http://www.beretta.com/en/486-by-marc-newson/

You like?

Can't decide.

Don't like the shape of that lever. Anybody else turned off by it?

Just too different for my taste. I could picture a Westley richards style fitting right in though.

I might just be too conservative. I do not like the shape of the lever either, it looks unfinished. I also cannot warm up to the way the fences are shaped and the lack of a top tang. Might just be me but I find it not very appealing.

Toilet lever.

The shaping is also butt ugly.

Who is Marc Newson?

I do not like the "wood bridge" separating the safety and top lever.

I definitely do not care for the snakes in the engraving.

Otherwise, I like the barrels without the typical join showing.
I like that the gun is "sleek".
I like that Beretta introduced a new side by side!

Mark

Looks as butt ugly as a Model 24 Winchester.

Guess I'd have to try it. Guns that I pick up, never having seen before, and run 23-25 with at some form of clays game, start to impress me as I'm walking off the field. Bet it would be expensive for a gun you shot well, but, didn't like looking at.
Not crazy about single triggers, but, I suppose the designer is into minimalist thinking.

Best,
Ted

The text is clasic new age Berettese, maybe someone can translate this bit:

"While most shotguns screw the guard to the bottom of the receiver, the 486 by Marc Newson inserts the trigger guard into a milled guide. The result is a perfect junction of two surfaces, which creates a higher aesthetic value."

What really spoils it is the ridiculous "Read manual before use " stamped on the barrel.

Comparing it to some of the Fabarm's made before the company changed it seems the Italians are trying to change the concept of what a double gun looks like .Time will tell .

Yuk

Looks like a SxS Centergy!!

Ugly.

Really ugly.

I cannot believe that it will sell. But I have been wrong before...

Calling that "butt ugly" is an insult to all butts. It looks stamped, machined and modernistic. Pretty much all the things I don't like in a gun.

Matt

Grotesque. Art for art's sake. I hope they don't plan on selling over 3 or 4 worldwide.
JR

I definitely like it! I like how sleek the receiver is. I bet it would carry in the hand real nice, and mount nice and smooth as well.

I would prefer double triggers. And I think the lever shaping where it enters the receiver breaks the sleek lines of the receiver. And, it looks like it would be a bugger to restock.

I think it is a good step forward in shotgun aesthetics. Gun nuts are very traditional, and any change in aesthetics will meet a lot of resistance from most simply because it is different. But, there are plenty of traditional SxS designs available, and so there is nothing wrong with trying something different.

JMHO

Can't stand the engraving pattern, would prefer another trigger, like the receiver shape, ambivalent about the lever, see no advantage to the wood bridge, like the world's best barrels of course. They must have frozen them, huh?
If Apple and Beretta team up, they can release a new model every 6 months. 400, 400S, 400S Plus, 500... mind boggling potential.
Given a choice, I'd take a standard 426.

Single triggers are the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. It is the result of the writings of Jack O'Connor and Maj. Askins. I'd like to see and feel the shape of the wrist. MKII

Looks French to me.
Top lever like a Super Britte.
Snake engraving is unappealing.

Makes you wonder if they snuck around in Manufrance's trash.

Fix the lever, put some stock laser engraving on it, and I'd like it.

Boy! This is a hard**s bunch! I grant you it's different but the round body is nice and should be comfortable to carry. The lever is different and the trigger guard fitting is just "newspeak".
A bit like having an Asian girl friend. You never know until you try it.

Trigger guard shape is yucky and i have never liked single triggers on a sbs. Don't like the shape of the hand/wrist of the stock, seems to become quite chunky; lacks the refined look of nice doubles. Think the forend could do with being a shade longer just to balance out the wood at the back a bit.

Kind of has that Darne (https://www.doublegunshop.com/darne/darne4.jpg) appeal to me. In their nature they just look a bit odd and i don't necessarily love them for it, but at the same time its not easy to think outside the box and it does have some appeal to me.

It might make the hide-bound traditionalists choke, but the lines are really good. Yeah, the top lever reminds me of the back end of a BMW Z3/4 - the rest of it was well done, but they had just ran out of steam by the time they got to the last part.

You've obviously never used a sxs for waterfowling while using heavy gloves, or used a sxs in competition. Casual upland shooters have never gotten the whole single trigger thing.

