I'm in the market for a new gun and I think i have narrowed it down to the A400 Lite or Xtreme Plus. It will be used primarily for clays so I really dont need a gun that will shoot 3.5" shells but it seems you get a lot for the money with the Xtreme Plus. How does the Xtreme Plus handle light loads? Any type of peeling issues with the rubber on the stock & forend of the Xtreme Plus? I had a Benelli Cordoba that I bought in Texas. Loved that gun but when I moved back to FL, the blued barrel started to rust with our rain/humidity and the rubber coating would peel off from Deet in the bug spray. I like the 30" barrel option with the Lite and it's a couple hundred less which I could spend on chokes, ammo etc. Not too many reviews on the Lite that I could find.

I just recently picked up a used A400 lite with KO and 28" bbl. I have shot a 390 for years and was happy with it till the 400 lite. For me the gun handles quicker and with less effort than my 390. Because of the light weight I was concerned about recoil but that turns out to be a non issue. I'm very happy with the 400 Lite.

Do you find the gun to be whippy? I could always add some weight if it is but the Xtreme is 1.2lb heavier so it might not be necessary on the Xtreme.

Do you find the gun to be whippy?

The gun weighs 7lbs. 4oz., it's not "whippy" IMO

For clays, the heavier gun is a better choice.

Beretta lists the weight on the A400 Lite to be 6.6lb but I didn't see a listed weight for the Xtreme Plus. Most online sources say the XP is 7.4-7.8lb

I shoot my Xtreme Plus better at targets than my target guns.
Go figure?

I have the A400 Lite and the Xtreme - the Xtreme Plus will be much more well-suited for clays. I actually shot clays with my Xtreme as my main gun for three years and did very well with it. The Lite is a nice gun, but does weigh 6.6 lbs as advertised. I have to shoot it fairly aggressively to do well, which is fine for hunting but not always the best for clays. And the recoil difference is noticeable to me.

Looks like the Xtreme Plus is the answer. Thanks all!

Forgot to add that my Xtreme cycled 7/8-oz shells straight out of the box. It should handle target loads with no problem, might want to run a box or two of 1 1/8-oz loads through first if you normally shoot 1-oz loads.

Mine cycled 7/8 oz loads day 1.

Good to know, thanks!

I just sold my Extreme Plus w/KO I purchased 3 months ago. It took about 500 rounds of 1-1/8 oz loads before it would reliably shoot 1 oz loads. It never would reliably shoot 7/8 oz loads at 1200 fps....action wouldn't stay open on last shot. I cleaned it after every shooting session.

I liked it OK, but did not shoot it quite as well as my 18 yr old 391 Sporting I bought new

I did not like the 28" barrel (vs 30") but was what was available. I also did not like the stock design as well as the 391 Sporting. The Extreme Plus had a higher comb right behind the pistol grip, and despite adjusting the drop to the 55 shim (vs stock 60) for best fit, I felt like the stock had too much angle down vs the more parallel comb of the old 391 Sporting. Subtle but very noticeable.

I've ordered an A400 Xcel Black Sporting w/KO, 30" gun. Hope I end up liking it even better than the old 391. Maybe have it as a Christmas or Boxing Day present.

Can't speak to the Lite but I have the Xtreme Plus and early on it would sometimes fail to cycle target loads, especially when it got a bit dirty. I probably have a couple hundred target loads + 100 or so heavy pheasant loads through it now, and haven't had any problems recently even with the lightest loads.

Like the gun, but the forward safety definitely takes some getting used to and once in a while I'll fumble with it when a bird goes up. Cleaning the gun's easy though, and it shoots great.

Mine will actually load 5+1 with the plug removed, without doing any sort of ghost load or whatever they call it. The last load in the tube just barely fits. Not a big deal, but I know that it's supposed to be 4+1.

I have the A400 Xtreme not the Plus. I believe the internals are basically the same.

I shot into Master Class with the 3.5 inch chambered black Xtreme duck gun at the World English in 2019. If going for clays, I would buy the Plus without a second thought and have fun.

Les
NSCA #603552

those two guns would be my last choice for a clay target shotgun,
i would consider the following three guns of the A400 line.

the Xcel , Multitarget or the Parallel

I didn't answer other questions you posed.

Light loads are no issue for my Xtreme...1300fps 24 gram all day long with no feeding issues.

The rubber has not peeled back and the coating on the gun keeps it from rusting after getting wet. That's why I shoot it at tournaments in the rain.

Les
NSCA 603552