Wood pigeon hunting is an great opportunity to test out the new Benelli BE Diamond, a semiautomatic shotgun designed to deal with any type of environment and hunting thanks to its characteristics. Considering above all its shooting comfort level and ballistic performance we wanted to use it in a hunt where it can really play a leading role.
The model Raffaello BE Diamond is probably the most durable Benelli ever made: Exquisite, distinctive, unrivalled. The first shotgun to feature BE.S.T. (Benelli Surface Treatment) the exclusive full, protection treatment that gives the barrel and breech superior resistance to corrosion, abrasion and wear.
Benelli BE Diamond: features and shooting experience
The standard weight – about 2,9 kg – of the Raffaello BE Diamond 12 gauge makes it a stable gun when shooting second shots. It’s also easy to wield thanks to its balance and slim design coupled with the checkering that provides a good grip even in difficult environmental or weather conditions.
The Power Bore cryogenic barrels are available in three different lengths (65/70/76 cm). They are steel rated, with 76 mm magnum chambers so that they are capable of firing loads from 28 to 56 grams, and equipped with 7 cm Criochoke chokes. The upper rib is carbon fiber and features a high-visibility fiber optic front sight. For our field test we had a 70 cm barrel with a 4-star choke.
Retail prices start at 2.450 euro (prices may vary from country to country and applicable Sales Tax).
When hunting woodpigeons it happens that in a few moments you have several shooting opportunities. For this reason the larger loading port is very useful, allowing the hunter to stay focused by reloading the shotgun quickly and easily.
In the BE Diamond the cartridges contained in the magazine tube are always visible and can be checked thanks to the Window System, a transparent window along the lower part of the forend. A key feature of this new semiautomatic is the BE.S.T. protective and aesthetic surface treatment, conceived by Benelli to ensure resistance and minimum maintenance to the gun even when hunting in extreme conditions. From this technology derives the “Diamond” name, since the shotgun assumes characteristics similar to a diamond: high hardness, gloss finish and corrosion resistance, without the need for maintenance with protective oil. We used standard 12 ga loads, Baschieri & Pellagri 36 grams cartridges that gave us the opportunity to appreciate not only the speed of the action but also the comfort of this new gun.
The ComforTech 3 third generation full comfort system provides a new interchangeable comb featuring a high shock absorption capacity on the cheek, adapting to each shooter’s style. We will keep the pleasant reminder of the satisfactions we had when hunting the pigeons thanks to the good feeling with the BE Diamond and we hope that our video will show it.
For more information about BE Diamond hunting shotgun, visit the Benelli website.
