Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2 Impulse buy

[Dennis]

I allowed myself to be drawn into the 11% buying fury. I picked up a Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2. No other reason than to upgrade my old 500. My thinking was I could get longer barrel and have a multipurpose shot gun that could be changed from a HD roll to a hunting roll if ever needed. Research after the fact is showing my mistake. I'm wondering if I should just sell this and pick up an A400 Xtreme plus. I could then put on a 21" 1301 comp barrel and appropriate mag extension tube. I would be 3 inches longer but have the added benefits of more rounds and the a400 kick off stock. My old shoulder could only like the softer recoil. I know it would increase my costs.
Is this even feasible? Has anyone else done something similar?

[Dennis]

After digging around a bit more, it appears the Beretta A400 Lite 12ga. barrel will work. Perhaps only needing the gas spring changed out. At $850, I doubt I'll be trying it out. That said, Beretta is suposed to stop making their barrels in their current form. Perhaps now is the time to pick one up while they're still available.

[Imageview]

[Dennis]

I had a new barrel and spring in my cart. I just couldn't pull the trigger on it. I found a 26" marine finish barrel on gunbroker to match my 500. That will have to serve as my hunter in a pinch. I've never hunted with a shotgun, but it will be nice to have just in case.

[BOBGBA]

Just buy the 1301 comp here.
It's priced right, $1050.
Then you can decide to keep or sell your previous purchase.

[Dennis]

Just buy the 1301 comp here.
It's priced right, $1050.
Then you can decide to keep or sell your previous purchase.

Thanks,
I already got mine here. I was thinking about selling it and going the A400/comp barrel route. I figured out the barrel issue and decided to just keep it.

[BigPimping]

[Dennis]

I finally got around to putting my new to me, used, longer "marine finish" barrel on my Mossberg 500. The finish definitely is not an exact match. It was a little over $100 for it. I suppose it will do. I don't hunt anymore. Never hunted birds or small game. If the need arises, this will have to do. I took off the Pachmayr pistol grip package. I picked it up with the shotgun when I bought it new sometime in the 80's. It's been on this shotguns since day one. It was never pleasant to shoot, so it's had less than 100 rounds through it. Now, I'll at least have something more functional.
I'm just waiting on my JagerWerks B.R.O.S. (back in stock now) to arrive tomorrow to mount the SRO on the Beretta.

[marcusrn]

You have good impulses! Money is rapidly losing it's value. Your Beretta won't!

[deckhandmike]

[Imageview]

Technically speaking you save a couple hundred bucks by going with the barrel instead of a whole 1301. Or at least I did when I did it. Even after buying a second gas widget and a magazine extension.

I do the switchover right before and after hunting season. Pull the limiter, swap barrels, add the extension or the reverse. I generally don't do a full clean during hunting season and I only use my 12g a400 for waterfowl. Then I'll take it out for a function test and store it away.

I've dunked this shotgun multiple times and it shot fine, maybe 1200 rounds through a full season without a FTF. I've had less than 10 FTE. It's as bombproof as a semi auto shotgun gets. I have managed to get enough mud into it once where it wouldn't cycle, but it still worked as a bolt action and I was able to kill birds with it in that condition. After a successful function check at a range I have zero concerns about reliability.

That being said it's still a bad compromise to go the barrel route. I mostly do it because it amuses me and because I have limited space currently so I'd have to give up another gun as stated above if I wanted a dedicated home defense shotgun. If it's primarily the KO system that's desired (which works stupidly well, less recoil than a 20g benelli) it would be better to add the ko stock to a 1301. I think the route the OP decided on eventually was the right call.

That being said, I am half tempted to get a second barrel set for one of my over unders and cut them down to 18". Practical? No. But it would make me giggle. I have a couple single shot barrels that length and they are super handy. Just really swingy. Fine for hunting, just not great on the longer shots.