doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Round Action Comparison

I don't have the expertise to compare but came across the Beretta 486 round action and wondered how it compares in internal design and function to a Dickson or MacNaughton.

There is certainly a major price difference with the Beretta at less than half the Scottish guns

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-fo...un_id=100947603

The round action SxS is a treat to handle, swing, and hunt with, particularly in a true triggerplate design. To me, the mass of the gun feels more centralized in the hand when carried than a sidelock or boxlock. No doubt the shape of the action, devoid of square edges, contributes to this feeling.

I am not familiar with the internal bits of the 486, and so I leave it to others to comment as to whether it is a true triggerplate design or something else. To my eye, it looks more like a rounded A&D than a true triggerplate, but I am no expert. I would save up for the classic Dickson/MacNaughton and forego the modern Beretta. I doubt there is much hand work in the manufacture of the Beretta. The Scottish gun was definitely hand-made, fitted, and regulated. While I applaud Beretta for creating and marketing a new SxS, a true Scottish classic should bring more enjoyment. My two cents!

Tamid,

The reviews show the Beretta is a blitz or trigger plate action. This review shows the action with the stock off Beretta 486. The internals are different than a Dickson using coil springs. The Beretta also allows for the ejectors to be turned off. The Dickson ejectors are in the action body.

Ken

The 486 is a true triggerplate action with the locks mounted to the triggerplate and it uses leaf springs instead of coil springs for the hammers. It is certainly not an A & D action where the locks are located inside the action body. It differs from The Scottish "Round Actions" in that they use large bow springs to drive the hammers. The cocking arrangement is totally different and the ejector mechanism is also different. The Scottish guns have the ejectors within the action body and trigger plate.
The 486 has forend ejectors, presumably similar to their modern O/U guns...
I have handled the 486 with 28" and 30" tubes and the 28" is really nice. I thought that the 30" tubes were too long although I am a fan of longer barrels. They were just not in proportion.
Certainly the closest to a Scottish gun as a mass produced firearm can get.
I would prefer a Dickson but they are in a totally different cost category...

Thanks Ryan, I didn't realize you had some familiarity with the Beretta. I thought you disdained anything other than UK guns Had I known I would have called.

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.

Here are a couple photos for comparison to a standard Birmingham BLE. When putting the two together for the photo, I remembered something else: the Beretta has a through-bolt stock. Still a fairly narrow grip, but a far less satisfying sound/vibration when the barrels lock closed. It's the little things!








Not quite this...but it'll certainly do the job.

Not quite? I would say no where near that David McKay Brown.

Good grief, tell me about it. That gun is so beautiful it hurts.
Gun aside, I could also learn a few things about photo composition from that one.

Oh, I thought that was your DMB.