Any long term Beretta A300 reviews?

[shootingmike]

I'm going to be looking for a new auto before next season. I don't want to spend more than 7 or 800 quid so won't be looking at benelli, maxus, A5 etc.

 

I've done loads of research and fancy either a Winchester sx3 or Beretta A300 outlander. From research on here and several US forums, it seems the SX3 has a cracking reputation on both sides of the Atlantic, other than broken piston springs. In the US, that doesn't seem to be too much of an issue as independant companies sell replacement springs / pistons but it may be trickier to get them over here.

 

Looking at the Outlander A300, it seems there's a lot of good engineering in it, such as the tried and tested AL391 gas system, but being fairly new I wondered if anyone on here has had one for a year or so and can comment on their reliability, how they shoulder and shoot etc.

 

If anything, I'd want black synthetic.

 

Cheers..

[hawkfanz]

i got outlander last feb new,no issues at all,in fact to try it out i used over 200 reloads that i had for 30 years loaded with nobel no80,went through no problem at all,biggest load ive used is 32 g but usually 30 or 28g depending on price.i think they balance well and handle good and they,re within your budget.

Edited March 28, 2013 by hawkfanz

[gazbev]

Will be interesting to follow this topic, I'm in the market for a new auto and the a300 looks like a good buy and a ten year gmk warranty

[VicW]

Looking at the Outlander A300, it seems there's a lot of good engineering in it, such as the tried and tested AL391 gas system, but being fairly new I wondered if anyone on here has had one for a year or so and can comment on their reliability, how they shoulder and shoot etc.

Cheers..

The A300 Outlander has the new gas system as per the 400 series,not the same as the 391. The gas regulator system is not designed to be taken apart,the retaining ring is staked over to prevent easy removal although it wouldn't be impossible.

 

I have had my A300 for 14 months and about 7500 28gm cartridges without a single problem.

I only use it for clays and it is very comfortable to shoot.

When I bought mine there was only a three year warranty available.

 

Vic.

Edited March 28, 2013 by VicW

[shootingmike]

Thanks so far. Seems to be no known problems as yet then.. My only concern with it is how complicated the gas system might be to remove and clean properly. I have an escort at the minute and like how easy the gas system is to access as I like to keep it thoroughly clean. If the A300 has a usual beretta system, it involves spanners doesn't it?

[mudpatten]

I might be misremembering this, but does`nt the Beretta owners manual recommend that you don`t disassemble the gas system.

Edited March 28, 2013 by mudpatten

[VicW]

As stated the manual for the A300 does not recommend dismantling the gas regulator as you can with the 391 system.

I had already pointed out that the gas piston and regulator are from the 400 series,not the 'usual Beretta system.

The piston is more complicated,more efficient but easy to clean.

 

Vic.

Edited March 28, 2013 by VicW

[Sandbank]

Had mine for 18 months and no problems so far. Guess 5000 + rounds through it, mostly 28g but a few 100 heavier carts up to and including 50g.

 

As VicW indicates, manual does not recommend dismantling the front end of the system. It appears clamped down sufficiently tight that it serves no useful purpose i.e. piston only bit that moves.

I sometimes use a plastic pipette to get a bit of cleaning fluid into the ports to keep that part from getting too mucky.

 

 

There is only one port from the barrel into the gas system so I guess the 'compensation' less than in 400 series guns.

But overall not too difficult to clean, a little bit easier than my AL390.

[shootingmike]

Thanks Vic and Sandbank. So what is that spring at the front end for? I've noticed it on other berettas and can't seem to work out what purpose it serves. Surely as the gas comes through the loop it goes backwards pushing the piston.

I suppose as long as you can get the piston out the back end for cleaning and get a pipe cleaner through the barrel port it'd be ok..?

[Sandbank]

The AL390 has secondary gas relief system which enables the ports to blow gas forwards against a spring. This in addition to the piston.

This enabled the gun to deal with a wide range of loads without shaking itself to bits. Even with hot clay rounds gas escapes forwards as

well as backwards. Hence a bit more cleaning to do.

 

 

 

 

With the Outlander, the spring is set so tight, I suspect the gun would blow up before the gas spring moved.

The arrangement was inherited from earlier Berettas which presumably required this additional compensation.

Picture below shows evidence of forward gas release.

 

The Outlander fires Saga 50g 1's without excessive recoil or 'auto-destruct' so I guess the design is ok.

Agree with you, need to keep the bits that move clean but dealing with the seemingly redundant forward ports

is really to maintain the cosmetic good looks of the internals.

 

 

[shootingmike]

Legendary post Sandbank! Nice work! That's a great picture... Hopefully it's not you who's sacrificed a 390 to show me that!!!!

 

So on the A300, does any gas go forward? Surely some must otherwise that spring would be pointless.

[tweedledee]

What width rib does the out lander have? And what kind of money does it command new? Does it come with a sling stud as standard.

[Sandbank]

Legendary post Sandbank! Nice work! That's a great picture... Hopefully it's not you who's sacrificed a 390 to show me that!!!!

 

So on the A300, does any gas go forward? Surely some must otherwise that spring would be pointless.

 

Even with 3 inch Mags the spring remains clean and shiny as does the forward release port so I assume the spring is pointless on this gun.

By the way, the upper pic shows the 390 spring, the lower cut away pic (nicked from the net) shows the 391 which is more like the Oulander gas system but here the spring appears to permit gas release.

 

 

 

What width rib does the out lander have? And what kind of money does it command new? Does it come with a sling stud as standard.

 

 

Fairly narrow field rib, sling stud as standard.

 

In December 2011 I paid £795 for new gun with wooden stock. I have seen synthetic stock guns for same price recently, wood may be a bit more.

[shootingmike]

Thanks. Does seem a bit daft that they'd put that spring on to sit there redundant but I suppose it would affect the balance and handling if removed.

 

Overall, I really like the look of the beretta. I'm trying to work out if it's better value than the sx3 or not. I know the sx3 has the back bored barrel, extra chokes etc. whereas the outlander just seems like beretta's answer to making a gun cheap to compete.

 

Which do you think represents best value for money?

[figgy]

SX3

 

Figgy

[samboy]

I bought an Outlander on Saturday. Have only put a few shots through it to test it out.

It will be mainly used with 50g cartriges for Cormorants (im licensed).

I think as with anything you buy its the luck of the draw.

But if i do get problems then i will chop it for something else, ie a sx3 or a maxus.

I really think its you pay your money you take your choice. There all good guns.