Bob,

The way I'm positive its a 408 is that you have told us it is so marked under the forearm. That is how Beretta marked their '4' series SxS guns; all, to the best of my knowledge. I've seen another 408 [years ago, now], like yours and so marked. I've also seen that model depicted in two dif Italian books on Beretta, one brought back by a friend in the 70's that is no longer available for me to ask if he still has it and the other my friend, Billy Hodge, who has a book given to him by one of the Beretta family that shows many variants of the guns they have made in the last century or so. I spoke w/Billy yesterday and he is going to see if he can find any refs to that model and call me back. I'm not positive that's the other book I saw it ref'd in, but I believe that it may have been. Billy didn't recall that particular variant, but said essentially the same thing that W. Burns & Pete have; Beretta made a LOT of configurations not exported here. Your 408 may have been called by another name when it was being marketed, but that is the model number.

The swamped rib and short stub extension is typical of French shotguns, but I don't know where the practice actually originated.

As an aside, on many of the older Garcia BL series Beretta's they carry their European model numbers stamped on the bbl's underside, i.e., S56E on a BL-4 or similar markings. The BL was an America only designation, as far as I know. Initially, they bore marketing names like 'Silver Snipe' & 'Golden Snipe', the only two box lock O/U models initially sold here before the 'BL' designations. Some of those 'BL's, like the BL-2S came and went rather quickly w/little fanfare, even though they are great L/W field guns w/their minimalist features & 'Speed Trigger'. The 408 may have suffered a similar short life in foreign markets removed from here.

And while on the subject, I can't speak to the 'GR' series guns carrying a European designation stamped in their forearms, I simply do not recall. Perhaps someone here has one they can take a quick look at and post their findings. I know it's not directly related, but still germane to Beretta's past BL double gun practices.

kind regards, tw