Benelli Vinci - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Enter stage right, the infamous Benelli Vinci. This futuristic looking shotgun first captured the attention of thousands due to its unorthodox appearance and fancy rectangular tube like case. The Benelli PR team boasted the Vinci's state of the art technology and revamped "inline" inertia driven system. After a few years shooting and manipulating this shotgun in various conditions, these are MY thoughts on the Benelli Vinci!


The Good
Alright lets dive into this. So there is a lot of good packed into this $1300 shotgun from Benelli, starting with the abnormal case. The case the gun comes with can only be described as a 4D rectangular tube that has been pulled out of a storage room on a Harvester infested spaceship (Independence Day movie reference for all you movie-goers). A slight exaggeration? Maybe. However, I do really enjoy this case. It is roughly 42" long and 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" wide/high. The case has 4 plastic latches, two areas for locks, and a carry handle. Upon opening the case you're greeted by a little Benelli leprechaun that springs out, makes a move for your wallet and then scampers off into the horizon...*humor*. Each half of the case houses different sections of the gun much like your regular, run of the mill cases. On one half is the spot for the barrel/receiver and the other holds the butt-stock, trigger group/stock, and choke tube set. Everything sits nice and tight in the case while being transported, so you don't have to worry about opening up the case and having parts go tumbling out...*cough cough Franchi I-12 cough cough*.












Enough with the case. The real excitement has to do with the revolutionary technology that Benelli has put into the Vinci. The main things being the shotgun’s 3-part design and the virgin inline inertia driven system.


So for your 3-part design you have:


1. Barrel, with the receiver mated to it.

2. Stock, with trigger pack and mag tube.

3. Butt-stock, when assembled holds it all together.




The 3-part design makes disassembly/assembly an absolute walk in the park. I am talking you can take this thing down in SECONDS. Simply rotate the magazine cap to the right to pull the stock from the barrel/receiver, then twist the barrel 45 degrees and it separates from the butt-stock and voila-- you have 3 parts ready to transport or clean. If you want to go a little more in depth you can apply pressure to the end of the bolt assembly, slide it out and then pull the charging handle out, and then you're set up to take the bolt apart and all that if you want to do a deep cleaning. With that being said, I will add for those of you that don't know, since this is an inertia gun, it’s going to run relatively cleanly because most of the fouling is going to be blown straight out of the barrel. Assembly is going to be the disassembly steps in reverse, with a few extra things you have to pay attention to.

As far as the new inline inertia system goes, it’s a pretty simple concept. It's pretty much the same as before (like on the SBE's or M2's) but now the bolt return spring can be found inside the receiver and is inline with the barrel. I think the reasoning behind this is that the system is more compact and doesn't stem back into the butt-stock anymore. Benelli's claims that this system reduces muzzle rise are probably true, but not entirely that noticeable when you're shooting lighter loads to begin with.

The weight and balance on the Vinci is pretty impressive, it weighs in at a mere 6.7lbs unloaded, which makes it rather enjoyable to carry around all day! The balance of the Vinci is one of my favorite things about the gun. There is just enough weight up front to aid in proper swinging but not too much where you start getting fatigued when shouldering it for an extended period of time. Personally, this gun shoulders very quickly and requires no adjusting to get on target. *Your experience may differ*

As far as quality goes, it's a Benelli...enough said. But really, the fit and finish is classic Benelli. The blue has stayed blued and uniform, the machining and tooling is all smoothed out and bur-less, and the "shiny" pieces have stayed "shiny" as ever (including the chrome lined barrel). The textured areas on the fore-grip and the spot where your fire-control hand rests feel nice and crisp and clean. Also, the beveled edges around the loading port are done very well and make for a pleasant reloading experience. The gun’s reliability and consistency are two of its best qualities-- I have never had an issue and I've gone through 750+ rounds with various loads.






The Bad
I will start with saying most, not all, but most of my issues have been resolved with the Benelli Super Vinci. However, we aren't talking about the Super Vinci and we are going to act like the Super Vinci doesn't exist for a second.

