Benelli Kite
Encyclopedia
The Benelli Kite is a single shot .177 inch calibre pre-charged pneumatic air pistol designed for the 10 m Air Pistol
ISSF shooting event
. It is manufactured by Benelli Armi SpA
of Italy
.
The Kite was used by Francesco Bruno
to win a gold medal in the Italian Championship 2008. It is also used by Tanyu Kiryakov
, who won gold in the 10 m Air Pistol
at the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988
.
event, it has fully adjustable sights
, a mechanically adjustable trigger (for stroke and weight of 1st and 2nd phase and trigger stop) and an anatomically adjustable grip available in three sizes and for left and right-handed shooters. The picture featured here shows the latest model fitted with a stabilising balance weight, designed to further improve stability of the pistol during firing and to reduce recoil to an absolute minimum.
The barrel is manufactured by Lothar Walther with 12-twist right-hand rifling and 450 mm pitch. Air power is supplied from an under-barrel cylinder, available in four different capacities: long (300 shots), intermediate (230 shots), medium (180 shots) and short (80 shots). It uses atmospheric air compressed to 200 Bar
. A pressure gauge on the end of the cylinder allows for constant monitoring of the pressure.
The Benelli Kite features micrometric rear sight adjustment with four settings:
1 click = 1 mm windage
(left/right adjustment) at 10 metres.
1 click = 2 mm elevation
(up/down adjustment) at 10 metres.
The sight aperture is adjustable by lever and screw.
The Benelli Kite is relatively new in the world of 10 m Air Pistol
shooting. However, users have reported a marked improvement in their personal best scores after switching to the Kite.
10 m Air Pistol
10 metre air pistol is an Olympic shooting event governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation . It is similar to 10 metre air rifle in that it is shot with 4.5 mm caliber air guns at a distance of 10 metres , and the programme consists of 60 shots within 105 minutes...
ISSF shooting event
ISSF shooting events
The International Shooting Sport Federation recognizes several shooting events, some of which have Olympic status. They are divided into four disciplines: rifle, pistol, shotgun and running target....
. It is manufactured by Benelli Armi SpA
Benelli (firearms)
Benelli Armi SpA is an Italian firearm manufacturer founded in 1967, located in Urbino, Italy, best known for high quality shotguns used by military, law enforcement and civilians all over the world. Particularly famous is the Benelli M3 12 gauge, used extensively by American SWAT teams...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The Kite was used by Francesco Bruno
Francesco Bruno
Francesco Bruno is an Italian sport shooter. He won a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 2004....
to win a gold medal in the Italian Championship 2008. It is also used by Tanyu Kiryakov
Tanyu Kiryakov
Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*...
, who won gold in the 10 m Air Pistol
10 m Air Pistol
10 metre air pistol is an Olympic shooting event governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation . It is similar to 10 metre air rifle in that it is shot with 4.5 mm caliber air guns at a distance of 10 metres , and the programme consists of 60 shots within 105 minutes...
at the Olympic Games in Seoul 1988
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
.
Design details
Like all air pistols designed for the 10 m Air Pistol10 m Air Pistol
10 metre air pistol is an Olympic shooting event governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation . It is similar to 10 metre air rifle in that it is shot with 4.5 mm caliber air guns at a distance of 10 metres , and the programme consists of 60 shots within 105 minutes...
event, it has fully adjustable sights
Iron sight
Iron sights are a system of shaped alignment markers used as a sighting device to assist in the aiming of a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or telescope, and exclude the use of optics as in telescopic sights or reflector sights...
, a mechanically adjustable trigger (for stroke and weight of 1st and 2nd phase and trigger stop) and an anatomically adjustable grip available in three sizes and for left and right-handed shooters. The picture featured here shows the latest model fitted with a stabilising balance weight, designed to further improve stability of the pistol during firing and to reduce recoil to an absolute minimum.
The barrel is manufactured by Lothar Walther with 12-twist right-hand rifling and 450 mm pitch. Air power is supplied from an under-barrel cylinder, available in four different capacities: long (300 shots), intermediate (230 shots), medium (180 shots) and short (80 shots). It uses atmospheric air compressed to 200 Bar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
. A pressure gauge on the end of the cylinder allows for constant monitoring of the pressure.
The Benelli Kite features micrometric rear sight adjustment with four settings:
1 click = 1 mm windage
Windage
Windage is a force created on an object by friction when there is relative movement between air and the object.There are two causes of windage:# the object is moving and being slowed by resistance from the air...
(left/right adjustment) at 10 metres.
1 click = 2 mm elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
(up/down adjustment) at 10 metres.
The sight aperture is adjustable by lever and screw.
