Beretta 1201
- Thread starter bersmith
- Start date
You have made an exc choice,which model did you get the 1201F or 1201FP?
I and several CGNers have the 1201FP and just love it and here's mine with a Benelli M1 pistol grip stock
A member here knows these Beretta from the inside out and his user name is easy, you can pm him if you wants to know more about it and he's a great guy and always here to help
.
The gun was manufactured in the 90s and has been discontinued it uses the rotating bolt inertia operation same as the Benelli (Beretta owns Benelli) and rumours said Beretta dropped the line in favour to Benelli.
Here are some links to the Beretta
http://www.berettaweb.com/semi auto shotgun/1200.htm
http://world.guns.ru/shotgun/sh27-e.htm
And if you don't like it please let me know I am more than happy to buy it off you.
I and several CGNers have the 1201FP and just love it and here's mine with a Benelli M1 pistol grip stock
A member here knows these Beretta from the inside out and his user name is easy, you can pm him if you wants to know more about it and he's a great guy and always here to help
.The gun was manufactured in the 90s and has been discontinued it uses the rotating bolt inertia operation same as the Benelli (Beretta owns Benelli) and rumours said Beretta dropped the line in favour to Benelli.
Here are some links to the Beretta
http://www.berettaweb.com/semi auto shotgun/1200.htm
http://world.guns.ru/shotgun/sh27-e.htm
And if you don't like it please let me know I am more than happy to buy it off you
.You are very welcome it's my pleasure!
Basically, you've got a Benelli M1 S90 (prohibited) under Beretta skin and remain non-restricted if barrel length on yours is 20" (the 18" model will be restricted).
I was told if you add accessories like shell saddle can impact the operation (adding weight to the gun).
I have yet to swap to the oversize bolt handle as well as the safety.
Post some pics of your gun and let us view your beautiful piece of equipment!
Basically, you've got a Benelli M1 S90 (prohibited) under Beretta skin and remain non-restricted if barrel length on yours is 20" (the 18" model will be restricted).
I was told if you add accessories like shell saddle can impact the operation (adding weight to the gun).
I have yet to swap to the oversize bolt handle as well as the safety.
Post some pics of your gun and let us view your beautiful piece of equipment!
Thanks again Spcamno, you're very kind and a true Beretta enthusiast. Your gun looks great with the M1 stock on it.
Glad to see you're keeping up to the "ber" side of your handle, Pete.
The 1201FP is an upgrade to the preceding Beretta 1200 model. The Beretta 1201FP was made in two versions, 1201F, intended for sporting and hunting. The 1201FP, mostly for LE. I think the 1201F also has a 2-3/4" only barrel.
There are a few aftermarket parts you can add to your 1201FP including a SureFire fore-end, ghost ring sights and a side saddle which I'm rather against doing. Inertia guns don't like added weight to them when shooting light loads. Won't cycle well.
Aftermarket parts like the safety and bolt handle are available from a few different makers. The ones on my gun are from Dave's Metal Works in Covina, California. The other maker's bolt handle looks tubular and I think a bit too aggressive with the knurling around it.
Choate used to make a PG stock for it, don't know if they still do, but it looks cheezy, cheap and uncomfortable.
If you like the grip on your Ber96, you'll love the grip of the Benelli PG. They're out there, but not always easy to find, or find someone who'll ship it to Canada. Spcamno was quick to find one on ARFcom, and for a fair deal too. Quite lucky, I think.
For a light shotgun, the M1 PG helps a lot with controllability. If you practice the inside the body technique of shouldering the gun, (minimizing your body width with your arms down), it points very naturally. ... and for us tall, long reach guys, the PG stock has a slightly longer length of pull. Not much, but enough to feel the difference. 1/2", or so compared to a conventional 870 stock LOP.
Here are some photos of my 1201FP with a Benelli PG stock, oversized safety and bolt handle.
I do have the ambi rear sling attachment for the Benelli stock, but my receiver bolt from the straight factory buttstock isn't long enough to accommodate it.
I'm missing the front sling swivel for this gun and would like to find one. Being my bird gun, a sling in the field is a must walking about.
I also replaced the aluminum follower for a Wilson Combat one. I may replace that with one of Simon's no jam orange followers though. I like them better than the Wilson for lubricity. I have a few installed in my 870s, but not a spare one for my Beretta.
I love this gun. The action is a thing of beauty I always say. It's my bird gun. Kicks like a mule, but I love it. The inertia system helps keep the gun very clean. It doesn't s**t where it eats ... and no damn gas rings to worry about.
