Beretta A400

CBD21

Eight Pointer
Anyone got one? Likes or dislikes? Thinking about adding one to the arsenal but looking for opinions of people who have put them through their paces.
 

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
Wife has a 20 gauge a400 lite and a 12 ga A400 lite.

I shoot a browning maxus, when she got her 2 guns I tried the 12 on opening day and got frustrated with it and gave up on it. That was becuase I didnt realize there was an extra button on the bottom by the lifter you have to press and there instruction manuals are not easy to read. From what I understand though most other shotguns operate in a similar fashion (ive only ever really had my Maxus) so to most people its probably not a big deal. Other than that they seem to be great guns and function pretty dern good. We did have trouble shooting dove loads the first time shooting these guns. Supposedly they need to be broken in with some heavier loads first. The wife has hunted ducks and geese all season with the 12 so soon enough we will find out if it has been broken in yet.

Point being, I wouldn't buy one and take it out to the skeet range on the first day expecting it to perform flawlessly.

Also her guns have the "gun pod technology"... If you have a choice I wouldnt waste your money on that.
 
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Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
Have had one for three years. No issues so far. I hunt a lot and would buy another one tomorrow if anything happened to this one.


I'm shooting 3" #1 1.25 ounce fasteel and it patterns that pretty good with a factory mod choke and a 28" barrel.
 

darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
I have a A400 28 gauge and zero problems with about 10 cases ran thru it. I've shot the sporting A400 in 12 and 20 (blue receiver) and that is the fast cycling shotgun I've ever seen......and I've seen'em all. The A400 and the browning Maxus are the only two semi auto 12gauges I ever saw that would cycle my 7/8oz 1150fps skeet reloads without one single failure. The action and ejection was still so fast, all you see is a empty flying out. That's how fast the action on the gun is
I do not own a A400 12 gauge but shot one several times and IMO it's the finest autoloader on the market.

Also, my 28 has the "blink" system. It's supposed to be some kind of self cleaning system. That $h!t ain't no joke!!!! My 28 has never had any kind of residual build up whatsoever. I think they all have it but not 100% positive.
 

Greenhorn

Six Pointer
Love mine. It jambed one time when it was sleeting recently. 1st jamb in 3 years. None since. Ice build up I imagine.
 

CBD21

Eight Pointer
Thanks for the comments so far, shooting a benelli SBEll right now and just looking for something different.
 

Troutbum82

Twelve Pointer
Thanks for the comments so far, shooting a benelli SBEll right now and just looking for something different.

Go ahead and try a Beretta, that SBEII will be in the classifieds soon after.


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cootmayne

Button Buck
I have shot one for the past 2 years. Mine is actually on the way back to beretta as we speak. This will make the second time I have had to send it back. First year and duck season it performed flawlessly no jams or issues at all. It started acting up and jamming some at the end of last season and has given me some jamming problems this season as well. I keep it clean and lubed after every trip so it is not an issue of it being dirty. Could be that I just have a lemon but it is really starting to get old. Each time it jams it stovepipes or the extractor slips off the shell I just fired and the new shell coming in from the magazine wedges the spent shell against the top of the chamber. Beretta sent me a new extractor and extractor spring to see if it would fix the issue but did not help. First time I sent it in they replaced recoil spring, firing pin spring, and gas valve spring. Sad thing is that I shoot the gun really well and it fits me good so it is just disappointing having these issues. Don't let that keep you from getting one but I have definitely had issues with mine.
 

Troutbum82

Twelve Pointer
I have shot one for the past 2 years. Mine is actually on the way back to beretta as we speak. This will make the second time I have had to send it back. First year and duck season it performed flawlessly no jams or issues at all. It started acting up and jamming some at the end of last season and has given me some jamming problems this season as well. I keep it clean and lubed after every trip so it is not an issue of it being dirty. Could be that I just have a lemon but it is really starting to get old. Each time it jams it stovepipes or the extractor slips off the shell I just fired and the new shell coming in from the magazine wedges the spent shell against the top of the chamber. Beretta sent me a new extractor and extractor spring to see if it would fix the issue but did not help. First time I sent it in they replaced recoil spring, firing pin spring, and gas valve spring. Sad thing is that I shoot the gun really well and it fits me good so it is just disappointing having these issues. Don't let that keep you from getting one but I have definitely had issues with mine.

