My 3901 is over 20 years old and runs fine.

 

That did not take long, my post was not up for 5 minuets for the 1st reply.

 

All the Beretta 390 guns are reliable, have low recoil and are fun to shoot....

 

I've had and shot both 12 and 20 field guns. Never one bit of trouble. I can't say if they are the best but definately one of the best. Beretta started thier line of autos many years before the 390. From the start they were a good design in my opinion.

 

I'm torn between the 303 and 390 series being my favorite. Just like the original Mustang and first gen Camaro... sometimes they just get it right the first time.

 

Is the new A300 the exact same action? I've heard things like "it's based on the 390." Is that true?

 

Other than the gas valve the actions of both appear identical. The A300 looks like it has the same gas valve as the 400. The 390 had a separate spring and valve head.

 

For me, the 390's fore end was a bit thick, so I sold it and replaced it with an A400. Turns out the A400 not only handled better, but has been much easier to clean. Glad I made the switch.

 

I have two A400 Xtreme Plus's (well one is my son's lefty). They have so far been great guns though they both needed ~1 box of heavier loads before they would always cycle light target loads. The weird spring noise after each shot is my only "complaint." It just sounds like a tinny ring that lasts a bit. I really like em!

 

if they had a 30" lefty ejct , I would get one

 

I shoot a Beretta AL390 in 12 gauge and a Beretta 391 Sport in 20 gauge. Great guns and absolute reliability.

 

I have two. So sad the 20 is hard to find and they never made a 28. Perfect semis

 

Great guns . First year model, keeps on going, lots and lots of rounds. Clean it when I start feeling recoil.

 

Is the old A302 a predecessor to that group?

 

IMHO the pinnacle of Beretta semi-autos. Have a 391 also and shot the A400 a fair amount. They are ALL nice guns! But, I like the 390. Steve

 

1100 and A5 probably better.

 

I shot my barely shot AL390 20 ga today, shooting factory Federal Top Gun #9s at skeet again today. I shot it last week and experienced several failures to eject/feed. I was only able to shoot one set of doubles without a malfunction. The gun had been very recently cleaned. I cleaned it again this week and the piston & mag tube were not very dirty. I then took a probe and cleaned out the gas ports. The ports did have some fouling in them. I lightly lubed it with Hornady One Shot. When I shot it today it did not fail but the hulls only ejected about 2-3 feet with many landing just off the pad. Ejection was weak. A friend's grandson was shooting a much older 1100 20 ga and his empty hulls flew out about 15 feet with no failures. After two rounds of skeet I switched to my old trusty Browning Ultra Plus and it was like putting on your favorite pair of moccasin slippers. That 390 will continue to ride my gun safe.

 

I believe you proably need to replace the gas spring on top of the barrel lug on the 390 20 gauge. I have 4 AL390 20s and 15 or more 12s. I found the 20 gas springs to sometimes be a problem shooting light loads. I changed mine to a 12 gauge spring and cycling problem went away. Cole’s used to sell a set of varying strengths of gas springs for light, medium and heavy loads. Hard to find those sets now. But not too hard to find 12 gauge springs.

 

Beretta AL390 best semi auto ever

Why do you think it was discontinued?

 

Because they need to sell people new and different stuff. That's why they have been around for hundreds of years. People like new different stuff.

 

Same bad reason Beretta DCs all kinds of good guns.

 

So they could sell everyone a not so best ever 391.

 

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

For whatever reason, after a popular Beretta has been on the market for several years, it WILL be replaced by a newer model. It makes no difference that the newer model may be inferior to the model it replaces.

All that matters to Beretta is that they have a "new" model to sell every 5 to 8 years. I suppose that's because many buyers feel the same way regardless of facts to the contrary.

.

 

I had two 391 URIKA sporting ….. Now I have a A 400 as a back up .
The 391 is built better yet harder to clean ! Both 391s did not like cold weather ( zero to 20 degrees)
I would always have 2 to 4 FTF every 50 rounds in the winter sorting clays league.

The A 400 xcel has never failed Once . And with cheap Pomo loads . And has less recoil .
But wood is cheaper bluing is matted and has more plastic .

Tron ( tron gun works ) says the 390 was the best ….. ?
A300 looks like a nice gun for the buck .

 

I am looking to get an A 400 without the kickoff mainly to reduce the weight for carrying when hunting. Is the kickoff really necessary in the 20-gauge anyway? My Beretta SP1 20-gauge Sporting didn't kick at all so that is why the need for the kickoff in a gas operated 20-gauge. The A 400 will probably also be used for Sporting too. Then the question, what model to buy.

 

"I love my A400, if I can only figure out how to load and unload it". - Tim Walz


Moderators: Above submitted for humor purposes only, not political.

 

The a400 is easier to clean and having the action spring in the forearm is a big plus. No more noise in my ear with the action spring in the butt stock. Yes the a400 has lots of plastic, but mine has held up very well. I've owned the 390,391 and 400. The 400 is light years ahead of the others.

 

I picked up a 12g 390 a year or two ago for $500. I have a standing offer from a friend to buy it from me after he shot it. He is a big 20g montifeltro fan and he said it recoiled less than his Benelli. It’s an easy shooting gun that is lightweight. The wood looks nice too. I like it.

 

I have shot Beretta 390 shotguns for a very long time.

I've put more rounds through B-80's, A303s, and 390's than any other 12 gauges. My 391's and A400's were very clear downgrades to both. A steel receiver B-80 is the winner in my book, with the 390 as runner up.

 

Hard to argue with this as much as I love 391's and A400's.

 

Over the years I've owned six 390's and 2 303's. I still have a 12 gauge 390 and a 20 gauge 3901. My daughter has a 12 gauge 3901 and the 20gauge 303 youth she started shooting with. When the 391 came out I shot a couple and since then I've shot an A300 and an A400. Never really seen the need to move up from the 390.

 

Replace the recoil spring in the stock and shoot it a little wet with break free