Beretta introduced this gun four years ago I.n Europe and now it's available in the US. Initial offerings are 6.5CM, 308 and 300 Winchester. I bought a 300. Once the consumer buys the rifle from a dealer, Beretta will sell extra barrels and other accessories directly to the consumer. It's a no frills straight pull that retails for for $1600. Extra barrels are $700. The bolt head locks into the barrel block with either a six lug or nine lug lockup. They look like an artillery breech. It takes about 30 seconds to switch the bolt knob from left to right hand, including switching the bolt head to eject left or right. The rifle can be disassembled with the use of a pen or bullet in a cartridge, including magazine, bolt, and trigger unit. Trigger pull may be set for 2, 2.5 or 3 pounds, approximately. Barrels remove with a large Hex wrench(8mm) to loosen two bolts, like the R8 Blaser. . Stocks are interchangeable plastic units. Magazines holds 5 rounds. You can load the magazine out of the gun or in the gun.

The gun weighs about 7 pounds bare.

Each factory accessory barrel includes a bolt head, serial numbered to the gun, and a magazine. Beretta's first offering is .243 Winchester.

With its low cost, easily switchable left to right bolt handle, and inexpensive accessory barrels, it will be a good seller. Oh and it comes with a Picatinny scope rail with each barrel. Just add rings and a scope.
There are several Utube videos about it. Some may not like the styling, but the design and execution are brilliant. I read one review that called it "hand built by robots". There is no hand rubbed walnut or traditional rust bluing, but from an engineer's perspective, it's a winner.

Sounds too good to be true, yes, but I don't trust straight-pull bolt-actions - a modern one let go here with disastrous effect and, for that moment of advantage, I don't think the risk worthwhile. There's a lot to be said for making the final lock-up the user's job.

Switch barrels sound smart but don't make much sense on safari or that much anywhere gun-ownership numbers are not restricted.

Must have been a Ross. You'd better stay with a rock tied to a stick.

At the price for new barrels.


At least here in the USA one is better off buying different rifles.

Well, that's true if you're primarily buying it only for the switch barrel feature, but the speed of straight pull and left-hand support and guaranteed accuracy are also cool.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
At the price for new barrels.


At least here in the USA one is better off buying different rifles.

quote:

Originally posted by sambarman338:
Sounds too good to be true, yes, but I don't trust straight-pull bolt-actions - a modern one let go here with disastrous effect and, for that moment of advantage, I don't think the risk worthwhile. There's a lot to be said for making the final lock-up the user's job.

Switch barrels sound smart but don't make much sense on safari or that much anywhere gun-ownership numbers are not restricted.

Yeah, Sambarman338, I'd heard about a disastrous blow-back somewhere with a straight-pull. What were the circumstances surrounding the one in Australia?

Sorry, South Pender, I don't know what model that rifle was or the exact story. I seem to recall someone saying it was not a Blaser, though. I might make further inquiries when time permits.

quote:

Originally posted by Vol717:
Must have been a Ross. You'd better stay with a rock tied to a stick.

Tell me about this rock tied to a stick. That doesn't sound very secure, either

The switch-barrel rifles are popular in some countries in Europe where there is a limit on the number of firearms one may possess. A single receiver with multiple barrels of different calibers counts as only one gun and thus gives its owner an opportunity to have the choice of more calibers for varying game.

Nothing wrong with the straight pull concept, it's just a turnbolt with the bolt rotated by a cam instead of the shooter rotating it with the bolt handle. But how many benchrest/target rifles have you seen with a straight pull bolt? Yeah, not particularly conducive to accuracy.

I doubt Beretta selling many of them in the U.S. since there is (currently) no limit on the number of firearms a private citizen may possess. And better rifles are available for less money.

By the way, the Canadian Ross straight pull rifle's action was amply strong. The problem is that early ones could be mis-assembled such that the action would close and fire without the bolt head lugs engaging their recesses. In that case, the bolt would exit the rear at only about one-quarter the speed that the bullet exited the barrel. Could make for an ugly bruise -- on the back of the skull where it exited.