Bellissimo! Benelli’s Italian Plant has the Best Foyer in the Gun Industry

On a recent trip to the Benelli factory in Urbino, Italy, we got a peek at their one-of-a-kind facility that blends Old World craftsmanship with modern manufacturing standards. We were there to get the scoop on the new gas-operated M2-G1 tactical shotgun but would be remiss if we failed to bring you at least some coverage of the factory itself. For instance, the 430,000 square feet of shotgun and rifle-making brilliance is nestled in the hills and Roman walls of the Via della Stazione, at the terminus of the region’s historic former railway station. While Benelli began as a mechanical and motorcycle company 115 years ago in nearby Pesaro, its Benelli Armi firearm factory came to Urbino in 1967. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com) Note the old walls surrounding the plant. The influence of Raphael – whose painting style was one of harmony, balance, and grace – and Count Federico da Montefeltro, a military strategist and benefactor remembered as “the Light of Italy,” is everywhere in Urbino…