General Skanky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2024
- Messages
- 73
So, I went ahead and grabbed myself one of these -
https://www.beretta.com/en-us/product/a400-xtreme-plus-synthetic-FA0026#gallery-0
Thanks to Essex Gun at Fennes Shooting Ground for the deal.
Now, this is my opinion on this gun, for me. It is not a 'better than your gun' post. Having said that, if you're an OU fan, at least by the end of this you'll know there is a cure.
Brand new, 30" semi auto, black and grey 3 1/2" wildfowl gun. Put a 1/4 choke in it and forgot it was there. Shot approx 250 cartridges through it yesterday. Break in and all that and enjoyed it so much ended up doing a typical clay shoot day. Also forgot it was breaking in.....
I researched so much material, online and videos and forums etc to find out about this gun. I already have 2 x A400, the sporting and upland variant so very familiar with it as a platform.
I'll start by saying this gun is fantastic. Oh, yes, spoiler.
I shimmed it with the 65mm drop and cast and added a 28mm recoil pad but left the 1/2" spacer. Fits like a glove.
A quick summary -
Pros
1. It's a semi auto. I'm just a fan. They work for me.
2. It absolutely and definitely does and will cycle 28g loads, didn't have a 24g to test but expect it will. I'll come back to this.
3. Steelium Plus barrel. It works.
4. Enlarged loading port, gate and operating handle and release. Milled out loading port too. Handy.
5. Higher rib. It also works.
6. Kick Off system. It works.
7. Ability to shoot all and any type of cartridge, right up to the mega Magnum loads, if you ever needed that.
8. Its weight is spot on. Same as a 32" 694, but because I 'felt' the weight is not out front having the one barrel, it moved just lovely for me and sat just right.
9. Great ergonomics overall, grip and feel etc.
10. It shoots and cycles just as fast as any gun out there. All this nonsense about load timings or whatever because of the 3 1/2" chamber, it shot as fast as I could pull the trigger!
Cons
1. It's a semi auto. If you're not a fan then I understand.
2. It's heavy compared to a Bennelli. Much heavier. if you like a speedy, lighter gun then definitely bear this in mind.
3. Even a 28" semi auto is as long as a 30" OU, so if you like shorter gun then this may not suit.
4. The magazine is crimped to hold a max of 2 cartridges, so it can't easily be turned into an FAC, which is something I had pondered before. Shotgun Certificate only.
5. It falls into the 'Fugly Rugged' category in looks. It will not, nor ever be able to compete with some of the stunning woodwork and engravings out there on an OU. This is more your classic bulldog chewing a wasp look.
6. Being a gas gun it will need cleaning more than an inertia. It's part of the thing for me, so I enjoy that. I will say though, that because it is a beefy beast of a gun, the gas parts are bigger and easier to clean than on a standard A400.
7. You may not believe it is a one gun does all gun......
8. I'm 6'3", long arm, big frame etc, fits me great. Not quite a knuckle dragger, but you get the idea. If you are of smaller stature and shorter, this may be the wrong fit.
9. It's expensive in some eyes. £2k. Value is a personal perspective.
From the very first shot, it cycled the 28g English Sporter 7.5 shot perfectly. I also used Gamebore Velocity +. Same. Cycled without a flaw. This point is important. There is a vast amount of misinformation out there around this guns ability to cycle clay loads. It does. Guaranteed. I did obviously clean it, de gunk factory grease and oiled and lubed ready for its first shoot. Good practice in my opinion for all guns. Soooo many posts of people saying it doesn't. It does. I found they tend to refer to older guns, confusing this with past/older Berettas, not cleaning etc etc. This 'Plus' gun just works. It is modern and up to date and well designed. 2018/2019+ I believe.
This helped -
It was by far the biggest urban legend out there. There are quite a few YouTube videos showing this model shooting clays. Easily. I searched so much in fact, that my YouTube algorithms now make me look like a gun nut............
I found it to be so good, I have been raving about it since shooting it. I believe if I were good enough, I could certainly keep up with anyone in any discipline. Probably. And I'll head off the comments now about 'won't stand next to a semi doing DTL' or 'Pros only use X' etc. Not saying it will, just saying I believe it could.
I had zero fatigue from shooting it. So if you are not a fan of recoil, the Kick Off system and Steelium barrel work very well.
Now I think this gun is great. Of course there are other wildfowl guns out there, the likes of Browning, Bennelli etc. If you're in the market for a new semi, or even an OU, maybe consider one of these. I always had in my mind categories for guns as marketed, clays, trap, game etc. If there is one thing I have now cleared my mind of is that I now see no categories, and keep open to the fact that any gun which is right for you, will absolutely do the job. Who knew a wildfowl gun could be so capable?
https://www.beretta.com/en-us/product/a400-xtreme-plus-synthetic-FA0026#gallery-0
Thanks to Essex Gun at Fennes Shooting Ground for the deal.