Performance
The following tables show the results achieved by competitive shooters using the Benelli Kite in major competitions:Gold medals
| Competition | Location | Date | Competitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Championship Master | September 2003 | Alberto Cardinali | |
| Italian Championship Student | September 2003 | Elena Ruan | |
| European Championship European Championship -List:Athletics* European Athletics ChampionshipsAustralian rules football* EU CupAuto racing* European Championship * European Formula Two Championship * European Touring Car Championship... |
November 2003 | Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Valeryevich Nestruyev is a pistol shooter from Moscow, Russia. He is an all-round shooter, having achieved great successes in all five ISSF pistol events. He holds the 25 metre center-fire pistol world record of 594... |
|
| Finnish Championship |  Finland |
2004 | Teemu Lahti |
| Intershoot Den Haag | February 2004 | Joao Costa | |
| European Championship European Championship -List:Athletics* European Athletics ChampionshipsAustralian rules football* EU CupAuto racing* European Championship * European Formula Two Championship * European Touring Car Championship... |
March 2004 | Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Valeryevich Nestruyev is a pistol shooter from Moscow, Russia. He is an all-round shooter, having achieved great successes in all five ISSF pistol events. He holds the 25 metre center-fire pistol world record of 594... |
|
| ISSF World Cup ISSF World Cup The ISSF World Cup was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986 to provide a homogeneous system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions. It still is carried out in the Olympic shooting events, with four competitions per year in each event... |
August 2005 | Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Valeryevich Nestruyev is a pistol shooter from Moscow, Russia. He is an all-round shooter, having achieved great successes in all five ISSF pistol events. He holds the 25 metre center-fire pistol world record of 594... |
|
| Mediterranean Games Mediterranean Games The Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. The idea was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, and they were first... |
2005 | Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno is an Italian sport shooter. He won a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 2004.... |
|
| Italian Championship | September 2005 | Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno is an Italian sport shooter. He won a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 2004.... |
|
| Finnish Championship | Finland |
March 2006 | Kai Jahnsson |
| European Championship European Championship -List:Athletics* European Athletics ChampionshipsAustralian rules football* EU CupAuto racing* European Championship * European Formula Two Championship * European Touring Car Championship... |
February 2006 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
|
| Italian Championship | September 2006 | Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno is an Italian sport shooter. He won a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 2004.... |
|
| Italian Championship | September 2008 | Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno Francesco Bruno is an Italian sport shooter. He won a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games, and competed in two consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 2004.... |
|
| Italian Championship Juniores | September 2008 | Andrea Scafa |
Silver medals
| Competition | Location | Date | Competitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Championship European Championship -List:Athletics* European Athletics ChampionshipsAustralian rules football* EU CupAuto racing* European Championship * European Formula Two Championship * European Touring Car Championship... |
March 2004 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
|
| ISSF World Cup ISSF World Cup The ISSF World Cup was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986 to provide a homogeneous system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions. It still is carried out in the Olympic shooting events, with four competitions per year in each event... |
June 2004 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
|
| ISSF World Cup ISSF World Cup The ISSF World Cup was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986 to provide a homogeneous system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions. It still is carried out in the Olympic shooting events, with four competitions per year in each event... |
May 2005 | Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Nestruev Mikhail Valeryevich Nestruyev is a pistol shooter from Moscow, Russia. He is an all-round shooter, having achieved great successes in all five ISSF pistol events. He holds the 25 metre center-fire pistol world record of 594... |
|
| Internaitonaler Wettkampf | January 2006 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
|
| ISSF World Cup ISSF World Cup The ISSF World Cup was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986 to provide a homogeneous system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions. It still is carried out in the Olympic shooting events, with four competitions per year in each event... |
May 2006 | Joao Costa João Costa (sport shooter) João Carlos Calvete Pereira da Costa is a Portuguese sports shooter who competed in the Summer Olympic Games in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Costa has also qualified to compete in the men's 10 m air pistol event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.-References:... |
|
| ISSF World Cup ISSF World Cup The ISSF World Cup was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986 to provide a homogeneous system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions. It still is carried out in the Olympic shooting events, with four competitions per year in each event... |
June 2006 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
Bronze medals
| Competition | Location | Date | Competitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISSF World Cup ISSF World Cup The ISSF World Cup was introduced by the International Shooting Sport Federation in 1986 to provide a homogeneous system for qualification to the Olympic shooting competitions. It still is carried out in the Olympic shooting events, with four competitions per year in each event... |
October 2006 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
|
| European Championship European Championship -List:Athletics* European Athletics ChampionshipsAustralian rules football* EU CupAuto racing* European Championship * European Formula Two Championship * European Touring Car Championship... |
February 2008 | Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov Tanyu Kiryakov is a Bulgarian pistol shooter, the only shooter to have won Olympic gold medals in both the 50 metre pistol event and the 10 metre air pistol event, in which he was also the first Olympic champion.- External links :*... |
The Benelli Kite is relatively new in the world of 10 m Air Pistol
10 m Air Pistol
10 metre air pistol is an Olympic shooting event governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation . It is similar to 10 metre air rifle in that it is shot with 4.5 mm caliber air guns at a distance of 10 metres , and the programme consists of 60 shots within 105 minutes...
shooting. However, users have reported a marked improvement in their personal best scores after switching to the Kite.
See also
- Benelli Kite YoungBenelli Kite YoungThe Benelli Kite Young is a single shot .177 inch calibre pre-charged pneumatic air pistol designed for the 10 m Air Pistol ISSF shooting events. It is especially designed for use by young competitors, and those shooters who regard weight as an issue. The larger version is the Benelli Kite...
- smaller version of the Kite, for junior competitors. - Benelli Armi SpABenelli (firearms)Benelli Armi SpA is an Italian firearm manufacturer founded in 1967, located in Urbino, Italy, best known for high quality shotguns used by military, law enforcement and civilians all over the world. Particularly famous is the Benelli M3 12 gauge, used extensively by American SWAT teams...
- 10 metre Air Pistol10 m Air Pistol10 metre air pistol is an Olympic shooting event governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation . It is similar to 10 metre air rifle in that it is shot with 4.5 mm caliber air guns at a distance of 10 metres , and the programme consists of 60 shots within 105 minutes...
- ISSF shooting eventsISSF shooting eventsThe International Shooting Sport Federation recognizes several shooting events, some of which have Olympic status. They are divided into four disciplines: rifle, pistol, shotgun and running target....