OK, moving away from RBL's for a moment...

Any thoughts on Beretta's SO series guns? I'm specifically thinking of either the SO5 or the SSO6 double rifle - I've seen a few of each and I'm considering going for one. Does anyone have any experence with either one?

Wonderful guns. I have one, love it. I think everyone ought to have a few. Go for it. Buy two. Seriously, since you didn't mention current retail price as a factor, there is no other problem. If you want to mount a scope on an SO rifle, make sure the factory makes the concession. If you modify a "non scope mount" SO with a drill, you may turn a $30,000 rifle into a $10,000 rifle.

A local trap shooter bought a new SO4 last year, had to have the internal parts polished to get it to function properly. The exterior was very nice but inside , ROUGH! I would look for a used one, quality may be slideing?
bill

Totally agree with Eightbore. Here is mine, a S3EL engraved by Master Giuseppe Bregoli:


Steven, I kept a very interesting thread on them. PM me your email if you want it.

JC(AL)

Bill, mine, a 1960 vintage, has no mechanical problems whatsoever. As far as looks, well...

JC(AL)

The SO4 is an older model - only the 5, 6, and the 10 are made now. Possibly the SO9, but they aren't shown on BUSA's site.

The retail price is an issue (though I've seen a used SSO6EELL for abt. $25K, that's a big hit) but I'm working on a defense contract in Iraq and I'd like to reward myself. I can't afford a British gun (new anyway) and Spain and Turkey aren't what I'm looking for. Plus I like dealing with the Beretta Gallery. I won't have some local gunsmith work on a gun that expensive.

Great article in Double Gun Journal Summer 2004, Volume 15 issue 2, on the new SO 10. All hand made, the barrels are demibloc instead of monobloc. Takes them two weeks to blue the barrels and polish and varnish them. Have to read the article to appreciate the work that goes into it. In all this work, I know the price is there also, but like someone said, it is cheaper than getting a British gun.

I have an SO2 circa 1958. It is a marvelous live bird gun and very good for trap but a little light. It shoots where I look. What else is there?