Benelli Raffaello
- Category
- Shotgun
- Barrel
- 711 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.90 kg
- Introduced
- 1987
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Benelli Raffaello is an Italian semi-automatic shotgun built on Benelli's patented inertia-driven operating system. Introduced in 1987 as a premium sporting and hunting gun, it combines the classic lines of the earlier Model 121 with a refined, low-maintenance action that cycles on the inertia generated by recoil rather than gas or moving barrel. Later variants adopted the cryogenically treated Crio barrel for tighter patterns and the ComforTech recoil-absorbing stock to reduce felt recoil and muzzle climb. Chambered for 2 3/4 inch 12 gauge shells, it is a favourite among upland and waterfowl hunters and clay shooters.
The Raffaello name is part of Benelli's tradition of naming high-end sporting shotguns after Italian Renaissance masters, here after the painter Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael). Its inertia-driven action traces back to Bruno Civolani's 1967 patent, the mechanism that came to define modern Benelli semi-autos.
The base Raffaello fires standard 2 3/4 inch (70 mm) loads and, unlike the Nova and SuperNova pump guns, is not rated for 3 inch magnum cartridges; magnum-capable comfort variants exist. Barrels are offered from roughly 18.5 to 28 inches and the gun ships with a multi-choke set (C, IC, M, IM, F).
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Benelli Armi SpA
- Category
- Shotgun
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1987
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 711 mm
- Overall length
- 1240 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.90 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Inertia operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 4
- Magazine
- Tubular
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminium alloy
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2560 J
- Effective range
- 40 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Inertia driven action
Interchangeable chokes
Crio treated barrel
Comfortech recoil stock
Vented rib
Red bar front sight
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 622 12 Gauge shotguns | 2.90 kg | 3.29 kg | Lighter than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 570 12 Gauge shotguns | 1240 mm | 1150 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 650 12 Gauge shotguns | 711 mm | 711 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 647 12 Gauge shotguns | 4 | 3 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Benelli Raffaello
How much does the Benelli Raffaello weigh?
The Benelli Raffaello weighs 2.90 kg (6.39 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Benelli Raffaello?
The Benelli Raffaello is chambered in 12 Gauge.
How many rounds does the Benelli Raffaello hold?
The Benelli Raffaello holds 4 rounds, fed from a tubular magazine.
How long is the Benelli Raffaello?
The Benelli Raffaello is 1240 mm (48.8 in) long overall, with a 711 mm (28.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Benelli Raffaello?
The Benelli Raffaello is made by Benelli Armi SpA (Italy). It was designed by Bruno Civolani.
When was the Benelli Raffaello introduced?
The Benelli Raffaello was introduced in 1987.
How does the Benelli Raffaello operate?
The Benelli Raffaello uses an inertia operated action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/benelli-raffaello' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "benelli-raffaello", "name": "Benelli Raffaello", "manufacturer": { "id": "benelli", "name": "Benelli Armi SpA", "countryCode": "IT", "foundedYear": 1967, "website": "https://www.benelliusa.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "5f08a63ece0051736f8d9999540da44cdb8fd0ff8028739abfd0a34bd79f0fdc" }, "category": { "id": "shotgun", "name": "Shotgun", "description": "Smoothbore firearms designed to fire shot or slugs" }, "country_of_origin": "IT", "year_introduced": 1987, "barrel_length_mm": 711, "weight_empty_g": 2900, "action_type": "inertia_operated"}