doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com V. Bernadelli Sidelock

Fellows, Interested in a V. Bernadelli 12 gauge I ran across recently, but can’t find out much other than Stoeger imported them in the 1950’s. Can’t tell the grade, but I don’t see how it could have any more engraving than it does, being covered 100% on action and furniture with deep relief flowers and scroll. Grade is not written anywhere on the gun that I can tell. Firstly, how does quality of this maker compare to other Italian makes and how do you ascertain what grade it is? Thanks, Sandlapper

Hi, you can try this and see if the gun your looking at is one of them:

https://www.google.com/search?q=v.+berna...JcQ2-cCegQIABAA

A lot of the Bernies are not sidelocks, but sideplated, I think they only made a couple of high end true sidelocks.

I have a Italia hammer gun by them. Very good gun, excellent quality.

Good Luck!

Greg

I owned a Roma 6E and it was a splendid shotgun. My understanding is all Bernardelli's are boxlocks with dummy plates (the hammerless ones; obviously not true of the hammer guns) except for the VB Holland model. And Bernardelli even put pins in the plates at the right places to make them look like sidelocks. That part is fact as i had mine apart.

This is speaking only of the Vincenzo Bernardelli's, not the L. Santini Bernardelli's which were a higher end gun, nor the Pietro Bernardelli's which were a lower grade and i don't believe there were any P Bernardelli sidelocks at all.

Roger

I've owned three V. Bernardellis: a 20 gauge Gamecock (which I've owned since 1977 and which was my only shotgun for about 10 years), a 12 gauge Italia hammer gun and a 20 gauge Italia Extra hammer gun. I still own the two 20 gauge guns, but the 12 went down the road when I purchased a Charles Moore 12 gauge hammer gun and decided I didn't need both.

Except for one small issue with the Italia Extra (the thumb piece on the hammers was pierced and the tip broke off - I had both hammers welded up and have put a couple of flats through it since then with no further issues), I've had no problems with any of the guns. I've looked at several of the side-plated boxlocks and even at one of the sidelocks, but never had the funds and the opportunity meet simultaneously.

The V. Bernardellis were good, solid guns and seem to be a lot of gun for the price point in the used market. I'd not discourage the purchase you're contemplating.

And if you do buy it, how about posting a few photos?

I have a Bernadelli Italia 12g. Hammer gun with 29 1/2" barrels. I have it about eight years now and I will never give it up. Great gun.

Thanks for all the information, guys. I believe this gun must be one of the true sidelocks as it has arrows for cocking indicators on tumbler axles and ten gold roses inlaid amongst all the relief scroll. And it is a Vincenzo Bernadelli marked XII on water table which I understand means 1956 DOM. What is their top grade model called and what would it have sold for in the 1950’s? Thanks, Sandlapper

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By the time you got to the Roma 6, those guns had some pretty nice (and profuse) engraving. Going from recall, I believe that there were 3 grades of the Holland VB sidelocks. (They were only made in 12ga.)

As far as price goes, my 1960 Shooters Bible shows the Roma 6 at $260. Whichever version of the Holland VB sidelock they imported listed for $450.

The V. Bernies are good, solid guns--starting with the entry level Gamecock (or S. Uberto 1) and going right on up the line.

Guys, Thanks very much for all of your input; it really helps. Sandlapper

A quick way to tell from a photograph if a side lock or box lock with false sidelplates is this: if the floor plate has two screws it is a box lock, one screw it is a side lock. Also, if their is a floor plate on bottom of action it is a box lock.