Beretta S55

[Right to bear arms]

After saving up a few hundred dollars, the gun bug bit me just before Christmas. I use the Firing Line community to evaluate value and price. I have never owned an over and under before and I don't know much about them. I purchased a S55 Beretta O/U for $650. It is in near pristine condition with 28" F/M vent rib barrels and has a sn# in the low 100,000's. It is extremely light and apparently handles only 2-3/4" shells. Would anyone in the shotgun forum be kind enough to comment on my initial shotgun purchase?

 

[johnbt]

I did a little on line searching last night and it appears to be a gun that was made for sale in Europe (and overseas, not in the U.S.) and lots of military folks bought them into the U.S. They appear to have a good reputation, although some think they're a little light for extended clays shooting. But light weight is great for carrying afield.

One post mentioned that it's similar - or the same - as the Silver Snipe.

Someone said they were Beretta's first venture into a more affordable line of guns, but that they were still more hand made at that time ('60s, early '70s) than strictly machine made. I'm just repeating some of what I recall.

John

 

[Right to bear arms]

Thanks John for the research. I have had little success researching the gun. It is a beauty to handle and extremely light. I found a * on one cylinder and a ** on the other. I'm guessing it is a full/modified choke. Anyway the gun is spotless and in new condition. Since I don't know much about o/u's I'm going to put some light load through it and see if I can hit a dove next year. For most of my life I have researched rifles, but now I know the real craftsmanship is in exquisite over and unders. Some fetching up to 190,000$