Single triggers had been around for a very long time before O'Connor and Askins.
JR

He is not French, Newson was born in Sydney, Australia. As to the design it is more modern than many purist like but that is the whole point. Doubles are 150 years old and if you are going to interest people into buying new one for big bucks you need to do something different. I hope the gun sells well so other new designs will follow. Anything to bring new guns to the game.

Other than the particulars of the engraving and the toplever, I like it.

Jay

Side by sides with double triggers have been used in competitions for many years as well as on very large bag driven bird shoots without any problem . Lets be honest its not a wildfowler so again the problem would not arise .As to the looks ,OK the safe arrangement is a gimmick but look at some photos of early guns by Lefever and Ithica , functional but not exactly what could be described as graceful classic lines.
This is merely a marketing ploy to part hard earned cash from those who buy into "designer chic" or on the other hand those with lots of money and no taste for tradition ,but thats my opinion ,others may differ .

You nailed it, Gunman.
JR

I like it but the top lever needs more work. It looks unfinished and is a jarring note in the overall design. What guages is it going to come in?

Since the Dickson round action is sometimes referred to as "The Snake" perhaps that's the reason for the engraving selection here.
Jim

Thanks for showing it WS. Since the exercise is about design and aesthetics, to me the top lever is just too drastic a contrast to the engraving theme and style. I also think the trigger guard shape looks like a cost effective after thought. I'd think they wanted more surface area to engrave, but bulk of the receiver comes off looking heavy to me. Good for Beretta though, they probably figure it's a limited market.

The bottom of that page has a link to the standard 486.

Some will like it better.

Beretta hasn't put a proper rib on any of their sxs's in a long time. If they would offer the 486 with a level flat topped rib instead of that semi-swamped abomination they've used for years, and a nice long semi-beavertail, with 32" barrels, I would put my order in tomorrow. Oh yeah.
JR

Now that's funny.

I have no problems with the design or look but then I LIKE Darnes!
It appears from this reference http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/reviews/shotgun/gun-reviews-beretta-486-parallelo-shotgun
that the gun has been designed for today's world. I have seen one reference where the safety is manual and another where if the gun is held in a less than level position, the safety goes to ON.
Whatever is the correct working, I applaud Beretta for designing something new!
I would also expect that modern manufacturing methods and maintenance have been melded into the design process.
As to double triggers being better than single triggers, that ship has long ago sailed. So called 'experts', don;t like anything new or different, be it double triggers, PDK transmissions, semi conductor amps and the list goes on.
Me, 'the proof is in the pudding' and I wouldn;t disparage the gun until I shot one.
But from what I have learned it's only available in 3" 12 gauge at about 7#s.
Too heavy for a field gun for me and too light for waterfowl or Clays.
It does have a certain aesthetic appleal to me but I just don't require another shotgun.-Dick

I like that it doesn't have a beavertail. That's about the only thing I can find to like about that one.

Interesting attempt, but Beretta dropped the ball on letting this out of the factory as is.
Pluses: I love the wood surrounding the receiver. Beautiful and difficult to do. Bar in wood guns and island locks have long been considered some of the most attractive attributes on a SxS. I like the barrels, but it's not a new thing. I had a Beretta 470, one of the original run, that had mono bloc barrels with no perceivable joint. They stopped making them that way because it was too expensive. The receiver shape is gorgeous and sexy. And those aren't snakes - they're dragons. I like dragons, but saying they are a tribute to pheasants because they are Asian is just stupid. With that logic they could have put a teapot on the gun because it's Asian. I like the swamped rib. When I shoot I try to not look at the gun, so ribs don't mean much to me.
Minuses: I believe the top lever is minimalist and not supposed to detract from the rest of the gun. It is simply awful. I thought Italians knew how to make things pretty. The trigger guard is so out of place it immediately draws your eye, but certainly not in a good way. The traditional ways of attaching guards work well and many of them are attractive. The leaf springs are traditional, but not required for great trigger pulls. I'll bet they are a pain to replace in this gun. I still have not seen any laser engraving that I like at all.
So, I do applaude Beretta for trying to push the design and aesthetics of the SxS, but this failed. Fixing the shape of the trigger guard and top lever will transform the look of this gun. I looked at some of the stuff that Marc Newsom is famous for designing. I have a fairly well rounded and sophisticated sense of style, but he doesn't do much for me.
What Beretta was trying to do has already been done by another Italian company. Here's the real deal.
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/lot-2187-exc...ith-case-47078/
The Bertuzzi Orione is the most svelte, sexiest game gun ever made, IMHO.
Regards,
Jeff

I like !

