Beretta A303 - Need opinions on value

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Mat20

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Hi all,

I am looking for a semi-auto shotgun to start waterfowl and turkey hunting.

A family member and hunting partner has a Beretta A303 in mint condition, barely used since approx 25 years.

Any idea of the value ? We both want a fair deal.


Thanks for your time!

Mat
 
In todays market more than they were new. They are a real good gun though. I would think given they ran about the same price new as an 1100 Rem they would fetch about the same as a same condition used 1100? $600 plus depending on condition?
 
Barrel option and condition are the major factors in price. Most were fixed choked. Some had choke tubes. Some barrels are 2.75" some are 3" $450 gets a fair condition fixed choke 3" gun. $600 gets you a good condition gun. $700 is about average for a good condition gun with removable chokes. They are good guns. I love mine and use it for waterfowl
 
I have an A303 with 3" chamber that came with mobil choke tubes, I think all the 303's did with a weird choke tube system for 302s and 301s. Mine had to be modified with changeable gas ports to handle light loads and heavy loads ( Takes about 5 min to change them out), this was done by a smith who has long since passed. They also came with stock shims which hopefully the owner still has so you can fit the stock to yourself.
 
I purchased a mint A303 20 years ago for $550 so my daughter could start shooting. These days a mint A303 with choke tubes should be around $800 to $900 which is a hefty price but they are still a better gun than the more expensive 391 that replaced it.

One thing that you should be aware of is that the barrels on these guns are stamped 2 3/4 or 3 inch and the gas ports are of a different diameter. The barrels stamped 3 inch have smaller gas ports so that the heavier loads don't slam the bolt back too hard and will not cycle lighter loads. Over the years a lot of these 3 inch guns had the gas ports drilled out so they would shoot light loads and you shold never put 3 inch shells through these guns as something will eventually break.
 
The A300 Outlander is a current production and completely different model than the A303. Perhalps your point is to say that one may as well buy a new gun and you might be correct in that regard but the A303 are considerend by many to be one of the best semi's that Beretta made and therefore have held their values very well.
 
a j cave said:
If it has removable chokes, then $600+-, fixed chokes $4-500. ( depending on choke)
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I would go as far as to say that if an A303 doesn't have mobil chokes then the barrel probably is from an older model. I could be wrong though.
All A300 series barrels are intechangable with all A300 series receivers and to my knowledge most of the fixed choke barrels on the A300 series were out of production when the A302 came out and a lot of the A302's had the slide in with hand tightened nut type chokes, I'm not sure what these were called. And these early chokes were replaced by Mobil chokes by the time the A303 came out.
 
Redsoilreaper said:
Lots of good info here on the original Beretta A303.
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The A303 was actually the result of modifications and improvements to the 3 previous models to it starting with the A300 (not Outlander) followed by the A301, A302, A303 and A304. A303's in good condition command a relatively high price since they are considered to be a very good all around gun and on par with most modern guns costing much more. The A304 is the obscure model and there are very few around since they were introduced about the same time as the 390 series made their debue, not many made it to North America.
I've owned an A301, an A302 and a next to new A303 which I still have, this is one of those guns I'll probably never get rid of even though I'm not much of a semi auto guy. I once had a fellow offer to trade me straight accross for his brand new 391 at the skeet range after I let him shoot it but I declined.
 
Falconflyer said:
The A303 was actually the result of modifications and improvements to the 3 previous models to it starting with the A300 (not Outlander) followed by the A301, A302, A303 and A304. A303's in good condition command a relatively high price since they are considered to be a very good all around gun and on par with most modern guns costing much more. The A304 is the obscure model and there are very few around since they were introduced about the same time as the 390 series made their debue, not many made it to North America.
I've owned an A301, an A302 and a next to new A303 which I still have, this is one of those guns I'll probably never get rid of even though I'm not much of a semi auto guy. I once had a fellow offer to trade me straight accross for his brand new 391 at the skeet range after I let him shoot it but I declined.
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Yes they were, but I must have got the one made on a Friday afternoon. Mine was the most exotic single shot that I've ever owned....oh maybe this should be in that other thread! Hahaha. It jammed constantly now matter how clean or dirty, the brand of shell , weight, fps, high brass, low brass, 2 3/4" & 3". The chokes would be a nightmare to remove at times. Now in it's defense I bought it used, with no known history. Last time i took it to a gunsmith and he got it working, I sold it to a guy and told him of the issues I had. He had better luck than me with it, but if I recall he doesn't hunt much. I had it when steel shot was just coming into the water fowling world and I could still shoot lead in the fields. Certainly wasn't my last Beretta semi, just had a few issues with that one particular gun. Came to the shoulder nice & swung well. A quality piece for sure.
 
They don't come up for sale a lot. A good condition full choke can possibly be had for $600 ish & possibly a tad higher. Have not seen one with chokes for less than $850 and sometimes higher. I personally would not buy one without chokes but that's just me. They were a nice shooting gun. Wish I had kept mine.
 
As nice as mobil chokes are i still love my fixed mod chokes. Both 2.75" and 3" barrels. Dare i say it but i shoot my a303 better than my a400 if 25 straights on the skeet field count for anything
 
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