List of products by brand Benelli

Benelli is an Italian firearms manufacturer best known for producing premium semi-automatic shotguns favored by military, law enforcement, and high-end civilian shooters. The company's reputation is built on its innovative Inertia Driven operating system, which is renowned for its reliability, simplicity, and ease of cleaning. Its most famous models include the M4 (M1014), the standard-issue combat shotgun for the U.S. Marine Corps, and the Super Black Eagle line, a benchmark for waterfowl hunters.

Benelli Armi SpA was founded in 1967 in Urbino, Italy, by the Benelli brothers, who were previously known for manufacturing motorcycles. They entered the firearms market with a clear goal: to revolutionize the semi-automatic shotgun.

Their success is almost entirely attributed to the Inertia Driven system, an ingenious operating mechanism developed by engineer Bruno Civolani. Unlike gas-operated systems that bleed propellant gases to cycle the action, Benelli's system uses the kinetic energy (inertia) from the shotgun's recoil. This "in-line" design has far fewer moving parts, resulting in several key advantages:

• Reliability: It is less prone to fouling from carbon buildup, allowing it to function reliably for thousands of rounds without cleaning.

• Lightweight: The absence of heavy gas pistons and linkages allows for a lighter and more streamlined design.

• Versatility: It can reliably cycle a wide range of ammunition, from light target loads to heavy magnum hunting shells.

While the Inertia Driven system is the company's hallmark (used in models like the M2 Field and Super Black Eagle 3), Benelli also produces the M4 combat shotgun. The M4 uses a different system, A.R.G.O. (Auto-Regulating Gas-Operated), which was specifically designed to meet the U.S. Marine Corps' rigorous M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun contract requirements.

Acquired by Beretta Holding in 2000, Benelli operates as a premium brand within the group. Today, its product line has expanded to include rifles, but it remains the world's foremost authority on tactical, hunting, and sporting semi-automatic shotguns.