Beretta 686E

[cookoff013]

beretta 686E sport / 30` multichoke sporter. 12 bore.

great gun, i had a decision of this or the white onyx. i went for this because it is a clay gun. designed to hit clays, quite nice in the ballence. very manoeverable. comes with 5 chokes, the set up i have is skeet / cylinder 1under / 2over. its a very loose setup. as i`m learning the sport trap technique i`m having to use a open choke. it has helped me. gun has a nice finish. and a lack of artsy fartsy scroling does this gun justice. it has a recoil pad as standard. i get tyred after 300+ shots more than enough for a full days shoot. over all am pleased with the gun. i genuinely think its a great gun, couldnt be improved at all. the next gun up is a 682, which has a huge price tag of 1.7k. and is a competition winner!

i`m keeping for life. wouldnt swap it for the world

[gunner12]

Hi

Couldn't agree more the 686E is an excellent gun and to be quite honest i don't really think that the 682 Gold does anything differently. Iv'e owned mine for around eighteen months now and i've got to agree its definitely a keeper. As for the chokes i just shoot everything (skeet, sporting and DTL) using 1/2 and 3/4 and thats it, in fact my scores have increased since i stopped swapping and changing chokes.

ATB

Mick ;)

[cookoff013]

gunner 12,

hi, glad someone else apreciates the 686E,
i like shooting skeet so have opted for a very open set of chokes. i have used tighter chokes but got crap results. (i`m still very new to shotgunning). the sporting course i shoot, the old timers recomend clyinder and skeet2 chokes. no more than 1/4. its just while i learn the basics. i have calmed down my shooting technique (i used to be a little on `edge`. thats how new i am) the only thing is i cant hit the real long stuff (either i`m crap or my chokes are working against me).
i`ll probly change my chokes to the classic 1/4, 1/2. when i get better.
ps, what cartridges do you use? i use soverign, or pro fibre or pro 1 , 28g. shot 7.5.
or lylevale 24g #7. its the training load i used.

cook

[gunner12]

Hi Cook

Once you've settled with your shooting technique and your scores are getting pretty consistent try the 1/4 and 1/2 chokes. As for hitting the long birds, it may be the chokes or it may be your technique? but in time and with practice you'll find that you start to hit the more difficult birds and when somebody asks how did you do it? did you give it some lead? you'll probably find that you can't explain and its then that you will realise that you just shot it and didn't really think about it, and that will be down to your eye and hand coordination, natural instinct, confidence and thats it. I know when i started shooting clays there where so many people telling me so many different things to put me right, but it gets to the point when it becomes information overload, you start thinking more about how your standing than actually concentrating on shooting the clay. As long as your safe with your gun when shooting and you feel comfortable with your technique, keep working on it and it will come. Next time you are at the clay club take time to look at each persons technique and you will no doubt discover that there are probably no two the same, whether its how they position themselves to take a shot, how they mount their guns or even were they shoot the clays.

ATB

Mick ;)

[Al Buck]

Hi Cook

Once you've settled with your shooting technique and your scores are getting pretty consistent try the 1/4 and 1/2 chokes. As for hitting the long birds, it may be the chokes or it may be your technique? but in time and with practice you'll find that you start to hit the more difficult birds and when somebody asks how did you do it? did you give it some lead? you'll probably find that you can't explain and its then that you will realise that you just shot it and didn't really think about it, and that will be down to your eye and hand coordination, natural instinct, confidence and thats it. I know when i started shooting clays there where so many people telling me so many different things to put me right, but it gets to the point when it becomes information overload, you start thinking more about how your standing than actually concentrating on shooting the clay. As long as your safe with your gun when shooting and you feel comfortable with your technique, keep working on it and it will come. Next time you are at the clay club take time to look at each persons technique and you will no doubt discover that there are probably no two the same, whether its how they position themselves to take a shot, how they mount their guns or even were they shoot the clays.

ATB

Mick ;)


Good advice Mick, I found exactly the same when I started shooting 3 years ago, far too many people offering helpful advice, it was apprechiated but I found it's best to get into your own style that feels comfortable, but have someone there to point out where your going wrong.

I also started with a 686E and found it to be an excellent gun, but then I bought a 682E Gold second hand on the For Sale section, and to be honest I prefer the feel of it to the 682E I think because in some way it feels more of a gun, possibly because it's a little heavier and the fore-end is little more shaped and sits better in my hand.

Alex

[Wacker2]

It's a top gun, i use one for clay busting, started a year ago and have put around 4000 carts through it. It seems to be that bit more elegent than your Brownings etc. Saving for a DT10 now though.

