Italian gun question

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Dsiwy

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Looking for some advice on a new skeet gun. I am looking at the Beretta SP 686 sporting with 30" barrel and was wonder if I should bother looking at the Franchi Instinct Sporting or Bettinsoli X9 sporting?
 
In in the same boat looking at them guns as I'm not a high volume shooter. I read lots good reviews on the bettinsoli and franchi instinct. I have had a 20 ga instinct in my hands and I must say I liked the feel but I'm really looking you get a bettinsoli in my hands or for a round of skeet. I'm no rush to buy so I'm taking my time. I'm sure most will say get the beretta but I'm looking cheaper and be a little different lol
 
I had a beretta field model before and liked it, the browning is bulky and i hate the palm swell on the sporting models.

As for the gold.... well i would need a second job for that :p $3000 taxes in is my absolute max i can afford.
 
I have the Bettinsoli X-Trail (the Instinct is the X-Trail rebadged as a Franchi) in 20ga. Great field gun and OK for occasional clay targets. I have no doubt it will last for 10s of thousands of rounds, but it is a bit light and whippy for clays on a semi-serious level.

I have a couple of Citoris and have been shooting a Cynergy Euro Sporting for the last 6 years or so. I'd say the build quality of the Bettinsoli comes VERY close to the Citoris.
 
Beretta 680 series is a pretty solid bet. They are designed for a lifetime of use. Don't rule out the resale market. There are a lot of excellent deals to be had on some very nice guns in your price range. It just requires a little bit of ground work and patience to find them. I had a 687 that I bought used. I'm sure I put 100k rounds through it and sold it when I changed target guns. It is still going strong.

Brad.
 
Before I make any suggestion, I think it is important to point out that probably the most important thing, IMHO, is that the gun fit you. You can own the most expensive skeet gun in the world and if it doesn't fit properly you will not shoot well and you will hate the gun. Now I shoot a 12 year old Franchi sporting O/U for skeet and sporting clays and do very well with it. Feels comfortable as any Berretta, or Browning I have shot. ( and I shot a lot before buying the Franchi ) BTW Franchi is a subsidiary of Berretta and QC is governed by them. Just my 2 cents.
 
Thanks for the advise guys :)

I found a used 682 Supersport in Exc. for $1900 and a used S686 Sport for $1800. Is the 682 Supersport a better gun for skeet/trap?
 
The 682 is no better for skeet our trap than the 686, it is however a better gun over all. Different, harder materials, so the receiver won't wear as quickly, different barrel grade and very likely different forcing cones.
 
Sapper33 said:
The 682 is no better for skeet our trap than the 686, it is however a better gun over all. Different, harder materials, so the receiver won't wear as quickly, different barrel grade and very likely different forcing cones.
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So what is the Rc rating of the receiver and barrels of both the 682 and the 686. I have never seen these on a spec sheet. How much different are they in terms of a precise measurement.
 
Not sure on the difference between these two guns However the difference between quality built guns and cheap Turkish imports is night and day. They differ about 10 rockwell in hardness. Internal parts on cheaper guns are sometimes not even surface ground. You can see the milling cutter marks. This is where I have seen most of the problems, in sloppy made trigger assembly’s, and selector switch. Also sloppy cut threads in choke tubes which cause them to stick. You get what you pay for
 
salter said:
So what is the Rc rating of the receiver and barrels of both the 682 and the 686. I have never seen these on a spec sheet. How much different are they in terms of a precise measurement.
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Couldn't tell you, though it would be interesting to see an exact measure; and then an analysis of how much (even % wise) it contributes to the overall life of the gun. I can tell you that I'm seen more dinged 686's than 682's (granted my sample size isn't great, and more 686's are field guns). But if you look at the price of a brand new 686 to a 692 (even knocking off $200 to bring it down to 682 pricing); there is a big difference ($2000). Fit and finish are both great, the guts are the same design, and the 686 generally has more engraving. Wood is "ok" on either, so what are you left with? Metallurgy and all the other stuff you can't see.
 
Back in the 80s when I bought my 682 Gold Sporting, which I still have, the popular opinion was that it was the same gun as the 686, just better built, with better quality metal, assembled to closer tolerances. I have untold thousands of rounds through it ant it is just as tight as they day I got it. Wonderful gun that I would never dream of parting with.
 
I first started skeet with a Browning Citori Special Sporting Editon. It served me well until I bought a Beretta 686 equipped with a 682 barrel set. I found it beter balanced. I have to say however that some skeet shooter prefer a heavier gun but I don't. As one said, the gun has to fit you more than anything else, both guns are excellent but fit is different.
 
For those people that are used to the older Citori models, the 725s have lighter barrels, and balance differently. My 725 with 32" barrels, feels quicker than my XS Skeet with 30" barrels.
 
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