The Benelli Montefeltro is the gun that built Benelli's reputation in America: slim, light, walnut-stocked, and powered by the Inertia Driven System. This 12 gauge configuration is the shortest-barreled, lightest 12-gauge in the Montefeltro line — a 26" gloss blued barrel on a blue anodized receiver with satin walnut, weighing just 6.5 pounds with 4+1 capacity. Benelli item number 10881, UPC 650350108811.

Inertia Driven — Clean, Reliable, Adjustment-Free

The Montefeltro runs the same operating system Benelli puts in guns costing twice as much. The Inertia Driven System uses just three main parts — bolt body, inertia spring, and rotating bolt head — with no gas ports, no pistons, and nothing to tune. It burns clean, stays light, and keeps running season after season. Benelli's own framing is blunt: an Inertia-Driven shotgun is clean, reliable, and adjustment-free. The gun is chambered for 2¾" and 3" shells with a minimum recommended load of 3-dram, 1-1/8-oz.

Crio System Barrel and Chokes

Benelli cryogenically treats barrels and choke tubes under the Crio System, relieving the stresses left by hammer forging so the bore becomes more even-grained. A slicker surface means less resistance to wads and shot, less plastic fouling, and increased pattern density. The Montefeltro ships with flush Crio chokes IC, M, and F plus wrench, with extended Crio tubes and additional constrictions available separately.

Why the 26" 12 Gauge

Barrel length is the whole decision on a Montefeltro, and 26" is the quick one. At 47.5" overall and 6.5 pounds, this is the fastest-handling 12-gauge in the family — the configuration for grouse woods, thick cover, walk-up pheasant, and anyone who wants a 12 gauge that carries like a 20. The 28" sibling (10882) adds an inch of swing weight and 0.1 lb for open-country and dove work.

Fit and Finish

• Satin walnut stock and forend — traditional lines with a matte finish that won't flash at birds.
• Blue anodized receiver with a gloss blued barrel — the classic Montefeltro look.
• Red-bar front sight — simple, fast, and unobtrusive.
• Included shim kit — drop and cast are user-adjustable to fit your build.
• Slim profile — the Montefeltro's narrow receiver and trim forend are a large part of why it carries so well.

Benelli Montefeltro 10881 Specifications

Who This Shotgun Is For

The Montefeltro is the entry point to walnut-stocked Benelli ownership and, for a lot of hunters, the last shotgun they ever need to buy. It suits the upland hunter who walks miles, the hunter who wants one gun for pheasant and dove and the occasional round of skeet, and anyone who has decided that a wood-stocked shotgun should still be a working tool. The 26" 12 gauge is the fastest-handling version of it.

What's in the Box

• Benelli Montefeltro 12-gauge shotgun, 26" gloss blued barrel
• Three flush Crio choke tubes (IC, M, F) and choke wrench
• Stock drop and cast shim kit
• Owner's manual

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Montefeltro differ from the ETHOS?

Both are Inertia Driven with walnut stocks. The ETHOS adds Progressive Comfort recoil reduction, an engraved nickel-plated receiver, AA-Grade walnut, a five-tube choke set, the Easy-Loading System, and an interchangeable fiber-optic front sight — at roughly $900 more. The Montefeltro is the leaner, more traditional gun.

Can I mount a scope or red dot?

No. This model is not drilled and tapped. It's configured as a wingshooting gun with a red-bar front sight.

26" or 28"?

26" (this SKU, 47.5" OAL, 6.5 lbs) is quicker to the shoulder in thick cover. 28" (SKU 10882, 49.5" OAL, 6.6 lbs) swings smoother on crossing birds.

Will it cycle light target loads?

Benelli's minimum recommended load for the 12-gauge Montefeltro is 3-dram, 1-1/8-oz. Lighter promotional target loads may not reliably cycle an inertia gun.