got a new shotgun

[decoyally]

bought the beretta 686s special from the private sales (not sure how to get it on this post sorry).there use to be a recoil pad on it and over the years it has faded but now its off and you can see the colour dif in the wood,picture would show you it if you look. another thing does anyone know if its a sporter or field gun? thanks

[Simon123]

No picture mate

[decoyally]

ITS IN THE GUNS FOR SALE SECTION PRIVATE. NOT SURE HOW TO GET IT ON THIS POST. SORRY

[Shropshire_Lad]

hi, is it this one?

http://www.gunwatch.co.uk/guns/739-Beretta-686S-GUN-NOW-SOLD-for-sale

I would think to get the colour back the same it would have to be stripped and refinished. In the joiners workshop timber would change colour quite quickly in direct sunlight, part of a plank left covered would soon show a difference from that exposed to light. Most field guns have auto safety but sporters don't.

 

atvb Paul.

[Mickthemiller]

Hi with regards to it being a game or sporter, my first shotgun was a special I was told it was a sporter, I went for a lesson with Dennis Stepney at ####.co.uk he explained that it was a game gun because the rib was 10mm wide, and the stock was very narrow at the top,you can also date the gun by looking for two letters in a very small box under the cartridge chamber I have added the date chart, I have know reason to doubt Dennis because he is recocnised as one of the better gun experts in the country.

Hope this helps MICKTHEMILLER.

 

Beretta date codes

 

Italian guns are easily dated by a code - not in the serial numbers but next to the proof mark. Here's the list - and apologies for a rather long post:

Roman numeral series

I=1945; II=1946; III=1947; IV=1948; V=1949, VI=1950; VII=1951; VIII=1952; IX=1953; X=1954; XI=1955; XIII=1957; XIV=1958; XV=1959; XVI=1960; XVII=1962; XIX=1963; XX=1964; XXI=1965; XXII=1966; XXIII=1967; XXIV=1968; XXV=1969; XXVI=1970; XXVII=1971; XXVIII=1972; XXIX=1973; XXX=1974.

The above Roman numerals are the official version, but I have heard of some Arabic numerals creeping in as a sort of “shorthand” – for instance, XX8 for 1972 – in order to save space.

Letter series

AA=1975; AB=1976; AC=1977; AD=1978 AE=1979; AF=1980; AH=1981; AI=1982; AL=1983; AM=1984; AN=1985: AP=1986; AS=1987; AT=1988; AU=1989; AZ=1990; BA=1991; BB=1992; BC=1993; BD=1994; BF=1995; BH=1996; BI=1997; BL=1998; BM=1999; BN=2000; BP=2001; BS=2002; BT=2003; BU=2004; BZ=2005; CA=2006; CB=2007; CC=2008 CD =2009.

You may wonder why the letter sequence is not logical. The reason is that the Italian language does not use the full alphabet – J,K,W,X and Y are not used in Italian words. The letter O is missed out because of a possible confusion with zero, while Q also leads to confusion when stamped very small.