Benelli Vinci Shooting Too High - Help!

[upland_SD]

Hello Everyone,

I have a Benelli Vinci and it's shooting 8 inches high at 21 yards with a modified choke. I really love the gun and don't mind working with it, but this is an irritating problem to say the least for an upland game hunter.

All the shotguns I own shoot exactly where I point them - and after 25 years I'm not sure I want to re-learn. I thought this Vinci was being promoted as a field gun, in my opinion it's shooting like a trap gun. I've tried several different shells and the best pattern by far is the Fiocchi, however it still shoots too high.

I played with the shims... I currently have the "CDX" shim in there and it helped the most. The shim that came installed in the gun was shooting 11 inches too high. I'm not sure what else I can do with this gun to lower the point of impact, I'm hoping some of you might have some suggestions, I'm willing to play with it for a while I suppose. I read elsewhere that maybe a taller hi vis type sight might help me.

That's it for now, hope to hear some promising news.

[hognutz]

I had the same problem with my Vinci, although not as bad. Mine delivered about 80% over my point of aim. I put the thickest shim in before I even shot the gun, knowing that I need all the drop I can get. It was also too high for my liking. I ordered a Nova bead from Brownells. They are bigger in diameter, and will lower the point of impact. I ended up putting a Champion Easy Hit sight on the Vinci, and it worked out perfectly for me. Plus it is fiber optic and really gets your attention. If you are shimmed with the thickest shim, the next move is to get a larger front sight. The Nova sight at Brownells is around $10, The Easy Hit is $20 and available at Cabelas or most anywhere. Get the 3mm, not the 2.5mm. I have a problem with shotguns that shot high. They have to shoot where I am pointing. Too many years of hunting with guns that did. A personal thing I guess...GOOD LUCK...

[Uncle Russ]

In my experience most of such problems have to do with the fit of the gun to the shooter. If the provided shims don't work very often a good gunsmith, especially one familiar with fitting SxS guns, can machine a shim for you that'll give you the proper drop.

Uncle Russ

[Unobtanium]

Optic. Put an optic on it.

Seriously though, I think the custom shim would be the way to go. A bird gun is meant to be lively, natural, and fit the shooter like an extension of their own body. If it won't do that with a factory shim, get one that will. Correcting POI with a different sight is just a band-aid for a poorly "fitted" weapon imho.

[upland_SD]

hognutz, thanks for the info, I'm glad I found someone that has experienced the frustration, LOL.

Question: at this point are you using the Easy Hit Site exclusively and not the Nova bed? Or, are you using both sights? Just want to be sure I move in the right direction with this. Does your Vinci now shoot exactly where you point it, and what is your pattern like? Is your gun shooting where you point it with your Modified and Improved Cylinder Chokes?

And for the other comments, I have to tell you, my father passed away ten years ago, he was a machinist for 40 years, he would have made me a shim easily. I have to agree, the shim is the way to go if it would work. Does the shim just need to be thicker on top only? I do have the thickest shim in there now. I asked Benelli if they had more shims for the gun and they said NO.

Let me know!

[hognutz]

I use the Easy Hit sight only. It brought my pattern down to where it needed to be. The Nova sight is a tad bigger, more obtrusive, and does not glow like the Easy Hit. I have the Easy Hit on an SBE ll and really like it. I hunt with the mod. choke and that is the choke that I patterned the gun with. I have not shot the imp. Cyl. The mod. choke shoots about 60% above point of aim. I can live with that. Now as far as a thicker shim goes. I am not sure how thick you can go with a custom shim, because the barrel screws on at that point. If it gets too thick you may have problems with the barrel going on. Not sure, but it looks like it could be a potential problem. If I were you, I would try the Easy hit. When you get it, electrical tape it on your rib and try it. That way if it does not work for you, it is not wrecked. If it does work, then you can glue it on as instructed. I agree to a point that it is the fit that creates the problem. But, you can only go so low with the drop. When my cheek is where it is supposed to be, and the gun shoots high, time for plan "B". I guess most trapshooters like the high shooting gun as do some wingshooters, Not this old coot. Because you do shoot them like it is an extension of you arm, they need to shoot where I point. Period. Believe me I can smell what your steppin' in!!! Good luck and let me know how it turns out... Mike

[upland_SD]

Hognutz, thanks for the good advice. I ordered the Easy Hit earlier today so I'll be playing with it soon - good tip about the electrical tape! How high was your gun shooting before you installed the Easy Hit? I would have thought the Nova bead would have lowered your point of impact more than the Easy Hit no? When you say your Vinci is throwing 60% of the pattern high, are you floating the target above the bead, or are you putting the bead right in the center of the target?

How long have you been shooting your gun, are you getting accustomed to the way it shoots, is it feeling like it's an extension of your arm? LOL, I can tell that you were frustrated with your gun, I'm glad you got it dialed-in! I think I shoot as you do, the gun needs to shoot where I point it, 25 years of shooting like that, it would take me time to re-learn.

I haven't shot trap in ten years, after a few boxes I started to figured the Vinci out, I was getting 23 out of 25 shots which I thought was ok. All pumped-up I went for a Valley Quail hunt and I was missing easy shots. LOL, its like you said and in addition to that I think my memory in my muscles are dialed in to my other gun!

Looking forward to your response.

[hognutz]

I do not float the target. I put the bead right where I intend to hit.The Nova bead will lower the POI even more, but in my case, it was not needed. I've had the Vinci about 3 months and have about 1000 rounds through it. All trap loads of different varieties. No problems whatsoever! When you shoot one way for that long, it is near impossible to shoot a fast flushing bird any other way than instinctively. You don't have time to think which gun am I hunting with and where in the **** do I have to aim to kill this thing. I hunt grouse in heavy timber. Flush, point, shoot. No time to think, just react... It is imperative that it shoots where I point it. Hope the Easy Hit works for you. Let me know how it works out.

[upland_SD]

Thanks for taking the time to respond again. Just have one more question and I'll get out of your life Does the front Nova sight just screw in to the Vinci? I think I found the Nova sight, unfortunately there is no pic! Is this the one? My Vinci might be shooting higher than yours, therefore I want to see what's involved with the Nova sight if the Easy Hit doesn't work for me.

Agree with you on the fast flushing-birds, sometimes when I hit those Quails I wonder how in the heck I got them. Flush - boom-boom!

[upland_SD]

Sorry, here's the link: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/cid=8...Sights/BENELLI