doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Berettta Silver Hawk

I would appreciate any information or comments about the Beretta "Silver Hawk" SxS. Hopefully, info would come from folks with direct experience or knowledge. I've owned four Berettas, three 686's and one "Silver Pigeon" pump gun.

The pump gun worked slick as a whistle and had more parts in it than I could count. I couldn't figure out how to remove the barrel for cleaning and had to clean it from the muzzle! (I'm used to Ithaca M-37's.) Finding information about it was a nightmare, only to learn it had been manufactured for three years, discontinued, and forgotten. I could find no mention of it in any current Beretta info. What little information I did find indicated it was prone to minor failures and difficult to repair. I sold it at a 50% loss.

This experience has made me nervous about a "Silver Hawk" SxS at a significantly lower price than any similar guns currently listed on various internet sites. I don't need a "complex" SxS.

Thanks in advance.

R.

I have a 1957-made Silverhawk purchased used in about '65. It had a rib come loose once, but who hasn't. I don't shoot it so much anymore, but it has never given any problems.

One curious thing happened. I took the gun to the Beretta folks when the Grand American was still in Vandalia to have someone break down the date codes. This was probably 12 years ago. Everyone came over to look at the gun and handle it. If anyone should be jaded by field guns, these were it, but to a person they expressed a lot of affection for the guns and workmanship of that era. That raised my esteem for the Silverhawks.

silver hawks come in two varieties.

the sixties verisons and the current versions. both go bang. both are nice guns. the new ones have better wood and fit and finish. but, they are not worth three times as much as the older guns, in my opinion...

but then, i dont see the value in berettas, or other over priced european made guns, when one can buy so many other nice guns at like half the price? why would anyone pay any more than what your typical japanese made brownings are costing these days?

Not everything that is listed as or being sold as a Silver Hawk is actually a Silver Hawk. I have a 426E with a fat silver bird on the top lever, and that would lead some to call it a Silver Hawk. It is not. There is no reason not to buy a Beretta SxS if the condition and price are right.

The Silver Hawk was the upgrade to the Silver Snipe
It was equiv> to the S56 and the snipe was the S55.
The Hawk has ejectors
Mike

many receivers are marked with the S markings

Did you miss your coffee this morning, Mike? The Silver Snipe is an O/U. The Silver Hawk is a SXS.

The upgraded Silver Snipe is a Golden Snipe, also an O/U. There was also a Ruby Snipe, but, you don't see them that often in the USA.

Best,
Ted

Ted
YES thanks
Coffee deficit for sure
This getting up early for duck hunting
is taking a toll
Mike

So...the Silver hawk is an OK gun, but nothing special. I did receive a few pictures of the assembled gun, a 12 ga., but no other info. So I don't have a clue to age, chokes, dimensions, etc. Any suggestions as to value...like $1000? $3000?

These are stupid questions but it appears the seller doesn't know anything about the gun, and, perhaps may be selling it for a widow or a friend. I've asked the normal questions, but have only received a bunch of pictures of the complete gun from various angles. Since I no nothing about Beretta SxS's or their history, I'll probably just pass on it.

For anyone to be able to answer your questions, we would need a little more information. Condition isn't everything, but, it is a lot. A Silver Hawk in good condition is much better than an "OK" gun. The build quality will at least equal, or, more likely, exceed that of the 686 guns you own now.
The issues you had with the Beretta pump are not relevent to a discussion of Beretta SXS or O/U guns. That pump was a Manufrance product, if I am not mistaken, and was sold by Beretta, Colt, Montgomery Wards, and others.
Why don't you ask the seller what he wants for it? If the price is anything less than 1K, for a gun in good condition, it is a great deal.

Best,
Ted

A "complex SXS"!!

The early models were Anson Deeley clones, about the simplest SXS action there is. The later models had Beretta's own boxlock action which is more robust than the Anson Deeley, it uses coil springs and avoids tension stressed parts.

The later action is in my opinion one of the best boxlock actions ever designed. The variations between the European and American model designations are a little confusing. The new action was introduced over here as the 424 and remained more or less the same up to the 471. The new 486 is a wholly different action.