At the NRA show this year we saw some new scatterguns from Beretta, in both semi-auto and over/under flavors. Seen above (and in a bunch of photos that follow), the A350 Xtrema slots in right between the A300 and A400 to provide as many features as possible at a ~$1,000 retail price point. The Black line of over/unders brings sleek, modern looks to a classy style of sporting gun . . .
The A350 has a Steelium barrel with a 3.5″ chamber.
A pneumatic recoil reduction system lives inside that butt pad, and the gun comes with spacers to adjust length of pull and various shims to adjust the stock’s cast and drop.
The A350’s receiver is grooved for mounting optics.
The Black line includes the DT11, 692, and 690.
Hand engraved.
Many of Beretta’s O/Us employ a horizontal cross bolt to ensure extremely snug lockup. It can be seen protruding from the left side of the receiver in the photo above.
damn those OUs are nice
Nice! I don’t currently own a Beretta shotgun, but if I had more money I’d change that.
The horizontal crossbolt on the O/U is a riff off the old Greener lockup system. It was developed/used by W.W. Greener on his SxS shotguns of 100+ years ago. For some reason, several European high-end double gun makers really like the Greener crossbolt system – Merkel and Sauer are two others that I can think off off the top of my head.
My only true “sentimental journey” gun is a 1937 gun bought at and marked Abercrobie & Fitch. Built on a Greener crossbolt action, its engraving and furniture were done by a well-known upstate NY gunsmith, also as marked/engraved. I love it because it was my grandfather’s favorite gun…but he still let me use it on our frequent quail hunts and left it to me.
It may off the mark, but the crossbolt design seems to provide a lighter free-moving action opening compared to a similar quality boxlock. It feels very secure, even if that is an illusion. I’ve come across crossbolts in double rifles, so I suppose the design is strong??
How about offering a monte carlo stock in something other than the DT11? Sure would be nice to have a true clays stock on a silver pigeon.
I traded for a Beretta Pintail a couple of years back. Looks a lot like a Benelli on the inside and says made in Spain on the outside. It works fine. I just can’t get into it. A lifetime of pumps, I guess.
I don’t see the need for a 3.5 inch 12 bore chamber. Am I not seeing a need here?
Water fowl. So they say anyway.
The only reason for a 3.5″ 12ga is steel shot.
If you’r’e using the new non-lead shots that have the same or better density, there’s no reason for a 3.5″ chamber.
I agree with the others on steel shot and waterfowl. Although there are 3.5″ 12 gauge slug and 00 buck loads that’ll really let you know you’ve pulled the trigger, especially in a light gun like an 870 Express Mag.
My Dad splurged when he gave me my first shotgun. A semi auto 20 gauge with beautiful etchings of a couple pheasants engraved on the side. A young proud me took many a pheasant with that gun.
Not bashing, just an inexperienced newbie who doesn’t even own a single shotgun, but what’s the point of a new production double barrel shotgun and why would someone get one over a pump shotgun like a mossberg 500 with more capacity, or a reliable semi-auto especially a detachable magazine-fed shotgun like a vepr 12? What draws people to them? Are they simpler and easier to maintain like a revolver vs a semi-auto? Or are they mostly sought after for their ornate aesthetic qualities?
If you paw through my postings on the subject, i’ve written up some reasons why a double is preferred in some instances over a pump or semi-auto.
I very much enjoy shooting an O/U, and own a budget-friendly but decent one. The weight, balance, look, and feel are all excellent.
The obvious answer as to why hunters sometimes like a double-barrel shotgun is choke tubes. You can run a tight choke in one barrel and a more open choke in the other, so one barrel is better for longer range and one for shorter. Via the barrel selector usually found on the safety, you can select which barrel fires first. This can be handy when your target presents itself at whatever random distance it’s going to. Or if you miss your closer, first shot and have to follow up with a second shot at a longer distance as the target flies away from you, which also applies to shooting trap and sporting clays, etc.
Many shotgun sports and for some hunting (location and animal-dependent) you’re only allowed a maximum of two rounds loaded in the gun at a time anyway. A break action makes sense for this, and also makes it very obvious when your gun is safe and unloaded. Some shotgun sporting clubs or events will frown on semi-auto or pump-action because you can’t show clear/safe in the same way. They want to see that gun broken open any time you aren’t about to shoot.
My favorite bunny gun in Ohio, KY and WV was a double 20 ga. Not only did you have different chokes per barrel but loading different shot sizes in the barrels was possible. The versatility of a good double is really something.
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