New Beretta SxS 490
- Thread starter gdawg
- Start date
Like this.
BTW, gdawg, that top photo you posted is a lower grade MF Ideal and the bottom one is the highest grade they made....called an Ace of Spades. Depending on condition and gauge, an Ace of Spades would trade these days in the $25,000 CDN range. Mine is two grades below an Ace of Spades but was ordered with special wood and has a makers mark denoting that it was a special order and checked out by one of the directors of the company. The mechanics are the same in all of them.
If you notice, the figure in the wood on the Ace of Spades is clearly visible beneath the chequering. That's because it is around 36 LPI. Same as mine was originally. When I had the stock re-done, brought it down a few LPI so you actually get some grip out of it. But it's still in the 30 LPI range.
I also just noticed that Ace is an extractor model. It would be quite unusual for an Ace to be an extractor. Just about all I have seen before are ejector guns, as is mine.
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Esthetics of the 490 aside, once you shoot with a round action, whether it's an older Dickson or MacNaughton or a brand new David Mackay Brown all from Scotland, an MF Ideal or the Beretta 490 and 486, once you hunt with a round action, everything else just doesn't quite feel right.
Like this.
BTW, gdawg, that top photo you posted is a lower grade MF Ideal and the bottom one is the highest grade they made....called an Ace of Spades. Depending on condition and gauge, an Ace of Spades would trade these days in the $25,000 CDN range. Mine is two grades below an Ace of Spades but was ordered with special wood and has a makers mark denoting that it was a special order and checked out by one of the directors of the company. The mechanics are the same in all of them.
If you notice, the figure in the wood on the Ace of Spades is clearly visible beneath the chequering. That's because it is around 36 LPI. Same as mine was originally. When I had the stock re-done, brought it down a few LPI so you actually get some grip out of it. But it's still in the 30 LPI range.
I also just noticed that Ace is an extractor model. It would be quite unusual for an Ace to be an extractor. Just about all I have seen before are ejector guns, as is mine.
Geez. No wonder that gets rave reviews. Hard to believe it is 2 grades below with that graining.
The difference between mine and the higher grades is simply the density of the engraving. Mine has the highest quality barrels and the highest quality wood. And the engraving is pretty extensive. But in the higher grades they pack a little more in, especially on the Ace with that little fleur de lis sideplate.
Well, in an oversimplified way, our hands, when we grip something, form a rounded shape, not a square shape. We don't have hard right angles in our grip. So if you are holding onto something round, that fits your hand better than if you were holding onto something square. The problem for gunmakers is fitting the required internals that get the job done inside a rounded shape.
And when you hunt as North Americans do, what the English call rough hunting or walk up, you spend your day carrying the gun, typically with one hand around the action. Pick up a boxlock, pick up a sidelock and pick up a round action. Everyone would rather carry the round action.
They are not more popular because to a great degree, in SxS gun development in England at the end of the 19th century, the focus was on driven game, where the shooter is at a post, often with a loader (helper) and so the feel of the gun while carrying it over long distances wasn't a consideration. Other factors were, thus the ascendancy of the sidelock action to the pinnacle of SxS design according to conventional wisdom.
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1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
Very nice. Would make a neat pheasant gun particularly in 16.
The action on the Darne is also pretty unique. Always discovering new things here.
Yes, they are interesting. I handled one at the Markham gun show months back and it didnt quite fit me to justify the asking price. Ellwood currently has a 16g, but the condition and 2.5” chambers turn me off
ninepointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Ontario
Why do I feel like I should delete my browsing history after looking at this thread? 
ninepointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Central Ontario
A most apt description. Cheers!
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
I am with those that stated "not enough triggers", but Ii do like the side release and the color case hardening.
Checkering is a must as well - not that II am going to run out and buy one mind you, I am done buying new SxS's after getting the 20 gauge hammer double !
Cat
Checkering is a must as well - not that II am going to run out and buy one mind you, I am done buying new SxS's after getting the 20 gauge hammer double !
Cat
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Agreed, Cat. Anything less is sooo 21st century. Have heard a rumor that James is joining the ranks of the cool kids shooting hammers with a bar in wood no less. Looking forward to seeing it.
Have this one in the shop now. Has more than a few issues but good bones.
Have this one in the shop now. Has more than a few issues but good bones.
Mumbles Marble Mouth
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Lower Mainland
If you don't like it, Beretta will do anything you want. Just show up at their annual custom order at the Ferrari dealership in Vancouver and/or Toronto and what ever it is you want they will change the gun to meet your requirements so as long as you have the money.