I have found that all my Beretta's like to run a little on the dryer side.


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cootmayne

Button Buck
I have found that all my Beretta's like to run a little on the dryer side.


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I have ran mine all the way from almost bone dry to so much oil it was leaking out of every hole in the gun. Hasn't made a difference as far as the jamming. I went on a guided hunt a few weeks back and it only jammed once out of 60 or so shells i shot those two days. Came back here the next week and it was jamming every 4th or 5th shot. It is just so random but hopefully they will find something out of spec and be able to fix it. I love the way the gun shoots.
 
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I Hunt

Old Mossy Horns
i just started shooting a new A400 Xtreme Unico. Other than Beratta puts the safety ion the wrong place I really like this one. It may be hard to pick up the Benelli SBE again.
 

ncquackchaser

Button Buck
I've actually got all three (A5, Beretta A400 xtreme, and SBEII). The Beretta is the softest shooting. Its gas, has the stock inserts, and also the heaviest of the three. Shoots great. Only jammed one time. Just needed good cleaning. Be sure to clean the gas port.

SBEII never fails. Shot all kinds of loads through it, in all weather. Never jams.

A5: Had a lot of jamming problems with low brass shells. I love the gun. Its light, cycles fast. But if you want to shoot light target loads be sure to get the 3" version. By mistake I got the 3 1/2 version. Actually talked to the Browning factory. He told me that the 3 1/2 version had stronger springs to handle the loads and they were known to jam with loads under 3 drams powder. Also as light as the gun is, I wouldn't want to shoot many 3 1/2's through it anyway. Shoots 3 inch duck loads with no issue.
 

uglymud

Button Buck
Love my a400 have a problem though and it's at Coles gunsmithing right now. Also like the SBE2 just gotta decide which you like best.

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cootmayne

Button Buck
Love my a400 have a problem though and it's at Coles gunsmithing right now. Also like the SBE2 just gotta decide which you like best.

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I am just curious to see what problem you are having with your gun. Wondered if it is similar to the problem I am having with mine.
 

CBD21

Eight Pointer
Love my a400 have a problem though and it's at Coles gunsmithing right now. Also like the SBE2 just gotta decide which you like best.

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What's the problem? The SBEll will be staying around, just adding a gas gun to the collection.
 

uglymud

Button Buck
Mine developed a small bulge where the barrels in the receiver on the backside of the ejector plunger. I hadn't cleaned it since last duck season so who knows how long it was like that functioned fine however, and beretta was on top of it when I contacted them.
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cootmayne

Button Buck
Thanks uglymud. Yea thats different then my problem. I am pretty sure it is either my bolt or the little groove where the extractor rides on the barrel when the bolt rotates into battery that is causing my problem. My barrel has developed a scar where the extractor rotates on the barrel and when pulling the bolt back by hand you can feel the bolt catch before it releases and comes back all the way. I can say that customer support has been good so far and I am hoping after this trip back to the factory my issue will be resolved.
 

uglymud

Button Buck
Thanks uglymud. Yea thats different then my problem. I am pretty sure it is either my bolt or the little groove where the extractor rides on the barrel when the bolt rotates into battery that is causing my problem. My barrel has developed a scar where the extractor rotates on the barrel and when pulling the bolt back by hand you can feel the bolt catch before it releases and comes back all the way. I can say that customer support has been good so far and I am hoping after this trip back to the factory my issue will be resolved.
Yeah mines a little rough right there to, never seemed to catch to much. My bolt cam pin is also fairly worn but that's common and they're cheap.

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darkthirty

Old Mossy Horns
Try a Browning Maxus! Softest shooting shotguns Ive ever owned.

I really like the Maxus also. While out west tn duck hunting, one evening we got done hunting and were cleaning our guns back the motel. My buddy had a Maxus and I had my sx3 20 gauge. Internally they are basically the same gun. Which isn't surprising since its browning/Winchester. I say that to say that if your gonna entertain the notion of the Maxus, might as well check out the sx3 also.
 
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