obtained in the ring. The movement is limited to about 60 ° with greater speed and less impact problems with the optics for the hand operating the throttle. The extractor claw is recessed within one of the fins: its orthogonal movement makes it almost impossible to overturn the grip groove of a cartridge case; the elastic pawl of the ejector protrudes alongside the firing pin hole. In the median area of the cylindrical body there are some drops favoring a more raised position of the cartridge placed in the magazine: less angle in transit towards the cartridge chamber to exclude the possibility of finding yourself with a cartridge planted halfway when a second shot is perhaps essential . The handlebar support ring is fitted in the back: the personality of a rifle is also observed from this detail, which we have always compared to the tail of hunting dogs, and the flat arm, shaped in a Z shape and with a round ovoid knuckle. , expresses a lot of it together with an adequate function both for the lack of edges or protrusions that could offend the hand, and for the rapid maneuverability.
The angular contrast between the arm and the profile of the bridge to carry out the primary extraction takes place between two steel surfaces, avoiding differentiated wear. The tail cap cut on the bias follows the elongated shape of the castle where only the milling of the handlebar itself appears: fewer openings, less dirt that settles there. Under the cap protrudes the shank of the firing pin with a red notch that highlights the armament while a rocker lever placed on the left side of the castle releases the bolt at the end of its travel. Finally, the upper tail of the castle supports the two-position safety button: comfortable and silent, also ambidextrous, it is activated with the weapon held and in the tappet, it blocks firing pin, trigger and handlebars, but we do not think it has its own locking system for avoid unexpected movements, perhaps rubbing against the backpack. Pressing a small button on the right side only unlocks the handlebar, being able to take the chambered cartridge in complete tranquility, keeping the other two functions active. Lastly, the codetta accommodates the second of the two mechanical / stock fixing Allen screws: the value of 8 kgm is rightly highlighted for tightening with a dynamometric wrench.
Benelli Lupo | The barrel
We do not know the junction between barrel and castle which can take place either with a screw pitch, or with precision insertion and stop with transverse Allen screws. We will check at the first favorable opportunity while in the meantime we notice how the assembly is completely floating to guarantee repetition of the beaten point. The rifling is carried out by the Beretta Group by means of roto-hammering: in Benelli the barrel undergoes the cryogenic process that redistributes the metal fibers, hardens the surfaces for better performance in terms of durability and precision, plus the Be.ST finish The length is expected to be 56 cm for calibers .30-06 Sprg. .308 Win. .270 Win. and .243 Win. while switching to 61 cm for the .300 Win. Mag. And for 6,5 Creedmoor. The pitches also vary according to the calibers with the extreme value of 1: 8 "for the 6,5 CM suitable for stabilizing heavy bullets (see the 147 gr of the Hornady ELD-X) suited to this cartridge designed for shooting. long distance. In the muzzle there is a thread covered by a screw cap: easy to mount a muzzle brake (for those who love these additions) or a silencer for the places where it is foreseen. A good tightening, perhaps with a drop of glue, avoids ending up with incongruous patterns because the vibrations have unscrewed the detail a little.
Benelli Lupo | Stocking
In technological stocks Benelli has expressed a lot and here does not fail to apply the due in view of the three objectives: to adapt the weapon to the physical complexion of the shooter, to favor performance, to dampen the sensation of recoil. Here then are the plates of variation in length and deviation, the Combtech with three nose pads of various thicknesses for the posture of the face and therefore of the eye in the telescope lens, the system Progressive Comforts which we can define as a comb, inside the stock and connected to the butt plate to dissipate the energy generated by the shot. In the grip areas of the two parts of the stock there is the modern substitute for the checkering, also designed by Benelli: defined Air touch this hemispherical corrugation plays on the physical principle that lengthens the trajectory of the golf balls and here keeps the hand airy and a firm grip. Seeing is believing.
Benelli Lupo | Magazine and shutter
The detachable two-wire magazine printed in polymer contains five cartridges in the standard calibers and four in the magnum: convenient insertion into the large slot in the lower part of the castle as well as release by pressing the button located at the front, which makes the package fall naturally into the Palm of the hand. All functional including the design that does not protrude anything from the lower profile of the shotgun, only a little angular the two front terminals when you put it back in the hunter's pocket.
The trigger: the main element for judgment, especially on a rifled barrel. The package is made in Benelli and promises constancy in use thanks to the rigidity to which particular attention has been paid, as well as to the contrast levels. The calibration is signaled between about 990 and 2.000 grams and the direct release at a time. We do not doubt the excellent performance that we hope to verify as soon as possible: even just in front of a polygon flange, the peculiarities stand out. A cold comment on typology and weight: we clearly follow the American orientation that favors this choice which is now widespread even among our young people. As old fans of many things of Central Europe we love the two-trigger stecher and then the French schneller. Then to debunk everything we can definitely put the shot Made in USA of a Winchester 70 Classic or a Ruger N.1 which lacks nothing to be defined perfect: we are sure that the Lupo will be on the same level.
Data Sheet
Manufacturer: Benelli Armi Spa via della Stazione 50, 61029 Urbino (PU) - Tel. +39 0722 3071 - Fax +39 0722 307207 - www.benelli.it - [email protected]
Model: Wolf
Type: rifled rifle with sliding rotating bolt
gauges: .300 Win. May - .30-06 Sprg. - .308 Win. - .270 Win. - 6,5 Creedmoor - .243 Win.
operation: with ordinary repetition
Castle: in steel with front ring and closed rear bridge - light alloy frame inserted between the action and the stock
canna: in cold hammered carbon steel with Criobarrel treatment - length 56 cm standard calibers and 61 cm .300 Win. Mag. And 6,5 Creedmmor
Shutter: in treated and burnished steel Be.ST - three fins on the head
Percussion: floating firing pin with coaxial spring inside the shutter
Supply: extractable packet magazine with 5 cartridges (4 per magnum)
Triggering device: group mounted under the castle - single trigger direct release, adjustable between 990 and 2.000 grams approx
Extractor: nail inserted in the top / right flap of the shutter - orthogonal movement and internal spring
Ejector: elastic pawl in the bolt face
Line of sight: no metal sights - predisposition for the attachment of the scope
Safety: two-position with button in the upper tail of the castle - trigger lock, firing pin and handlebar - side button to allow opening with safety inserted
Stocking: in two pieces molded in polymer - butt plate Progressive Comforts energy absorbing - pistol grip and contoured under-barrel - grip fields with effect Air touch non-slip - back strap Tecnogel (3 interchangeable) and plates to change the edge and inclination)
Finishes: polished burnishing with Be.ST finish of the barrel and action - anodizing of the Ergal frame - black polymer stock
Weight :: Approx.3.200 g with 56 cm barrel (variations based on component tolerances)