There's an oversized bolt release available that I tried for a short time, I didn't like it. Not going into details, I had problems with it. I put the factory one back on.
I tried looking for it in my shop earlier, but I can't find it. I wanted to take some photos to show you what it looked like.
If you're interested to know what year your gun was manufactured, the year code is identified by the two stamped letters appearing in a box just in front of the loading port, or carrier. Match them to the following list ... The other markings are Italian proof marks and one identifies the smith that proofed it.
1974; AA - 1975; AB - 1976; AC - 1977; AD - 1978; AE - 1979; AF - 1980; AH - 1981; AI - 1982; AL - 1983; AM - 1984; AN - 1985; AO - 1986; AS - 1987; AT - 1988; AU - 1989; AZ - 1990; BA - 1991; BB - 1992; BC - 1993; BD - 1994; BF - 1995; BH - 1996; BI - 1997; BL - 1998; BM - 1999; BN - 2000; BP - 2001; BS - 2002; BT - 2003; BU - 2004; BZ - 2005; CA - 2006; CB - 2007;
Anyhoo, welcome to the fold and I'm glad you're pleased with your purchase, just don't overdo it with heavy add-ons.
Let me know if there's anything I can help with in regards to your new Beretta 1201FP. Always happy to oblige amigo.
Glad to see you're keeping up to the "ber" side of your handle, Pete.
The 1201FP is an upgrade to the preceding Beretta 1200 model. The Beretta 1201FP was made in two versions, 1201F, intended for sporting and hunting. The 1201FP, mostly for LE. I think the 1201F also has a 2-3/4" only barrel.
There are a few aftermarket parts you can add to your 1201FP including a SureFire fore-end, ghost ring sights and a side saddle which I'm rather against doing. Inertia guns don't like added weight to them when shooting light loads. Won't cycle well.
Aftermarket parts like the safety and bolt handle are available from a few different makers. The ones on my gun are from Dave's Metal Works in Covina, California. The other maker's bolt handle looks tubular and I think a bit too aggressive with the knurling around it.
Choate used to make a PG stock for it, don't know if they still do, but it looks cheezy, cheap and uncomfortable.
If you like the grip on your Ber96, you'll love the grip of the Benelli PG. They're out there, but not always easy to find, or find someone who'll ship it to Canada. Spcamno was quick to find one on ARFcom, and for a fair deal too.
Quite lucky, I think.For a light shotgun, the M1 PG helps a lot with controllability. If you practice the inside the body technique of shouldering the gun, (minimizing your body width with your arms down), it points very naturally. ... and for us tall, long reach guys, the PG stock has a slightly longer length of pull. Not much, but enough to feel the difference. 1/2", or so compared to a conventional 870 stock LOP.
Here are some photos of my 1201FP with a Benelli PG stock, oversized safety and bolt handle.
I do have the ambi rear sling attachment for the Benelli stock, but my receiver bolt from the straight factory buttstock isn't long enough to accommodate it.
I'm missing the front sling swivel for this gun and would like to find one. Being my bird gun, a sling in the field is a must walking about.
I also replaced the aluminum follower for a Wilson Combat one. I may replace that with one of Simon's no jam orange followers though. I like them better than the Wilson for lubricity. I have a few installed in my 870s, but not a spare one for my Beretta.
I love this gun. The action is a thing of beauty I always say. It's my bird gun. Kicks like a mule, but I love it. The inertia system helps keep the gun very clean. It doesn't s**t where it eats ... and no damn gas rings to worry about.
There's an oversized bolt release available that I tried for a short time, I didn't like it. Not going into details, I had problems with it. I put the factory one back on.
I tried looking for it in my shop earlier, but I can't find it. I wanted to take some photos to show you what it looked like.
If you're interested to know what year your gun was manufactured, the year code is identified by the two stamped letters appearing in a box just in front of the loading port, or carrier. Match them to the following list ... The other markings are Italian proof marks and one identifies the smith that proofed it.
1974; AA - 1975; AB - 1976; AC - 1977; AD - 1978; AE - 1979; AF - 1980; AH - 1981; AI - 1982; AL - 1983; AM - 1984; AN - 1985; AO - 1986; AS - 1987; AT - 1988; AU - 1989; AZ - 1990; BA - 1991; BB - 1992; BC - 1993; BD - 1994; BF - 1995; BH - 1996; BI - 1997; BL - 1998; BM - 1999; BN - 2000; BP - 2001; BS - 2002; BT - 2003; BU - 2004; BZ - 2005; CA - 2006; CB - 2007;
Anyhoo, welcome to the fold and I'm glad you're pleased with your purchase, just don't overdo it with heavy add-ons.
