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Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus 12 Gauge

Product review, Shooting hardware, ,

Introduction

It’s hard to imagine an autoloading shotgun without thinking of one of the popular models from Beretta, like the A400 Xtreme Plus, which we will review today. The Italian company has been in the business as long as anybody. Sure there is something about a name, but there has to be more than that for dedicated shooters and hunters to pick a shotgun from the rack.

I often mention that my father is more of a shotgun nerd than I am, so I frequently look to his guidance regarding such topics. Several of the many high-end shotguns he enjoys shooting come from Beretta. For me, shotguns are a bit more utilitarian than anything, more of a hunting tool than the expensive rifle toys I play with more often. And hunting waterfowl has been one of my favorite hunts since I first started hunting.

Enter the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus, a gas-operated 12 gauge shotgun with a 28-inch barrel and 3.5-inch chamber, one of the better all-weather hunting shotguns available. But just how good is it? And why would I choose it over something else? We’ll get to that in a moment, but I can tell you that the Xtreme is reliable, robust, and durable enough for whatever your hunt may have waiting.

Reliability

The A400 is one of Beretta’s leading hunting model shotguns, so reliability is an absolute must. During the course of the 350-400 shells I’ve fired through the gun, I’ve yet to have any issues with it.

We get some pretty crummy weather around here this time of year, but the Xtreme just keeps pumping shells and steel. Rain, sleet, and snow don’t phase this shotgun. A dunk in muddy water is never good for a gun, but this one quickly recovered from the dreaded dunk.

Accuracy

The various chokes that come with the Xtreme give you the option to customize the patterns it shoots. I found the Xtreme very easy to be effective on birds. The right choke and lead would nearly always result in a puff of feathers. I suppose there isn’t a turkey out there that wouldn’t fall to the Xtreme’s tight full pattern.

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Overall Feel

Like most Beretta shotguns, this one feels like a perfect fit when it’s against your shoulder. The Kick-Off stock absorbs much of the recoil, which allows for tight cheek welds and follow-up shots.

The quality finish of the gun looks as handsome as it operates and protects it from vicious elements like salt water. Shooting with gloves is easy, and the controls are the right size and allow easy manipulation. Continue reading here

FEATURES

20 MM EXTENDED CHOKE SYSTEM

Gone are the days of digging through your shooting bag for a choke wrench. The A400 uses Berettas hand-tightened extended choke tubes, allowing you not only to install them by hand but also to ensure they keep tight in the field.

The selection of chokes provided allows you to customize your shot pattern to whatever the conditions and game you hunt require. And thanks to the toolless installation, they can easily be swapped as conditions change over your blind.

KICK-OFF STOCK

The Kick-Off stock aids in smooth operation, likely a good help for small-statured shooters. The smooth recoil allows the shooter to get several shots off in rapid succession if the target is missed or if there are multiple targets.

For shooters that aren’t good at calling their lead the first shot, this can be very valuable.

CONTROLS

Standard auto-loading controls will be familiar to anyone used to shooting autoloading shotguns.

The bolt release is oversized for easy action, and the trigger is fantastic, allowing precise shooting.

MAGAZINE

The Xtreme Plus has a standard five-round tube magazine. We had to run it with a plug to follow local laws to reduce the gun capacity to a total of three shots. But having the additional capacity is very nice if you are in a place that allows it. I’d like to get an extension for one of those spring Kansas goose hunts.

RAPID CYCLING

The Beretta system is very quick to cycle through shells. The rotating bolt allows for secure firing without sacrificing the rapid cyclic rate of the shotgun. This allows quick follow-up shots to be made on fast-flying birds.

NO BETTER TEST THAN THIS

This gun was made for plucking feathers, so I figured there was no better test than to get into a duck blind and see how it did taking down my local waterfowl. With a handful of friends, we headed out early in the morning to get into position before the shooting light arrived.

The Xtreme Plus is an excellent choice for the cold and wet winters we have here, and today would be no different. Wind and freezing rain kept the birds up and moving around for the better part of the morning.

On several occasions, we would pound an inbound group of ducks. This is where the quick-moving A400 really shows its worth. Missing the lead on a fast-moving bird is a more common occurrence than many would like to admit. But the quick follow-up of the Xtreme Plus was ready to go as soon as I saw the wad pass the bird.

The linear recoiling A400 keeps the bead of the gun in line with your target, so not only is the gun ready to shoot again quickly, but it’s also still pointed at the target.

We pumped through a bunch of shells and limited out on ducks. One day wasn’t enough, so we had to go back, and of course, the Xtreme was ready to go for round two. The cold weather was no match for this shotgun’s performance, and we once again pulled a limit of ducks out of the marsh.

AMMO USED

I rarely use anything other than 2-¾ shells when duck hunting, but I often carry a handful of 3 or 3.5 inch magnum loads in case a flock of geese was to fly over. The A400’s 3.5 chamber easily handles the heavier goose and swan loads that I carry for these less frequent events. During testing, I found the gun cycled with zero issues.

