doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Help identify a Beretta SxS

I don't have the paper in front of me, but the docs that came with my 425 show it as 1967 production (I think).

Has anyone ever seen a GR2 with an articulated front trigger?

Hi all, Pete your right about Beretta driving you crazy. I have a 627EL Sport and the ones I've seen for the American Market have SST, Pistol Grip, Tubes. MIne has an english stock, DT (with front trigger hinged) fixed chokes (IC/IM) and weighs in at 6lbs 4oz (and this is a 12ga) full scroll engraving. I got it for a good price and I use it for a late season pheasant gun. This is the only one I've seen with this configuration. This of course leads one to say it was ment for the european market.

Very good discussion here.

All the best!

Greg

OK, I took some quick shots of the catalog.

Here is the trigger which they call "hinged"





Notice their use of "Greener" here. They like to refer to many of their guns as having a "Greener boxlock". In Italian they say, "Typical Greener closing". On their better guns they refer to Purdey triple closing.




These spec's are for the American market.







Pete

To help identification here are some pictures of my 1970 (XXVI) GR-2 with aticulated front trigger. 12 gauge, 28" 2 3/4 extractor, vent rib, POW grip and semi-BTFE.

The gun Mike shows certainly looks like my GR2, except with a coin finished receiver. No sling mounts on mine either. Possible refinish with sling mounts added?

Note mine has "GR-2" stamped on the rear of the trigger guard, and "G2"? stamped on the rear lump.

It's a great late-season pheasant gun, and swings nice at 7 lbs 1 oz (with a slip on pad to lengthen LOP).

Bryan

Another thought Mike... Re-finish, import or whatever... IMO if the rest is as nice as what we see in your photos it could make a heck of a nice shooter if in the $1000 - $1500 range. I'd be very interested if I didn't already have one!

i am begining to think the gun has a different model name in the US
based on the barrel steel and date of manufacture Wilsons Book (if you believe it) says 425 maybe these are called GR's just like the S50E sereies seemed to go by the BL name
FWIW from the book "The Model 425 succesor of the model 409PB A 3 lock gun with visible triple lock bolt"
the 424 reads Same as model 425 but with positive double bolt only

smle, I think Wilson screwed up. We have both the GR guns and the 424-5-6 guns here in the States, and they are not the same guns.

The GR series has the rib extension. This is a 424 receiver, no extension.



The other differences, bluing / plating, etc are merely cosmetic. As to the product name (type of steel) on the barrels, they could and did change that from year to year. Again, they offered a sightly different product in each market.

Wilson is a good survey. He should not be taken as the last word with regard to Beretta. He had a huge task, attempting to document over 400 years of weapons. In addition to giving a rough sketch of the history. I think it is better than some of his other books.

Most of the guns Wilson shows can only be seen in a museum or private collection? When was the last time any one saw a Beretta shotgun from the 1880's up for sale? I have "heard" of them changing hands, but only through private channels. Heck most of the catalogs he shows will never see the light of day!

Pete

George Caswell at Champlin Firearms identified my Beretta 409
just by a verbal description over the phone. He sure knew his stuff.
I would mention to him that there is a smooth curve at the rear of the receiver (i.e. as opposed to a scalloped one). http://www.champlinarms.com
580-237-7388

also, consider this:

The Beretta Silver Hawk, discontinued back in 1967, was resurrected in 1999. The old version sported a satin chrome receiver, high solid rib, checkered pistol grip walnut stock and forearm, double triggers, and plain extractors. It was a boxlock gun with monobloc barrels in 12 (3" chamber) and 10 gauge (3.5" chamber) only. The Silver Hawk Featherweight was similar but lighter and came with a beavertail forearm and standard 2.75" chambers in 12, 16, 20, and 28 gauges with a choice of double triggers or a single non-selective trigger.

my gun a 1956 built 410 was confirmed by Beretta Australia perhaps you could try the US Beretta importer? they were able to identify mine by serial no