Benelli

Guide Note:

Based in Urbino, Italy and founded in 1967, Benelli is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Beretta Group. The company manufactures high quality shotguns valued by civilian, law enforcement and military users worldwide. Benelli developed and engineered a proprietary semi-automatic system for its shotguns that allows the shooter a choice of semi-automatic or pump-action operation. Semi-auto is used with full-load shells, to absorb some of the gas recoil. Pump-action is used with less than full-load shells, such as rubber bullets, that don’t generate enough gas recoil to cycle the semi-automatic mechanism. The Benelli M4 Super 90 was adopted by the U.S. Military in 1998 and designated as the M1014 Combat Shotgun. Political considerations have restricted the number that M1014 shotguns that can be imported for purchased yearly, resulting in the M1014 being available as standard issue only for the Marine Corps and units of U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The M1014 Combat Shotgun was also designated as the Joint Service Combat Shotgun by the Tank-automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) in August 1999. Exhibition shooter Tom Knapp has set three Freestyle Target Shooting world records using Benelli shotguns. In the most recent he launched 10 clay targets into the air, one handed yet, and shot all 10 targets with individual shots in 2.2 seconds. Fast Facts:

1. Founded in 1967
2. Is privately owned by the Beretta Group, since 1983
3. The United States and Italy are the only countries with direct sales operations
4. In France and Spain sales operations are in conjunction with corporate parent Beretta Group
5. Has a full-time sales presence in 74 countries
6. More than 130 models in current production
7. Controls more than 20% of the world’s semiautomatic shotgun market
8. More than 90% of local law enforcement S.W.A.T. units in the U.S. possess at least one Benelli shotgun

Military Facts

1. Benelli is certified to ISO 9001 and NATO AQAP 2110 standards
2. The Benelli M4 Super 90 has been adopted by the U.S. Military
3. The M1014 Combat Shotgun was designated the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun in 1999
4. The M1014 is standard issue for the U.S. Marine Corps