Older Beretta doubles

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brybenn

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Does anyone have a source of accurate information about older Beretta doubles? Seems to not be much info about them online and what there is is often contradictory. I'm not looking at a specific model so much as just a general information curiousity.
 
I have a book on the history of Beretta, the information in there is pretty cool!
A guy showed up at our club a few years back with a fantastic side lock 12, he bought it when he was in Newfoundland many years ago, before Beretta went to a Canadian distributor system. What a shotgun!
Cat
 
I have a book on Beretta history, maybe the same one that Cat has. It’s a good book but I find that it’s short on info about the guns themselves such as manufacture dates and such. I wonder if the historical dates and records may not have been well kept, lots of nice pictures though.
 
All I got is the blue book of gun values and while googling various models the internet shows the same pictures for several models
Often times there's models such as the 409 410 411 and 424 and 425 and 426. There isn't much difference between them but I'd like to better understand the small differences
 
The World of Beretta by R. L. Wilson is about as good a reference as there is for Beretta SxS shotguns. It lists the introduction date of each model and the various features available.
You need to understand that Beretta incorporated the features that the importer wanted. The US importers Galef and Garcia applied different names and number system from Beretta's designations in other markets outside the US.
 
brybenn said:
All I got is the blue book of gun values and while googling various models the internet shows the same pictures for several models
Often times there's models such as the 409 410 411 and 424 and 425 and 426. There isn't much difference between them but I'd like to better understand the small differences
Click to expand...

Bry, I’d reach out to Claudio with any questions. It seems like every time I’m in his shop he’s showing me some gorgeous early Beretta SxS.
 
brybenn said:
All I got is the blue book of gun values and while googling various models the internet shows the same pictures for several models
Often times there's models such as the 409 410 411 and 424 and 425 and 426. There isn't much difference between them but I'd like to better understand the small differences
Click to expand...
409, 410 and 411 are built on the same platform. Difference between them are options such as ejectors or higher end engraving/walnut.

424, 425 and 426 are built on the same platform that was more similar to the 470. It was very different from the 409/410/411 platform. The 424 was a plain jane “onyx” model with little to no engraving. The 425 had full coverage engraving and the 426 had even better engraving/walnut and ejectors

I’ve had several 409’s and still have a 16g. They are very well made. I think the nicest one I had was a 16g 409 with english stock and CCH. The gun weighed next to nothing and was beautiful to carry. I also had a 12g 409 that I wish I never sold. Had beautiful walnut and skip line checkering. I also had a 425 that was very nice, but was very different than the 409’s. None of the 7 or 8 that I owned fit me well so they all found new homes with the exception of the one 16g still in my possession
 
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Forgot to mention that the 409/10/11 series were made until somewhere in mid sixties at which point the 420 series started being made. My oldest 409 was the English stocked 16g and it was made in 1947 and the newest was made in 1963. The oldest 425 I had was made in 1968 and if I recall, the newest was made in 1981

Also, if the letter E followed the model number, it signified that it had ejectors. So its possible to find a 410 and a 410E
 
Thanks. That's the clearest explanation I've read. I've read articles about a 410 and it was showing a new 486
My Baikal has never let me down but I've been thinking about a classic Beretta with more open chokes so I don't have to let birds get so far out
I'd also like to try a s57el single trigger ou. It appears as though it has a slightly lower comb than a 686 sp1
 
I have a 409 in 16 gauge and it fits me decent enough to shoot it ok. It's got double triggers along with a pistol grip... should have an english stock with double triggers in my opinion. It's pretty light and can be a bit of a kicker with hunting loads but it's fine with my handloads for target shooting.
I've thought about buying a 409 with an english stock and switching out rear stocks but I've never gotten around to it.
 
I've been watching for a straight-stocked Beretta for quite some time - precisely because there were double trigger models. Finding both on one gun is challenging. For my own purposes, a 20 ga would be best, as weight of kit becomes more of a factor with age.

With models and configurations imported into North America controlled by the importer, finding one configured to my needs is all but a pipe dream.

Last year, I stumbled upon a 20 ga Savage Fox A Grade that satisfies all the criteria (including choke tubes and steel friendly). It was a pleasure to carry and shoot, and made for an exceptionally successful season.

This encouraged me to seek the same kind of results with a similarly configured U/O. However, these are virtually not available, except as a bespoke purchase. No cash for a custom gun at the moment, so I snagged a used 20 ga Rizzini Light Luxe. I took it out on opening day and never got to fire a shot. I can't say if the pistol grip/single trigger and I will get along in the field. I tore a tendon in my ankle, so I'm going to have to wait a few weeks before I can try again.

My competition gun is a Beretta 682 Gold Trap. A pistol grip, single trigger just makes sense in competition. But, in the field, I've always preferred double guns.
 
Sxs I prefer double triggers and straight stock while ou I prefer single trigger and steep pistol grip. While I have differing combinations I find the prince of wales grip to be very comfortable and fast for hunting and clays as well. I moved to a single trigger sxs 12ga for waterfowl as shooting heavier loads in a slim straight stocked dual trigger sxs and be down right punishing on my trigger finger. I went with a huglu 200ace and 3" steel shells kick like 3.5" turkey shells in my pump guns. Don't know why the recoil feels so stout. The gun has some heft and fits great. At least my trigger finger doesn't get best up

Can you get the 486 Beretta with dual triggers in a 20?
 
The 486 is out of my price range if the wife found out so I've been quite happy with my huglu 202b 20ga. So much in fact that it would be hard to find another sxs 20 I'd carry more for hunting. Sure there's fancier guns made from bigger makers that carry more value but it carries well. Patterns great and isn't bad to look at. Plus it fits well when wearing a hunting coat yet still shoot able in a t shirt
In fact I really love all my subgauge doubles from huglu but there's just something about the older simple berettas that I'm drawn to. You can't ever have too many 12 ga guns right?
 
brybenn said:
Thanks. That's the clearest explanation I've read. I've read articles about a 410 and it was showing a new 486
My Baikal has never let me down but I've been thinking about a classic Beretta with more open chokes so I don't have to let birds get so far out
I'd also like to try a s57el single trigger ou. It appears as though it has a slightly lower comb than a 686 sp1
Click to expand...
If you get a older Beretta, you will likely need to get the chokes opened up as they were mostly choked really tight. All of mine were stamped M/F but it they were more like F/XF.
 
brybenn said:
I'm fine having the chokes opened up. From what I've read they weren't chrome lined until the mid to late 70s
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Negative. All of mine were chrome lined. Pretty sure its even stamped on the barrel LOL

This is the main reason why I haven’t opened up the chokes on my 16g 409. The chokes were opened up on my English stocked 16g and it was quite noticeable where the reaming stopped when looking down barrels. There were no ill effects on the barrels, but clearly noticeable that the chokes were opened.
 
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