The Benelli Click
The potential problems are described in Benelli's own patent, from firearms designer Luigi Moretti.
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Publication number |
US20140251118 A1 |
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Publication type |
Application |
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Application number |
US 14/189,586 |
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Publication date |
Sep 11, 2014 |
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Filing date |
Feb 25, 2014 |
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Priority date |
Mar 8, 2013 |
[0002]
Rotating bolts are found in gas-operated, recoil-operated, bolt action, lever-action and pump-action weapon designs.
Conventional rotating head bolts, applied to hunting rifles, in fact have shown some anomalies in operation due to particular situations that can occur during hunting activities.
[0010]
It has been observed that, when carrying the rifle on one's shoulder with the muzzle directed upward, due to an impact, for example caused by the hunter jumping over a ditch, the rotating head might disengage from the locked position, ready for firing. That happens because the rotating head is not blocked by the recovery spring and is able to retract, with the lugs disengaging from the seats of the barrel extension.
[0011]
If this occurs, and the hunter does not notice, when it is time to fire, the bolt is not locked and the firearm will not fire. If the animal does not flee immediately, certainly it flees when it hears the forced re-locking of the bolt by the hunter.
[0012]
In order to lock the bolt manually, the hunter has to act on it, moving it backward and then sharply pushing it forward, to ensure that the rotating head returns to the locked position.
[0013]
An additional problem of such action is that, in general, it is not easy to lock the bolt with a slow and quiet motion, because the rotating head tends to stop in the position that corresponds to the entry plane of the seats provided in the barrel, without completing the locking, because the lugs or lugs of the rotating head are not aligned with said seats. This occurs because the rotating head lacks the residual energy to complete the rotation and translation needed to allow the insertion of the lugs in the seats of the barrel.
[0014]
Such problem may occur if the hunter wishes, for example, to change the cartridge to adapt it to the target that becomes available and must do so silently to avoid startling the animal. However, the hunter might be unable to re-load the firearm with a slow and consequently silent motion and might be forced to push the bolt sharply into the locking position, thus startling the animal and causing the target to flee.
The above is directly from the patent assigned to Benelli. It is a known problem, the degree of which varies by specific brand and model based on the Bruno Civolani kinetic action or “inertial action.” In the case of my Benelli M2 20 gauge, the gun comes out of battery just by shaking it up and down. Add in wet, dirty hunting conditions and low-quality ammo, you are looking at a higher probability of problems. Benelli has addressed this in the referenced patent, adding a springed ball and detent to the action in the 3 inch chambered Benelli Ethos.
To quote the patent, it is an improved rotating locking head that “comprises a ball inserted in a radial hole formed in said bolt body; said ball being biased by a bias spring that is contrasted by a rivet forced in said radial hole, said ball abutting at an opening formed on the inner surface of said longitudinal hole at said radial hole; said ball abutting the surface of said shaft when said rotating head is in said open position; when said rotating head moves towards said locked position, said ball being located at an inclined plane formed on said front surface of said notch of the shaft and, biased by said bias spring, said ball acts on said inclined plane, causing said rotating head to rotate, facilitating its translation toward the breech plane in order to complete the locking.” A shorter way of saying this is springed ball and detent. This arrangement is also used in the disastrous Benelli SBE3 that commonly doesn't shoot anywhere close to where it is pointed. Now, about one year later, Benelli still cannot fix the problem and it doesn't seem like they care: http://randywakeman.com/TheDesignDefectoftheBenelliSuperBlackEagle3.htm .
The Ethos, covered here http://www.randywakeman.com/ReviewBenelliEthos12GaugeAutoloader.htm , does not have the Benelli Click. However, the Benelli Ethos basic black has an MSRP of $1999 and the nickel is $2099. The 20 and 28 gauge models are available in nickel only, with an MSRP of $2199. Apparently, the Ethos bolt can be used in other 3 inch Benelli inertia guns: I personally have not tried it. It sells for $576 from Midwest Gun Works, https://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/prod/60434 and that just isn't worth it to most shooters. For the current $1900 street price of the Ethos itself, there are several much more appealing options available.
You might think that by now, four years after the launch of the Ethos, Benelli would have updated the bolts on their entire “Simply Perfect” line. Sadly and strangely, they have not bothered to do so. In the case of the SBE3, the bolt update is of no consolation to those stuck with a gun that blows patterns a foot high (or more) with no solution available. It is currently a thoroughly miserable Benelli mess.
Copyright 2018 by Randy Wakeman. All Rights Reserved.