[cookoff013]

that review was a long time ago,
i`ve not been clay shooting for a while now. i`ve poped off some pigeons decoying and stalking rabbits. i have changed my chokes to 1/4 -1/2 for the pigeons. i have been getting a few strikes at 70 yards. (i wouldnt recomend it, unless your good. i`ve stopped shooting them at long ranges)

the gun is in mint condition still. i have never had a misfire in a whole year !!! hows that then !!

all in all, my oppinion hasnt changed. i was tempted to get a browning, but i wont..

alex

[RavenHW100]

You want to get yourself a real gun, Cynergy Black Ice. This is a true sporting gun with looks and technology to match!!!

Only Joking just bought my wife a 20g Silver Pigeon and it is a fantastic gun, even made me think about changing the Cynergy for one, and I lurve my Cynergy.

[FORTUITOUS KENNETH]

I had a 686E and it was a nice gun, but I traded up to a cynergy...........one of the new sporters, 30" barrels, invector plus multichokes, adjustable cheekpiece, and for me it's in a different league to the 686. It just fits better and feels right. My scores have also gone up. Did a full house on skeet at Holmfirth last Wednesday. Pity I chuffed the second 25 up and only got 16! BUGGER!

[moonraker]

I have a 686E with 30" barrels and multi choke and a fine gun it is too. It was brought about 2 years ago second hand for £900 as it was almost unused, a condition that it was not in for long. since then it has fired 1000's of rounds without a single problem and broke many a clay. The finish is still good even though it's been out in all weathers. I have to say that it's a fine gun that would only be retired as my first shotgun if I could afford a DT10.

[barraboy]

i have a 686E sporter 30" m/c. i find it handles well is nicely balanced, comes to the shoulder smoothly, with the gel-tek pad and 30g carts it can be shot all day and ive achieved some reasonable scores with it, despite being useless. i also have a 687 spIV 30" m/c and find the two are pretty similar, both good guns. the wife has a little 20b 686 sp. which is a cracking gun and when she upgrades will be kept back for the boy - and then me when i'm old!!

the cynergy looks a good gun i have seen a few people using it, its design is a bit too radical for my taste. its a marmite gun, quality no doubt but just not for me.

[zebedee71]

Just keep them WELL clear of Car Wheels:(

http://www.hunt101.com/img/473252-big.jpg

Tis a sad state of affairs when you lose a Beretta :cool:

More so when it's a STUPID mistake that costs you that indignity:D

Zeb

[ttbt]

beretta 686E sport / 30` multichoke sporter. 12 bore.

great gun, i had a decision of this or the white onyx. i went for this because it is a clay gun. designed to hit clays, quite nice in the ballence. very manoeverable. comes with 5 chokes, the set up i have is skeet / cylinder 1under / 2over. its a very loose setup. as i`m learning the sport trap technique i`m having to use a open choke. it has helped me. gun has a nice finish. and a lack of artsy fartsy scroling does this gun justice. it has a recoil pad as standard. i get tyred after 300+ shots more than enough for a full days shoot. over all am pleased with the gun. i genuinely think its a great gun, couldnt be improved at all. the next gun up is a 682, which has a huge price tag of 1.7k. and is a competition winner!

i`m keeping for life. wouldnt swap it for the world

hi cookoff013, good review i'm new to shotguns too had mine about 9months but i went for the 686 white onyx 30 inch multi choke sporter same gun as your 686e just different scroll work((or lack of very clean lines) and i think its a great gun for a first shotgun, i shoot cylinder and 1/4 chokes and the old scores are slowly creeping up fired about 500 shells through it now and am enjoying the sporting clays more every time(must be coz i'm starting to hit more lol)

[cookoff013]

ttbt.

its the same gun action, the E might be a tad heavyer, (but not by much.)

i`ve bought some aftermarket chokes for the E. i dislike the cylinder choke as the pattern isnt very good. i like alittle choke, skeet is a good choice, enough for a uniform pattern at 30yds.

as for punching vermin. 1/4-3/4 should be more than enough. #5 for rabbits (shooting at the floor) and #6 for air bourn critters.

[ttbt]

hi cookoff013, as you say same action also same barrels too, had the truewood(laminate) stock on mine but had a problem with the top lever rubbing on it, so took it back to the shop where i bought it and he sent it back to beretta, when it came back it had a nice piece of tiger striped wood on it at no cost to myself as you can imagine i was well chuffed, mine weighs in at a tad over 8lb now a little heavier since the wood stock and forend went on, i am also thinking of some after market chokes probably teagues when iv'e got a bit more wedge, all in all a great gun and can't see me changing it for a very long time

[cookoff013]

i went for brieley chokes.
i`m happy with their performance, (although they wont make you shoot better.)