A400 Xtrema, The Adventure Begins.......

D

Dave McC

Staff In Memoriam
I was absolutely flabbergasted when Beretta offered to send me their new A 400 autoloader to try. This was totally out of the blue. The nice fellow on the other end of the E mail asked me to try it out for the season, give "a fair and impartial evaluation" and let them know what I thought.

I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to be a Beta tester or a shill on this. Other Mods here and on the other fora I herd cats on are also testing out some Beretta products.

I picked it up today. Enclosed with the camo shotgun were a manual, wrench, two more choke tubes(SK and F), a shim kit, and a spacer to add an inch to the LOP. Bought another case of pink shells from Federal, took a fast look at the Fine Manual and went to shooting.

This is a waterfowler, though the flack sheet states it will handle shells from 7/8 oz 2 3/4" to 2 oz 3 1/2". It also says to break things in with "Mid level" shells, 1 1/8, 2 3/4" stuff.

There were glitches. Sometimes the action did not cycle fully. Talking to an employee at PGC, I found out there's some preservative that needs to be removed. I'll do that tomorrow and pattern it.

Today, though, I shot it as is and not that well. Balance is way different from the guns I usually shoot, and it's gonna take a while to change. I could add the included spacer, but this will be used with about six layers of Goretex, Polypro,old fashioned wool,etc. Best to keep it a little short for now, though I'm seeing all the rib when I mount.

One thing's certain. This is a light kicker. All that technology pays off big time. The pad's a new material and design, there's a couple recoil reducers in the stock, and it's a gas action auto.

High tech shotgun meets old school shooter.

More later.....
 
Later......

Returning to the range this AM, I had an employee show me how to clean the gas system and lube it. Simple job,this seems a breeze to clean, and the chromed bore is spotless after 100 rounds. I then had a trap locked down to throw only straightaways and shot from Post 3 using the full tube.

I was wearing the goose parka and enough stuff to leave me a little warm. Breaks showed no left/right bias, though it's still hitting a bit high. After a box or so there, I went down to the Wobble trap and shot a fast round using those Federal "Pinks". Low 20s both rounds.

Function's improved, only one stoppage today. That's expected, betcha it runs 100% by the time this case of ammo is done.

Speaking of ammo, I stopped on the way in to work at Gunz R Us and bought a box of Federal Black Cloud steel 2s. Having never had nor needed a 3.5" gun before, there was nothing in the shell stash for the Goose Howitzer.

Backup ammo will be my dwindling reserve of 3" Hevishot.

More later.....
 
PGC has rental guns, and this employee has to clean them. A simple scrub and lube did the trick. He did use a paper clip on the port. Like many other makers, Beretta ships guns with a preservative on the parts.

You have to understand, the last auto I had was a Model 11, about 30 years ago. For waterfowl, I use an 870, and have since about 1960. So I'm a little behind the curve.

I did have custody of a couple guns for a friend that was deployed and that Saiga, but that's a different critter altogether.

And it's fun to play with a new toy.....
 
Come on, Big Jim, it's an Italian gun, not from the land of the rising sun -- holy water is recommended for cleaning them. :rolleyes:
 
Overall so far, my impressions are favorable, but I'm SO easy when it comes to shotguns.

The trigger's not great, but certainly better than most autos.

Kick and muzzle rise are nonexistent with target loads.

The lines of the forearm are a little more avant garde than I'm used to, but it handles well.

The F/O bead is larger than what I use on mine, but since this shoots high, that's a positive.

The trigger guard is generous in size, even with my big hands I could operate this in mittens. And I may.

I note from the manual there's an optional magazine extension available. Maybe I should get one and take it 3-gunning.

Or hookup with someone for a late season snow goose massacre.

Anyway, I'm having more fun with this T&E than should be legal....
 
Not for me, my hands have big meaty palms and average fingers. I can reach darn near anything, but it is something to consider.

The other ergos seem good. After using my Beretta O/U these last 4 years or so, the radical curve of the grip seems natural.

While the forearm looks a little too twee, it feels good and I can stick my forefinger out straight when I swing on a target.
 
Do your competitors tremble in fear after catching a glimpse of the tell-tale blue receiver as you step to the line with the new A400? Does it really have technical precision with human passion?
 
This thing is camo'd up to the point of invisibility, K man. I'd better not lay it down in the field.

And my competition is the clays, not other shooters.

Few of them seem to tremble....
 
The A400 I have (actually it is the wife's gun) has nice walnut, not X-tra grain, and it is a field gun - overall, I give them an A- to A, only because I am LH and RH ejection can still hit you in the face with something - that has happened to me. BUT, this gun has shot 3/4 oz loads, regularly handles all 7/8 light target loads, and the Briley extended Optima HP IC choke absolutely SMOKES targets to 25 yards with ease

For someone looking for one gun for clays and field, this is definitely worth a serious look
 
The Humor Police may kick your door down, K man, but it wasn't me that ratted you out.

When I finish the write up, you can bet the farm it will not be a puff piece or an ad in disguise. If that means I never get to write for the major mags, so be it.

1 oz, my hunch is this just needs a higher round count to imitate that. I may try that Skeet choke out in the next few days and also some 7/8 oz reloads.

This,I'm sure, is intended to be that mythical All Around Shotgun.

It's not. It does come closer than some, but 7.5 lbs is a bit much for the uplands, it's a bit ungainly for the brush, and most folks can live happy and productive lives sans 3.5" capability.

As a dedicated waterfowler,though it shows promise. Let me point it at some Canadas once the season opens, and I'll let you know....
 
Dave McC:
The Humor Police may kick your door down, K man, but it wasn't me that ratted you out.
Click to expand...

What makes you think I put it back on its hinges since it was last kicked down? H(e)ck with the humor police. Lately I have more concerned with the plain old police.

Oneounce: I am not looking for a field and clays gun, just an all around clays gun (as if that isn't asking a lot).
 
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TKM - look at their sporting model. You might want to look at a USED UGB as well from Beretta
http://www.berettausa.com/products/ugb-gold-sporting/

While they run about 4K new, used are much less and in line with your O/U budget. They were designed to allow a gas gun on the Euro trap fields, as it breaks open to allow it to be seen as safe from a distance. Hulls eject downward, not sideways, so you won't be pelting your neighbor either.

Had an opportunity to shoot it - VERY soft with target loads
 
Thanks oneounce. That is a model that caught my attention and while I am still interested in the semi's I will probably stick with the plan, if they can get me an XS Skeet.
 
The Klawman is waffling .....Oh, no ........( my hemmeroids are starting to bleed again / from trying to push him around and keep him on track ) ....:(
 
After that last experience with the O/U, I might be waffling a little as well. Never hurts to try all of the other guns - might as well start looking for gun number two as early as possible!
 
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