Beretta Semi Auto Shotgun Question
 

I bought a 301 Beretta semi automatic a few months ago. At the time, I was under the impression this gun was not modified, so only lead shots were used.

The seller also threw in a box full of shotgun shells...which I didn't bother looking at until yesterday. While going through the bag I found several high velocity Steel shells.

So now I have no clue if this gun has been modified.

Is there a (good) shop I can take my gun to, to figure it out? I'm in Edmonton.

FYI, there are no chokes, the gun looks like it just came out of the factory.

No Chokes? The 301 manual shows screw in chokes. I'd check with Beretta directly.

Are you sure?

This is the Beretta A 301 Semi-automatic 12 gauge. The gun is like 30 years old...I've seen quite a few of them and none have screw in chokes.

Take a run to Bashaw and get Pud to make the decision for you. If not modified he can do it or advise you accordingly. It may be okay but it was built before steel was mandated and by the sounds of it you have a beaut. They have a web sight and aren't open on Mon. I beilieve. I wouldn't trust phone calls and get it measured.

A301's were available with choke tubes that had a knurled nut that held the tube in the barrel but they're fairly rare. These were pre Mobil choke era and all 301's I've seen and/or owned had fixed chokes.

Generally speaking, most people will put steel through a fixed choke if it's constricted no more that Modified, that is to say, 20 points of constriction.
I'm not in any way saying you should do that, just that it's commonly done.

301 barrels are interchangable with A300's through A304's, so picking up a barrel that has mobil chokes that are steel rated should pose no problems or large expense. These are very well built guns that last a long time and are worth putting a bit of money into if you plan on keeping it for a while. I plan to never sell my A303 and I've had guys with brand new 391's try to trade me straight across for it!

I have a 301 (why do i want to say 301 A) that will take 3" shells. It did have a fixed choke, as others have stated if you get the bbl. to Pud in Bashaw Sports he will install a choke. He did a great job on mine, I now use the gun as a standby for the Benelli.

I may be confused. The last page of the manual shows the knurled screw-in chokes that were referred to by bobinthesky, but there is actually no mention of teh chokes in the body of the manual, so who knows?

Is a modified choke the only thing tht stops an old gun from firing steel safely?

The size of the constriction (barrell) Oko whether it is choked with screw ins or a plain barrell. Older lead barrells were a full (tight) choke and shooting hard steel may bulge them. This weapon is one of the best. An older model that any of us would be proud to own.

The unwritten rule is that you should use steel in nothing tighter than Mod choke. Mod is ok.
Having said that, I would caution against taking that to heart. Browning lists older guns that can be used for steel and ones that cannot. Even those which are approved by Browning are advised to only shoot smaller than BB sized shot.
If Beretta publishes such information, I'm not aware of it. My own feeling is, buy a Mobil Choke equipted barrel with a MOd choke tube for the 301 and shoot steel worry free!

Okotokian, I think that last page might have been an ad...because every other page had an english translation. Who knows though?

Thanks for all the info guys! Very useful!

Bob I like your idea of buying another barrel to shoot steel with. My only problem is myself...I have no clue where to get one. I've tried a few sites...American ones won't send anything here and Canadian ones don't have any. I'd be very interested in keeping my current barrel for upland and getting a new barrel for steel, if someone could guide me in the right direction.

BTW, the gun is most definitely a beaut. It does take 3 inch shells and I plan on keeping it as long as possible. My favorite way of describing the gun to friends is, "the gun is older than me, and has less scratches than I do." I'm 26, I really think the gun is older than me :)

The A301 was available for sale from 1971 to 1979, so the gun is definatly older than you (not older than me unfortunatly).
If you haven't already tried Western Gun Parts in Edmonton for a choked barrel, that would be where I'd start.

Ok, so I've checked with WGP. Here's the reply I received:

They are all obsolete and all 12ga 3" barrels with choke tubes are super scarce and high demand. We have a Browning barrel made for them by Beretta for a B-80 model in 12ga but 2 3/4" chamber only, has removable choke system for steel shot, comes with one tube, 199.95 plus s/h and tax.

I'd like to keep my 3" shell option so my next step will be to try and modify my gun.

I think we'll be hunting near Bashaw this Saturday. I'll drop by and see Pud, and see what we can do.

I don't blame you for wanting to stick with the 3 inch chamber, especially if you want to hunt waterfowl.
The B-80 barrel would have worked fine (if it had the right chamber) as these guns were A303's made for Browning by Beretta.

By all means, have some one check out your gun and get an opinion on whether to shoot steel or not.

Good luck.

Beretta 301 with full choke
 

Friend og mine is selling Beretta 301 with full choke (28 or 30"...what is worth now?

choke constriction
 

The old way to measure choke in fixed 12 gauge is with a Canadian dime. If the dime will not go completely into the barrel it is full choke. Not the most accurate but if you just want to know if it has been modified that is the fastest way.
More accurately if you have digital calipers measure the choke and compare it to published Beretta info online. Personally I would not shoot 3 inch mag steel in anything tighter than improved cylinder not only for safety of bridging larger shot sizes but also because every 3 inch steel load I have patterned shoots better through improved cylinder.

Should you wish to have the fixed choke reamed out to IC many gunsmiths will do it for $75. Had a 10 gauge done here several years ago and just acquired another one that I plan on having opened up before goose season.
Rob

Beretta barrels
 

Should all be chrome lined.......I have Briley steel chokes in my 303A 3"....And bought the Browning 2-3/4" barrel for skeet.......Harold

Me and a couple buddies have put over 10,000 steel shells each through our fixed full choked 301s and 302s without any bulging of barrels.

Just my real world experience.