Benelli Goes Over/Under With New 828U Shotgun

Benelli has made waves in the shotgun world with the release of their first-ever over/under shotgun at the 2015 SHOT Show.

The new Benelli 828U is a modernized take on the classic over/under that introduces several new technological innovations to the double-barrel platform to improve reliability and performance.

For starters, Benelli has equipped the 828U with a patented new locking mechanism that incorporates a free-floating locking plate. The new locking plate has four contact points with the barrel, resulting in a completely tight seal to the shotgun's mono-block and a stronger overall design. Because of this, Benelli's engineers were able to use a much lighter aluminum frame, leading to the 828U's slight 6.5-pound weight.

The 828U is also the first-ever over/under to come with a shim system. Similar to the shims found in semiautos, this system allows the user to adjust the cast and drop of the stock to more than 40 different positions.

Unlike the levers found on traditional over/under shotguns that re-cock the gun by breaking open the barrels, the 828U features a redesigned lever that re-cocks the hammers. This design reduces the likelihood of failure by removing linkages that have been known to fail in previous over/under designs.

Additional features include impulse-driven ejectors for increased reliability, Benelli's Progressive Comfort System for recoil reduction and a removable trigger group. The 828U also sports Crio free-floating and ventilated barrels, a carbon-fiber rib and a fiber-optic sight.

The Benelli 828U is available in two styles — one with an anodized black receiver and one with a nickel-plated receiver — and in 26- and 28-inch barreled versions. The anodized version in both barrel lengths is available for $2,499, while the nickel-plated variants are available for $2,999.