A Beretta "express"

[PapaG]

I picked up a new to me shotgun the other day. It is a plain, matte 686 called the Essential. Plain wood, checkered, one bead on the low rib, Beretta mobilchoke, selective trigger, selective ejectors, no recoil pad, no side panel ribs between barrels.
Saw that they were manufactured for a few years a while back and weren't too expensive. I got it for a relatively low price to play with for skeet and maybe sporting. Bought a couple Carlson skeet chokes and shot it last Thurday in our Combo league. Only got a 19 but took the first half of the course to figure out the holds. Rand the last 11 birds. Still quite stiff as it wasn't used much and shows no wear or abuse anwhere. If it works out, I'll install a pad and shoot winter skeet league.
Goes nicely with my TB, BT, Superposed Lightning, 1100 Trap/Skeet to cover about any target sport I want to play. (have a M12 skeet and an 870 Classic in reserve)

 

[1KPerDay]

Sounds cool. I liked my 686 Onyx Pro quite a bit. Had to sell it to pay the bills. Someday I’d like another Beretta O/U

 

[earlthegoat2]

An acquaintance of mine had what I would consider a very spartan 686. Normal but nice walnut in a satin finish, matte bluing on the metal but it did have a normal recoil pad. Flush chokes but I’m unsure of what type they were. Single bead.

I figured it was their “hunter” or “field” model.

 

[PapaG]

Shooting report. Two weeks of shooting it in the skeet part of combo league leaves me with the knowledge that I need to go to the pattern board and do some work. After weeks of 24, 25, 23 with my 1100 skeet I have Beretta'd a 19 and an 18. Carlson skeet chokes may be the problem. Gonna shoot 1100 rest of the short season and work on getting to know this one during the winter.

 

[kudu]

Carlson skeet chokes may be the problem

I have been just running a cylinder open choke tube in my 12 and 20 gauge guns when shooting skeet for the most part. I also run 7/8oz light reloads in 12 and 3/4oz in 20 gauge. They crush targets even with cylinder bore.

 

[spraay]

I have a 690 Field 1 that I shoot just a little better than my A400. I'm not exactly a crack shot with a shotgun, but I enjoy shooting them both.

 

[entropy]

I picked up a new to me shotgun the other day. It is a plain, matte 686 called the Essential. Plain wood, checkered, one bead on the low rib, Beretta mobilchoke, selective trigger, selective ejectors, no recoil pad, no side panel ribs between barrels.
Saw that they were manufactured for a few years a while back and weren't too expensive. I got it for a relatively low price to play with for skeet and maybe sporting. Bought a couple Carlson skeet chokes and shot it last Thurday in our Combo league. Only got a 19 but took the first half of the course to figure out the holds. Rand the last 11 birds. Still quite stiff as it wasn't used much and shows no wear or abuse anwhere. If it works out, I'll install a pad and shoot winter skeet league.
Goes nicely with my TB, BT, Superposed Lightning, 1100 Trap/Skeet to cover about any target sport I want to play. (have a M12 skeet and an 870 Classic in reserve)

I always thought the Onyx was their 'Express'. And I still want one in 20 ga. for pheasant.