Crow Busters Forum

KenCrow · Senior Member

Bob Aronsohn--A 400 Beretta

boba · Guru

Hi Ken, I was using both loads through the A - 400 Beretta XPlor. The one ounce loads with 3 1/4 drams of powder going so they say 1,290 fps. I also used the standard trap load of 3 drams with 1 1/8th ounces of shot in the Federal Top Gun Load. My other two Beretta's that I have punished for the past 12 seasons eat anything I feed them with no problems. They are the Beretta Urika model 391 model. I am going to purchase one more because my number one gun that I have shot the most needs to be traded for another 391 that has not had that abuse. All I am going to do is take the barrel off my number one gun and put it on a newer receiver because that barrel really patterns 8's and 7 1/2's like a house a fire. Then trade in my old gun.

Bob A.

Mattie · Veteran Member

Planning on getting a new shotgun and torn between a Beretta A300 and a Remy V-3.Any feedback appreciated. I like the soft recoil of the Beretta because the next day after a big crow hunt my shoulder is really sore but I wonder if the aluminum will hold up after 5-8 thousand rounds.

Island Shooter · Guru

Mattie,

Have had a Beretta 391 for years with minimal issues. When my wife started shooting crows occasionally, I gave her that gun and upgraded to a Beretta A-400 and have had zero issues for the past year. It is a soft shooter and lightweight to handle. It also holds 6 shells without the plug. Two thumbs-up for the Beretta.

Demi

Mattie · Veteran Member

Thanks Demi.Found a comparison on a unnamed shotgun forum and it was about 50/50 on those 2 guns.I think both are great shotguns and can't go wrong with either. At my age recoil is a big thing,cleaning,life time warranty.Going to have to go lay hands on them now.Thanks again

Bob O · Senior Member

My A300 (brand new in October) had only two failures to eject with light loads in the first 10 shells. Since then it has not had any malfunctions using light to medium 2 3/4 inch shells, over 500 shells in the last six weeks.

I clean the piston and ring really well at 100 to 150 shells. Beretta says it's a self cleaning design, but the grooves in the ring get caked with carbon and should be cleaned out IMO. I actually remove the ring and clean the groove it rides in. My gun is super reliable.

boba · Guru

Hello Bob, the reason I am staying with the model 391 Beretta is because it functions very well with no cleaning up to 1,000 to 1200 rounds put through it before it starts jamming. I am looking for another model 391 at the present time.

gearly65 · Senior Member

Hi Bob, I haven't been on the site in awhile. I have used my Beretta 390 for years and it finally broke the other day after approx. 15,000 rounds. I think the firing pin broke but I don't know where to find parts for it. I know you shoot a 390, do you know where I can find parts?

Island Shooter · Guru

If you can’t fiind help locally Cole Gunsmithing is where to go. If you have a problem nobody else can fix, Cole can! Rich Cole is the Beretta Guru in America. Two locations, Maine & Florida.

Website: https://www.colegun.com/

Hope this helps.

Demi

gearly65 · Senior Member

Thanks for the info!

Big Honkers · Guru

Greg!

How ya been brother? Well I hope.

I have purchased parts from Brownells.com in the past.
They have a good variety of parts, not sure where they rank on price.

Hope you can get your baby fixed up!

BH

gearly65 · Senior Member

I’m doing good. I’m still at it but get busy and haven’t been on the site lately. I actually looked on Brownell’s earlier and saw the listed 391 parts but not 390. I heard most of the parts are interchangeable except for the gas system. Good thing I own 13 shotguns but this is my main crow gun along with my A300.

oldshotty · Veteran Member

Mattie wrote:
Planning on getting a new shotgun and torn between a Beretta A300 and a Remy V-3.Any feedback appreciated.

I love my V3, over 1000 rounds without a hiccup, very soft shooting, well made and points like my 870. They are priced very reasonable.

gearly65 · Senior Member

I have an A300 with 3000 plus rounds thru it and haven’t had one issue. Great gun, I would recommend the Beretta.

boba · Guru

Well since the A-400 did not sell on consignment I took it off the rack and decided to shoot some stiffer loads through it to break it in. So I shot some pigeons the other day with the Express Load 3 3/4 - 1 1/4 - 6. I took it out and tried it again on crows this morning and it went well, no jams with the trap loads. So this might be ok after all.

Lefty2Barrels · Senior Member

Good to hear Bob

Bob O · Senior Member

Glad it's working better Bob, being you were excited to get it.

boba · Guru

Hello Bob, I always thought breaking in a semi auto was pure bull but I have to admit it does work better now after firing those Express Loads through it to loosen up the moving parts in the receiver. It was 8 degrees out this morning, when it warmed up to 16 degrees I even took my gloves off I am getting so used to this frigid weather. I was bundled up but when you have birds coming in you tend to forget about the cold.

Bob do you ever shoot pigeons at this time of year. If the crow shooting is slow or the season is closed that is a good second choice.

Lefty2Barrels · Senior Member

Shooting pigeons is a lot of fun!

boba · Guru

I made an adjustment to the length of pull on the new A - 400 Beretta. I could see that my other two Beretta's were 1/2 inch longer on the LOP so I lengthened the pull on the A - 400 and it made a big difference! I shot 83% one day and 85% the next day with it just yesterday and the day before.

killer Crowalski · Senior Member

BobA, yeah you sometimes have to break them in. Back in the early 70s if I bought a Mossberg pump I had to stroke the action a hundred times empty to smooth the action! But all this is great news about your crow shooting experiences and can't wait to hear the numbers so far. I love looking at your photoes but I do laugh too...I occasionally watch your videos and laugh as well...the satire is entertaining. I love parts like:Get the other one-get the other one!" has me on the edge of my seat!

-- Edited by killer Crowalski on Sunday 7th of January 2018 02:54:47 PM

-- Edited by killer Crowalski on Sunday 7th of January 2018 02:56:14 PM

boba · Guru

I tried out a brand new full choke tube that I bought from Briley in Texas. I did not care for the full choke tube that came with the A-400 Beretta. The Briley choke patterns much better on paper so on my last few hunts this month I got to pattern it on some live birds! It smokes them now with a load of number 8's.

Mainehunt · Guru

boba wrote:
Hello Bob, I always thought breaking in a semi auto was pure bull but I have to admit it does work better now after firing those Express Loads through it to loosen up the moving parts in the receiver. It was 8 degrees out this morning, when it warmed up to 16 degrees I even took my gloves off I am getting so used to this frigid weather. I was bundled up but when you have birds coming in you tend to forget about the cold.

Bob do you ever shoot pigeons at this time of year. If the crow shooting is slow or the season is closed that is a good second choice.

I hear you Bob. Last week it was 17 degrees below zero, when the temp hit about zero, we shot with bare hands. I never noticed that my hands were cold until there was a lull in the action.

Granite Jaw · Senior Member

Mainehunt,

Hasn't been quite that cold here lately, but when it warms up to zero and feels balmy and when my partner starts growling that his auto-loader won't keep up, you know it was chilly when you started.

Randy