Double Gun Safety and Procedure Questions

[jethro224]

I just picked up a Beretta O/U 12 bore. It did not come with an owners manual. I have requested one from Beretta but would like to go try this gun out in the next couple of days. Having NO experience with a double barrel ML or, for that matter, ANY double hammer gun, I have some questions.

First on my mind is safety. What is the accepted "safe" procedure in shooting these things? Cock one hammer, fire, cock the other hammer, fire again? Or cock both hammers and fire twice? Seems like it could be easy to get an accidental discharge while lowering two hammers to half-cock from full-cock if you didn't fire.

Another thing is the loading process. Any tips on ways to avoid confusion?

I plan to try 70-80 grains of powder and 1 1/4oz shot and work from there. I'm hoping to get this thing shooting in time for the dove opener September 1st. Any advice here will be appreciated .

Do any of you guys have experience with the 300th anniversary Beretta O/U shotguns? Any helpful tips or comments in general about the gun?

Thanks in advance. Jethro

 

[MercerLake]

:v Being distracted while loading a double is an accident waiting to happen.
When shooting Sporting Clays I always cock both hammers as the targets are thrown in series of two, 2nd bird on first report. When hunting, I only cock one hammer at a time.
Reloading is when most accidents typically happened in the past. So some simple IRON CLAD RULES need to be 2nd nature.
1. Always decap both barrels!!!!
2. Don't work directly over the muzzles!
3. Load one barrel at a time,"PARK" the ramrod in one barrel while loading the other barrel. After one barrel is loaded "PARK" the ramrod in the loaded barrel.
4. Mark the ramrod for the load you use, check that BOTH barrels are loaded to the same height before capping.
5. Wipe both barrels prior to reloading to ensure that no ember is waiting for more powder.
Others will have other great ideas but, these work for me. I shoot both a double rifle and shotgun, and have in the past made any number of "errors" while getting distracted. No powder or lead are merely embarasing. :redface: But,double loads of powder or lead will get your attention really quick. :shocked2:
As for actual loads, your post sounded about right, less powder and more shot works better than more powder. The OS wads over the powder really tightens patterns. Pattern density kills, loud noises, don't!
Bp shotguning can be a rewarding relaxing way to hunt. With low bag limits there is no reason to hurry and quit early.Have fun! :v

 

[BrownBear]

Mercelake's steps are good. I'll add one for hunting:

If you've only fired one barrel, reseat the charge in the other barrel before reloading the first one.

In my experience I get pretty habitual about which barrel I fire first, and over several encounters with game involving a single shot you'll keep right on firing that same barrel. That can ultimately loosen up the seating in the other.

I like to do it before I start the reloading process so I don't forget. On the practical side, it works real well if you just leave the rod down that bore while you begin the loading process on the other. You gotta have someplace to put it anyway, and the barrel is as good as any.

On the cocking, I never cocked both barrels at once, finding that to be awkward and not always successful, especially wearing gloves. Just as easy for me to cock one and fire, then cock the other.

 

[sixbull]

:v Being distracted while loading a double is an accident waiting to happen.


Reloading is when most accidents typically happened in the past. So some simple IRON CLAD RULES need to be 2nd nature.

Others will have other great ideas but, these work for me.

Bp shotguning can be a rewarding relaxing way to hunt. With low bag limits there is no reason to hurry and quit early.Have fun! :v

This is very true. I like to load toward the end of the loading bench so that I don't get distracted which still happens around a bunch of people at a shoot.

I shoot a square load, equal powder & shot. I use an adjustable shot/powder dipper for shoots when a loading bench is available or a shot/powder snake where there is no loading bench and use the snake for hunting. The shot dipper on the lowest setting throws 7/8 oz of shot, 69 grains FF. The snake is made to throw the same on the lowest setting. This load I shoot at trap, skeet & sporting clays, I also use this load for hunting.

You need to pattern your Beretta to see if the wad is blowing a hole in your pattern. I found out that my Beretta shot better with half a cushion wad instead of a full one. Take a large paper flour sack or feed sack, cut open you need about a 3' x 3' square, draw a 30" circle, place about 25 yds out & shoot at the circle. Check to see if there is a hole in the center of your pattern. You may have to try different cushion wad combinations, 1/2-3/4 wad etc. This will also show you your aming point, cover the circle, float the circle etc.

Always clean & clean very well as if it isn't you will have problems. I found out this the hard way untill I was told how to keep them shooting. Don't get me wrong, the Beretta are good shotguns, I wouldn't give mine up for nothing. The bottom barrel is the one that gives the most trouble, the bolster is long & tends to foul up. I unscrew the nipple bolster (Allen screw) & clean with pipe cleaners.

