Beretta O/U 12 Ga problem

[au_prospector]

I was in a LGS today and saw a used Beretta 12 O/U that looked cool. Until I noticed someone had set a screw from above into the receiver where the safety selector is located. This set screw made it so the safety could not be engaged? Or was it engaged, I cannot remember. I broke it open and then closed it because I wanted to hear how snappy the springs/firing pins were. Only one barrel dry fired.

The dealer employee had not a clue about how or why that screw was put in there. Said, "this shot gun is really slick, the price is $899. Should have sold by now, dont know why it is still here and how that screw came to be."

Now why would someone set a small screw into the receiver to hold the safety selector in place? Is there a problem inherit to Beretta shotguns that might make this necessary to ruin a nice shotgun?

I might go back and offer him $200 to see what happens.

 

[jaguarxk120]

On the top of the safety is a slector switch, you have to move it right/left to fire the second barrel. That is unless the gun is fired with regular shells and the recoil sets the trigger for the second barrel.

From what you have stated it sounds like there are parts missing from the safety/barrel selector.

 

[JohnBT]

Why? To keep the safety from moving. Or being moved by a stray thumb.

www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?p=862558

See the 4th post, by JC Blauvelt. Either a gunsmith locked it down with a set screw or it was done by Beretta when it was made.

 

[jaguarxk120]

The problem is we have no idea what model the Beretta is.

 

[drsfmd]

1) The set screw is intentional. Most competitive skeet shooters want the safety and barrel selector disabled.

2) The gun has an inertial trigger reset. It's only SUPPOSED to be able to dry fire a single barrel. A bump of the heel of the stock on your knee will activate the second barrel (which would under normal circumstances be activated by recoil).

It doesn't sound like there's any problem at all with the gun, just that you are unfamiliar with proper operation.

 

[au_prospector]

Okay, Im probably not familiar with it

Your right, I have handled and shot dbl bbls before but my knowledge with them is limited and I have never seen one that wouldnt dry fire both barrels without a bump. I didnt get to try the bump thing, the lady barely let me hold it this time for some reason. I think they figure Im up to something like paying $400 for their $900 gun.

It is a Beretta BL-4 $900.00

The set screw is silver in color and placed to disable the safety then. It stands out, might be better if it were blue. Wood looks good, normal handling marks. The barrels are another story, starting to pit especially the bottom one along the full length and they both show bumps and bruises. Maybe it was stored in a case, the pits are uniformly distributed. There is some paint xfer on the top serrated rib from a bump against something painted white. The receiver looks great!

I dont think it is a $900 shot gun in say 80% do you guys? When I started to ask for a better price, the girl whom I havent seen before at this shop got defensive saying they were getting in trouble for negotiating prices.

 

[rcmodel]

I'm pretty sure if you take the screw out and throw it away, the safety/barrel selector will work just fine.

As has already been said, someone was using the gun for skeet or sporting clays and didn't want the safety resetting, or selecting the wrong barrel to shoot first every time they reloaded quickly.
It is very common on clay games guns.

Almost all higher quality single-trigger doubles will have an inertia trigger reset.
Bump the butt and it will reset when dry-firing.

Recoil resets it automatically when you actually shoot it.

rc

 

[drsfmd]

$900 would be very high for a pristine BL-4... it's absurdly priced for one in the condition you describe.

 

[jaguarxk120]

My 2007 Standard Catalog of Firearms list the Beretta BL 4 as:

Exc. 800, V.G. 750, Good 650, Fair 525, Poor 425.

 

[oneounceload]

1) The set screw is intentional. Most competitive skeet shooters want the safety and barrel selector disabled.

2) The gun has an inertial trigger reset. It's only SUPPOSED to be able to dry fire a single barrel. A bump of the heel of the stock on your knee will activate the second barrel (which would under normal circumstances be activated by recoil).

It doesn't sound like there's any problem at all with the gun, just that you are unfamiliar with proper operation.

+ 100

If you are going to dry fire shotguns, most folks prefer you do it with snap caps. The set screw is designed to lock the safety in the "off" position

Only one barrel dry fired.

Before cussing about it, perhaps you should be more familiar with how it actually works.....

 

[double d]

The 682 gold e bottom single trap combo has a screw to prevent
inadvertent barrel selection changes. The safety is still operable.
The screw can be removed, barrel selection change made, and screw
replaced, as needed.

 

[John3921]

Some folks will have the bbl selector pinned so that it can't be changed. Some Beretta competition models come with this screw (I have a 682 O/U with this screw from the factory). I have never seen a Beretta from the factory with a safety lock out screw - but it is not uncommon to have one installed.

I'm not sure about sporting clays - but in skeet if you call for a bird and your safety is on - it's a lost target. If you call for a target and your bbl selector is on the wrong bbl - it's a lost target (presuming an empty chamber in the bbl selected) I think trap gives you a 'malfunction' for a safety on or wrong bbl selected - but you are limited to the number of malfunctions you get.

 

[Old Dog Man]

Safety set screw

I would stay away from that one. The auto safety can be disabled internally without defacing the gun. Anyone that would do it like that no telling what else has been BUBBA'D on it. And it does have to be bumped or fired to set the second barrel to fire. Al

 

[drsfmd]

I would stay away from that one. The auto safety can be disabled internally without defacing the gun. Anyone that would do it like that no telling what else has been BUBBA'D on it. And it does have to be bumped or fired to set the second barrel to fire. Al

You don't understand. It's not about the auto saftey. It's about blocking the safety from being engaged AT ALL. If the safety is on when you call for a target in competition, it's a lost bird. If you have the shell in the wrong barrel and call for a target... click... lost bird.

Hence, safety and selector lockouts. Those screws are the easiest way to do it, and those that have been done by gunsmiths were simply following the method used by the factory. It's not like running a sheetrock screw into the back of the gun... it's more like a very fine machine screw-- almost like a watchmakers screw, but larger.

Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean that the gun is bubba'd in any way.