doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Difference between Beretta S2 and SO2

The gun I mentioned was shot a lot as a Springer field trial gun,and never malfunctioned. We shot heavy loads - typically 1 1/4 oz high brass. The gun was not heavy, but withstood the punishment to which it was subjected

The SO5s still use the locking bolt. The SO10 went to the lumps similar to the 68x, and DT10 models.
Ken

I had a bunch of old Beretta catalogs, and also owned an S3EL engraved by A.Baglioni for a while. From what I remember the designation S. followed by a number was the early post war designation, it was succeded by the SO designation.

Early S models have locks with a screwed down lock bridle. Later models have the bridle in one piece with the lock plate. I had asked the late Giovanni Metelli, chief of the custom shop, about this and his opinion was that each newer generation of the S and SO series was an improvement on the previous one.

When I had my S3 EL I had the chance to put it next to a Woodward OU, and thought that the Beretta was the neater and mechanically better design. Looked prettier too, but that is subjective.

German barrels on early post war Italian guns are common. Probably the German firms were not permitted to produce whole guns in the post war years and supplied unfinished barrels to other makers. However, most S and SOs I have examined had Boehler Antinit barrels.

I have never seen much correlation between the various changes/evolution that has happened and the model numbers. Boehler Antinit steel seems to be common until quite recent times and has a reputation for being excellent for corrosion resistance.
I have seen a number of variations of the pin placement on the locks, so clearly there have been various changes there.
You are lucky to have double triggers and straight hand stocks. Most guns here in the UK have single triggers with a very bulky 'pistol grip'.
SO5 was a plainly finished competition gun.
I have an SO6, which is a game gun, and has quite light restrained scroll engraving, whereas the SO6 EELL has much more elaborate engraving available in game scene and scroll variants as well as a 'custom' option.
SO9, SO10 have different closure/locking as has been noted in the thread. In the UK, SO9 and SO10 were only available in 20 bore for a while - and I had heard, though not sure if this is correct, that manufacture of SO9 was outsourced to Abiattico and Salvinelli.
All of the SO series have become eye-wateringly expensive as new guns in recent years. (They were never cheap, but seem to have increased more than other Beretta models in the last few years)

Correct...

Also correct...and unlike Beretta made guns they have their share of issues.