12 January 2024

828 U Lock Plate

Initially used on the 828 U Silver and 828 U Black, the Lock plate is the mechanical innovation that most characterizes the Benelli over-and-unders.

The 828 U, in addition to being remembered as the first Benelli over-and-under, has entered the history of the evolution of tilting firearms, since a set of novelties and patents are all merged in a traditional type of weapon.

Lock Plate is one of them and is certainly an innovation appreciated by most hunters and shooters.

Lock plate represents innovation and safety and breaks the pattern over traditional over-and-unders.

The Lock Plate locking system alters the category standard and that’s how a new Italian over-and-under model is born. The device in its simplicity is genius, cancels out the mechanical stresses on the receiver and keeps the strength unchanged over time.

But let's dig deeper into more detail and discover some peculiarities together.

How is Benelli Lock Plate made?

The Lock plate closure is made from a steel plate that carries a horizontal cradle-shaped lug and has two bosses one on each side.

The single-piece unit is a complex-shaped component made with very tight tolerances (like the whole gun) and characterized by two cylindrical “protrusions” on which the barrels are installed.

The patented locking system consists of a plate that perfectly seals the single-piece unit.

How does the Benelli over-and-under locking system work?

When the weapon is closed, the plate engages the bottom of the assembly with the horizontal lug, while its upper part slides into a slot under the two upper hangers of the barrel assembly. By doing so, the ‘flesh’ of the breech is literally sealed and the plate-barrel assembly forms a separate unit that, under recoil, loads the front of the receiver.

What benefits does this revolutionary system bring about?

The firing pressure remains contained in the plate/ single-piece unit reducing stress on the swivel pins. By incorporating this system into an aluminum or steel receiver it was possible to create an extremely strong and perfectly balanced over-and-under.

The containment of stress within the combustion chamber also ensures a constant and unchanged opening of the barrels.

The closure of the 828 U guarantees exceptional safety margins; given the type of anchoring of the plate to the single-piece unit, superlative mechanical features were necessary, as the mechanical characteristics of the barrels had to be top-notch.

The structure of the single-piece unit on the barrels is designed in such a way that it undergoes an integral and non-localized tempering.

Tempering is a special process that allows the hardening of the particular piece making it much stronger and more durable.

One more important feature to consider is that this treatment does not affect component tolerances while keeping dimensional features.

On top of that, the integral tempering of the Lock Plate increases the resistance to gas cracks resulting from the cartridge explosion and avoids any corrosion principle.

The choice of materials and heat treatments have enabled the objectives to be achieved with zero burden, because the 828 U single-piece unit is completely different from the traditional ones where the pipes are plugged into the single-piece unit sleeves; on 828 U it is the “extensions” of the single-piece unit to be plugged into the pipes.

Is the Lock Plate present in all Benelli over-and-unders?

The Lock Plate is the locking system in all of the Benelli over-and-unders, but since the company does not limit itself with any restrictions on improvements, some innovative features have come about as well.

This is a further guarantee of an excellent qualitative durability of the weapon.

The 828 U range was released in 2015 with the presentation of 828 U Silver and 828 U Black two versions of an over-and-under shotgun intended to make its mark, followed by 828 U Sport, the innovative over-and-under designed for Sporting and Compak Sporting.

The 828 U Beccaccia available in 12 gauge and 20 gauge, dedicated to the hunting of the Queen of the Forest, then the 828 U 20, fast, instinctive and balanced, that ensures unparalleled performance in reaching the target and finally the 828 S A.I. Silver, equipped with the innovative Benelli Advanced Impact, a new patented system of barrel and choke to dominate even the most challenging targets.

What else is there to say about the Lock Plate patent? Benelli looked further and created a range of innovative over-and-unders that will last for a long long time.