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Bettinsoli Talento problems


PaulP
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I bought a brand new Bettinsoli “Talento” 12G O/U shotgun in January this year. It has a nice stock, with plenty of engraving (machined) and gold-wash birds, etc. I chose this model because it came with 8 choke tubes – the 5 standard ones, plus 2 skeet (extended) and one extra full (extended). It is my “one gun for all occasions” – clays, game, skeet. I paid £849 which includes the VAT.

 

The gun was working fine for the last 5 months, and was set to fire bottom barrel first. Last weekend I got bored and switch it to fire top barrel first, and it gave me a nasty shock by discharging both barrels at the same time when I first fired it. The problem persisted, more often to my mate who has a heavier trigger pull then me.

 

I spoke to the resident gunsmith at the clay club, and he suggested that a light trigger pull may be to blame – the second barrel being fired immediately after the first. The problem is more common on older guns he said, when the sears get worn out, and cause the hammers to slip. But on a new gun it’s a sign of dodgy machining. I have now taken the gun for repair under warranty.

 

The gun has fired no more than 3 cases of 250 cartridges = 750 cartridges, and has been carefully cleaned without allowing any excess gun oil to flow into the action and cause this hassle.

 

The problem is that I have now lost faith in the gun – its like buying a brand new car, and finding the breaks are binding 5 months and a couple of thousand miles later. I want to swap it for a Browning B525 Grade 1, which should prove more reliable (being made in Japan), but its not a pretty gun in the basic grade with its varnished stock. It only comes with 3 choke tubes.

 

My gun is only worth £600 in part exchange from the same shop I got it from, meaning I have lost £249 in 5 months (although some of that is down to VAT).

 

Do I stick with the Bettinsoli knowing the same problem may return / get worse, or do I ditch the Italian rubbish and buy a decent make?

Edited by PaulP
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hi paulp, i had exactly the same problem with my bettinsoli diamond, first it stopped firing the bottom barrel after the top then it started letting them both off. it is worn sears on mine which could be repaired (laser welding or a new sear block) but i just lost faith in it, i cant shoot with a gun i dont trust. i went out and bought a browniing and i dont have a single bad thing to say about it.

saying that though, if your gun is under warranty then any new parts to repair it should be cost-free so its worth trying to repair it.

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i had exactly the same problem with my bettinsoli diamond

Hi paulos,

 

Many thanks for your reply :( Yes, the Diamond is identical to the Talento in the action department, so it sounds like the same faulth to me. How old was your gun before it developed this problem?

 

Any help in chosing a reliable new gun will be greatly appreciated - at the moment my eyes are set on the Browning B525 which is £1,050 brand new. Mirokus are also highly rated (being made in Japan), but I have lost faith in all things Italian - so Beretta, Fabarm, Perazzi, Zoli etc are not on my list.

 

Any views on the Macnab Highlander / Lowlander range? (MACNAB)

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hi, i believe the gun to be about 5 years old. not brand new i know but still not old enough to warrant the problems ive had!

 

if you are looking for a new one id recommend brownings and berettas. miroku are basically the same as brownings so you cant go wrong there really. i bought a browning ultra used for £850 and it shoots like a dream, your best bet would be to have a look in your local gunshop or try a few different ones at your local ground to find one that suits.

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Just to add to this I have a diamondline which I have posted about on previous occasions such as the automatic safety stopping working.

 

The solution to that was having the gun lubed up by my local gunsmith as the action was as dry as a bone and since then not had that problem.

 

Recently it has occassionally refused to fire the second barrel most annoying when it happened at a clay shoot on one stand but the worked perfectly all afternoon.

 

The only time I've had it double discharge was when I fired a scaring shot from the hip so was probably the recoil causing me to fire the second barrel anyway.

 

As I'm a leftie I have had this gun altered to fit and at the moment would not contemplate changing it I do like how it shoots and it suits me.

 

The internal pins that hold the mechanics together are all floating ones, most of them except the ones on the safety/sear mechanism are held in place by the wood the ones on the sear can float either way introducing some slop in it which means that taking it off safety was a problem sometimes until I realised you have to push it over slightly as you do it to keep it all lined up.

 

Cheers,

 

Ben

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i had exactly the same problem with my bettinsoli diamond

Hi paulos,

 

Many thanks for your reply :lol: Yes, the Diamond is identical to the Talento in the action department, so it sounds like the same faulth to me. How old was your gun before it developed this problem?

 

Any help in chosing a reliable new gun will be greatly appreciated - at the moment my eyes are set on the Browning B525 which is £1,050 brand new. Mirokus are also highly rated (being made in Japan), but I have lost faith in all things Italian - so Beretta, Fabarm, Perazzi, Zoli etc are not on my list.

 

Any views on the Macnab Highlander / Lowlander range? (MACNAB)

paulos, sad to hear of your problem with the sears ,totaly agree with the loss of faith in the safe use of the gun.

 

if your looking at the 525 look no further in my opinion , i shoot 2 ultra xs a 425 gold sporting and a new 525 sporting , they are by far high quality guns capable of anything you can think of shooting at field to target ,the brownings barrels are also made in japan as the miroku ( a four barrel set also in my possesion ) they will out last you of that im sure (over 200,000 through my 1st ultra ) good luck in your choice but i think you've made it "525". :( any questions on them id be happy to answer.

 

Martin

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Many thanks for all your replies :lol:

 

I bought a Miroku MK70 today, which I was told is identical to the Browning B525 (and made in the same factory), but it had a darker wood which appealed to me, and was about £100 cheaper at £995 for the basic grade. Sadly, it didin't come in a plastic case - but that doesn't bother me.

 

I shot a box of 250 cartridges today, and it is a fine gun - the plastic butt plate does hurt the sholder, if you are shooting in just a T-shirt on a hot day like today - so maybe replace it with a more user friendly one soon.

 

The MK70 is my "workhorse" gun, I will keep an eye out for something a bit higher grade as a second gun for driven shoots :rolleyes:

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