Fella's;
While many companies are becoming more left-friendly, it seems that Beretta is actively moving away from that stance.
I own a Tikka Whitetail Hunter with a left-hand bolt. When I purchased it, it was a distribution channel leftover. The new Tikka T-3's had just been released & manufacture of the Whitetails had ceased. If memory serves me correctly, that was the summer of 2003. Beretta bought Sako/Tikka right about the same time. We are now several years down the road, and no left- hand Tikkas are on the horizon according to my sources.
By itself, that's not an indictment. After all the T-3 is selling well & why not let sales start to slow before taking production resources away from the RHB's & starting an LHB production line. But.
Berreta also aquired Franchi, a well respected Italian maker of shotguns. Berreta has now had Franchi cease production of all the O/U shotguns Franchi used to make. That's right, as it were, no more Veloce's or Alcione's.
I had been in the market for a Veloce English stock with cast-on. Franchi was one of the few manufacturer's that I could order that configuration from. I was particularly taken with the light weight of the Veloce as my primary purpose was to hunt grouse in the mountains of Montana. I also wanted a non-Japanese gun if at all possible. Italy supports shooting it seems, and Japan does not.
I like my Tikka, I'd like to own another one - if and only if - I can get it with the bolt on the proper side for me. Hello Beretta, if you want my money, do it my way.
OK, rant off.
900F
While many companies are becoming more left-friendly, it seems that Beretta is actively moving away from that stance.
I own a Tikka Whitetail Hunter with a left-hand bolt. When I purchased it, it was a distribution channel leftover. The new Tikka T-3's had just been released & manufacture of the Whitetails had ceased. If memory serves me correctly, that was the summer of 2003. Beretta bought Sako/Tikka right about the same time. We are now several years down the road, and no left- hand Tikkas are on the horizon according to my sources.
By itself, that's not an indictment. After all the T-3 is selling well & why not let sales start to slow before taking production resources away from the RHB's & starting an LHB production line. But.
Berreta also aquired Franchi, a well respected Italian maker of shotguns. Berreta has now had Franchi cease production of all the O/U shotguns Franchi used to make. That's right, as it were, no more Veloce's or Alcione's.
I had been in the market for a Veloce English stock with cast-on. Franchi was one of the few manufacturer's that I could order that configuration from. I was particularly taken with the light weight of the Veloce as my primary purpose was to hunt grouse in the mountains of Montana. I also wanted a non-Japanese gun if at all possible. Italy supports shooting it seems, and Japan does not.
I like my Tikka, I'd like to own another one - if and only if - I can get it with the bolt on the proper side for me. Hello Beretta, if you want my money, do it my way.
OK, rant off.
900F
, I don't trust you either. 