In the midst of competitors that boast a much longer presence in the arms sector, the fiftieth anniversary may appear to a mathematical mind as a tiny, albeit appreciable, entity, but since the unraveling of the life of a company, like that of a person, it must also be weighed with other measures that are not only those of arithmetic and the world of numbers, this is how what is achieved throws on the scale a weight that is not numerical, but of strong intensity. The path started in 1967 by the late Dr. Paolo Benelli and his very solid group of passionate collaborators, then continued with the company merging into the Beretta Holding, always maintaining its own design and production excellence, has created something unique that today precisely celebrates the half a century of life. In this time the healthy stubbornness to give life to a very simple yet sophisticated idea has led the company to create a production cycle of excellence, the only way to ensure that the shotgun works correctly by exploiting that inertial system put on paper by the brilliant technician. Bruno Civolani from Bologna, also deceased, and translated into practice by Benelli to the incredulity of many.
Today the semi-automatic set on this repetition mechanism is a fixed point, copied by various competitors to the forfeiture of patents, a factor that also certifies the goodness of the original choice. Only one important change in the history of the plant when the inclined strut seal was passed, with a considerable qualitative leap, to the rotating head: the aspects of the different models based on the Raffello that have followed over time are the result of cooperation between the architect Marco Gaudenzi and the internal research group, a synergy of intentions, thoughts and then works hard to find in other companies and in other sectors. A lucky combination? Maybe, but if luck favors the daring, here it must be said and underlined that there has been a lot of daring to sell if we consider as such the whole ensemble that resides in the human intellect as will, dedication, openness to the thought of others, determination and ability to achieve.
The Raffello Ethos in caliber 28/76
As on other special occasions, the Urbino company has set up numbered series of special shotguns in setting up the woods and finishes: 1.000 Raffello Ethos in 12/76 gauge and 500 in 20/76 gauge will be put on sale alongside , again with the aim of celebrating, the presentation on the Italian market of the first rifle chambered for the 28/76 cartridge, a peculiarity that already started in France by other manufacturers, is now presented to us under the guise of the semi-auto of the prestigious series mentioned above . In this way, the Benelli range is further expanded, already at the top in the world for the specificity of its proposals which do not intend to beat numerical goals, but to satisfy the different needs of hunters in the best possible way. If in the recent past the small Crio and then Legacy in 28/70 opened new horizons to fans of small calibers set on inertial mechanics, today the Raffaello Ethos reaches the even higher levels of the prestigious shotgun, allowing lovers of the small caliber one step further. in addition to successfully undermine every game, with that operating arm of greater extension guaranteed by charges very close to those of the 20/70 pushed caliber, the 16/70 brilliant and many preparations of the traditional 12/70 with those useful and rational weights to undermine noble game under the dog's stand or small and medium-sized migratory birds even at maximum distances. The structure is further enhanced and this means greater safety and ease of use for the hunter together with what has already been pointed out: the Progressive Comfort butt pad is therefore adopted, the one inserted in the wooden stock whose technical and aesthetic value is retained by subtracting and dissipating energy from the act of firing thanks to a complex of blades with progressive deformation, useful and effective in relation to the charge. There is no shortage of interchangeable polyurethane nose pads to dampen harmful vibrations also for the hearing system, and plates to vary length and advantage so that everyone can optimize the size of the speargun on their body. Even the fore-end has been revised starting from that of the Power Bore where posture and rearrangement of the hand were facilitated: now, thanks to the caliber, it has become further lean with undoubted advantages in grip and aesthetics. Speaking of stock, we note the use of a European walnut with Wood Fx treatment and checkering with a pitch of 1,5 mm with well-marked cusps: the very slim pistol always brings the hand to the same position by placing the finger on the trigger in the best situation. for measured and correct shots.
The heart of the system
The mechanics are known and reliable with two-part shutter, carriage that supports the rotating head with two fins between which the main spring is interspersed, the one that accumulates and redistributes the energy with which, thanks to a peg and a cam track the opening delay is completed and at the same time the release rotation of the fins from the mortises obtained in the breech extension joined to the barrel. An oscillating connecting rod, pivoted on the rear of the carriage and with the contrast in a cup-shaped recess, insists on the recoil spring located in the stock. The shutter can be closed by pressing the button on the side of the castle or accompanying the throttle for a much more silent execution. Linked to the inertial motion is the cartridge lifting spoon, which works only with the shot: it is therefore possible to replace the chambered cartridge without going through the tubular magazine as it is a safety factor having to insert the first cartridge into the barrel manually. Furthermore, the doubled tooth for retaining the cartridges in the tank itself facilitates their direct withdrawal, without chambering them. The Crio Power Bore barrel represents, together with the Criochoke chokes, the optimization of Benelli's ballistic studies both for the materials used and their thermochemical treatments, and for the drilling geometry appropriate to the small caliber; the cryogenic tempering regulates the vibratory regime under shot together with that of expansion and contraction linked to the heating due to the shot. The ventilated rib in carbon fiber adds lightness and strength avoiding the phenomenon of the mirage: the anchoring system does not interfere with the regular vibration of the rod. It is almost superfluous to talk about the aesthetics of this rifle because once again the company theory aimed at designing the weapon on the proportions of the cartridge proves to be highly paying: the games of the lines with the proportions of the measures create an entity that does not seem to be bewitching. neither hyperbole nor flattery. The future in Benelli is already today and beauty is an absolute that adequately dresses design and operational excellence.
Technical detail:
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: Raffaello Crio Ethos 28
Type: semi-automatic shotgun with smooth bore
CALIBRO: 28/76
operation: inertial
Castle: milled ergal block - nickel-plated finish
Shutter: with two front rotating blades - machined from drawn and chromed
canna: 66 cm long - 5 Criochoke chokes (from cyl to * with key)
Percussion: hammer with coil spring and floating firing pin inside the bolt
Supply: metal tubular magazine under the barrel for 2 cartridges
Triggering device: direct type with single trigger mounted on a polymer block
Extractor: claw with internal spring inserted in the bolt head
Ejector: spring plunger in the breech sleeve
Line of sight: ventilated carbon rib, LPA fluo front sight
Safety: two-position with striped button in the guard - locks the trigger
Stocking: in two pieces of high class walnut wood - pistol grip and shaped under barrel - grip fields with checkering - Wood Fx treatment - Progressive Comfort recoil pad with different thicknesses - interchangeable nose pads and folding and edge plates
Finishes: polished bluing of the barrel, glossy black anodizing of the breech sheath, castle with engravings and nickel plating
Stock length from the trigger: 365 +/- 2 mm modifiable up to 380 with long butt pad - or 350 +/- 2 mm with specific stock and Progressive Comfort kit - drop at heel 60 mm and nose pad 35 mm
Weight :: 2.400g +/- 100g with 66cm barrel (variations based on component tolerances)