Beretta 694 choosing nice wood

[ColinD]

Give them a call, they are very good at customer service. They do a custom stock service with Beretta in Italy were you can go and choose your wood and have a custom stock made for you with the finish you want.
At a cost though
To be fair give them a call and they will send you pictures of what they have, or when they get more stock in

Edit. Or just buy a CG Invictus and choose your wood

 

[Keith B]

That's certainly decent if not better. With a lot of the Beretta stocks, there is a lot to gain from properly sealing the pores and taking the time for a higher quality hand finish: I'd venture the above would look outright pretty with a high gloss finish (as is my preference).

The better the finish, the more the shading and differences in wood tone stand out. While I can see the economics of mass producing a finish like the above, I've seen some Beretta's where after sanding it became evident that the "oil" is in fact dyed and a lot of natural marbling was drowned out in favor of a more even colour throughout.

Beretta doesn't seem to bother about their stock wood until you get to the upper tier models. I have seen several 694's with stocks like floorboards.

 

[Martinj]

I thought the 692/4 wood was only grade 2 where grade 1 is like a table leg and grade 5 is the tops so you can't expect too much of it

 

[Keith B]

I thought the 692/4 wood was only grade 2 where grade 1 is like a table leg and grade 5 is the tops so you can't expect too much of it

At their price point, the customer deserves better.

 

[Ewor]

Closing the loop on this, I found the best stock I could find (to my eyes) in the current advertised market/blenheim game fair at Francis Lovel in Witney, he kept the gun back for me until I could get there and part ex my old gun. I now own a 694!!

I’m now lying on a beach on holiday, and a question popped into my head-what is the stock finish on the 694 and what to use to maintain it over the years-wax? Stock oil?
My last gun I learnt the hard way that the oil just “sat” on the original finish.

Thanks

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Congratulations on your purchase!

In my experience Beretta currently finishes stocks with tru-oil on their modern line-up*. Please note that this name is misleading, as this is not an oil finish but rather a hardening polymer. If used correctly it can produce a really nice gloss (even glass like) finish with less work than a traditional oil finish. Note "less", as doing it properly is still time consuming. PM me for details if you can't find the topics on tru-oil / stock finishing.

The product can be bought from Beretta itself, but is originally a Casewood-Birchey product and cheaper / available in larger quantities as such from CB, the internets or CB dealers.

*There are rare exceptions of actual oil finishes on modern Beretta's but as far as I know those are "made to order" only, such as when you buy a separate stock from Beretta.

 

[General Skanky]

I’ve always used Legia and Ballistol. For everything. Not had a problem yet.

 

[Martinj]

when I bought my 692 a few years back I'm not sure that it had anything on it, the wood was pale which I quite liked but eventually gave it a couple of coats of this stuff which worked well, the wood darkened a little after application and took on a soft sheen

 

[General Skanky]

That cock is good stuff. Used it on air rifles.

It will definitely darken the wood but when dried and buffed it gives a very good finish.

The only reason I stopped using it is because Ballistol did the same thing and cleaned and protected my guns at the same time from the wood through to the metalwork.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

If Ballistol works for you, then all good. Personally it doesn't come near my guns, for a couple of reasons. While its a lubricant, it evaporates in marginally high temperatures to leave a cruddy paste which will grind and wear the affected areas. As a rust barrier - great product except for the funky smell (highly personal, I know) and for wood its probably fine on an already treated surface (wouldn't want it on my cheek though) but I suspect it seeps into unprotected wood which is thereafter nigh impossible to treat with others. YMMV.

 

[lh8611]

Regarding ballistol, having read some conflicting information online I messaged them directly to ask about the suitability for use in chrome lined bores. Below is a screenshot of their response. Just something else for people to consider.

 

[Bavarian]

The Company Ballistol has several products to offer, the classic Ballistol oil is just one of them.
Balsin is a classic wood oil, available in 3 colours.
I use Ballistol Gun Cer on my guns to
lubricate them, works very well.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Regarding ballistol, having read some conflicting information online I messaged them directly to ask about the suitability for use in chrome lined bores. Below is a screenshot of their response. Just something else for people to consider.

That's another reason then.

The Company Ballistol has several products to offer, the classic Ballistol oil is just one of them.
Balsin is a classic wood oil, available in 3 colours.
I use Ballistol Gun Cer on my guns to
lubricate them, works very well.

I'm sure they do lots of products, but I inferred the conversation saw to the classic "universal" oil. I'm naturally weary of any product that claims "over a 1.000 uses" and would personally tend towards exactly for purpose products, as you seem to do with Gunex and Balsin - both being different that the oil that also claims to preserve leather, wax boats, neutralize acids and polish silver.

 

[Bavarian]

Well, the classic ballistol is a very old product and could really be used for a lot of purposes, unless there might be "specialists" that might work better on a certain purpose.
But I´ve seen a lot of old guns which had not seen anything than Ballistol and they are fine.
The main ingredient of Ballistol classic is high grade parrafine oil which is also used in cosmetics or furniture polish.
it is not harmful and that is a big plus. And it won´t damage rubber or plastic parts as other oils do.

 

[General Skanky]

If Ballistol works for you, then all good. Personally it doesn't come near my guns, for a couple of reasons. While its a lubricant, it evaporates in marginally high temperatures to leave a cruddy paste which will grind and wear the affected areas. As a rust barrier - great product except for the funky smell (highly personal, I know) and for wood its probably fine on an already treated surface (wouldn't want it on my cheek though) but I suspect it seeps into unprotected wood which is thereafter nigh impossible to treat with others. YMMV.

I’ve used it for years with zero issues on many guns.

Like anything, you wipe and clean not smother, so I’d imagine it’d take quiet a lot to become a cruddy paste.

If you look into everything hard enough you’ll find plenty to make you doubt I’m sure.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

If you look into everything hard enough you’ll find plenty to make you doubt I’m sure.

Story of my life

 

[Bavarian]

Some guns I see are so rusty and dirty that they would benefit using anything from lard to fuel oil.