doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Sauer-Beretta S56E O/U 20ga

I just picked up this nice O/U 20GA, which looks like a Beretta Silver Pigeon. But it has some German influence, such as a cheekpiece on the stock, and thankfully, double triggers with ejectors. It is marked "Sauer-Beretta" and S-56E. I see Italian proof marks but no German ones. I read on shotgunworld that these guns were built in the 1970s. I was not aware that Germany would permit other European gun in without being proofed in Germany. I was not aware heretofore of a Sauer-Beretta cooperative effort. Also I would like to know the chamber length, but there are no markings that I recognize as chamber length, such as 20/70 or 20/2-3/4". I see two and three stars above the chambers, which I would interpret as modified and improved cylinder chokes. It weighs 5 lb 12 oz and balances well, and except for shooting a little to the right from the left shoulder, fits me well. I plan to use it as my bad weather gun. I'll post some photos in a bit. In the meantime, here is a link for a 12 gauge that is identical except for the gauge and the recoil pad: http://www.bellandcorbettoutfitters.com/Sauer-Beretta_12ga_S56E.html Any light you can shed would be "enlightening". Good shooting!

Allan

I owned extractor version of that minus cheek piece and sling swivels. Good knockabout gun. Since yours like mine has double triggers there is nothing bad I can say about it. Sold mine because I needed centerfire hunting rifle.

Beretta all the way
Wonderful gun
Nice articulated double trigger

Look here

http://www.shotguns.se/html/italy.html

Should have a CAM 70 marking for 2 3/4 chambers

Mike

Local Cabela's had (perhaps still has) 20ga 28" S56E pg, swivels (no cheekpiece) with SST in excellent condition for $800. Unusually fair price for that gun at $abela's no less. I passed because while I prefer SST I like mechanical ones not inertia type.

Going the other direction connecting Sauer to other makers: I once owned an AyA-Sauer sxs 16ga. Fancy back receiver, full coverage engraving, cheek piece and swivels. Made in Spain but with the typical German features, apparently for the German market. I bought it used in 1990, thus before this BB (and also before I knew about Spanish date codes), so not sure when it was made.