POTD: Magical Engineering Marvel – The Benelli B76
Sam.S 06.21.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a really cool inertial locking pistol. This is the Benelli B76. The Benelli Model B76 stands out as an inertia-driven pistol, which contrasts with most contemporary mechanisms. This particular pistol belongs to the B-series family, with its larger counterparts proving to be highly effective in competitive and target shooting. The reasoning behind the company’s decision to produce these pistols remains somewhat mysterious, lacking definitive confirmation other than the fact that they possessed the capability to do so. While it is possible that military contracts may have played a role, the complexity and high cost of the Benelli B76 deterred its widespread adoption within the military and law enforcement sectors. Despite being somewhat finicky due to their reliance on inertia for operation, these pistols still found favor as preferred competition handguns.
“Manufacturer: Benelli
Model: B 76
Type: Pistol
Gauge: 9 mm parabellum
Barrel: 4 1/4 inch round
Finish: blue
Grip: walnut”
Lot 10: Benelli Model B 76 Semi-Automatic Pistol with Box. (n.d.-a). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved June 20, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/2024/10/benelli-model-b76-semiautomatic-pistol-with-box.
