doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com V. Bernardelli "Pointer Grade

I didn't know that, but since you mentioned it...

I have a V. Bernardelli sporting clays gun in 12 ga, originally sold by Warschall's Sporting Goods in Seattle, probably early to mid 90's. It has 28" barrels, screw chokes, palm swell, and I think the model name is "Pull" (yeah, dumb name but I think that's it). Two questions for you:
1. Are there any other choke tubes that are interchangeable with these?
2. The gun doubles sometimes, and someone mentioned this was a common problem with these guns. Is it common, is there an easy fix, and can you recommend someone in the Los Angeles area who is familiar with these? OK, that's one question plus three.

Thanks.

I did an article in Shooting Sportsman several years ago on Bernardellis. John Boyd was very helpful in answering questions.

As far as the O/U are concerned. I do not think this model was called pull. The better and earlier series was the Orione. The later series was the 190 & 290 series. This was a model developed by Pino Benetti. This is a lower quality gun than the Orione series.

The Orione series did not have choke tubes. The 190/290 series and the later less expensive guns did.

As far as choke tubes, I do not know if any interchange as at the time, it was not problem to get choke tubes from Bernardelli.

The later series I only imported a few guns as I was not happy with ejector problems I had with them.

Stay Well

On the doubling problem, I would not say this is a common problem.

A top quality gunsmith should be able to handle this for you


John

Anyway, lads, I like my barrels long! A Bernardelli riot gun ain't got a chance to enter my closet. Thanks for the input.
Chopperlump

John: Thanks for the info. I tried for a couple of years to buy choke tubes from Bernardelli but never got anywhere. Have not found anything else that looks like a fit. TruChokes had a small run of tubes that fit P. Bernies but I was not able to get any of those to test. The doubling is inconsisitent, and I just put the gun away rather than try to fix it at the time. Re the quality, it's actually a pretty nice gun and compares well to my Beretta 682 Gold Supersport of about the same vintage. Warschall's had a few new ones on the rack in 1995 tagged at $1900. I bought mine used from a frustrated clays shooter; maybe it was the doubling that got to him.

John, do you know what ever happened to Art Foley? I remember him from Chad's Ford, PA before he moved to N. Carolina. I have a Merkel that he imported from the GDR.

I have a question on a 6E, 20 ga, 26 3/4, single non-selective trigger. After opening the gun the top lever returns to center. It does not remain to the right. Closing the gun means you have to push the barrel lugs against the bolt or hold the top lever to the right. Does anyone else with a VB boxlock have the same experience? Thanks

Art Foley passed away a couple of years ago. I also heard that his wife Louise passed away shortly after

John Boyd

PS. From what I remember the guns did not have a hold open feature

Thanks John