Beretta A400 20 Turkey Gun

[crdierlam]

After hunting the old 12 gauge 870 for the last decade, I am looking into buying a new 20 and building it out as a purpose built turkey gun. I know everyone has Benellis and loves them but I have always preferred Berettas and like to be a little different. I have an A400 12 and 20 as my duck and dove guns respectively and absolutely love them both. I have never had a misfire or click, other than a few old low brass cheapo loads out of the 20 when it was brand new. I'm thinking about buying an A400 and sending to RR to put a red dot on it but I don't see anyone doing it. Does anyone have any reason or explanation as to why? Thanks in advance for any input.

[Gooserbat]

Benelli is physically lighter.  That's the appeal.  Personally id save the money and get a Franchi but that's just mi two cents.  I know that Beretta is a fine gun.

[zelmo1]

Meadow Creek makes a rib mount that a lot of people use, I love mine. I say set up what you like the way you want. If it fits you and shoots where you want it, then you got a winner. The Beretta is a great gun. I went with the SBE because I shoot a 28 and it is a 3" gun. It is an advantage with the Boss bismuth shot for ducks. The Beretta semis don't quite fit me, but the o/u are nice. I shoot a JEG trap combo, great gun. Go with what fits bro. Z

[Ihuntoldschool]

The Beretta is a fine gun as you already know having owned them. The Benelli is too. Beretta bought Benelli many years ago when the company was struggling to survive.

Most Benellis being used for turkey are inertia driven vs Berettas gas operation. That's the main difference between the two. The Benellis can be slightly lighter weight.

As to why people aren't doing it mostly personal preference. Some perceive inertia guns to be more reliable, not necessarily true. Also I think many are taking Williams advice and using cheap guns for turkey, save high end stuff for other pursuits.

Im assuming the A400 is not drilled and tapped?
Aside from that no reason to send out.

As to why not sending to Rob Roberts at all probably because of no need for his services. What do you think he's really going to do for your gun that you can't with proper shell and choke?

It could also be the quality of some of his work or his prices or both.

[Bottomland OG]

After hunting the old 12 gauge 870 for the last decade, I am looking into buying a new 20 and building it out as a purpose built turkey gun. I know everyone has Benellis and loves them but I have always preferred Berettas and like to be a little different. I have an A400 12 and 20 as my duck and dove guns respectively and absolutely love them both. I have never had a misfire or click, other than a few old low brass cheapo loads out of the 20 when it was brand new. I'm thinking about buying an A400 and sending to RR to put a red dot on it but I don't see anyone doing it. Does anyone have any reason or explanation as to why? Thanks in advance for any input.

I bought a rmr mount from Mr William a couple years back and took it and my m2 to RR so he could drill and tap it. I have zero complaints. As been stated already, get the gun you want and set it up the way you want it and you will be happy with it.

[crdierlam]

[/quote]

The Beretta is a fine gun as you already know having owned them. The Benelli is too. Beretta bought Benelli many years ago when the company was struggling to survive.

Most Benellis being used for turkey are inertia driven vs Berettas gas operation. That's the main difference between the two. The Benellis can be slightly lighter weight.

As to why people aren't doing it mostly personal preference. Some perceive inertia guns to be more reliable, not necessarily true. Also I think many are taking Williams advice and using cheap guns for turkey, save high end stuff for other pursuits.

Im assuming the A400 is not drilled and tapped?
Aside from that no reason to send out.

As to why not sending to Rob Roberts at all probably because of no need for his services. What do you think he's really going to do for your gun that you can't with proper shell and choke?

It could also be the quality of some of his work or his prices or both.

Correct, it is not drilled and tapped. Also I would like to get dipped or maybe cerakoted. I'm pretty rough on my turkey gun and drag it through hell. I'm not necessarily set on him either, but I've seen some his duck gun a400s that came out really nice.

Im a buy once cry once kind of guy. This will hopefully be my gun for the next 40 years.

[Ihuntoldschool]

The Beretta is a fine gun as you already know having owned them. The Benelli is too. Beretta bought Benelli many years ago when the company was struggling to survive.

Most Benellis being used for turkey are inertia driven vs Berettas gas operation. That's the main difference between the two. The Benellis can be slightly lighter weight.