Let me know if there's anything I can help with in regards to your new Beretta 1201FP. Always happy to oblige amigo.
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Hi there,
It will actually hold 5 rounds of the type it was designed for. In this case, it will hold FIVE 3" shells and will in fact hold SIX 2-3/4" shells legally in the magazine tube plus the one in the chamber for a total of SEVEN 2-3/4" shells in the gun.
How's that for a very light, physically, defensive gun. A bit long though.
It will actually hold 5 rounds of the type it was designed for. In this case, it will hold FIVE 3" shells and will in fact hold SIX 2-3/4" shells legally in the magazine tube plus the one in the chamber for a total of SEVEN 2-3/4" shells in the gun.
How's that for a very light, physically, defensive gun. A bit long though.
If a gun is made to shoot 3" shells, it will likely be capable of holding 5 of them in the mag tube. If not, it doesn't matter. The law is clear as it states that a semi-auto magazine may hold 5 rounds of the type it was designed for.
Yes, Sims Vibration Laboratory makes a pre-fit limbsaver recoil pad for the Benelli M1 stock.
The fudds ...
yeah, I get a lot of "can I have a go at it" requests out of hunters we meet up with. The old guys I hunt with sometimes, don't care any more. They're still stuck on wheather my 14" REM is legal or not. They don't argue with me any more.Thanks easy for the compliments!
Actually,I need to thank you for sharing all your knowledge on these gun and advices and I really appreciate it!
My 1201FP does hold five 3" shells in the magazine plus one in the chamber and if I "float" another shell on top of the follower I can have seven rds in total never tried it with 2 3/4" but in theory it should hold 6+1+1
Actually,I need to thank you for sharing all your knowledge on these gun and advices and I really appreciate it!
My 1201FP does hold five 3" shells in the magazine plus one in the chamber and if I "float" another shell on top of the follower I can have seven rds in total never tried it with 2 3/4" but in theory it should hold 6+1+1
Thanks easy for the compliments!
Actually,I need to thank you for sharing all your knowledge on these gun and advices and I really appreciate it!
My 1201FP does hold five 3" shells in the magazine plus one in the chamber and if I "float" another shell on top of the follower I can have seven rds in total never tried it with 2 3/4" but in theory it should hold 6+1+1
So you want to "float" an extra shell on the shell carrier ... The way to that, with the safety ON, would be to ... a) depress the bolt catch button on the side of the receiver while gently guiding the bolt closed. This releases the shell carrier and allows you to access the mag tube, ... b) load the mag tube with SIX 2-3/4" shells, ... c) while holding the last shell in the mag tube, pull the bolt back and drop two shells on the shell carrier, ... d) drop the bolt to chamber the top shell. The second shell will float on the shell carrier.
However, this cannot be done with the 1201FP.
This was only possible with the 1200 series of shotguns as since, Beretta introduced a safety device which does not allow you to drop the bolt with two shells on the carrier chambering the top shell only. The Beretta is a bit different to get used to loading than most are used to.
The bolt carrier locks open after the last round is expended. This locks the shell carrier in the down position so you cannot access, or load the magazine until the bolt is returned to battery by depressing the bolt release button. I think this is a smart thing to make sure a shell is chambered first through the ejection port and necessary because there are only two ways to release rounds from the magazine onto the shell carrier.
The first is to pull the trigger.
Pulling the trigger on an empty chamber, (for those who know me, well know how I cringe when someone pulls a trigger on an empty chamber, or worse, drops a bolt, or slide on an empty chamber), but in this case, the 1201FP has a very long and thin firing pin and is knob shaped on the end which allows it to be retained by a solid pin that passes horizontally through the bolt. Repeated dry firing will chew up this knob as it gets rammed against the retaining pin.
The second is to push the small button at the rear of the shell carrier. By pushing this button, it drops down the loading gate and releases a shell from the mag tube onto the shell carrier.
If you just slap the bolt release to close on an empty chamber, load shells into the magazine, even if you cycle the action again, pulling the trigger will give you a "click" instead of a bang. You'll have to cycle the action again to chamber a shell and fire it.
If you have a feeding issue with the gun, or a stoppage, you have to remember to pull the trigger then cycle the next round.
With other semi-autos, we have it ingrained that working the action will chamber another round. Not so with this Beretta.
For instance, if you have a buckshot shell in the chamber and the next round in the magazine is a slug and you want to discard the buckshot to chamber the slug, you have cycle the action to remove the chambered buckshot round, pull the trigger to advance the slug onto the shell lifter, cycle the action again to load the slug into the chamber and then fire. That's the slow way.
