Beretta Essencials O/U..... worth it ?

[nasem]

I found a used but in good condition a baretta Essencials for $700 and with 28" barrles.... is that a good price....

guy told me he hasn't even fired 500 rounds throught it

[Graybeard]

Buy it fast before someone else does.

[nasem]

oops, its 26-1/2" barrels... 12 ga... very nice condition
this will be my first O/U
Its got single selective trigger, does this mean when you select the top barrel it will fire first when you pull the trigger and then if you pull it a second time, the bottom trigger fires ?  or you have to select the bottom trigger to fire the bottom barrel...

I don't really know the mechanism of O/U shotguns, sorry if i sound like a Newbie

[Graybeard]

Personally I much prefer the longer 28" barrels but not everyone does. For a strictly bird hunting gun the shorte barrels are often preferred. For clay shooting only even longer are often preferred. But in all honesty any gun with 26" to 30" barrels works fine for all but trap and there long barrels really do rule.

With the Beretta single selective trigger system the barrel selector is incorporated into the safety. Push it to one side and it fires the top barrel first, push it to the other side and the bottom fires first. I'd have to look at mine to see which way is top vs. bottom. But yes after it fires the selected barrel first it then fires the other on the second pull.

The Beretta like the Browning has an inertia trigger and the first barrel MUST fire or the second one doesn't. I really like mechanical triggers better but both makers use the inertia system and that's what most of us use as a result.

It's a good solid gun without the frills that add to price but not to shootability. If it feels good to you get it. Try to get the price down but don't let it get by you at that price as it's a very fair price.

[nasem]

I talked him down to $600.... right now im a new owner of a beretta 686 12 ga...... thanks Bill

[Graybeard]

I thought you might get him down a bit. At $600 you got a great buy on a great gun. You'll enjoy it I'm sure. I hope you're able to get out and shoot it a bit more often than I seem to be these days.

I have at least made two trips to the skeet range this year and have gotten three of those four new shotguns fired in those two trips. The heat is just too much for me and I am only able to get in a couple rounds in the morning before it really gets to me and I don't even think of shooting afternoons until fall. Ain't the man I used to be.

[strut64]

At one time I had a silver essential and I could never shoot the gun that well because the stock was just too long and did not fit me.  Other than that it was a well made and functional gun.  I had a friend who happened to be a 6' 4" knuckle dragging Irishman who thought that Berretta was the nuts.  I swapped him even up for a Remington 3200 trap.  We were both happy with the deal.

[Graybeard]

The Berretta's do seem to have a bit longer stock than most. I'm not sure I'd be able to use mine as a hunting gun. It's kinda long for a fast mount when game was spotted. Not a problem on the skeet range where I have all the time I need to get it shouldered. If I had a gunsmith I trusted locally I'd have it shortened a bit.

[nasem]

the clay disks range is litterally 1 mile away from my house...... they charge $5 per 25 birds.
I will stop by this weekend and let you guys know how it went, me and my friend will go and maybe buy up to 150 birds, not sure, but we tend to shoot alot lol (Im so ready for a sore shoulder)

Everyone I talked to said this gun was worth atleast $700, and 600 was a freaking steal....so, im a very happy O/U owner, after the range I'll report back.

One question, down here in southern Michigan, you can only hunt deer (during the november season) with shotguns, what chokes are recommended for buckshots on this type of gun ?