A very common problem with Beretta's is the safety catch not being set correctly causes the gun to jam closed. Check safety catch is not stuck in the middle between top or bottom barrel selected. Or it is not forward or back in the correct position.
Beretta 694 Problem
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pigginspadger
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Safety catch working fine…… fires both barrels no problem, then jams solid, top lever immovable, gun unlocks itself when the stock is tapped lightly on the ground……top lever moves easily…..gun is with the gunsmith and I’m awaiting his response.
pigginspadger
Well-known member
pigginspadger
Well-known member
Hi, just got the gun back this afternoon, evidently the random locking up problem was caused by very poor finishing of some parts of the action internals, according to the gunsmith, after not inconsiderable assistance from GMK, he has been able to gently file, polish and generally improve the action internal parts in such a way that the quality is now much improved from standard, the gunsmith said that there was nothing mechanically wrong with the action itself, simply that very poor quality control during assembly caused the malfunction. The gunsmith test fired 50 cartridges after his surgery, with no malfunction, I have since fired over 100 more cartridges without any recurrence of the lock up problem. Fingers crossed the gun is now working normally, as it should, and will continue to do so, my confidence with the Beretta brand is however further diminished…………..
Not for the first time! The quality control department went AWOL for a few years back around 2010-2013.
pigginspadger
Well-known member
I’m sure that GMK are fully aware of the various shortcomings with ongoing quality control issues regarding Beretta products……..genuine or perceived, but of course won’t publicly admit to them under any circumstances, the integrity of the Beretta brand is world renowned after all……….
I agree…….and their share of the shotgun market doesn’t appear to be diminishing, despite the ever increasing threat from bargain priced Beretta cloned Turkish knock-offs…….
Yes!!- I made the mistake of buying a 692 around this time…….I really should have learned from that frustrating experience!!!!!
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The problem with a warranty from the end user's perspective is the effect it has on quality control - the manufacturer can reduce QC until the savings made are exceeded by the QC costs. Factor in that they do not pay for the hassle incurred by the customer and its easy to easy that the end user actually losses out if all other things (such as cost of the gun) remain the same.
I have only ever bought one gun new - a 694 31inch anniversary oddly. It needed more cast so it had it, but that meant a checking over by a trusted gunsmith. Probably ruined the warranty but I have confidence in the gun now - both in terms of fit and also in it being mechanically sound - as far as possible.
In my view, guns such at the 686 series and 525/725 based guns (about which we know pretty well everything) are better put in the hands of a gunsmith who knows the 'faults' from day one than being sent back for some half-hearted repair under warranty. Having said that it sounds very much like yours got the attention it deserved which can only be a good thing. My 694 (touch wood or my head) was worth the money and is easily better than me so hopefully you are good to go from now on.
I have only ever bought one gun new - a 694 31inch anniversary oddly. It needed more cast so it had it, but that meant a checking over by a trusted gunsmith. Probably ruined the warranty but I have confidence in the gun now - both in terms of fit and also in it being mechanically sound - as far as possible.
In my view, guns such at the 686 series and 525/725 based guns (about which we know pretty well everything) are better put in the hands of a gunsmith who knows the 'faults' from day one than being sent back for some half-hearted repair under warranty. Having said that it sounds very much like yours got the attention it deserved which can only be a good thing. My 694 (touch wood or my head) was worth the money and is easily better than me so hopefully you are good to go from now on.
pigginspadger
Well-known member
Completely agree with all your comments Freddyip……I too have a trusted gunsmith I have known and used for over 30 years, and have complete faith in his professional knowledge and gunsmithing capabilities, he liased with GMK before undertaking to sort out the unusual lock up problems with my 694 Anniversary Edition. This is the second 694 I have owned since it was launched in 2018/19, the first one being a 30 inch Sporter, my very brief initial impression is that the small extra barrel length does alter the handling slightly, my gun has a little cast, not perhaps as much as I would like…..I intend to shoot it for a while and see whether maybe I need a bit more…….I’ve owned many 682’s and 682 Gold E’s, whether this gun is better, I don’t know, my favourite gun was a 32 inch Gold E I had back in 2009/10, (I should have kept it!!), this 694 is different, cost 3 times as much, but let’s see…………….
