Benelli Releases its Revolutionary A.I. Barrel

To bird hunters who may have thought shotgun technology just couldn’t reach any further Benelli says, “Not so fast.” Actually, the company’s latest technological advancement, what it calls Benelli Advanced Impact, or A.I., does exactly that: it makes a shot column faster.

In 2025, Benelli will release the revolutionary new technology to many shotguns in its Super Black Eagle 3, Ethos and Cordoba lines. Benelli A.I. technology is a new approach to delivering shotgun ballistics by delivering a payload, says the company, “harder, faster and with greater downrange pellet density than traditional shotgun barrels.”

The secret lies in a new ballistic contour developed by Benelli that is integrated into the barrel bore. The new contour combines Benelli’s new Advanced Impact Crio chokes to enhance shot column velocity, which in turn will deliver more energy at the point of impact, as compared to conventional shotgun barrel designs.

Intense ballistic testing by the company has shown a 4 percent increase in velocity and 6 percent increase in energy at a meter beyond the muzzle, compared to a standard shotgun barrel. Combined, the result is up to 50 percent better penetration over payloads delivered by a standard barrel. Also, testing reveals that combining A.I. barrels with A.I. Crio chokes delivers more uniform shot columns. So, greater speed delivers greater energy, which delivers more pellets on target and more downed birds.

In 2025 Advanced Impact technology will be released on several Benelli shotguns including the Super Black Eagle 3 A.I. and the SBE3 A.I. Cerakote, two units that will make the SBE3, already the world standard, a veritable must-have for waterfowlers. Other models to feature Benelli A.I. include the Ethos Upland A.I., Performance Shop Ethos SuperSport A.I., Performance Shop Ethos Sport A.I. and Performance Shop Ethos Cordoba A.I. BE.S.T. (American Hunter’s 2025 Shotgun of the Year).

Advanced Impact is just the latest in a long list of technological innovations brought to market by Benelli engineers to enhance shotgun performance and shooting comfort. It joins a long list of achievements including its world-famous Benelli Intertia Driven system, Comfort Tech recoil reduction and BE.S.T. anti-corrosion coatings. To learn more about Benelli Advanced Impact technology visit BenelliUSA.com.