Benelli Lupo Walnut, Real Wood Grain? Or Beretta Xtra Wood Type Treatment?

[Sabre]

I really like the Benelli Lupo. I have had a great experience with their rifles so far. It only comes in one model with a wood grain. The stock is listed as "AA Grade Walnut"

When I have looked at them in stores and online I feel like there is something not natural about the wood. Many of them also seem to have a lot of character for a gun in their price range.

One thing I notice is that some appear to have wood grain that almost goes two directions, horizontal and diagonal.

I know that Beretta catches heat sometimes for doing cosmetic enhancements to their wood stocks.

Since Benelli is owned by the same parent company as Beretta, I am wondering if anyone knows if they are also using some of Berettas style wood grain enhancements.

Interested in what people more expert in this than me have to say. I will try to attach some photos.

 

[Sabre]

 

[Sabre]

 

[Sabre]

I wanted to bump this during the day to see if anyone has any insight about it. Maybe @rookhawk

 

[rookhawk]

So you did ask a bit of a gun and wood snob about a mass produced weapon, so please take my critique with a grain of salt and put it into perspective for the price point of the weapon.

It looks to me as if the finish is off, because its either polyurethane, or a plasticized pseudo-oil. I hate those finishes because when they get dinged, they are ruined. It's just plastic. If it were a hand rubbed oil finish it stays alive forever, another drop added reactivates the layer beneath, bonds to it, and touches up a gun beautifully.

It also looks like a machine done checkering, but what can we expect at the price?

As to actual wood, its pedestrian wood that they grain enhanced with a bit of stain to give it that diagonally "quilting" or "tiger stripe" that I doubt is natural.

The bigger question I have is why do you want such a rifle? For the Benelli Lupo price tag, you could have something fantastic from the used market in small bore calibers that has all the wood quality you seek? A used Cooper, Dakota 97, or a custom mauser can be found for a few thousand that would be a serious step up in quality.

 

[Sabre]

So you did ask a bit of a gun and wood snob about a mass produced weapon, so please take my critique with a grain of salt and put it into perspective for the price point of the weapon.

It looks to me as if the finish is off, because its either polyurethane, or a plasticized pseudo-oil. I hate those finishes because when they get dinged, they are ruined. It's just plastic. If it were a hand rubbed oil finish it stays alive forever, another drop added reactivates the layer beneath, bonds to it, and touches up a gun beautifully.

It also looks like a machine done checkering, but what can we expect at the price?

As to actual wood, its pedestrian wood that they grain enhanced with a bit of stain to give it that diagonally "quilting" or "tiger stripe" that I doubt is natural.

The bigger question I have is why do you want such a rifle? For the Benelli Lupo price tag, you could have something fantastic from the used market in small bore calibers that has all the wood quality you seek? A used Cooper, Dakota 97, or a custom mauser can be found for a few thousand that would be a serious step up in quality.

I appreciate your input. I knew what I was getting myself into asking your opinion.

I mostly wanted to verify that I wasn't crazy in thinking that the diagonal "quilting" or "tiger stripe" as you called it wasn't likely natural.

As to why I would be interested in it. I have had great luck with the Benelli Lupo in their synthetic stock lines and have been very happy with the accuracy.

In this case I would be acquiring it well below listed value and it wouldn't remotely come close to the few thousand price tag. At a low price, I am not necessarily completely turned off by the wood embellishment, but I also want to go into it with eyes wide open about what it actually is. Especially in case it gets damaged in the future and I need to do some work to it.