Benelli World Cup 22

[Brian James]

I’m writing to ask a couple of questions related to the Benelli MP90 in 22lr. I used to own one in 32 several years and enjoyed shooting it but it was hard on brass.

Fast forward a few years, I’ve been asked by a younger shooter my opinion on selecting a pistol for ISSF Std pistol and possibly as a Rapid Fire pistol (recreational RF). I know Pardini is king in Rapid, but his funds limit him to the Chiappa FAS 6007 and Benelli MP90. I own an MG2 and Pardini, but have no either with the FAs 6007 nor the 22Lr Benelli.

All this to say could people share their experiences with either the FAS6007 vs Benelli MP90.

Lastly, has the Benelli design or features evolved at all in recent years? The 32 as I recall was a very is fast cycling pistol, but it appears to have never gained favour by RF shooters or in the 25m pistol event (Sport).

Thanks Brian

[JKR]

I own both the 22&32 MP90. However I’m a bullseye shooter and have had very little experience in the type of competition you’re talking about. I can tell you that I personally like the Benelli over the Pardini. I’ve owned it for nine years and have shot thousands of rounds with it. Support here in the states is not so good right now. If it’s the same in Canada, you may want to go with the Pardini for that reason. You can expect broken firing pins and worn extractors with the Benelli. Keep a good buffer in it and it will soldier on. I once owned a FAS 602 that I regret selling. I’m curious about the new one from Chiappa. I have yet to lay eyes on one.
Good luck.
Jim

[Hamster]

Brian -- I'm in Canada too (Vancouver), and for a new ISSF shooter would recommend a used target pistol, especially the Unique DES 69. There are plenty of them in Canada (thanks to Trade Ex, I assume) and I sure like mine. A fellow league member who owns both a Hammerli International and the Unique finds he scores higher with the Unique. Me too. With a 250g weight hanging off the front, the Unique doesn't flip much in rapid fire. The Unique is also better than my S&W Model 41, because of the lower bore axis. The stock grip on the Unique is really good, better than the Herrett grip I've put on the 41. Those three guns are all older designs with the mag in the grip frame. I"m not sure about the FAS 602, which is available in Canada as well. A brand new Pardini or Walther would certainly be very nice. Their recoil damping probably helps the most capable shooters do even better. A new Benelli would be nice too -- it doesn't have any recoil damping, but does have the mag forward. For most of us it probably makes sense to spend $600 or so on an older used pistol like the DES, and see where that takes you, before spending $2,000+ on a new one. And these older pistols can certainly produce higher scores than the new ones, depending who's behind the sights. In our league the top scorers are all shooting Walthers or Pardinis, but with our Uniques we are placing ahead of others using the newer guns.

[Gwhite]

The Benelli MP90 has been my favorite .22 for a couple decades. I have a Pardini as well, but it just doesn't shoot as well for me as the Benelli. The college team I help coach has over 20 Benelli .22's, and they've won multiple National Championships with them.

The problem is that for a while the factory appeared to have abandoned their pistol line. It's very difficult to get parts. They seem to have added the pistols back onto their web site, so maybe they are back in the pistol business. I would investigate that before buying one.

My new favorite .22 pistol is the MatchGun MG2, but they are still getting some of the bugs out of the latest (EVO) version. I've been evaluating two of them as possible replacements for the team's older Benellis. I've never shot a .22 that has such quick, mild recoil, and it is very "forgiving" in the way it shoots. Shots that would have been a 9 with the Benelli (or an 8 with the Pardini) seem to find the 10 ring with remarkable regularity. One of the two MG2's works flawlessly, but the second one has had issues from day 1. I've had several parts break, and only recently got a replacement extractor tuned so it's reliable. I've been providing feedback to the factory via the US importer (who has been providing exceptional service), and I hope they get things sorted out soon.

[Brian James]

Hi Gwhite and Hamster,

Thanks for the replies. I was a fairly early adopter of the MG2 and MG2RFE. Even imported a few from the factory for personal use. My RFE is incredibly reliable but over the past ten years the MG2 has evolved significantly and parts are not interchangeable always. However I didn’t buy it thinking the design would remain unchanged for years. I drank the MG blue Kool aid. Your comment about it having mild recoil is spot on and I’m glad to see it being used in BE shooting now. The 6” barrel from the factory in 22 and 32 is a kn advantage.

As a side note, I had the privilege of visiting their factory about 10 years ago.

Back to the Chiappa vs Benelli deviate, the young man I’m helping shouldn’t consider the MG2 for now given the limited dealer support if he gets a lemon. He would like a new pistol so that eliminates the great suggestions by Hamster which I appreciate and agree with.

The Benelli is tempting because as we live in the same city as the gunsmith who performs the factory servicing of Benelli and Beretta firearms.

The Chiappa FAS 6007 appealing because of the price point and his ability to try local shooters FAS 602, 603 and 607.

Brian

[Gwhite]

If you have good local support and can verify that the factory hasn't abandoned them, I'd go for the Benelli in a heart beat.