Now, this is my opinion on this gun, for me. It is not a 'better than your gun' post. Having said that, if you're an OU fan, at least by the end of this you'll know there is a cure.
Brand new, 30" semi auto, black and grey 3 1/2" wildfowl gun. Put a 1/4 choke in it and forgot it was there. Shot approx 250 cartridges through it yesterday. Break in and all that and enjoyed it so much ended up doing a typical clay shoot day. Also forgot it was breaking in.....
I researched so much material, online and videos and forums etc to find out about this gun. I already have 2 x A400, the sporting and upland variant so very familiar with it as a platform.
I'll start by saying this gun is fantastic. Oh, yes, spoiler.
I shimmed it with the 65mm drop and cast and added a 28mm recoil pad but left the 1/2" spacer. Fits like a glove.
A quick summary -
Pros
1. It's a semi auto. I'm just a fan. They work for me.
2. It absolutely and definitely does and will cycle 28g loads, didn't have a 24g to test but expect it will. I'll come back to this.
3. Steelium Plus barrel. It works.
4. Enlarged loading port, gate and operating handle and release. Milled out loading port too. Handy.
5. Higher rib. It also works.
6. Kick Off system. It works.
7. Ability to shoot all and any type of cartridge, right up to the mega Magnum loads, if you ever needed that.
8. Its weight is spot on. Same as a 32" 694, but because I 'felt' the weight is not out front having the one barrel, it moved just lovely for me and sat just right.
9. Great ergonomics overall, grip and feel etc.
10. It shoots and cycles just as fast as any gun out there. All this nonsense about load timings or whatever because of the 3 1/2" chamber, it shot as fast as I could pull the trigger!
Cons
1. It's a semi auto. If you're not a fan then I understand.
2. It's heavy compared to a Bennelli. Much heavier. if you like a speedy, lighter gun then definitely bear this in mind.
3. Even a 28" semi auto is as long as a 30" OU, so if you like shorter gun then this may not suit.
4. The magazine is crimped to hold a max of 2 cartridges, so it can't easily be turned into an FAC, which is something I had pondered before. Shotgun Certificate only.
5. It falls into the 'Fugly Rugged' category in looks. It will not, nor ever be able to compete with some of the stunning woodwork and engravings out there on an OU. This is more your classic bulldog chewing a wasp look.
6. Being a gas gun it will need cleaning more than an inertia. It's part of the thing for me, so I enjoy that. I will say though, that because it is a beefy beast of a gun, the gas parts are bigger and easier to clean than on a standard A400.
7. You may not believe it is a one gun does all gun......
8. I'm 6'3", long arm, big frame etc, fits me great. Not quite a knuckle dragger, but you get the idea. If you are of smaller stature and shorter, this may be the wrong fit.
9. It's expensive in some eyes. £2k. Value is a personal perspective.
From the very first shot, it cycled the 28g English Sporter 7.5 shot perfectly. I also used Gamebore Velocity +. Same. Cycled without a flaw. This point is important. There is a vast amount of misinformation out there around this guns ability to cycle clay loads. It does. Guaranteed. I did obviously clean it, de gunk factory grease and oiled and lubed ready for its first shoot. Good practice in my opinion for all guns. Soooo many posts of people saying it doesn't. It does. I found they tend to refer to older guns, confusing this with past/older Berettas, not cleaning etc etc. This 'Plus' gun just works. It is modern and up to date and well designed. 2018/2019+ I believe.
This helped -
It was by far the biggest urban legend out there. There are quite a few YouTube videos showing this model shooting clays. Easily. I searched so much in fact, that my YouTube algorithms now make me look like a gun nut............
I found it to be so good, I have been raving about it since shooting it. I believe if I were good enough, I could certainly keep up with anyone in any discipline. Probably. And I'll head off the comments now about 'won't stand next to a semi doing DTL' or 'Pros only use X' etc. Not saying it will, just saying I believe it could.
I had zero fatigue from shooting it. So if you are not a fan of recoil, the Kick Off system and Steelium barrel work very well.
Now I think this gun is great. Of course there are other wildfowl guns out there, the likes of Browning, Bennelli etc. If you're in the market for a new semi, or even an OU, maybe consider one of these. I always had in my mind categories for guns as marketed, clays, trap, game etc. If there is one thing I have now cleared my mind of is that I now see no categories, and keep open to the fact that any gun which is right for you, will absolutely do the job. Who knew a wildfowl gun could be so capable?
