Hello All
I have a new Benelli Vinci and thought I would give you a review. For the record, I have been hunting with shotguns for 26 years. I started with a Remington 20ga special field, then 12 ga Browning BPS, Rem 11-87, then a Benelli SBE. I shoot pheasant, quail, turkey around our farm. I go to Winnepeg duck/goose hunting. So I have tried and used all the usual suspects and shot many species with those shotguns. I can truthfully say I do not favor any brand in either shotgun, pistol, or rifle. When I came upon the Vinci I was on a trip to Flint Oak, KS. I picked up the Vinci at the gun shop. Regardless of the looks which are well documented, it felt like it'd been a part of my body since birth. I am more of a natural pointer when shooting rather than aiming so feel is incredibly important to me. About 3 weeks ago I purchased a Vinci, have yet to fire it but have kept it handy for inspection, breakdown, etc... since I got it. Here are my first impressions:
One of Benelli's selling points is the breakdown feature. Heck the custom plactic case it comes in has it broke down into the 3 major components already. The frist component is the stock, the 2nd is the barrel bolt combination already together, and the 3rd is the trigger assembly/forearm/magazine. If you have dreams of breaking this shotgun down and storing into the custom plastic case after each hunt....your going to be disappointed bigtime. For starters the plastic case isnt designed well, seems like they couldnt decide on a top or bottom so they split the difference and it opens ackwardly. The part that houses the barrel is designed poorly as well and the barrel can move inside that part of the box. Ive never understood making and selling a $1400 shotgun and then giving the consumer a $8 case to put it in. My advice is to take the gun out of the plastic case and put it away incase you sell it so you can say you have the case. The 2nd major problem is it just doesnt take apart or put together as simply as they want it to be. Im pretty strong, actually really strong, and it takes alot of strength to put the barrel on as it is a push and twist motion. I have put together and disassembled maybe 20 times and it is awkward and flat hard to do. My advice is put together and take apart only when cleaning, long travel, or long term storage. Dont plan on disassemling after every day in the field. The process and case will disappoint if that is your intention. But to be honest, Ive never had a shotgun that I didnt use a softcase for hunts, etc... so this is no big deal to me. Just not exactly as advertised.
Now, as far as being able to field strip this for cleaning...outside of a military rifle like the AR...I dont think there is a shotgun out there that Ive seen as slick as the Vinci. It is actually easier to disassemble the parts out of the 3 main components than it is breaking it down to the 3 main components. I am serious that this thing can field strip down to all, and I mean all parts in about 3 minutes, that includes breaking down the trigger assembly. Really slick. Reassembles just as fast.
What I immediately noticed upon all this breakdown and assembly is the bolt/barrlel configuration is completely redesigned. Those of you with SBE's will know that the bolt rides within guides in the lower receiver, and the recoil system is a rod attached to the bolt that slides back into the stock by way of a tube and spring. The sticking that I experienced with the SBE was often times the fact the metal bolt rode within the plastic lower receiver. The metal on plastic was never something I felt glided very well and especially in cold weather would stick. Many times I could pull the bolt back and have it creep foward after releasing till a certain point before slamming shut. The colder or dirtier the gun, the worse it creeped and stuck. Again, the metal bolt riding within the plastic lower was a problem I thought. The spring tube in the stock was always getting seeds, weeds, dirt, etc... in there and would naturally get into the spring. The whole set up was a recipe for disaster and many times would stick, especially on the next to the last shell ejecting and feeding of the last shell. In the new Vinci, the bolt and spring is built as a unit. There are 2 metal guides with springs built as part of the bolt and the bolt itself is contained within the barrel, rather than riding in the lower receiver. The tube spring in the stock is gone. To me they identified the problems with the SBE/M1 and made an effort to fix. The bolt upon cycling really feels like its gliding.
The safety is recessed into the trigger housing in front of the trigger and is a tight push to move from safe to fire. I can see potential issues if you have heavy gloves trying to push the safety. I am planning on oiling this and working it in. I'll let you know how it goes.
The magazine tube loads fine, the tube holds either three 2 3/4 shells or two 3 inchers.....For most upland game, that works ok. Benelli designed the magazine to have a release button that allows you remove shells fromt he mag without cycling the bolt. Neat concept, hard to do out of the box. You have to push that release lever pretty hard to get ejection. Not sold on it yet, will let you know if it breaks in better.
The looks have been long debated, if your a traditionalist...dont buy it. But it flat is light and feels wonderful in my hands. Points unbelievably well, and has a shim kit in the box to design to your taste. It's really light yet appears to hold a line and swing exceptionally smooth despite it's light weight.
Recoil pad feels great. I'd suggest putting an aftermarket glow bead on it. If you put a sling on it, a standard super sling or something similar is too long. I customized a cabelas sling and it fits great.
In the next two weeks I intend on shooting on the skeet/trap range and then using on doves here in NE. I will give you my thoughts after the range night and after dove season on how it shoots. If all I could do is carry it aroiund and breakdown/assemble it...then Im luke warm to it. The rubber will be when it gets shot. I'll keep you informed.