After my shots I always pick the nipples, then while the barrel is pointed down I hit the side of the gun knowking out any small pieces of fouling.

The recommended charges as per the manual are 5 Grams (77.2 U.S. Grains) & maxmium charges consented by the International Clay Pigeon Shooting Rules are 6.2 Grams (95.7 U.S. Grains).

Quote from the manual "We have found that optimum pressures values and speed are obtained with 5 Grams (77.2 U.S. Grains) of the same shot (this combination is therefore recommended.) Charges greater than 5 Grams (77.2 U.S. Grains) simply put the gun through a useless battering without improving its ballistics preformance."

I hope this helps, this is what works best for my Beretta, it might not work for your Beretta, find what it likes.

As for shooting, if shooting singles or hunting, I cap & cock only one barrel at a time. If shooting doubles or on report I cap & cock both.

The Dixie Gun Works catalog have very good information about shotgun loads.

Feel free to PM me I can copy my manual for you or answer any questions about the Beretta.

It's a hoot to hunt doves with the Beretta.

Good Luck..............


Sixbull

 

[Britsmoothy]

I only got rid of mine because it did not fit me to good.
I made a better rod from a carbon fiber arrow and some turned brass with a thread to accept a worm.
It shot ball real good too.
I allways cock both hammers incase I wound with the first. It's not hard to learn which trigger does which barrel.
I never had any issues with the bottom barrel fouling near the nipple, it aint that far away etc.
Try putting the gun between your legs so the remaining loaded barrel is nearest you and your hands doing the loading reach around, sounds wrong but try it and see.
Good luck.

Britsmoothy.

 

[jethro224]

Thanks to all for the replies.

I took the gun out this afternoon for a short test session. Am both very happy and quite unhappy. I didn't disassemble the gun before I bought it. Dumb mistake. But I bought it from a local dealer who I've been doing buisiness with for years. He's never steered me wrong before.

Anyway, I packed up and went to the farm where I hunt. When I got there I decided I ought to figger out which trigger works which barrel before I did anything. So I pulled the nipples and blew in the holes.

Left nipple blows air thru top barrel. Cool. Right nipple don't blow air. Not cool at all. So I stick a ramrod down both barrels(again) and check the depth. No Blockage in the barrel. :hmm: Gotta pull the gun apart and see what's what.

I remove the barrels from the stock and see the nipple bolster(?) which I assume is supposed to have a hex hole in it. Well it doesn't. It has a drill hole and a slot across that. When I held it up to the sunlight and looked in the hole I could see some white cement lookin' stuff. My nipple pick would break little bits off if I tried hard.

Next I whipped out my trusty screwdriver and removed the screwed in / screwed up piece. With it out air blows thru the right nipple hole and out the bottom barrel and the bolster hole.

In other words, I need a new one of those or I just have an extra heavy single shot. :cursing:

Anybody know if parts are still available?

On a happy note, I was very pleased with the patterns I got from the top barrel. I only had time for a few shots before the rain started, but that was enough to tell me it'll shoot.

I tried two slightly different loads, the only difference being cornmeal buffer or not. The load was 70 grains of 2F, 3 over-shot cards, a small dab of moose snot, another shot-card, 60 grain volume of cornmeal(or not), post-it shot cup(2 wraps), 1 1/8oz #6 shot, and one more card on top, follow it all with a lubed patch in & out.

All of my shots were patterned at 20 yards. I'll try farther next time. Without the cornmeal virtually all of the shot stayed inside 25" except for a few flyers. With the cornmeal buffer ALL of the pellets stayed inside 20". This was the first time I ever tried cornmeal buffer. I think I need to use it more often. :thumbsup:

Now I just gotta see what the gun dealer is gonna do about sellin' me a boogered gun and then see if I can get it fixed right quick.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Do you know what I don't recall ever having a screw in the bolster except for the nipple at all on mine!

Britsmoothy.

 

[sixbull]

Do you know what I don't recall ever having a screw in the bolster except for the nipple at all on mine!

Britsmoothy.

I believe this is what Jethro is talking about, the nipple bolster (Allen screw) second image, photo 3.

The nipple bolster (Allen screw) as per the manual must be securely tightened and positioned according to it's index line. This is important, because the screw besides holding the two breeches together, it a "flash-hole" for the lower barrel.

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Sixbull

 

[Britsmoothy]

Thanks for that, very interesting but I am sure mine did not have one, if it did I would of been in there like lightening, hmm I'm confused now! :hatsoff:

Britsmoothy.

 

[jethro224]

Yep. That's it. Exactly.

Some big dummy drilled all the way thru it. Then they cemented the hole shut where it used to be the flash channel to the nipple. :cursing:
I really, really need a new one of those.