doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Beretta 686 and 682

Could anybody help me with information on what the mechanical difference (in the lock) is between the Beretta 686 and the 682?

JTK

They are fundamentally the same gun. The 682 has replaceable shoulders and a trigger adjustment for LOP. The 682 is intended as a target gun and is expected to receive a lot of use. I have yet to hear of anyone replacing the shoulders on either gun though. Hinge parts are renewable on both and can be done at reasonable cost, should it become necessary, Unless there is something calling you to a 682, the 686 will serve most mortals very well indeed; imo they are one of the finest guns ever built.

Thanks for the info!

JTK

Hansli covered the basic differences well. There is one more thing of importance depending on your intended use. The 686 models I've shot have an automatic safety that is a pure pain in the @$$, not to mention the thumb if you're shooting clay targets. While I distrust all safety's the automatic ON safety is at best a nightmare when shooting clays. There is now a Sporting 686 offered and I don't know if it has the auto safety or not, but if it does, you may want to steer clear of it and get the 682...just a thought.

Then there are the light frame and heavy frame 682's. I read somewhere how to tell. It was to do with the thickness with the sides of the reciever. I measured mine. My late 682 is a "heavy frame". I'm guessing that means that the "light frame" is an earlier frame 682?

So, I'm also guessing that the non-target guns like the 686 field guns are thinner in the sides of the reciever also.

I have a 686 sporting that was made in 1993 which has a non automatic saftey. A gun smith can disable the auto saftey in a jiffy if you would like it done. David

Automatic safeties are an abomination to me and many others, as we've often discussed here. However, having one on a gun you like otherwise is not a reason pass it up. Converting an automatic safety to manual(for adult use) is usually quite easy. On modern guns like the Berettas it's likely a rod that can be removed, without cutting anything off. It can be saved to be re-installed for a future owner.

Thick sides, thin sides, it has nothing to do with the year the gun is going to fall apart. My 680 series gun has had tens of thousands of rounds shot through it, only the locking pin set has been replaced and only because I am a bit anal about lever position. The shoulders and trunnions should never need to be replaced. My gun was made about 1986, has been shot regularly every year since. I would buy a used 686 Sporting for $1200 before I would consider paying what people pay for a new 682.

Being a little picky, but actually the replaceable "shoulders" are on the barrels, not the frame. True, they come on 682/687 from the factory, but these 682/687 barrels can be fit to a 686.
When I had a 687 "rebuilt" by Cole Gunsmithing, they welded and refit the barrel lug to the fore-iron and bushed the locking bolt recesses in the barrels. Thus, all the mods were done to the barrels; trunions and bolts weren't touched.

I put over 250k rounds through my first 687, only breaking a single firing pin. It's now tight as a virgin mouse and the new owner is still shooting clays with it. I own more expensive guns, but my comp gun is a 682.

I have two 686 X Mono Trap trap guns, one with an extra set of O/U barrels and I have always liked them. I first used mine for trap before going to a Ljutic but my son still shoots his. They are really nice guns for the money. Good luck.