When using the A400 Xtreme Plus, I prefer Black cloud, Fiocchi, and Winchester

CONCLUSION

The Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus is everything a hunting shotgun should be, it just feels right in my hands, and I feel unstoppable when the birds flare. The simple design and robust construction of the A400 are the sources of its incredible reliability, rapid cyclic rate, and ability to stay on target for more shooting.

It isn’t just a performer; it’s also a beauty. The camo coatings make the gun fit right into our duck blind, and it just plain looks good.

Hunting with the Xtreme is a joy, and after hunting with it for some time now, I just can’t imagine anything about it I would improve.

.-CBM

If you like this review, check out the rest of our firearm reviews

Beretta A300 12 gauge shotgun

Product review, Shooting hardware, , , ,

Introduction

It’s hard to imagine a good lineup of autoloading shotguns that doesn’t include something from Beretta, the European manufacturer is one of the oldest pillars in the firearms business. The firm is well known for many notable firearms, but they are known in these parts for their shotguns, and the Beretta A300 Outlander is the one we are playing with today.

 

Autoloading Beretta’s

My Father is a bit of a shotgun junkie. Being things as they were when I was younger, I was exposed to some very nice shotguns. I also got to shoot many of them, Dad wouldn’t let me bring my two-hundred dollar Remington 870 when he had a couple fancy Italian’s on standby. And whether it was a fancy double barreled gun or a handsome auto-loader, I was happy to give it a go.
Beretta makes a broad assortment of semi-automatic shotguns, whether it is an M9 for tactical scenarios, or today’s A300 field gun, there is a Beretta to fit your needs.

The Beretta A300 Outlander

The A300 Outlander like many of Beretta’s semi-auto guns is a gas operated system. The action is operated by gas pressure vented from the barrel to a piston, which pushes an operating rod disengaging the bolt and cycling the action. It sounds pretty simple, because it is. Perhaps the reason why it is such an effective system used by so many. The gun is fed from a tubular magazine that can hold up to three two and three-quarter inch shells with the plug removed.
This model came with dark wooden furniture, but the gun is also available with synthetic options and camouflaged coatings. The twenty-eight inch barrel features a three-inch chamber which allows you to shoot any two and three-quarters or three-inch loads. And the muzzle utilizes an assortment of replaceable chokes to adjust your shot pattern to the ammunition and expected shots.

The controls of the Outlander mirror most semi-auto shotgun patterns, so whether you are learning on the A300 or coming from a different model you will find the controls familiar and easy to operate.
I grabbed a few boxes of Winchester and Fiocchi ammunition, both of them with one-ounce loads of 7.5 and 8 shot. And with a couple cases of clay targets my Dad and I headed out for an afternoon of bustin’ clays.

In the field

Of course Dad was going to bring a couple of his own guns, something we could compare the A300 to. A Benelli SBE and A Winchester SX3 would make great company to the Outlander, as well as something we were both familiar with to compare it to.
We started throwing targets to get a little warm up going, and before long we switched over to throwing doubles and report pairs.

The Beretta felt great in my hands, I felt a little bit of a squish on the cheek to get a good view down the rib. As I continually swung the gun after targets I found that old familiar feel of pacing the flying target with the bead. To my surprise I did quite well shooting the A300, better than I had done with the other guns present anyhow. A good bit of time passed before I managed to miss a target, and as it invariably happens the gun wasn’t at fault.
Following the faster targets that came from the side I was able to maintain a good sight picture down the rib, and it felt great to watch those clays turn to dust. The modest recoil from the one-ounce loads was easily manageable, and follow-up shots were quick to get on target.

Proper shooting with any shotgun requires a proper setup, we did change out the full-choke for something a little more open. Hand thrown clays can often be more challenging to hit than mechanically thrown targets, and many of the shots we made were fairly close. So before we started, I swapped the choke out for a modified for a little broader pattern.
I managed to talk my Dad into putting his gun down for a minute, to see how what he thought of the Beretta. He too was able to make good hits with the Outlander, and his old guy hmm haw of approval was well deserved. Continue Reading Here…
beretta a300

Aftermath

After cleaning up a pile of shells and heading back to the house, it was time to clean up this beauty. Disassembly of the A300 was quite easy, resulting in an easy cleanup. Removing the barrel is done by removing the magazine cap and sliding it out. The piston assembly and spring are easily serviced if needed, and the bolt and operating rod can also be removed to get all the gunk out. I’m a bit of a clean freak with shotguns, but I do come by it honestly. 

Growing up, I spent countless hours in the marshy wetlands around the Great Salt Lake. Bad weather always made for the best hunting days back then. So, it was common to bring home my old shotgun with both water and other marsh crud attached. It usually required a near full disassembly to get everything clean. If I were to do it all again with the A300 Outlander, I think it would have been easy for a 16-year-old me to get it torn down, lubed, and put back into shooting order.

beretta a300 outlander

Beretta A300 Pros & Cons


The Beretta A300 seems to be an entry-level autoloading shotgun. There are surely less expensive semi-auto 12 gauges. But while it’s not a cheap gun, the reputation that comes with a Beretta makes it fairly priced. The controls of the Outlander also made it very easy to shoot. The safety is a bit larger than many, which I found to be a pleasant departure from the norm.