Similar story with me. I had a 2011 SV10 sporter bought NIB. Inexplicably I kept it for several years but it should never have passed even a cursory inspection by a 10 year old, yet it left the factory, went through GMK and the dealer before it reached me. The forend wood was so poorly finished inside that I even got a splinter from it once!
Since then I've tried to like Berettas by having a go with a couple of 692s, and a 690 but - sorry Beretta fans - the CGs are just so much better in almost every department; at least for me they are.
Although I don't own a Beretta, other than my old 303, I shoot with someone who has a 694. I have encountered this problem on Beretta guns before and it has on 3 different guns, been the locking bolts. So when it occurred on my pals gun, we tapped the heel of the stock on a wooden pallet, the gun then opened easily. We took it back to my car where I had some Lucas red grease. I applied some to the locking points and the gun has functioned fine ever since.
If the top lever won't move or needs a thumb busting push there's very little else it can be than the locking bolt. The locking system is quite separate from the rest of the action.
pigginspadger
Well-known member
Caesar Guerini is the one make of gun I haven’t owned, or even shot, in over thirty years………maybe….
My gun was appropriately lubricated, definitely not caused by a lack of grease, as you say Westward-the locking bolt is a completely separate part of the action, inexplicably it would not move, it wasn’t stiff, it was mechanically locked shut, fingers crossed, the problem will not recur……….
mpmilo
Well-known member
CG are the one gun I personally would never own again, Fore end shot properly loose after 500 shots, Few months old the action locked after one shot with a live cartridge in and took two of us to force it apart.
Cannot fault the service getting it all sorted, but totally lost confidence in them. Shame because out of the box i think they have the best patterning chokes on the market
Cannot fault the service getting it all sorted, but totally lost confidence in them. Shame because out of the box i think they have the best patterning chokes on the market
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pigginspadger
Well-known member
The after sales service from Anglo Italian Arms does seem to be exemplary, I understand what you’re saying about losing confidence with a gun and manufacturer tho, I’m certainly tempted to move away from Beretta, even tho, like Caesar Guerini, the odd rogue poorly made example sold shouldn’t reflect on the entire production.
Early CGs did tend to shoot loose too quickly. IDK when it was introduced but mine has a replaceable spacer in the forend, just like on DT10s which also tend to get loose. The spacers of course come in different lengths. I've had my 2011 Challenger for 7 years and the spacer was changed about 4 years ago. It's still a little tighter to open than it really needs to be. The gun itself has been trouble free although a gunsmith did cause a minor issue by rushing the job, but that wasn't the gun's fault.
mpmilo
Well-known member
My CG was a new 2018 gun, Lovely wood, best out the box choke pattern. Just lost confidence in them after the problems I had.
Not heard any problems with the Invictus range, But I dont know anybody that owns one .
Not heard any problems with the Invictus range, But I dont know anybody that owns one .
Finners
Well-known member
I do (own an Invictus) I also own an old Maxum which I beleive to be in the region of 15 years old. The only issue I've had with the Maxum is a broken firing pin which was replaced while I waited by Alistair at CGHQ. I recently bought the Invictus (just fancied a new gun) after trying a Blazer (that failed after about 32 shots, it was a brand new F16) Took it straight back and insisted on a refund. Tried a MXS which I liked but it was fixed chokes (expensive to get M/C) Took a near new 694 but couldn't hit a barn door with that. So, I stuck with CG. Simply the best in the market regarding customer care. The Invictus comes with a 10 year warranty, I had and would have no doubts about buying CG, in fact I really can't see me ever changing brands.