As to why people aren't doing it mostly personal preference. Some perceive inertia guns to be more reliable,



Im a buy once cry once kind of guy. This will hopefully be my gun for the next 40 years.

Nothing wrong with that. Certainly a reliable choice that will last a lifetime.

I would keep options open on cerakote/camo though. There was a recent thread here on a camo dip they did with less than stellar results.

[runngun]

If I was buying a new gun it would be the Beretta A400 20 gauge. In a perfect world it would have a 20 inch barrel!!! But I realize that 24 is short as they come.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[Old Timer]

Can't  go wrong with a Beretta. It's  my go to for waterfowl. Although I did take a tom with it. Easy to clean.

[crdierlam]

If I was buying a new gun it would be the Beretta A400 20 gauge. In a perfect world it would have a 20 inch barrel!!! But I realize that 24 is short as they come.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Where can you buy a 24? The shortest I saw was a 26. They made a compact a400 for a short while that I would really like to find but they are few and far between. I had contemplated having it cut down.

[runngun]

If I was buying a new gun it would be the Beretta A400 20 gauge. In a perfect world it would have a 20 inch barrel!!! But I realize that 24 is short as they come.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Where can you buy a 24? The shortest I saw was a 26. They made a compact a400 for a short while that I would really like to find but they are few and far between. I had contemplated having it cut down.

You might be correct on current barrel length. I have a 23 on my 391. Beretta made the Pintail several years ago with a short barrel, one of my friends has one.  I would definitely go Beretta if I was going to get a new one.  You could have the barrel cut but PLEASE get someone that knows what they are doing.  Barrel cutting/threading is not for the shade tree Gunsmith.  Yeah learned that the hard way.  The guy that ruined mine.....well I will just say that I would not let him work on my RED RIDER BB GUN.   

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[crdierlam]

If I was buying a new gun it would be the Beretta A400 20 gauge. In a perfect world it would have a 20 inch barrel!!! But I realize that 24 is short as they come.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Where can you buy a 24? The shortest I saw was a 26. They made a compact a400 for a short while that I would really like to find but they are few and far between. I had contemplated having it cut down.

You might be correct on current barrel length. I have a 23 on my 391. Beretta made the Pintail several years ago with a short barrel, one of my friends has one.  I would definitely go Beretta if I was going to get a new one.  You could have the barrel cut but PLEASE get someone that knows what they are doing.  Barrel cutting/threading is not for the shade tree Gunsmith.  Yeah learned that the hard way.  The guy that ruined mine.....well I will just say that I would not let him work on my RED RIDER BB GUN.   

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

I have heard similar horror stories that make me hesitant about cutting it down. I dont really care about using the factory chokes since this will be a turkey gun only and I doubt Ill ever take the choke out. I love my stubby 870 but it is just so heavy. I am used to a short barrel crawling through the swamps down here in Florida but I supposed 26 isn't that long after all.

I appreciate the input, now I just have to stop buying calls and get my wife to stop spending the rest of our money so I can put my plan into action!

[Hook hanger]

Ok the a400 is a gas gun and alot of these heavy tss loads use a slow burning powder which produces alot of gas. This inturns makes the gas action work really fast causing excessive wear on parts. If I was going to purchase a gun to last 40 years it would not be a gas gun and possibly not an automatic either.

[Notsoyoungturk]

I hunt with a Beretta and red dot.  I have the A300 Ultimate Turkey KO.  I believe it is lighter than the A400.  24 inch barrel.  Mine came with a picatinny rail installed and was ready for a red dot.  It is my go to gun.  Put an Indian Creek choke in it and patterns are great.  As far as TSS wearing out the parts, how many rounds are you putting through the gun in a year.  Unless it is doing double duty, not many.

[Hook hanger]

I hunt with a Beretta and red dot.  I have the A300 Ultimate Turkey KO.  I believe it is lighter than the A400.  24 inch barrel.  Mine came with a picatinny rail installed and was ready for a red dot.  It is my go to gun.  Put an Indian Creek choke in it and patterns are great.  As far as TSS wearing out the parts, how many rounds are you putting through the gun in a year.  Unless it is doing double duty, not many.

I'm probably an outlier on amount of turkey shells used a year. Ive seen some gas guns start failing in just 200 tss rounds. The OP was talking about a gun that lasts 40 years.