doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Repair or replace cracked stock on Beretta DP?

For a quality, but not classic, O/U, is it better from a value standpoint to repair or replace cracked/broken furniture? I have a Beretta Diamond Pigeon with a crack in the stock at the wrist.
I am sure a good gunsmith can repair it quite well, and I've been told that for quality guns replacing the original wood lowers the value. OTOH the DP is still in production, so new DPs with new wood are readily available. The cost to replace is not much more than a top quality repair, so the bigger issue to me would be how the value is affected. I appreciate any advice from experienced hands. Thanks.

Hello Zumkopf
Welcome on your first posting
Have you contacted Beretta and asked if the wood is under warranty?
Mike

No, it's not under warranty. It'd be an easier call if it was.

Welcome Zumkopf.

From Hallowell & Co
Illustrated Firearms Dictionary

Furniture - in British-speak, the visible small steel parts of a double gun: toplever, triggerguard, safety tab, forend release lever, etc.


keith ??

The minute you shot your DP the value went down into the used gun market. No longer NIB it is a used gun. Look at it this way if you were buying it would you discount the gun for a repair? Without doubt. Would you discount a gun for a factory replacement stock? Perhaps but far less than a repaired stock. All things being equal I'd rather replace the stock and keep the old one. The next owner can have it repaired if he wishes but don't spend more money on it yourself.

If the cost is almost the same, replace the stock. You might want to check with Cole's gunsmithing on new wood.

Ken

+1 on Cole's they have worked on a number of Berettas for buddies and one of mine. Work had been excellent, turn around time very fast and cost was very reasonable. Call and talk to them about a new piece of wood or possible repair, you won't be disappointed...WBLDon

My thanks for the responses. I am new to this and have a lot to learn. Meanwhile, I will contact Cole's and see what they can do for my DP. I hope they don't have to replace both stock and forend to get a match... Regards, Z

I'm just wondering who it is that would GAF if the stock had been replaced? And how would they know? Beretta wood isn't #'d and even if it was who cares? And it doesn't always match anyway.

The single reason that I will never again purchase ANYTHING from Beretta is that I had a 687EELL with a stock that not only cracked but a good sized piece fell off on the right side at the action. They had no interest in hearing about it. I'm sure they've never felt my non-participation in their business and I'm just as sure that I've missed nothing by not dealing with them.

Zum,
Those guns are known for having stock issues, I've seen quite a few with cracked wrists....the fancy side plates and all that metal embellishment calls for fancy wood so I think they now look for pretty colour and grain without much consideration to grain flow, if you ever took one apart you'd see that they're totally whittled out.
Order a new set from Coles for about 1K and choose carefully from the pictures... proper grain flow through the head and wrist should be your first priority...then have it properly fitted by them or someone who knows how.
I just finished installing one of their wood sets on one of those "fancy guns"....takes a little work but they'll never know the difference.


All Best,

CJ