Now ergonomics is usual a pretty opinionated topic, however many, many others have voiced similar concerns with the Vinci's ergonomics. The trigger guard on this dog just isn't right It goes too far back and causes your fingers to be jammed in an awkward position that just worsens with every shot. On the foremost portion of the trigger guard you have your small, stiff and awkward safety. I have pretty big hands but the safety is still an awkward stretch of the finger to actuate it. Not only is it way too far up but it is very stiff and small, making for an unpleasant experience. Usually all semi-auto shotguns are stupid simple to use, and that's why I am making a bigger deal out of the cartridge stop latch. The cartridge stop latch is another piece that will make you scratch your head. For the longest time I thought it was simply the bolt release button. I mean I figured it had another purpose but I never cared that much to even look it up. However, upon learning what it does I started to mess with it. Basic run down: press forward on the lever and it works as your bolt release. Or, pull back with your fingernail on the tip of the rear portion of the lever without pressing it too far down whilst standing on one leg, spinning around in circles, counting backwards from 100, closing one eye and holding your tongue just right and the cartridge stop will release. I mean it is absolutely stupid, just stupid. It's almost like the Italian designers were just sitting around trying to figure out how to make the users look as stupid as possible. Much like how you press down on the front portion to actuate the bolt release, you should be able to do the same thing on the rear portion; just press down.




Another minor gripe is with the ComforTech stock Benelli and their cult-like following praise. Does it reduce felt recoil? Maybe, just maybe.. by 2%, if that. I do myself a favor and I only shoot light loads out of my Vinci (less than 1500fps). "You baby!", "Grow a pair!", "Murica!"... I can hear it already, I've shot heavier and higher velocity loads in the past and boy does this baby kick. If you have a bad shoulder or aren't a fan of getting drop kicked by a mule every time you pull the trigger, look for a gas operated gun or much heavier gun. It simply does not make the gun feel like you're shooting a 20G like Benelli claims. Force = mass x acceleration, and that’s the bottom line.

Last minor gripe: why couldn't Benelli include EXTENDED choke tubes on a gun that is fundamentally set up for waterfowl hunting? When you're in the field you don't want to be messing around with flush fit choke tubes and a choke wrench. Common sense.



The Fricken Ugly
Deep breath...The Vinci is a prime candidate to be an outstanding modular platform, except for one minor detail...Benelli decided to serialize the barrel. So, if you wanted to go buy a slug barrel or a shorter barrel for home defense you’d have to buy a whole new gun. This makes things very difficult because you could buy different barrels, stocks, and different-sized magazines relatively easy if the trigger group/stock portion was the serialized part. This would lend to the possibility of having a true do it all platform with a tried and true operating system. Now with Benelli's absolute failure to capitalize on a truly unique 3-part design, there are other manufacturers that stepped up and brought us modular systems. The FLEX system from Mossberg comes to mind. This to some people make the Vinci an irrelevant gun with a cool looking case.



Overall, I have been content with my Vinci. It’s a quality shotgun with very respectable reliability and can be taken down in mere seconds. It's hard not to like. However, with that being said, I feel like Benelli missed a huge opportunity with this one. They could have made this gun so much better, it really could have been the revolutionary shotgun everyone had to have. The little things haven't bothered me enough to sell it, but I can say that I am starting to look for greener pastures.

Benchmade SOCP - Worth it?

So you're browsing around on various online sites trying to find the perfect inside-the-waistband knife (IWB). You're trying to decide what your needs and wants are. Do you want a knife that is a jack of all trades and a master of none? Or do you want a knife that is a "master" of one and a jack of none. Can a knife even be a master? Or is it the mind and body behind the blade?...I digress. This is the situation I found myself in many months ago.

Enter Operation Locate IWB Knife. (original right?)