TBo
I have a new Benelli Vinci and thought I would give you a review. For the record, I have been hunting with shotguns for 26 years. I started with a Remington 20ga special field, then 12 ga Browning BPS, Rem 11-87, then a Benelli SBE. I shoot pheasant, quail, turkey around our farm. I go to Winnepeg duck/goose hunting. So I have tried and used all the usual suspects and shot many species with those shotguns. I can truthfully say I do not favor any brand in either shotgun, pistol, or rifle. When I came upon the Vinci I was on a trip to Flint Oak, KS. I picked up the Vinci at the gun shop. Regardless of the looks which are well documented, it felt like it'd been a part of my body since birth. I am more of a natural pointer when shooting rather than aiming so feel is incredibly important to me. About 3 weeks ago I purchased a Vinci, have yet to fire it but have kept it handy for inspection, breakdown, etc... since I got it. Here are my first impressions:
One of Benelli's selling points is the breakdown feature. Heck the custom plactic case it comes in has it broke down into the 3 major components already. The frist component is the stock, the 2nd is the barrel bolt combination already together, and the 3rd is the trigger assembly/forearm/magazine. If you have dreams of breaking this shotgun down and storing into the custom plastic case after each hunt....your going to be disappointed bigtime. For starters the plastic case isnt designed well, seems like they couldnt decide on a top or bottom so they split the difference and it opens ackwardly. The part that houses the barrel is designed poorly as well and the barrel can move inside that part of the box. Ive never understood making and selling a $1400 shotgun and then giving the consumer a $8 case to put it in. My advice is to take the gun out of the plastic case and put it away incase you sell it so you can say you have the case. The 2nd major problem is it just doesnt take apart or put together as simply as they want it to be. Im pretty strong, actually really strong, and it takes alot of strength to put the barrel on as it is a push and twist motion. I have put together and disassembled maybe 20 times and it is awkward and flat hard to do. My advice is put together and take apart only when cleaning, long travel, or long term storage. Dont plan on disassemling after every day in the field. The process and case will disappoint if that is your intention. But to be honest, Ive never had a shotgun that I didnt use a softcase for hunts, etc... so this is no big deal to me. Just not exactly as advertised.
Now, as far as being able to field strip this for cleaning...outside of a military rifle like the AR...I dont think there is a shotgun out there that Ive seen as slick as the Vinci. It is actually easier to disassemble the parts out of the 3 main components than it is breaking it down to the 3 main components. I am serious that this thing can field strip down to all, and I mean all parts in about 3 minutes, that includes breaking down the trigger assembly. Really slick. Reassembles just as fast.
What I immediately noticed upon all this breakdown and assembly is the bolt/barrlel configuration is completely redesigned. Those of you with SBE's will know that the bolt rides within guides in the lower receiver, and the recoil system is a rod attached to the bolt that slides back into the stock by way of a tube and spring. The sticking that I experienced with the SBE was often times the fact the metal bolt rode within the plastic lower receiver. The metal on plastic was never something I felt glided very well and especially in cold weather would stick. Many times I could pull the bolt back and have it creep foward after releasing till a certain point before slamming shut. The colder or dirtier the gun, the worse it creeped and stuck. Again, the metal bolt riding within the plastic lower was a problem I thought. The spring tube in the stock was always getting seeds, weeds, dirt, etc... in there and would naturally get into the spring. The whole set up was a recipe for disaster and many times would stick, especially on the next to the last shell ejecting and feeding of the last shell. In the new Vinci, the bolt and spring is built as a unit. There are 2 metal guides with springs built as part of the bolt and the bolt itself is contained within the barrel, rather than riding in the lower receiver. The tube spring in the stock is gone. To me they identified the problems with the SBE/M1 and made an effort to fix. The bolt upon cycling really feels like its gliding.
The safety is recessed into the trigger housing in front of the trigger and is a tight push to move from safe to fire. I can see potential issues if you have heavy gloves trying to push the safety. I am planning on oiling this and working it in. I'll let you know how it goes.
The magazine tube loads fine, the tube holds either three 2 3/4 shells or two 3 inchers.....For most upland game, that works ok. Benelli designed the magazine to have a release button that allows you remove shells fromt he mag without cycling the bolt. Neat concept, hard to do out of the box. You have to push that release lever pretty hard to get ejection. Not sold on it yet, will let you know if it breaks in better.
The looks have been long debated, if your a traditionalist...dont buy it. But it flat is light and feels wonderful in my hands. Points unbelievably well, and has a shim kit in the box to design to your taste. It's really light yet appears to hold a line and swing exceptionally smooth despite it's light weight.
Recoil pad feels great. I'd suggest putting an aftermarket glow bead on it. If you put a sling on it, a standard super sling or something similar is too long. I customized a cabelas sling and it fits great.
In the next two weeks I intend on shooting on the skeet/trap range and then using on doves here in NE. I will give you my thoughts after the range night and after dove season on how it shoots. If all I could do is carry it aroiund and breakdown/assemble it...then Im luke warm to it. The rubber will be when it gets shot. I'll keep you informed.
TBo
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...plus you left out the short tail/long tail war...
