Not only rediscovered a passion, 2/2 on cheapest on gunbroker! Beretta edition.

[Sreduos.]

Ok, my main sporter is a Browning Citori, I let the tall guy from the gun shop youtube talk me down that route with the Japanese made Browning. I invested in that, it's my gun! That said, doesn't mean I don't want to see what the other manufacturers have to offer. In this case I managed a shipping trade. I was trying to move a 20G Franchi Reniassance I got on this forum, on a whim I offered an even swap for someone on the auction site with this Beretta Model S685 in what looked to be near new condition.

They accepted, which shocked and worried me, but they were a registered FFL, everything checked out, and they documented the gun with a ton of pictures (like the last one I got on there). So I figured, I was probably going to have my O/U on here for a long time so I might as well see about this trade and make it work. I managed to complete the transaction though it took a while. I shipped first, he received, then he shipped to me.

I just picked the gun up today after a couple weeks and it looks exactly like the photos! It actually still had some of the factory grease in some corners! So once again, I cleaned it up, snapped some photos and here we go, you be the judge!

The model S685 is definitely an interesting one, it's a 'low-end' Beretta, I don't know if it is a 'pre-cursor' to or just a cheaper version of but is closely related (it seems from appearance) to the standard 686 with a few exceptions. The first and foremost bing this gun has 'lifters' or 'extractors' and not ejectors. Honestly I don't mind this as I'm not great at catching ejected shells yet. It also has the automatic safety catch in it, which none of my other O/U's have (but the Franchi did as it was also a field version). This one has fixed F over M chokes in the barrels. The model was discontinued in 1986, I just found the date code and this one is a 1985 model, which is a significant year for me, so now I'm definitely in love with this pick-up.

Other big difference which you can kind of see in the pictures is there is quite a bit of right hand cant. The Browning's I have are much more straight, or at least you don't notice quite as much angle. I've only shouldered the gun a few times, it seems pretty comfortable, my whole grip feels more compact. I probably watch too much TGS on youtube but you can feel that there is definitely more of something in this thing... style? class? I don't really know but it definitely is less 'tool' than the browning but is still the most 'tool' version of a Beretta O/U I think you can get. 

Also, I am converting my Benelli M2 Field 28" from the comfort tech stock and forend to wood. I noticed they sell wood finished M2's over seas and you can get the parts so I found a discount stock on ebay and forend. As I was putting the gun together I dropped the wood forend and you can see what happened in the pictures. I have a new one on order and am gluing this one but darn what an expensive mistake. I'll post pictures when it is done in a week or so.

[KahrMan]

Nice shotgun.

 

I have never seen a M2 with a wood stock.  Can't wait to see pics of it.  Sold my M2 to my nephew.  It was always one of my favorite guns.

[TripleGGG]

Very nice. Congratulations. 

[gregintenn]

Looks new!

[Sreduos.]

57 minutes ago, KahrMan said:

Nice shotgun.

 

I have never seen a M2 with a wood stock.  Can't wait to see pics of it.  Sold my M2 to my nephew.  It was always one of my favorite guns.

I can't either. The stock was supposed to be delivered today but I haven't seen it. And I dropped the forend and broke it! GAHHH. There goes $200... ordered another which should be here in a few days. I also have this one glued and clamped together so hoping it will still function and look... rugged? The stock I got is a blemished one as well... so maybe she'll just start out as a wood M2 with a lot of character!

[DJTC45]

Nice looking ove and under. Sorry to see you dropped that Forend, I know exactly how you feel I've dropped and ruined a few pieces myself.

[KahrMan]

48 minutes ago, Sreduos. said:

I can't either. The stock was supposed to be delivered today but I haven't seen it. And I dropped the forend and broke it! GAHHH. There goes $200... ordered another which should be here in a few days. I also have this one glued and clamped together so hoping it will still function and look... rugged? The stock I got is a blemished one as well... so maybe she'll just start out as a wood M2 with a lot of character!

Ouch. 

[Sreduos.]

1 minute ago, DJTC45 said:

Nice looking ove and under. Sorry to see you dropped that Forend, I know exactly how you feel I've dropped and ruined a few pieces myself.

I pulled the barrel off and it came with it, I just wasn't really thinking about the possibility of stuff falling when I had the barrel in one hand and the stock in the other. In my head I was breaking the gun in half and I was holding the two parts. In practice, just like taking down an O/U, there is that darned third piece there. Once it popped off it just fell off the moment it cleared... All I could do was watch, any sudden movement only would have broke something else. I just watched and listened to it crack and break apart and the tension rings go flying. I hurried to set down the barrel and stock/receiver as fast as I could then just started frantically pacing the basement doing the surrender cobra U of Mich fans made famous on the miracle MSU punt return touchdown to win the game. I walked to the computer, started frantically searching because I resorted to used eBay for this piece and payed just about MSRP for a new one... luckily Midway USA had 2 in stock and I already have tracking on it. I'm now just over $500 turning the M2 into wood... Hope that stock fits! 

 

Just now, KahrMan said:

Ouch. 

Yeah.. my wallet said the same afterwards.

[DJTC45]

I hear you, I was working on one of my 1911's when I went to get a couple of tools I knocked the slide off my work area and it missed the rubber mat that I stand on and hit the concrete floor on the back corner and caused it to have a burr in that area. So after saying a few angry words I picked it up and started filling until it went on the the frame and thank god I had a small wet sone and smoothed it out, by the way it was one of my $3500 Wilson CQBE'S.

Edited February 3, 2023 by DJTC45

[Sreduos.]

Looks like the stock won't make it here today... didn't make the trek from Memphis to Nashville nor delivered like was planned. The wood glue said to clamp 30 minutes then dry overnight. I clamped it for a few hours and will let it dry overnight. It ain't as pretty as it could be but it just might work! I'd love to send the other one back and save that $200...

 

[DJTC45]

Looks good, I know you probably could sand it by hand and hide that crack but then you'd have to strip it all down and stain it again.

[Sreduos.]

Yeah, this M2 is not clean by any means and the stock that is coming is a blemished discount stock so I may just run it. I do have the new one coming but if this holds together I think I’ll take the $200 back and return the new one. I got the stuff to refinish it as well so might sand it if the crack bothers me. The larger part where my hand is near is smooth and level at least.

[KahrMan]

After seeing the break I think it looks pretty good as is. Like you said you could always sand and refinish it 

[Sreduos.]

2 hours ago, KahrMan said:

Nice shotgun.

 

I have never seen a M2 with a wood stock.  Can't wait to see pics of it.  Sold my M2 to my nephew.  It was always one of my favorite guns.

Here is a pic of one from their Belgium website: https://www.benelli-guns.be/menu-shotguns/semi-automatic-shotguns/m2/51-m2-wood