Low prices on the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon 1 20- Gauge start at Champion Firearms-

Beretta's Classic Over-Under Shotgun. The Beretta family has been making guns in Italy's Gardone Valley since the early 1500s and is the oldest company of any kind in the world. Beretta has been the standard by which all other low-profile over-and-under shotguns are judged. The 686 Silver Pigeon 1 is very simple, robust and has stood the test of time.

The current design dates back to the 1950's and was engineered to be an affordable alternative to the company's high end competition shotguns. It utilizes a box lock receiver that is CNC machined from a solid forging of hardened and tempered billet steel, which make the 686 an extremely durable shotgun for high volume shooting.

In fact, a Beretta owner has over 700,000 rounds documented through his shotgun and is still going strong today. Unlike other over-and-under designs, there are no protrusions, gaps or spaces in the receiver that allow dirt or dust inside. This translates to greater longevity and higher reliability.

At the heart of the Silver Pigeon 1's construction is a unique system of easily replaceable hinge pins and locking lugs. This means that any Beretta over-and-under receiver can be rebuilt for a lifetime of reliable service. The action utilizes conical lugs on a modified boss platform. This provides a vault like lockup which self- tightens over time, greatly extending the operational integrity of the shotgun.

As the system wears, the conical locking lugs engage further into the locking recesses of the action, ensuring extreme consistency. Lesser shotguns get sloppy fairly quickly, and even flop open as soon as the top lever is depressed. Because the lugs are located high on the receiver, the Silver Pigeon 1 is significantly stronger than ordinary over-and-under shotguns.

The location of the locking lugs allow the barrels to sit deeper, and the result is a very low profile receiver. Similarly, since the receiver walls are twice as thick as many of its competitors, this system of progressive engineering solidly reinforces the guns low profile structure. This in turn aligns the sighting plane closer to the hands -- aiding in the reduction of felt recoil and muzzle rise.

The barrels pivot on hinge pins located inside the receiver wall and are also replaceable. Over time, if the 686 is ever fired to the extent that it needs to be rebuilt, a Beretta gunsmith can easily replace the hinge pins and locking lugs to re-tighten the shotgun. Other over-and-under designs are not serviceable in this way, and the owner is saddled with a permanently loose firearm.

For more than five centuries, Beretta has made the best barrels in the world. Both of the gun's 28- inch barrels are a unique proprietary blend of steel, chromium and molybdenum that are deep-hole drilled, cold hammer forged and then chrome lined, which provides two major advantages. The first is to ensure the internal barrel dimensions remain perfectly concentric, providing greater precision and accuracy.

The second is to add strength for firing steel shot or magnum loads. The barrels are exceptionally well made and then stress relieved by a controlled cooling process, which slowly bring the steel forging temperatures down over a period of days to maximize barrel harmonics and performance. This results in a superior design that delivers a thinner, more accurate shotgun. Five interchangeable, flush fit Mobilchokes are included with the package: C, IC, M, IM & F.

The safety and top levers are conveniently mounted on the strap. Each time the action is opened, the safety catch automatically resets. This feature ensures that the shotgun starts out safely every time. The barrel selector is integral with the safety lever, and therefore occupies the same immediate work space as the other control features for efficient manipulation of the shotgun.

To further enhance the Silver Pigeon 1's operational safety, rather than mechanical triggers, an inertia block has been installed to harnesses recoil for alternating barrels when firing. In the event of a misfire, it forces the shooter to stop and address a potentially dangerous situation, instead of just moving on to the next barrel, then opening the action.

The select walnut stock and forend feature beautiful, crisp checkering and a hand rubbed oil finish. A Schnabel forend provides a comfortable feel in the hand, and the buttstock is outfitted with a black rubber recoil pad. The tight wood-to-metal fit is a fine example of quality craftsmanship in an over-and-under shotgun.

The trunnions, trigger plate, underside of the action and side walls are embellished with English scroll engraving, while the satin nickel finish provides durability and corrosion resistance. Deep blued barrels are complimented by a gold trigger, and the gun's low profile barrel rib is equipped with a bead front sight that tracks well. The gun is capable of firing light 2-3/4" loads up to heavy 3" magnums.

For service or repair, the 686 Silver Pigeon 1 is backed by Beretta's "1+2" policy, which means that as long as you fill out the owner registration card and mail it in, the gun effectively has a three year warranty. Overall, the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon 1 is well built, well balanced, easy to shoot and will make an excellent choice for anyone looking for a high quality entry level shotgun.

Established in 1993, Champion Firearms is a retail gun store and indoor range located in College Station, Texas.

As a brick & mortar store, we pride ourselves on customer service, quality products and our competitive pricing.

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