I knew for a fact I wanted an IWB knife, that was my only requirement when diving into this mission. I wasn't in the position to spend 500+ on a custom otherwise without a doubt that would have been the route I would have taken. To be specific, Teamguy Dom Raso (@domraso) with Dynamis Alliance designed, (@dynamisalliance) Adam Brown inspired, IWB Razorback blade brought to you by the one and only Daniel Winkler (@winklerknives). This hunk of 80CRV2 is in my opinion the best IWB knife you can buy. Clothed in beautiful black and red micarta scales with a total length of 7.25" and a blade length of 3.5". The price point on this bad boy was $549.99 if you wanted the trainer and IWB sheathe. The thing that turned me off the most was the 20 week wait.Yes it is indeed true all good things come with time, however, I wanted something right then and there.

Dynamis Blades- On left Dynamis Alliance Blade. On right Razorback Blade

Dynamis Alliance Razorback IWB position

Another thing that came into play was the uncertainty of how I would fair rocking a IWB blade. So I started browsing around with the bigger companies; Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, ZT and SOG. The problem with me blindly browsing around was I really didn't know what I was looking for. The more I looked the less I could find something I liked. I started to realize through looking at all my options what I wanted in this knife. I wanted a low profile, concealable, self defense blade. It seemed more and more like I should just bite the bullet and get myself a Razorback. Until I came across the Benchmade SOCP dagger (@benchmadeknifecompany), there was hope.

What turned me on to the SOCP dagger was the option of adding a "trainer" blade to my order, much like the Razorback. I buy into the idea of a trainer blade for safer practice; drawing from concealment and practicing different self defense scenarios especially when there is another person involved makes me feel slightly better. Another thing that drew me in was the designer, Greg Thompson. Greg is the creator of the Special Operatives Combative Program (SOCP), which in 2010 became the first officially designated combatives program for all U.S. Army Special Operations Forces. Now SOCP has been adopted by most, if not all, special forces groups along with local and federal law enforcement, ATF, FBI, border patrol and some private contractors.  Greg's personal achievements and credentials can alone cover an NYC billboard, from author to inventor Greg has a uncanny skill set. So with that being said I went ahead and ordered the black plain edged dagger with the trainer. This set up can be had on amazon for around the $124 mark (HERE).

When the SOCP dagger arrived, my first impressions were great! My excitement was excessive, I finally found a great EDC IWB knife...but did I really?

The SOCP dagger is crafted from 440C which is a decently hard stainless steel. The overall length of the dagger comes in around 7.25", with 3.22 of those inches dedicated for the blade and 4.03" remaining for the skeletonized handle. On this model both edges are slightly beveled... as in notably SLIGHTLY beveled. You have your classic ring style dagger for quicker deployment and for more of a positive/secure purchase when in use. The ring feature paired with the jimping running along the ring as well as the finger grooves of the handle make for a solid lockup in numerous conditions. The SOCP dagger is coated in a very durable finish which I can attest to. However I don't know the name of the coating because it isn't really listed anywhere. My second favorite feature of the blade is the fact that it weighs a mere 2.20oz. Combined with the sheath, my number one favorite feature, the SOCP dagger totals 3.24oz.

Benchmade SOCP Dagger  plain edge

The sheath is made up of an injection molded plastic, mostly likely ABS and is loaded with features. It was primarily designed to be an IWB sheath that rides very low on the waistline with only the ring feature exposed. The clip itself has a rubberized coating on it that meets with a serrated portion of plastic on the sheath itself to aid in gripping any clothing article it is attached to. The sheath also presents multiple lanyard tie in areas and is molle compatible.

Alright so I've been rambling about the specs and gave an primarily unbiased overview of the features of the SOCP dagger. So now its time to get into my actual thoughts and opinions of this dagger after carrying it and training with it for the last couple of months. I'm going to break it down into segments to make it easier for me.. and you sorta.

The Blade - This knife is meant for one thing and one thing only, self defense. In this set up, it is fundamentally a tool to stab with. That is literally the only use out of the box, and that is completely fine because that is what it is advertised for.  That is exactly why Benchmade can get away with 440c, yes not the worse steel in the world, but it is definitely not on my top 10. There is a company by the name of Spartan Blades who make a SOCP-esque dagger out of 154CM dubbed the CQB Tool. The dimensions are a tiny bit different but at first glance it is the same knife. The notable difference is going to be the sheath, Spartan Blades makes a kydex sheath exclusively for a molle configuration. Two other minute differences are the CQB Tool's edges, they are saber ground and are actually sharp in contrast to the SOCP dagger which is beveled but would have a hard time cutting out of a wet paper bag. Which is completely fine because it's only purpose in life is to be "pointy". The last difference being the coating on the blade, Spartan Blades uses their own in house PVD coating called the SpartaCoat.