The gun is also a bit no-frills, which is okay if you’re just trying to bust clays. I would have liked a brighter bead on the rib, perhaps a fiber-optic type. But I also would have probably gotten one of the various camouflage-coated models as well to better fit the kind of hunting I would likely do. Of course, these aren’t marks against the Outlander, but it is nice to know you have the option.


Conclusion

There are so many great options for shotgunners in today’s market. You can spend as little or as much as you’d like. That said, I think the Beretta A300 Outlander is an easy bet to win. No doubt it will serve your needs in the marsh or the wooded hills in search of feathered game.

-CBM

Looking for more? Check out the Beretta A400 Xtreme

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon

Product review, Shooting hardware, Uncategorized, , , , ,

If you’re lucky enough and work hard you can become one of those financially secure adults that we all imagined becoming as children. And it’s about that time in a firearm enthusiasts life that he or she decides to start buying up guns that they want more than they need. While that statement could describe nearly any firearm, today we are discussing one in particular. Beretta is well known for making excellent shotguns, many of which I’ve been lucky enough to play with on the range. The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon is yet another fine example of Beretta’s prime production, but this one brought up some interesting reflection..

Introduction

Beretta is well known for making excellent shotguns, many of which I’ve been lucky enough to play with on the range. The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon is yet another fine example of Beretta’s prime production, but this one brought up some interesting reflection. 

Almost anyone who owns a shotgun has a 12 gauge. It is the workhorse of American shotgunning. My first shotgun, like most people, was a 12 gauge as well. It just makes sense in so many ways. Ammo is typically inexpensive and readily available. There’s also a huge assortment of various cartridge types that are usually lining the shelves of any reputable sporting goods store. So why bother going with anything but a 12 gauge?

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon in .410
Even in .410 bore, the craftsmanship of the Silver Pigeon lends itself to accurate, effective shooting. 

I gained most of my hunting and firearms knowledge as a child listening to the stories told by my father and other men in the family. A very often mentioned anecdote was that of my grandfather’s single-shot .410 shotgun. My dad and his brothers all learned to wing shoot with that old gun. I’d hardly had any interaction with .410s, mainly because I didn’t need to use one. 

But I do remember hearing those old stories about the need for perfect leads and center hits. The .410 does not carry as much shot as its larger siblings. While this may seem like a disadvantage, I actually felt like it was a great reason to add another shotgun to my collection.
 

THE .410 SILVER PIGEON

Over/under shotguns enjoy a class all their own, and this Beretta is certainly no exception. I opened the box and quickly mounted the barrels and handguard. I immediately fell in love with the gun the second I shouldered it.

The 686 came with 28-inch barrels chambered in .410, a standard selection of chokes, and all the tools to change the chokes and maintain the firearm. As is typical with these guns, the Silver Pigeon has a perfect fit and finish, with detailed and handsome engraving throughout the receiver area.

After prepping the gun and familiarizing myself with its controls, we headed out to shoot it. While the current ammunition situation is a mess, I was lucky enough to find a few boxes of Federal .410 shotshells – 2 3/4 inches loaded with #7.5 shot. Just right for smashing a few clays in the sky. With the stories told by my father still in the back of my mind, I refined my focus knowing these loads were not the 1 1/4 ounces I was used to shooting from my other guns.
 

SHOOTING THE PIGEON

With several boxes of clays and shells, we were ready to make some noise. We loaded both chambers and started throwing doubles. I dusted both of the first clays. My immediate impression of the Beretta was that it was soft shooting. Follow-up shots were very quick because the gun hardly recoiled with such small and light loads. This was obviously a double-edged sword. If the clays managed to get very far, your shot had to be perfect or it would escape unscathed. 

The lightweight of the Pigeon also made it very easy to move and quickly get on target. My young daughter took a few swings with it, and she found it to be a much better fit for her than the 12 gauges she had tried in the past. The quick handling of the shotgun made it an obvious candidate for the fast and small game birds that we frequently see in these mountains. I cannot wait to take it out on a grouse or Chukar hunt when the season arrives.

Not only was the recoil light, but the gun was surprisingly quiet. The wide-open country we were shooting in went on forever, and the sound waves seemed to dissipate very easily. The petite and lightweight Silver Pigeon was simply a pure joy to shoot.
 

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon in .410


The only problem or dislike I could find with this gun was a designed one. Every time the gun is unloaded and reset, the safety is automatically engaged, this may be a common design on some guns, but it’s one I personally don’t care for. While I’m sure it is easily remedied through training and practice, it did end up costing me a few misses when I failed to remove the safety prior to my swing.

CONCLUSION

There comes a time in life where you start buying guns based on desire instead of necessity. If I were only going to have one shotgun, it would certainly be a 12 gauge, probably in a pump or semi-auto configuration. But as tastes mature and shooters have more money to spend, adding something like a beautiful little .410 to your collection really is a gift to yourself. 

The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon is an outstanding firearm. Regardless of caliber, it would make a fine addition to your collection. Starting out with a .410 might be a bit of a challenge, but it will teach you lessons that will only make you more effective regardless of the shotgun you shoot.

-CBM

Check out more Beretta shotguns here