Gratuitous Gun Pic: Beretta 486 (20ga)

Gratuitous Gun Pics

I am a huge fan of Pietro Beretta guns, of almost any age, function, caliber, whatever.  One of my all-time favorite .22 pistols is the Modelo 75, for example:

…which I think is easily one of the most beautiful handguns ever — almost Art Deco, with that slim frame and those flowing lines — and (coincidentally) the Beretta gun which I’ve fired the most, it being the pistol with which I learned to shoot handguns.

However:  like its major competitor Browning, Beretta guns have always been just on the slightly-unacceptable side of affordable.  I know, quality, value, workmanship etc. etc. aren’t free;  but still, they’re always a priced a leeetle more than I want to spend on a gun.

And here’s the subject of today’s GGP:  the lovely Berette 486 side-by-side in 20ga, as listed by Collector’s:

…and only the lack of a second trigger makes this an “Oooooh Kimmy wants!” object of desire.

That, and the price thereof:  $6,850 (!!!!!)

Okay, maybe I’m getting jaded.  But let’s be honest:  with the improvements made in manufacturing by CNC and so on — i.e. churned out of some (admittedly high quality) production line — would it be too much to ask that this gun be priced at the $5,500 point?  That would make it still expensive, but still maintain its premium well above Winchester, CZ, Mossberg and Browning, for example, and competitive with, say, an upper-end Fausti.

Because right now, if I were looking at buying a decent shotgun as specified above, the Fausti would get my order despite my reverence for Beretta.  Fausti offers a drop-in double trigger for a few dollars extra, which Beretta doesn’t — not for a “few dollars extra”, that is — and having handled several Fausti guns in the past, I believe their quality is on a par with Beretta.

All thoughts are welcome in Comments, as always.

14 comments

  1. What year was that model 75 built?
    The basic “lines” of it are very similar to my 20 year old 92FS.

    As far as that $6k shotgun goes, NO gun in the world is worth that kind of money to me. If I some how had $6k worth of free money I’d first buy a Colt Python (6″) (because I’ve been wanting one all of my life) and a Beretta 12ga automatic and maybe a box mag 12ga of some sort then I’d take stock and see what’s left.

    1. Late 50s – early 60s, as I recall. The only problem with getting one nowadays is that the mags cost close to $120 each… ugh.

      1. Now a days one must constantly try to keep things in perspective. I hate to be the bearer of bad new but, if those mags cost $120 each today, and inflation being what it is, just think what they’ll cost 2 years from now.

        For balance, remember this: That $120 you don’t want to spend on something, sitting in the drawer doing nothing, in 2 years will be somewhat less value than it is today.

  2. I learned how to shoot pistol with a Ruger Speed 6 357 using 38+p rounds as a teenager where I was an OK shooter. When I joined the military my supervisor was the team leader of the small arms competition team. He taught me the proper way to shoot a semi-auto M9 and I got very good with it. My first new pistol was a 92AF INOX in 1988.

    The shotgun is nice but not $6800 worth of nice. I have a 1960’s Stevens double that I inherited in 1980 and I haven’t found a better shotgun since.

  3. If I was going to spend $6800 on a new gun, I’d build a rifle. I’d use a custom action, heavy barrel, nice stock, and a nice scope. Add on dies for loading the cartridge I decide to chamber it with and spend the rest of the money on brass and bullets.

    Build it for long range even if I never shot it further than Boomershoot targets.

  4. Right before we bought our current house, I bought a Browning Citori 425 or 525, I forget. I got it for a very good price. I knew I wanted to shoot clays so I bought it and put it away because i was busy. This one was made in Miroku Japan so it doesn’t have the value that a belgian made Browning would have but it shoots well and this thing will last quite a while as long as I take care of it. The prices of the latest Citori edition is far higher than what I paid 15 years ago.

    I’ve seen very pricey shotguns at places like Orvis and such. Yes their price tag is pricey but they generally last for generations.

    JQ

    1. There’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with the Miroku guns. Ask Weatherby — Miroku has been making their rifles for decades.

      1. I agree with you about the Miroku made firearms. After WW2 the Japanese have been making very fine products, scopes, radios, cars, trucks, all sorts of electronics and such.

        I figured Browning still means quality and the price was about 20% lower than I anticipated. With a double barrel shotgun, buy quality then buy once and cry once.

        You reinforced my respect for firearms made in Miroku with your assessment of that Howa rifle over the past couple of years.

        JQ

    1. I haven’t, but they’re lovely. Similar to the old Browning Challenger .22 pistols.

  7. That is the sexiest .22 ever, and the styling is actually extremely futuristic. Would love to add that to the wall of beauties.

    Yep, price of nice side by side shottys are getting insane. Would love one myself in 20 or even 410. Always keep an eye out at the local pawns for older pieces but they are rare as hens teeth.

Comments are closed.