Pretty, but a non-selective single trigger on a gun that expensive is a total turn off to me.

I am a big fan of lovely, full, breast-like beaded ball fences,so have to say its not my cup of tea.
franc

Looks like junk designed in San Fransisco to me....

The CEO's at Beretta must have lost their damn minds.

Looking at this gun though, the inletting does not look very complicated. It appears to be simple machine cuts with no fine details to fit up.

Who is this Marc guy and what is connection with Beretta or the gun?

Very nice looking gun in "Porsche Design" king of way. I would be thankful to anyone bringing out new SxS at affordable price especially from warm and wonderful place like Italy.

PS. People pay lot of money for new Merkel SxS shotguns and in terms of aesthetics those guns are truly horrendous. There is no doubt unless one is talking classic Mauser sporters or hideous multi-barrel complexities when it comes to guns Italians do far, far better job than Germans.

I doubt if I would ever buy one, but if I found it under the Christmas tree, I would shoot it without apology or excuses. What's the price, btw?

If you 'gotta ask....


Best,
Ted

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Newson

Here's his website:
http://www.marc-newson.com/Default.aspx

Apparently Beretta sought him out based on his track record of simplistic smooth-flowing cutting-edge design that earned him his reputation.

I like the it....except the lever. I think a side lever would have been nice.

I like it! It's not for me but it's cool.Beretta is looking for something different..New..It's hard to keep selling the same thing everyday and not have something different to show.I wish that they would have picked out another style engraving other than that Asian snake look.
Different for sure!

There are other options for those that do not like Italian double with Chinese new year ornamentations. Near New York City Public Library (couple buildings distant) off 5TH going east there is this place where they can tailor gun to your needs. They also have place in London which is nice because you can also have tailored suits, shirts and shoes made for you. Once they have molds of your feet can order shoes be be shipped to your country estate. This is what is called bundling. I discovered they actually have English restaurants/pubs. This is wonderful idea first you drink some alcohol then you can actually swallow their food.

The single trigger is selective.-Dick

I think the Ford O21C is a great piece of design. I also think a modernistic side by side designed from scratch could have a side lever.

It looks like the edsel of shotguns

The standard 486 looks a whole lot nicer. too bad its not available in a 20

I can't comment on Merkel s/s - as I haven't handled one. However Merkel o/u may look ungainly, but they have fantastic fast handling - and I prefer a gun that handles well to one that looks well. I much prefer the Merkel 303 to a Beretta SO6.

I have a Merkel 147E and the action is similar to the the Greener Trebble Wedge Fast. It's a great gun with Krupp steel barrels, the kind that competed with Whitworth steel at the turn of the last century. It has a lot of high end features that make it a fantastic gun. However, I feel that some don't like the Teutonic engraving. This new Beretta has some intriguing new features that I really like. The new sculpted frame is very classy and the island safety is really cool. The engraving however, is not for everybody. I would buy the gun if it isn't over $5k. After that, the gun isn't something that speaks to me, "buy it".

Beretta did not build it for this market thats for sure. Having said that sometimes I think I would like to have a modern SxS with long barrels and chokes to suit me. Like the Perazzi DC 20. I could live with a single trigger if it worked well as well as Beretta's O/U triggers. Would rather leave off that engraving though. Too many frills and flourishes for me.

This from a guy with 6 Parkers who's not a gun collector.

Boats

That translates to "we cheaped out on the triggerguard and made it look like it came off a Savage 311, then covered it in flowery language and pretentiousness", or something like that.

That's the best summation yet....for that I gave you two stars.

The guy should have stuck to making weird clocks.

I don't like the trigger guard. It makes the whole thing somehow look cheap.

It would take a lot of getting use to the looks for me. Bobby

No.

From the top (which is the shooters view) the top lever looks like it was designed by Koehler

Meh,

Not appealing to me personally, but not unappealing either. However, if it sparks the interest of the younger generations to appreciate side-by-sides, I'm all for it! After all, they're like Lays potato chips...

