I have a similar issue. I just bought a 687 SP III and it came with a 28” barrel instead of the 30” barrel as advertised in the ad.

Looks like I can add a 32” barrel from their site for about 800$ after the discount. I’d like to do that for skeet and trap instead of sending the gun back and starting over. I’d be in for about $3,500 on the 687 SP III with a set of 28” barrels and a set of 32” barrels. Not bad...

I believe for many shooters that the feel, balance, perceived quality, and overall performance of a gun can transcend cost. That may appear flippant and a waste of money to some, but for those seeking that “perfect” gun, and who can afford it, adding a barrel is an option to get what they’re looking for. This is the same reason some shooters buy high grade guns or highly specialized guns.

I do hunt with it. It is under 6lb and great to carry. With 30” barrels I shoot clays with it better than the short barreled guns. I want longer barrels for the 686 for clays. A heavier 12ga with one ounce loads does help me break more targets than any of my lighter guns.

The 26” barrels make it work well in late season cattails and brush where I won’t take a higher grade piece of wood. And it is almost as quick to mount and swing as the 20ga auto that I don’t trust to handle cold weather.

From a purely economical stand point is it worth putting that much money into a discontinued field gun (1998) valued at about $500? And then you have the issue of putting sporting barrels on a field stocked gun. You would need field barrels. Field guns normally have more drop and are smaller than sporting.

Yeah - get rid of this old italian junk - thanks for the financial wisdom

Beretta’s can vary on barrel interchangeability. I had an unsingle trap barrel, went on a 682 no problem. Wouldn’t it on a 686. You might get lucky and it’s a drop in or it might need to be fitted.

As some have already indicated, it does not make much sense to go thru the expense of putting 30 inch barrels on a Silver Essential. For the money you would spend or a little more you can find a lightly used Beretta O/U with 30 inch barrels. Then you would have two nice Beretta guns.

yeah - still looking for that $1200-1400 686 30” with Optima chokes

New barrels on sale were $1000 with chokes and my smith said $50 to fit. The unknown was the forearm. If I needed a new one that would kill another $350.

I had hoped to get into more 5 Stand and Sporting Clays this next summer but now the owner of our local range passed away (covid) and that range may not re open.

I've been there. IN the late 1980s, I bought a 686 Black Onyx in 20 gauge (28 barrels) for chasing grouse. I loved it and soon bought a 686 Silver Pigeon Sporting in 12 gauge (30" barrels). I liked the 12 gauge, but soon found that my PRIMARY purpose for shooting 5-stand and Sporting Clays was to get better with my field shooting.

After a few years of the Silver Pigeon Sporting, I did trade it off. Eventually, I found a 12 gauge 686 Black Onyx (26" barrels). I still have it, but don't shoot it too often.

IMO, if you're going to shoot competitively, shoot the long barreled guns. But, if you're interested in being better in the field, shoot what you are going to enjoy in the field.

That said, over the last few years... it's SxS guns for me.

Enjoy your time on the range and in the field.

Maggs

Mark,
I was kind of in your situation a few years ago. I was using my Silver Essential for informal skeet shooting. However, due to the relatively light weight (just under 7 pounds) my shoulder was taking a beating after several rounds of skeet each day. Though I had several other O/Us, I am primarily a hunter and all my O/Us are light field guns. So I decided to look for a more appropriate used target gun. After a couple of months I locally found a Browning Citori Lighting Sporting Clays model with 30 inch barrels with choke tubes in very good condition. Its was $1400 and it came with a nice hard leather and canvas case. Take your time, keep looking and a nice gun that fits your needs will come along. Save the Essential for hunting. In addition to a Beretta you should also consider a used Browning O/Us. There are a lot of nice used Brownings around that will fit your needs.

Right where I be. I have too many safe queens that are going down the road for guns I shoot and fit me. I bought the BR110 28ga 30” this fall and while it is light I do like the barrel length. I “sheltered in place” this summer, retired with a new mec wobble trap and shot up 16 cases of clays in my backyard. Had a decent fall killing birds. Now if we can get back on the range I want to play on someone else’s clays.