Beratta AL390 vs AL391

P

PWK

New member
I am wanting to buy an AL390 12ga 28" barrel. The skeet instructor at my gun club recommened this gun but it is no longer produced and he does not like the AL391. His reason is that the 391 is not as well made. I've been calling around to gun shops in the Houston area and some pawn shops but no one seems to think I am going to find a used AL390. So I was just wondering if any of you all had any experience with one or both of these and what your opinion is of the 390 vs the 391. Failing this I may just go ahead and buy a Remington 11-87 LC.
 
This is the first I heard about AL391 not being as good as AL390??? Luckily I have a 390, so it is not an issue to me. I love my 390, great gun. Sorry, don't have a 391.
 
Stick with a Beretta. I don't have a 391 but have heard good things about them. Although it is possible, I find it hard to believe that Beretta would make a shotgun of inferior quality. FWIW
TKL
 
I have the Beretta AL390 28" and I love it. Couldn't really fault this gun in any way. Very reliable and easy on the shoulder when shooting all day.

Point308
 
My field gun is a Beretta A390 with two barrels. It's a top notch firearm. I have shot the 391 and don't think there is a quality difference between the two. The 391 will apparently handle a wide range of shells but my 390 has fired and fed 7/8 ounce right up to the 3" 1-7/8 without complaint. What I have noticed though is that the wood selection on more recent Berettas doesn't meet the previous standards but I think that is common among other makers, too.

If I didn't have the 390 I'd be just as happy with the 391.
 
Well, after checking the prices for a 391, nearly $1000, which is too much for an auto loader and looking around some more I think I am going to go with a Browning Gold Hunter 28". It weighs around 7lb 6oz and costs about $700.00. It's lighter than the 11-87 and maybe a better gun for dual purpose, upland game & skeet. The 11-87 may be a better hunting gun but you can only hunt 3 months of the year and you can shoot skeet year round. If I wanted to spend $1000 or more I would get an O/U so I could have 2 chokes. So what do you think, does this seem reasonable. There probably isn't that much difference between the three (11-87, 391 & Gold) so I guess it's whatever you feel most comfortable with.
 
PWK:

Look up champion fireamrs in College Station. The last time i was in there they had some and i THINK they were asking like $550, but it has been a few months.
 
TKL, thanks for the lead to southwest shooters. I had kind of given up on the 390 that is why I was going to get the Browning. They have several 390's so I may try to get one from them.
Drundel, Gig'em ('78). I'll give the folks in CS a call but southwest shooters has got some pretty good prices on the 390's.
Thanks to both of you for the heads up.
Patrick
 
Was wondering did they ever make a steal recevier for the 390? I know that the 391 is an alloy? I heard that the 390 came in a steel. is this true? I may have been miss informed

Thanks
House
 
house check some back articles in "The Amer. Rman" that I noted on Drundels post regarding the Browning vs 391.
Well after too much research into all these auto loaders I finally bought the Browning Gold Hunter Field 28". The only 390 I could find were synthetic and I just couldn't convince myself to get the 391 even with all it's bells & whistles.
 
390 vs browning gold

I don't know if you have made your decision about a gun yet, but you should know that the Beretta 390 or 391 will fit you better from the factory than the Browning will if you are of average size. I brother bought the browning and added 1/2 inch to the length to shoot it well. He sold it to a guy with longer arms and he added another 3/4 inch to what was there. Nobody at my club likes the 391s. Everyone loves the 390s. If you can find a gold used in the $750.00 range, jump on it. They are very popular now.
 
I don't believe the 390 was ever made with a steel receiver-unless it was the trap/skeet/sporting clays model(s)?
If you buy a Beretta firearm, you better hope you don't have any trouble with it-nobody has worse help from the factory than Beretta...unless it's Browning.
 
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