I don't like the lever either. But the trigger guard looks like a 311 Stevens, and at least the Stevens has two triggers.

Better read it again. It says clearly NON-selective.

Well I read it and it clearly states that it has a SAFETY-SELECTOR in the text, and one can easily see a laterally sliding selector on the safety slide, like the 687 series Berettas.

Your move.

SRH

A few thoughts on this new design.

I really like the departure from a top tang-mounted safety slide. I find the "island" look of the safety very attractive.

The shaping of the trigger guard is no accident, or afterthought. Viewing the profile, you can see the carryover of lines, complimenting each other. Look closely and you may notice that the forward curve of the bow blends perfectly with the lower rear curve of the receiver, and the rear curve of the guard perfectly matches the curve of the upper line of the rear of the receiver, and also that of the forward border of the wrist checkering. While I agree that the shape of the guard in and of itself is not attractive, there is method in the madness. It is part of a package.

They quit on the toplever too quickly. It stands out badly against a busy engraving pattern on the receiver. If it were mine I would definitely have it engraved in a complimentary style. Then, even though the shaping sucks, it would not be nearly so noticeable.

I wouldn't buy it, most likely, but not for design reasons only. I have no need, or use, for a 12 gauge gun with less than 30" barrels. If it had 32" barrels, and we're offered to me to use for a season, would I? You're mighty right I would. Even though it would be as out of place in Arkansas green timber, or a Jawjadawg peanut field, as a house cat at a dogfight.

SRH

A few thoughts on this new design.

I really like the departure from a top tang-mounted safety slide. I find the "island" look of the safety very attractive.

The shaping of the trigger guard is no accident, or afterthought. Viewing the profile, you can see the carryover of lines, complimenting each other. Look closely and you may notice that the forward curve of the bow blends perfectly with the lower rear curve of the receiver, and the rear curve of the guard perfectly matches the curve of the upper line of the rear of the receiver, and also that of the forward border of the wrist checkering. While I agree that the shape of the guard in and of itself is not attractive, there is method in the madness. It is part of a package.

They quit on the toplever too quickly. It stands out badly against a busy engraving pattern on the receiver. If it were mine I would definitely have it engraved in a complimentary style. Then, even though the shaping sucks, it would not be nearly so noticeable.

I wouldn't buy it, most likely, but not for design reasons only. I have no need, or use, for a 12 gauge gun with less than 30" barrels. If it had 32" barrels, and we're offered to me to use for a season, would I? You're mighty right I would. Even though it would be as out of place in Arkansas green timber, or a Jawjadawg peanut field, as a house cat at a dogfight.

SRH

I like it, or should I say I am rather fond of its bold modern design (but for my personal use I do prefer vintage guns). I agree that this design deserves a side lever.

With kind regards,
Jani

Not a big deal Stan, to my eye, I see the opposite. I see just enough differences in the curves of the receiver and the trigger guard that the profile does not appear to be a seamless flow.

That straight back of the trigger guard looks to clash with the flowing curves theme. I think there's too much open space behind the trigger, it doesn't look fitted. Because the attachment to the receiver is much wider than the bottom curve of the guard, it says 'stamping' to me no matter how carefully planned.

Only opinion is all. I think it drops the ball for a designer special gun.

Oh yeah!

As far as the engraving goes.....I don't see it too far removed from the Gargoyle themes I've seen from notable English makers...

If I had a dog that ugly I would shave his a$$ and make him walk backwards.

The 486 Parallelo is a nice looking gun however.

Might look good after a glass of George T Stagg...but I'd hate to wake up next to her the next morning.

"Doubles are 150 years old and if you are going to interest people into buying new one for big bucks you need to do something different."

I've always considered the classic double to be perfection; the idea that you somehow need to 'improve' upon it just to be different is a fallacy. I feel the same way about the vagina. It's been good just the way it is for ages. Or so I gather.

It's not so much the product, Greg, rather the price of admission.

The best tactic with either, is to rent it.

Thus, we avoid depreciation and change of fashion.

