The Wolf was born by taking on the predator's instinct and its camo appearance is reminiscent in some ways of some African felines that use camouflage and the efficiency of their body as their extra weapon against their prey.
When Benelli decided to enter the rifled bolt action sector, and did so by designing a platform, that of the Lupo, capable of guaranteeing a competitive advantage over its competitors, an advantage that was realized with numerous solutions that we were able to appreciate during the Hunting Test Adventure 2023, also present on the BE.ST Grey Elevated II.
The Lupo, already subjected to our test last year in the elegant BE.ST Wood version, is the synthesis of the great tradition Benelli in innovation and as such it does not disappoint expectations. We tested it in the popular .308 Win caliber and we would like to point out right away that it is also offered in 6,5 Creedmoor, 30-06 Sprg and .300 Win Mag.
The tested caliber weighs just under 3.200 grams, perfect for both stalking and hunting. The gun's weight ensures effective stability when shooting.
The Lupo, as you can see at first glance, is not your typical bolt-action rifle. The stock is separated from the forend and the receiver, a first in this industry, opening up innovative approaches. This is the key feature Benelli was able to introduce the concept of Perfect Fitting, thus achieving total ergonomics for the user. This is thanks to the possibility of multiple configurations of cast and drop that achieve the best possible set-up for the hunter's build and shooting posture. 252 possible configuration combinations, including those allowed by comb and butt pads, are quite a few.
In the BE.ST Grey Elevated II version, the stock and forend are made of technopolymer, with an Optifade Elevated II pattern specifically designed to obscure the vision of deer in dense vegetation and high-contrast light. Observing the gun in the hands of a colleague in such situations confirms that the camouflage effect is decidedly excellent. Furthermore, the aluminum receiver, covered in the same camo, also contributes to this result.
The buttstock incorporates the Progressive Comfort system, capable of reducing recoil, vibrations and muzzle climb in a single system. Furthermore, the BE.ST Grey Elevated II is offered with a polyurethane comb, particularly useful when the hunter, training at the shooting range or for calibrating the scope, fires a good number of shots in succession. The grip is remarkable thanks to the proposed checkering, which is the celebrated Air Touch by BenelliWhat the company claims, namely that it promotes airflow between the hand and the pistol grip or forend, is definitely noticeable in practice. For those who want it, the stock allows for the quick installation of a sling and/or a bipod.
The action has in its upper part two sections of picatinny rail capable of accommodating the optics that the hunter most desires, but on the same it is also possible to install bases such as Remington 700.
When disassembling the rifle at the range, the shape of the bolt immediately catches the eye. Its tapered central portion gives it an elegant appearance, but also offers the advantage of allowing the magazine to be positioned high enough to ensure the first round is inserted in line with the chamber. Movement is smooth, and the locking action is provided by three lugs that release with a 60° rotation thanks to the ergonomic handle. The detachable magazine, with an easy-to-use front release button, holds 5 rounds and is integrated seamlessly into the chassis. Being black, it stands out from the rest of the camouflage surfaces but does not compromise the overall camouflage of the weapon. It holds up to 5 rounds in the .308 Win caliber we tested, and 4 in the .300 Win Mag.
The good number of rounds fired at the 100 and 200 meter ranges allowed us to appreciate the smoothness of the direct trigger, which, in our test, was set at a midpoint between 990 and 2.000 grams. The safety is also very easy to operate, ambidextrous and sliding to two positions that lock both the trigger and the bolt.
The matte, anti-glare barrel is cryogenically treated, a guarantee of high performance and vibration uniformity. The efficient BE.ST treatment applies to the metal parts; we've always seen it in glossy black, but on this rifle we appreciated the possibility of other colors, in this case matte Metal Grey, highly visible along the entire length of the barrel.
Unfortunately, we didn't get to hunt ungulates as planned with this rifle, but we can share our impressions at the range. It was easy to quickly gain confidence with the Lupo BE.ST Grey Elevated II without having to experiment with drop and comb configurations, but this, as mentioned, would have been possible. The shooting sessions also allowed us to appreciate the barrel's excellent cooling speed. The results at 100 meters were within the MOA, but the gun certainly could have performed better. The need to move on to testing other weapons Benelli The limitations of the program prevented us from having more time to refine our shooting accuracy. It's fair to say that, after last year's test with the BE.ST Wood version, this BE.ST Grey Elevated II has also far exceeded our expectations, demonstrating, even if it didn't need to, that the list price, just over €2.000, is more than justified given the technology incorporated into the gun.