A faster way is to cycle the action with your right hand to remove the chambered buckshot round, hold the bolt in the open position and use your left hand to roll a slug into the ejection port.
The fastest way however, is to fire the chambered buckshot round and have the slug next in line in the mag tube to cycle automatically for you.
Still like your 1201FP so far? Here's another doozey that could cause you grief.
Pressing on the bolt release button while the action is in battery releases a shell from the magazine and jams the bolt when it cycles because the shell lifter does not drop down enough to allow the bolt to pass the shell now on the lifter. You have to yank on the bolt handle to cycle it by hand to clear the jam. That's not a good thing to do to the action.
Anyhoo, this is probably too much to say in one sitting, so ... later.
Hey thanks for that Frank. I've ordered stuff from Brignoli for my Brig96, but truth be told, I never though of ordering a sling swivel from them. Go figure.
I was just writing in a PM to Spcamno that I've been looking for one of those for the longest time. He was kind to offer that maybe a friend could make one from a sample of his.
Maybe Brignoli would be easier. A normal sling would be a plus for me.
You still have your Beretta?
I've ordered stuff from Brignoli for my Brig96, but truth be told, I never though of ordering a sling swivel from them. Go figure. I was just writing in a PM to Spcamno that I've been looking for one of those for the longest time. He was kind to offer that maybe a friend could make one from a sample of his.
Maybe Brignoli would be easier. A normal sling would be a plus for me.
You still have your Beretta?
After some PMs back and forth, some experimenting and comprehension, I learned something new tonight with the help from Spcamno and I must say I'm amazed.
About having a total of EIGHT 2-3/4" shells in the gun. Specifically floating one shell on the lifter.
I described in my post above that to my knowledge this was possible only on the older 1200 series Berettas. Well, I'll be damned, it's still possible with the 1201FP version.
Here's how:
a) Fully load the magazine tube.
b) Pull back the bolt, but not all the way back. Not all the ay back is the ticket.
c) Drop a shell into the ejection port onto the shell carrier and press the little button just in front of the trigger guard to allow the shell carrier to drop with the round floating on it a bit lower.
d) manually insert a shell into the chamber and drop the bolt past the shell on the carrier assertively.
There you have it. You can close the bolt on an empty chamber with a shell floating on the carrier, or you can have a shell chambered with one floating on the carrier for a total of 8 rounds in the gun.
Never say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Thank-you Spcamno. Beers are on me friend. You're the one I get to thank now.
About having a total of EIGHT 2-3/4" shells in the gun. Specifically floating one shell on the lifter.
I described in my post above that to my knowledge this was possible only on the older 1200 series Berettas. Well, I'll be damned, it's still possible with the 1201FP version.
Here's how:
a) Fully load the magazine tube.
b) Pull back the bolt, but not all the way back. Not all the ay back is the ticket.
c) Drop a shell into the ejection port onto the shell carrier and press the little button just in front of the trigger guard to allow the shell carrier to drop with the round floating on it a bit lower.
d) manually insert a shell into the chamber and drop the bolt past the shell on the carrier assertively.
There you have it. You can close the bolt on an empty chamber with a shell floating on the carrier, or you can have a shell chambered with one floating on the carrier for a total of 8 rounds in the gun.
Never say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Thank-you Spcamno.
Beers are on me friend. You're the one I get to thank now.
bclinehand
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Clearwater B.C.
After some PMs back and forth, some experimenting and comprehension, I learned something new tonight with the help from Spcamno and I must say I'm amazed.
About having a total of EIGHT 2-3/4" shells in the gun. Specifically floating one shell on the lifter.
I described in my post above that to my knowledge this was possible only on the older 1200 series Berettas. Well, I'll be damned, it's still possible with the 1201FP version.
Here's how:
a) Fully load the magazine tube.
b) Pull back the bolt, but not all the way back. Not all the ay back is the ticket.
c) Drop a shell into the ejection port onto the shell carrier and press the little button just in front of the trigger guard to allow the shell carrier to drop with the round floating on it a bit lower.
d) manually insert a shell into the chamber and drop the bolt past the shell on the carrier assertively.
There you have it. You can close the bolt on an empty chamber with a shell floating on the carrier, or you can have a shell chambered with one floating on the carrier for a total of 8 rounds in the gun.
Never say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Thank-you Spcamno.
Ya beat me to it.....this is one of the never sell guns.......I have had this one since 1991 or so and have never had a problem with feeding it anything.......works even better than a timex