Stan,
Sorry for the confusion. I was talking about this one.
http://jamesdjulia.com/item/lot-2187-exc...ith-case-47078/

I was at the Beretta Gallery on Madison Ave in NYC today. I handled the standard 486 in 20 Ga. ; a nice gun. Didn't do a real thorough eval, just handled, looked at wood to metal fit, barrel striking, bores, etc. Overall a nice gun. round body, nicely shaped single selective trigger, ejectors. Seamless, laser welded mono block barrel construction. wood finish a satin , not 100% filled but good enough, checkering was pretty good for machine cut. French gray receiver and trigger guard, log tang guard. would have preferred blued guard and case colored receiver. solid lock up,

also saw Papa H's SO3 on display. kind of cool piece of history. My daughter actually pointed it out. I was too busy looking at an SO10 EELL ($170,000)

Brian,

I thought the std. 486 has laser welded shoe or clip lumps, and one piece tubes...

I think that history will treat this gun well.

Only as a tiny, insignificant footnote. It will matter not.
JR

I think the 486 is a nice concept and I'm happy to see Beretta introduce a SxS again. Just because it's "different" doesn't make it bad. I'd prefer a different style of engraving and double triggers, but all in all I like it. I wouldn't choose a 486 over a AH Fox, but I wouldn't turn one away either.

RedOak, when I asked the associate if they were laser welded mono block, he said yes. So, maybe he is ill informed. I don't know. The 20 was pretty nice. I would have taken one home if they were handing out samples!!! I have a Fox Custom Upgrade in the works so I am doe for a while.

Hi Brian,

Pretty sure there was a thread here about the Parallelo 486 and it's new Triblock barrel construction (w/photos), but I have not found it.

But it is sort like dovetail lump construction, but with additional flats that extend out under each tube.

Brian,

Found the thread about he 486 Parallelo barrel construction, here is a link.

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=373602

A friend of mine just bought a Beretta 410E online for about $1000. 12 gauge with 28 3/8" barrels, double triggers (front articulating), pistol grip and ejectors. It is an ejector gun with full coverage hand engraving of English scroll with bouquets of roses on the fences. The receiver is scalloped and rebated. I would much rather have this older, hand engraved gun than the new 486 at over $5K.
By the way, how much is the designer Newson 486?
Regards,
Jeff

First there is NOT a snake on the gun, they are supposed to be the Chinese version of dragons. Chinese dragons~chinese pheasants.
I like the idea that Beretta got a top level world class designer to design a gun; it really reminds me of the very sleek Italian designs of, say, Bertuzzi on steroids. The thing reminds me of a Lamborghini; it looks like its going 200 MPH sitting at the curb.
That damn forend button is a real turn off, a latch would be much nicer.
The guy is now with Apple which means he is a world class designer of the very top rank. And of course us classic gun freaks tend to like, well classic designs.
Other than that I pretty much agree with Stan.

quote=Stan] A few thoughts on this new design.

I really like the departure from a top tang-mounted safety slide. I find the "island" look of the safety very attractive.

The shaping of the trigger guard is no accident, or afterthought. Viewing the profile, you can see the carryover of lines, complimenting each other. Look closely and you may notice that the forward curve of the bow blends perfectly with the lower rear curve of the receiver, and the rear curve of the guard perfectly matches the curve of the upper line of the rear of the receiver, and also that of the forward border of the wrist checkering. While I agree that the shape of the guard in and of itself is not attractive, there is method in the madness. It is part of a package.

They quit on the toplever too quickly. It stands out badly against a busy engraving pattern on the receiver. If it were mine I would definitely have it engraved in a complimentary style. Then, even though the shaping sucks, it would not be nearly so noticeable.

I wouldn't buy it, most likely, but not for design reasons only. I have no need, or use, for a 12 gauge gun with less than 30" barrels. If it had 32" barrels, and we're offered to me to use for a season, would I? You're mighty right I would. Even though it would be as out of place in Arkansas green timber, or a Jawjadawg peanut field, as a house cat at a dogfight.

SRH [/quote]

I find it odd that the overall design is so obviously modern minimalist, and yet they went with an intricate dragon motif in the engraving. I think that could have worked if they would have carried the dragon theme into the top lever, and gotten rid of the straight leading edge of the checkering in the wrist and replaced it with a curve similar to the rear edge of the receiver. Very incongruous to me. Or, done away with engraving entirely, a.k.a. the Ruger Gold Label to complete the minimalist theme. That said, the sleek, breech ball-less design has potential, but they need to re-work it. I would love to have one of these uncheckered and unengraved to play with, and with double triggers. Fun!