I've been very happy with my 20g Parallelo since picking it up this past summer. I felt that the modern 20 would feel closer in weight and balance to my trusty 1908 12g Army & Navy BLE, and was happy to find that I was right. While I hope to find myself carrying a McKay Brown sometime, it'll be at least another few decades.

Different setup from classic Scottish round action mechanics, as the posters above noted. The Beretta is actually a little complicated internally. That said, so far people have been overall fairly happy with this gun, and it helps that sorting a Beretta repair may not be the most complicated process given the company's reach these days.

I read every oddball review and forum post and scoured Youtube for European launch videos before buying - live in a fairly rural place and wasn't going to be able to play with one before buying. I'm young and while I love and continue to use my old gun, I wanted to make sure I had something capable of more modern loads and nontox options in the future. This gun fit the bill well - straight grip and splinter, swamped rib, long tang, clean lines, steel proof. Chokes may be blasphemy but are fairly unobtrusive.

Ejectors are strong, and it's nice that turning them off is an option (though I'd keep some sort of 1-2" metal pin with you to be able to change in the field). I had planned on turning them off immediately, but my opening day in central MT was awash with birds and there were a few moments I was glad to have reloaded as quickly as I did. The mechanism, like the action, is a little complicated. I'll probably leave the ejectors off for upland hunts moving forward - I pick up my empties anyway, and there is less to go wrong.

The contour of the 486 action is really quite round on cross-section, not just a heavily rounded square "round action" boxlock that you might see from some makers. It's a really nice shape to carry. The swoop to the rear of the action doesn't bother me much. Overall lines of the gun are pleasing to my eye. Stock finish is not overly glossy but I believe it's some sort of urethane base, which means a home refinish with some alkanet oil to darken it a bit is probably not in the cards.

My wood is a nice straight grain that should be fairly strong, but it's nothing too special. Some color might help it. That said, the variation I've seen on these guns is wild. Some are very plain, and some are surprisingly well-figured. Joel Etchen Guns regularly has incredibly nice upgraded wood on their OU models and may be a good spot to look for high standard wood quality (or may be more able to request a nice stock from the factory).


If I could change anything about it, I'd consider:
- going from 20 to a 16 with a scaled action (not so practical, I know, but perfect)
- slim down the splinter forend a hair (has a bit of an odd extra curve to it)
- double triggers, though I will say it's nice to fit a warmer glove
- flat chequering and soften the edges of the barrel selector! Both are a bit sharp, tore my thumb open at the side of my knuckle after a couple snap shots.
- refinish the stock with a more classic deep red
- dull the coin finish (bit flashy for someone used to an honest old Brit gun)
- maybe do away with the swoop for the clean square that swings into the top tang.

Granted, all this is available - if you want to find a McKay Brown or Dickson that fits the bill. And boy do I! But I'm really very happy with the Beretta for now.


If you are interested, I absolutely recommend shopping around outside Guns International. I didn't pay anywhere near the 5350 you see listed.

I can post some pictures up next to my BLE in a few days for your comparison.

Last edited by ponderosa; 12/09/17 04:54 PM.