682 vs 687 EELL

The XS Skeet is my favorite of the current Browning line. It is as durable as any 68X guns. It is a matter of personal preference here. However, the 68X guns are a bit lighter in the barrel. If you are going to have the gun tubed, take this into consideration. For me, the nicely ballenced 525 became quite barrel heavy with the addition of tubes, and took a lot of getting use to... for me. Your milage may vary.

I have a 525, but prefer the XS, and there is also a nice Winchester that I feel is a better gun than my 525, and less money. The triggers on the 525 has quite a bit of slop in it, and Briley informs me that it can not be completely removed because it is part of the design. To remove it will cause double fire. I am not a gunsmith, and am only repeting what Briley has told me about the Browning 525 trigger.

The disapointing part of buying a shotgun is that the manufactures don't seem to pay much attention to where the barrels shoot. It might be preferable to buy a used gun that can be patterned before purchase. I have heard of POI problems with nearly every brand of worth. Don't know about less expensive field guns, but can draw some conslusions.

bd

David pretty much nailed it...although I don't know of any difference in wieght except perhaps from different stock configurations (more or less wood). I believe the barrels and working parts are identical.

I had a 682 Gold greystone, this is the original 682 Gold that had the nitrate finish. The finish was indestructible and the gun seemed to thrive on use and neglect. Shot is for competition for years without a problem.

The 682 Gold does have replacable barrel shoulders so you can refurbish....but I have never met anyone who ever replaced them and in the four or five years I shot this gun I don't believe I observed any discernable wear.

The EELL is pretty, but that's its only advantage. I'm not sure how they are finishing the EELL receiver metal these days, but I believe it used to be a coin finish which means staying on top of it with gun oil. I prefer a more durable finish for a competition gun which is going to get wet and may stay wet for a few days at a time.

Cheers

The absense of replaceable barrel shoulders on some 687EELL guns is of no consequence. The barrel shoulders are not replaced as a wear compensator in normal hard use. The locking pin is sometimes replaced with a slightly larger one after tens of thousands of rounds. The poster who mentioned replaceable trunnions (he refers to them as hinge pins, either term describes what they are) on the 682 is apparently not aware that the trunnion pins are replaceable on all 680 series Beretta. The only problem is that they virtually never need to be replaced in normal hard service. Buy the gun whose barrel configuration, rib configuration, and stock dimensions you like the most. There is just no important mechanical reason to pick one over another. By the way, after more than 20 years of hard use and five sets of barrels being switched back and forth, my 682X has had one locking pin replacement, no other adjustments or replacements because of heavy use. My locking pin wear did not cause any looseness in my action, was replaced only because I wanted the top lever position more to the right as it was when the gun was new. Cost me $70 at Beretta USA service department. That is the only repair my gun has ever had.