Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am curious. Why did Beretta stop making the 3.5" 12 gauge 686 Onyx model over and under shotgun?

I noticed on their web page, the maximum chamber length is now 3".

I bought a 3.5" 686 years ago, put 50-100 rounds through it, and haven't used it since.

Also, can you get extra 26" 12 gauge barrels for the 686?

I'm going to call Beretta in Maryland on Monday, but was interested in anyone's independent knowledge.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

quote:

Originally posted by Yale:
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I bought a 3.5" 686 years ago, put 50-100 rounds through it, and haven't used it since.

Chris Bemis

Chris,

Maybe your experience is typical and not many where sold and used much.

Did you ever fire it with 3 1/2 shells? I did mine and in a (slightly) sub 7 pound gun the recoil was vicious. And while I'm not especially recoil sensitive I decided right then it was a 3 inch gun even though it had 3 1/2 chambers

I talked to Beretta in 2003 and they said they would fit other barrels to the gun for "about $700".

Roi

Dear Roi:

I have been holding on Beretta's line for one half hour to ask them the charge for "fitting" new barrels. So far their customer service is atrocious.

The 3.5" shells definately rang my bell after 25-30 rounds.

Finally, I got through after 35 minutes, and talked with "Butch" the idiot. He told me it would cost $1300.00 to fit another set of barrels. He didn't care that I was on hold for 35 minutes.

They won't get any more of my business.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

WOW, did you guys say it was $700 and $1300 to fit a pair of barrels without the cost of a new set of barrels??? That's attrocious, if you ever need a Beretta barrel fitted, please, give Mark Shimchick a call at Joel Etchen's guns. I don't know what he charges, but I know damn well it's nowhere near those prices! Tell him Justin Lancaster sent you, he's a buddy of mine (and probably works on as many Berettas as any of the people at Beretta!).

Dear JustinL01:

The total cost was a bit unclear. I was quoted $950.00 for the barrels, and I assume the total charge was $1300.00. That assumption may be invalid.

Anyway after that conversation, the Beretta 686 Onyx 3.5" 12 gauge in now on the consignment rack.

I learned from the gunshop owner, who is selling the shotgun for me that both Beretta and Browning stopped producing 3.5" 12 gauge O/U's because of the brutal recoil.

I am starting to think the 3.5" 12 gauge was a marketing gimmick, and I fell for it 10 years ago.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

I can save you money!I just listed one LNIB and will sell my 28" 3.5" barrels for $1300 and I will throw in the stock,forearm and receiver,case,chokes for $100 more!

Yale. I found the 3-1/2 inch 12-gauge to be no more effective than the 3-inch. I had a Benelli SBE that was ok to shoot, but I just could not see a measurable advantage to the 3-1/2 inch. I sold the Benelli and bought a BPS 3-inch and find I make a higher percentage of my shots with it than I did with the SBE.

While I'm sure that if you compare apples to oranges, a good 3 inch load will perform as well as a poor 3 1/2 inch load, the extra shot charge IN STEEL allows one to use a more open choke for decoying birds and still have the same killing capacity and a larger kill zone. I haven't used any lately but I was impressed with the differences in my kills when they first came out.

Thank you all for your continued advice.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis