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Beretta Break Open Single Shot 16 ga.

27K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  HaleStream79 
#1 ·
My old man has a 1960's Breakopen/folding 16 Gauge Beretta with a full choke barrel. Anyone have any idea how much, if anything the thing is worth. It weights about 4.5 lbs, and breaks your shoulder on every shot, not very useful or fun.
 
#2 ·
You just rang my bell! I like those old guns, but I really can't say why. I have done a little bit of searching on the web and in books to get an outline of their history. I guess this is a good time to put what I have learned in writing, before I forget it all.

Beretta patented the design for their folding single-barrel shotgun in 1922, and it was available for purchase by 1925. It remained in production for almost 70 years, perhaps as late as 1992. It was not imported to the US all that time, though. It was very successful in Europe, and it has been estimated that Beretta sold aobut 500,000 of them. It was made in all gauges, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, 32, 36, .410, and 9mm rimfire. Most of them were very light, but it was also made in a heavier duck hunting configuration, and in trap-shooting models. Recievers were blued, nickel-plated, chrome-plated, case hardened, or gold-plated (on a deluxe engraved model). Most of the examples seen in the US had the opening lever in front of the trigger guard and the safety button in the front of the trigger guard, but some models had the release lever on the right side and some had a top tang safety.

From 1952 until some time in the late 1960's, Berettas were imported to the US by J. L. Galef & Sons, and during this time they were advertised as the Beretta Companion, although they were marked at the factory with the name of "Vittoria" (Italian name of the Roman goddess Victoria, goddess of victory, equivalent to the Greek Nike) along with an "engraving" of the goddess. The name "Companion" must have been copyrighted by Galef, not by Beretta, and when Beretta gave the importation rights to Garcia, Galef got M.A.V.I., another Italian manufacturer, to make a very similar gun and sold it as the Galef Companion. To this day, some people still think the Galef Companion was made by Beretta, but it was not.

Garcia, and later Beretta USA, sold variations of the gun as the FS-1, TR-1 Trap, TR-2 Trap, and Model 412. Importation to the US ended in or about 1988, but most of the guns seen in the US now date from the 1950's through early 70's.

In addition to the Galef Companion, there have been other copies or modified versions of the same basic design by other manufacturers. At least one of them was still available in Europe at least as late as 2006, and may still be available. The last manufacturer I am aware of who offered the same basic design was an Italian company called Effebi. The name Effebi is taken from the letters FEB, the initials of the company's founder - Dr. Franco E. Beretta. How's that for irony! The company was originally called by the founder's full name, but later changed to Effebi. My guess (but only a guess) is that Dr. Franco E. Beretta's distant cousins threatened to sue him for copyright infringement if he did not stop using the family name in connection with firearms.

These guns are very light and therefore have a tendency to kick. I have a 20 gauge that weighs less than 5 pounds and has a steel buttplate, and even with low-brass target ammo it will kick the livin' snot out of you if you are not carefull! Pressing it firmly against my shoulder helps, and I suppose a rubber slip-on recoil pad would help. I would not give one of these guns to a kid or a lady as their first gun unless I used extra-light ammo. I have found mine to be quite pleasant to shoot with Fiocchi Training loads (3/4 oz of shot at moderate velocity). You would be surprised how well that little gun and the Fiocchi Training shells will break sporting clay targets (but only one at a time, alas!)

Now, as to value: I bought my 20 gauge (blued receiver) via the internet for $110 plus shipping, and I think I got a good deal. A local gun shop had a 12 gauge with nickel or chrome receiver priced at $220, and it was sold, but might have been sold a little lower than the tag price. The Blue Book lists them at $80-175 depending on condition. They show up now and then on internet gun auction or brokerage sites at any price you can imagine, and some you can't, but the asking prices don't mean much because many of them fail to sell at all. I would estimate the market values to be $80-200, maybe as high as $250 depending on condition, receiver plating, and gauge. The most common gauges are 12, 20, and .410. I would pay the higher value for a nice 28 gauge - if you ever see one for sale, please let me know.
 
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#3 ·
Now that is really knowing the info on a gun. Thanks for the good read. I once really wanted one, as a kid. My Dad made me use a single and I liked the design of these. Wound up with a H&R.

Got me a son now, I bought him a 1100 20 gauge, after a year with the single shot. :wink:
 
#4 ·
I do not believe the early single shots were called Vittoria. The single shot came and went from their line over a long period. It does not appear in the 1930's Italian catalogs. One of the problems with dating Beretta guns by model is that they changed which models were being exported to various countries. For instance, they currently produce a sxs rifle that they refuse to offer for sale in the US market.

Beretta had at least 3 different guns that used that name. The folding single shot, which I have seen go for as much as $500. A sxs hammer gun, which I own, that was in production from at least the 1930's to shortly after WWII. Finally they produced a version of the Pintail which they labeled Vittoria as well.

The folding single shots had become popular in the early 1900's. They were commonly called bicycle guns. Most have seen hard use.
 
#5 ·
PeterMi said:
One of the problems with dating Beretta guns by model is that they changed which models were being exported to various countries.
Truer words were never spoken!

I have been studying the history of Beretta's semiautomatic shotguns, and the dates of production are very confusing. Some of them apparently didn't become available in the US until years after they appeared in other countries, and some remained in production for sale in the US a long time after they had been replaced by other models in other countries. Furthermore, the US importers (Galef and Garcia) got Beretta to make guns for them whith different specs than what was available elsewhere, and with different model names on them.

The whole AL series (AL-1, AL-2, AL-3) which was sold in the US by Garcia was mechanically the same as the A300 in the rest of the world, but had different specs and options. The Silver Lark was a Model 60, but remained on sale in the US long after Beretta had supposedly replaced the Model 60 with the Model 61.
 
#6 ·
Seamus,

I like your work on Beretta. They can make me crazy. I follow mostly their sxs shotguns.

I collect Beretta catalogs, my earliest being a 1910 Italian. Based on the numbering system of the Italian catalogs, they seem to have started in the 1870's.

I have found that Italian & German sporting catalogs from the 60's and 70's will show very different models and spec's than what was being shown in their American catalogs.

The most interesting are the Italian catalogs from the 1930's. The sxs shotguns suddenly are all using Krupp steel while just a few years earlier they using British or Belgian steel. Also machine guns are in the catalogs for the 1st time.

About every 10 years they would publish Armi Beretta. It is both a catalog and history rolled into one. Not sure when they stopped nor started it.
 
#7 ·
A friend of mine bought a 20 ga. folder at an auction. Paid around $200 if I recall correctly. It was nice looking; engraved and nickel plated with figured wood. I shot a round of trap with it once and I agree with Seamus that the kick is very unpleasant. :shock: Definitely not a gun for a youth or beginner.

Jerry
 
#10 ·
My father recently gave me a Beretta 20g Folding single shot. He owns a jewelry store and kept this guy folded up as a backup in the safe, so it's not in the best of conditions. It folds completely in on itself. From what I've read and seen on the interwebz, this gun could be authentically made by Beretta or by Galef also in Italy, or by Effebi in Brazil. The standard Italian dating puts this gun made in 1965 by the "XXI". My father said he purchased it in 70's for $100 new. Mine does not have the "Vittoria" stamp in the top which most owners are claiming. I've read they were advertised in the states by the name "Companion" but found in Italian catalogs as the FS-1. Made in all gauges from 60's to 80's.

It shots very nice with standard bird shot, with the addition of a butt pad (because the factory pad is metal). I had to replace the opening lever spring due to lack of maintenance which is located in front of the trigger guard. The opening lever also resets the striker internally with probably about 8 pound pull. The trigger itself very light, cross bolt safety. Accuracy is average with a single bead sight on the muzzle.

Overall this is a great gun for the money. You know you are getting quality Beretta Italian made product and makes a great pigeon shooter or holdout/truck gun due to it's folding capabilities.
 
#11 ·
I once had a similarly-folding single-shot shtogun - but it was a Bernadelli, with the bbl release atop the wrist, IIRC (It was YEARS ago).

I liked it better than the Beretta Companion, which BTW, I heated the monoblock & unsoldered/removed the bbl from, to use the monoblock for mounting a .44 Rem Mag rifle bbl, making a folding SS centerfire rifle.

If you think a Companion kicks like snot as a shotgun, you oughta try one as a rifle...................

.
 
#12 ·
Galef was the US importer, not a manufacturer. They imported the Beretta FS-1 and sold it in the US as the Beretta Companion. Later, after they lost the Beretta contract, they imported a similar gun (also made in Italy but not by Beretta) and called it Galef Companion.

If it is marked XXI, it was made in Italy in 1965. That was before EFFEBI existed. EFFEBI is an Italian company, and has a factory in Italy. There seems to be two different companies using the name of EFFEBI (perhaps divisions of one company?) one of which makes a variety of firearms, and one which makes industrial equipment.

The Beretta had the opening lever in front of the trigger guard and a cross-bolt safety in the trigger guard. The Galef Companion had the opening lever on the bottom like the Beretta did, but it had a sliding safety on the top tang. EFFEBI makes a version with the top lever and a version with the underlever - both have the safety on the top tang. Most of the imitators had a top lever.

Since yours has the under-lever, crossbolt safety, and Italian proof marks, it certainly sounds like a Beretta - but I would expect a Beretta to have the P. Beretta name and "Vittoria" on it. The bottom line is, I'm not sure whether it is a Beretta or not!
 
#13 ·
I almost bought one in 20 ga. a couple of weeks ago. I remember them from the 70's and nearly did a nostolgia impulse purchase. I was justifying it in my mind to use as a very lightweight rabbit gun for use over beagles...when one shot is often enough and even if you miss...you might get another shot next time the dogs bring the bunny around (depending on what kind of day the dogs are having and how many holes are nearby!).

Actually...now that I'm posting this I see I should have bought it!! It was only about $125.00 and in good shape. I liked the idea of it as a niche gun. Nice and light for brush busting and handling the hounds, inexpensive to get scratched up, wet and dirty without worrying about it, no hammer to cock when you catch a furry blur dashing through the thick stuff, and you can fold the damn thing up and keep it almost anywhere! And, it fit and handled well with good stock dimensions. Wouldn't be too bad with the recoil with 3/4 or 7/8 bunny shot when only shoooting a few times per hunt.

I'm thinking I'm buying the next one I see unless the price is ridiculous!!
 
#15 ·
On the side of the receiver it has "Pietro Beretta Gardone, V.T. Made in Italy" "Veritable Monobloc" and an angel on the top. And "Fucile Rinforzato Speciale Brevettato" on the other side.

When you open the break and examine the underside of the receiver it has "PSF" "PB1 with a crown over it" and "Finito" stamps on the barrel and receiver.

Any more info on the difference between guns with the Vittoria and those without?
I'm glad I could throw some life into this topic!
 
#16 ·
Since yours is signed Beretta, it definitely is a real Beretta. AFAIK there is no difference between those with Vittoria and without. Probably just a minor change in decoration during the model's life.
 
#18 ·
Seamus,

Here's a footnote to your old post regarding Galef and Effebi. During the mid-1980's, Effebi's founder, Dr. Franco E. Beretta, was listed as a gunmaker located in Concesio, Italy a few km south of Gardone, V.T. In 1988, Franco Beretta announced a marketing agreement with the firm of Gnali Graziano (aka Armi Gnali), a gunmaker located in Gardone, V.T. Italy. The Franco Beretta O/U's were sold under the Black Diamond name but, were simply re-badged Armi Gnali models M77 and M79 O/U's. which employed dual conical locking lugs similar to the Beretta BL and 68x series. The Armi Gnali/Franco Beretta guns, however, differed by eliminating the P. Beretta shoulder lumps and having dual underlugs which projected through dual rectangular holes in the bottom of the frame. Field grade models were offered with a novel double single trigger mechanism wherein both the front and rear triggers acted as non-selective single triggers. Removing one pin would convert this set-up to conventional double triggers. Target grade models could be ordered with either a non-selective or selective single trigger having the selector button located on the rear of the trigger.

The Dr. Franco Beretta catalogues of that era made no mention of the "Companion" type folding shotgun as it appears that Franco Beretta was trying to go upmarket. At some point, the company was either dissolved or the name was changed to Effebi SRL di F. Beretta. As you have said, the owners of Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A. may have threatened to sue him for copyright infringement or......maybe they just made him an offer he couldn't refuse!

The current Effebi website offers a folding single barrel and a folding O/U, as well as, a folding single barrel rifle, conventional boxlock SxS's and what appears to be an upmarket rabbit eared SxS. Interesting, the firm also appears to be a jobber for Armi Silma, Tanfoglio and Pietta and a dealer for P. Beretta. One wonders if Franco Beretta actually manufactures the guns sold under his name or if he is just re-badging and selling other firms products as was done in the past.

DF

Montani Semper Liberi
 
#20 ·
A bit off tangent but similar product. Folding 357mag Pedretti rifle off shotgun frame. There are a couple of these around in Australia but not a lot known about them. Any idea where these fit into the Italian arms story? And do they get pedretti folding rifles or shotguns guns in the US?

Sorry photos won't load bizarrely. Just used the same host to post pics on another thread, but its decided not to work on this one. :roll:
 
#22 ·
richj,

The J.L. Galef/MAVI Companion resembles the Beretta folding gun but, differs with regard to the safety location. Its my understanding that Galef registered the model names of several Beretta guns. When Garcia became the Beretta importer, Galef retained the model names (Silver Snipe, Silver Hawk, Golden Snipe, etc.) and applied them to models produced by Antonio Zolis and others. Its my understanding that when Galef went out of business about 1983, the rights to the model names were acquired by Mandell Shooting Supplies in Scottsdale, AZ. Garcia then created the BL series for Beretta O/Us and the GR series for Beretta SxSs.

FWIW, some Italian gunmakers have contracted with other gunmakers to produce a specific model and private label it with the selling gunmaker's name on it. Regardless of the name on the barrel or rib, Italian Proof law requires that the actual maker's mark be stamped on the frame and/or monobloc. My records show that since 1910 the Banco Nazionale Di Prova in Gardone, V.T. has registered over 600 different gunmakers, many of which no longer exist. Unfortunately, the Proof House does not appear to keep records of the various model names of the guns submitted for proof.

DF

Montani Semper Liberi
 
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