Spartan Blades CQB Tool 

Okay, there is a reason I brought up Spartan Blades CQB Tool, they use 154cm. Now wouldn't that have been sweet if Benchmade used an 154cm for their SOCP dagger and took 20 more seconds on each bevel to put an edge on the dagger? Maybe, maybe not. The Benchmade dagger fits a certain bill in the industry being strictly a self defense tool. However with that being said, I feel like Benchmade could increase the overall value of the dagger by putting a functional edge on the knife. Since I was talking about the Razorback before I will use that for comparison. The Razorback was designed to be a self defense tool however it is still very functional as a utilitarian blade which makes it an outstanding EDC option. There has been many times where I have been without a folding knife and have went to grab for my SOCP dagger just to be disappointed when I couldn't cut through packing tape. After a couple months I went ahead and put a functional edge on my dagger and that is where my wish of better steel comes in. But its hard for me to argue that point when I know the blade was strictly designed for not cutting tape but punching threw layers of clothing and skin!

Overall I would say I am happy with the blade, is it what I had in mind when I was originally searching for an IWB knife? Not really. But it was advertised for one purpose only and it indeed excels at that. One of the most overlooked features of this knife is the ring feature, not only does it make for a quick and secure deployment but it always you to draw your firearm while having the SOCP dagger deployed. In other cases you would have to drop your knife or switch your knife out of your primary hand to draw your firearm which takes time. This allows you to first clear space with your SOCP dagger if confronted extremely close and then draw when you're able to without worrying about the knife in your hand.

Demonstrating the ease of use of the SOCP Dagger and firearm

So thumbs up for the blade!



The Sheath- My absolute favorite part of this knife! The sheath for the SOCP dagger is extremely versatile and has numerous capabilities that increase the knifes overall potential. You can run this knife on a molle rig or you can use the multiple lanyard holes to rig something up. A popular orientation is in the pockets of your pants, I personally am not a huge fan of this but if do run this configuration its in a rear pocket. My favorite way to carry this is at the one o'clock position IWB. I've clipped the dagger onto sweatpants, athletic shorts, dress pants and jeans. Not once have I ever had an issue with the sheath coming out with the knife when being deployed; this was pretty surprising especially on super thin athletic shorts. I've worked out with the knife in this position, done farm work and drove a couple hundred miles at a time and had a positive experience doing so, with the occasional nut pinch from being in the one o clock position.

SOCP Dagger being ran on a molle mag pouch

SOCP Dagger in horizontal position on belt loops

SOCP Dagger IWB carry  one o'clock

There are pros and cons of this dagger riding so low on the waistline, the cons being the dagger is riding low on your waist line...so you have 6 inches of injection molded plastic in your pants but only 1 inch above the waist. The pro of this is that you can bend over without getting poked in the stomach but when you go to sit down if you're not oriented right, that six inches can do some damage to the boys downstairs. But that's all relative on how you carry and your body's build.


The Overall-  I have put this knife to use and trained with it quite a bit, it is outstanding for the lone purpose of self protection. With that being said, would I buy it again? My answer is undecided, I really want to say yes, but I feel like it just wasn't what I was looking for. The more I think about it the more I'm convinced the Razorback is the way I want to go. I would buy it over the Spartan Blades CQB tool just for the sheath alone. I also really enjoy the lightweight nature of the SOCP Dagger, that is definitely something that will be gravely missed when hopefully carrying the Razorback!


Well if you've made it this far through my rambling I do appreciate it and hopefully it helped someone out there interested in this dagger! Check out @maplevalleyhunt and @maplevalleyaxeworks on instagram to get updates on what's going on in the MVH world.

-Cheers