Beretta/Browning

Dixie Boy · Postby **Dixie Boy** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 7:33 am

Did I hear this right?? Browning used to make or sell Beretta? Someone, Gulfcoast can anyone explan this to me. I am an avid Beretta shooter, I own 5 Beretta shotguns, but I don't know much about the company.

Postby **GulfCoast** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 7:59 am

Browning got in the lurch to offer a gas operated auto several years ago. So they commissioned a run of Beretta 302/303 parts from Beretta with a semi-humpbacked "Browning looking" reciever. It was sold for several years as the "Browning B-80." If you look at one, you will see the "PB" oval on most of the parts. It is basically a 303 with a Browing reciever, most parts interchange with the 303. Fine gun, funky reciever. They did something to tick Beretta off, and the deal stopped. I forget that part of the stroy.

Dixie Boy · Postby **Dixie Boy** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 8:12 am

How do you figure we could find out that part of the story?

Postby **GulfCoast** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 9:04 am

The 2 people who I can think of who would know for sure would be Bruce Buck @ shotgunreport.com or Rich Cole @ Colegun.com. Cole is a Beretta trained gunsmith who has spent a good bit of time in Italy, so he would probably be the last word.

Dixie Boy · Postby **Dixie Boy** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 10:19 am

Yea well I would like to know some of that history, because I have someone claming that Beretta is nowhere in the ballpark with Browning. He is hard-headed and I would like to rub his face in something!!!

walt333ms · Postby **walt333ms** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 11:42 am

It was a simple business decision...a 10 year licenses to sell beretta's under the browning name came to an end...And since beretta new that they had a good gun, and lots of followers in the B-80...therefore beretta started marketing their gun under their name about 5 years ago...and they have done very well....
have one B-80 steel shot barrell full(prior to choke tubes), b-80 20 guage, and have had two beretta's 12-30 inch barrell....will continue to prase the gun ...for price...dependability, and being a tough gun...
five of us were hunting in our big blind just north of mahanna this year..it was new years weekend ...every one in the blind were
shooting a beretta.....

uncle walt and sam

Postby **GulfCoast** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 2:18 pm

DB: Don't forget that the 303 Beretta was already a successful gun here in the U.S. before Browning adopted it.

Model12 · Postby **Model12** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 3:05 pm

Just another plug for Rich Cole. He's done re-blueing, fitting, and is doing a set of beretta bbls on a 687 for me now. Great gunsmith, and heck of Beretta man....

SoftCall · Postby **SoftCall** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 6:37 pm

DB - I hunt with both so I recon I am entitled to my opinion. I own a beretta golden snipe 3" 12 ga. Best damn gun ever made and it throws one mean pattern. It's the best all around gun I have ever had. I had a beretta 390 and sold it because the safety stuck out on the side of the gun too much and it kept getting bumped off in the boat. Loved the gun and it never failed me. Hated to see it go but I didn't want someone to get hurt in the boat.

Well - Browning has done something that few gun makers have been able to do by managing to keep the characteristics of the old "fine" autos in the latest gun. They have managed to make a shotgun that hangs up just as bad as any of the old A5's that my family has owned....the gold. I shoot one in the field and open water and finally figured out how to oil it so it will continue to feed.

If Browning made beretta parts, they didn't put them in my gun or the SOB would shoot everytime I pulled the trigger....

featherduster · Postby **featherduster** » Mon Mar 04, 2002 7:58 pm

Italian craftsmanship or Japanese mass production, hmmmmm, pretty simple!!!!!!

Dixie Boy · Postby **Dixie Boy** » Tue Mar 05, 2002 8:20 am

Good way to put it featherduster!!! Well all I know is that my Berettas fit and shoot very well, and the Brownings that I have owned didn't fit so therefore didn't shoot very well. Thinking about buying the Extrema this fall, just before my trip to South Dakota for Pheasants!!! Maybe a little sooner so that I can shoot a few boxes through it. I looked at one at the gun shop and that gun fits like a glove!!

JPII · Postby **JPII** » Tue Mar 05, 2002 9:53 pm

Adding to GC's comments..a Beretta rep told me the Etalyn boys paid a visit to the assembly plant in Portugal..discovered some things which apparently didn't sit well and the licence agreement was abruptly ended.

BTW, this is the same facility where the BHG's are assembled including the 3.5" models which got out with the ejector pin set for 3" cartridges..maybe a bit too much sangria that day?

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