Beretta Grade & Value?

[arcticap]

I have a Beretta Semi-auto shotgun "Model A-M-301 20 Gauge Magnum" that accepts 3 inch shells and is supplied with an externally threaded modified choke, 26 inch vent rib barrel, plastic buttplate, scroll engraved receiver, gold plated trigger, safety button and bolt handle embellishment.
How do I determine if it's a field grade or magnum grade model for Bluebook identification & valuation purposes?
Is this information contained in it's serial number or in the above model designation?
Is it a magnum grade gun simply because it has a magnum model designation?
Thanks for any help.

 

[JohnBT]

According to the 1998 Gun Trader's Guide, the A-301 Magnum was the same as the A-301 Field Gun except for being 3" 12 ga.

The standard A-301 was a 2.75" 12 ga. or 3" 20 ga.

I don't know a thing about the choke tube. The book lists: 28" bbl. in F or M choke; 26" bbl. in IC. The Magnum was 30" F only.

After a little surfing around I found one post at shotgunworld that said the 301 had fixed chokes, the 302 had externally-threaded chokes and the 303 had internal. Then I found a 301 for sale in England that had external threads. I suppose anything is possible because Beretta made a lot of changes in a few years moving from the AL-2 to the 303.

John