The proof marks will tell you a great deal about your shotgun.
A good reference site for proof marks is -
Shotguns.se

 

Try this:

Beretta Age Lookup

www.avalon-guns.com

the RL Wilson book is a good reference on all things beretta. Out of print, You can find it pretty cheap on eBay or Amazon.

The World of Beretta: An International Legend: Wilson, R.L.: 9780375501494: Amazon.com: Books

The World of Beretta: An International Legend [Wilson, R.L.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The World of Beretta: An International Legend

www.amazon.com

 

I’m pretty sure the S2 dates back to the 1950s.
From the Beretta site:
Firearms produced in Italy utilize date proof marks on the receiver/frame/barrel. From 1945-1974, these proof marks consisted of sequential Roman Numerals, ranging from one (I) to thirty (XXX). These Roman Numerals represent the number of years that had lapsed since the final full year of WWII. (See chart below for more information).

MARK​	YEAR​
I or 1​	1945​
II or 2​	1946​
III or 3​	1947​
IV or 4​	1948​
V or 5​	1949​
VI or 6​	1950​
VII or 7​	1951​
VIII or 8​	1952​
IX or 9​	1953​
X​	1954​
XI​	1955​
XII​	1956​
XIII​	1957​
XIV​	1958​
XV​	1959​
XVI​	1960​
XVII​	1961​
XVIII​	1962​
XIX​	1963​
XX​	1964​
XXI​	1965​
XXII​	1966​
XXIII​	1967​
XXIV​	1968​
XXV​	1969​
XXVI​	1970​
XXVII or XX7​	1971​
XXIII or XX8​	1972​
XXIX or XX9​	1973​
XXX​	1974​
AA​	1975​
AB​	1976​
AC​	1977​
AD​	1978​
AE​	1979​
AF​	1980​
AH​	1981​
AI​	1982​
AL​	1983​
AM​	1984​
AN​	1985​
AP​	1986​
AS​	1987​
AT​	1988​
AU​	1989​
AZ​	1990​
BA​	1991​
BB​	1992​
BC​	1993​
BD​	1994​
BF​	1995​
BH​	1996​
BI​	1997​
BL​	1998​
BM​	1999​
BN​	2000​
BP​	2001​
BS​	2002​
BT​	2003​
BU​	2004​
BZ​	2005​
CA​	2006​
CB​	2007​
CC​	2008​
CD​	2009​
CF​	2010​
CH​	2011​
CI​	2012​
CL​	2013​
CM​	2014​
CN​	2015​
CP​	2016​
CS​	2017​
CT​	2018​
CU​	2019​
CZ​	2020 ​
DA (Tentative)	2021

More on this on dating old guns:

Site Maintenance in progress

 

The S2 had about 60% engraving coverage. The S1 had no engraving. Berettta SO guns were all handmade with the major difference in the models being the amount/type of engraving and higher grade wood. What year was your gun made?

Ken

 

I had an SO 2 for several years with Briley thin wall tubes. It had 28 inch barrels, straight grip stock with double triggers and was a joy to use. Even with the double triggers, I found it a very quick gun to use for Int Sk or Bunker Trap.

Quality throughout on those SO guns. Shouldn't have sold that one! Congratulations!

 

Great info! Thanks. I don't have the gun here yet but will try to find out what the manufacturing code is. At least it is the later type of sidelock with 4 pins. It has 28" barrels, 3/4 and 1/2 bore, double trigger and prince of Wales grip. Unfortunley someone cut the stock and it has been lengthened later again. Maybe I will restock it in the future but first I will shoot and hunt some with the gun and see how I like it before I decide if I will restock it.
is SO2 and S2 the same gun or is there any difference?
Its something special with hand made guns and good to hear that S/SO guns had good quality. Is there anything special to look after on these guns? What about steel shoots in those guns?

 

The S2's and all the S series have a certain allure, nice pick up Looking forward to seeing some pics

 

It’s manufactured 1968 according to the table above. Is that a good year?
Also find some information that some S2 where fitted with German Boeler barrels, is that true and how could I identify if it’s boeler barrels?

 

Most likely Boehler steel, which they would indicate on the barrel, but not sure if they stamped it back on a 60s gun. I think by 1968, it should have been designated an SO2 and The S2 was pre 1964. Essentially the same gun.

The only downside of old berettas are finding parts if you need them. I’m betting the gun is choked tighter than modified which would rule out steel, and you don’t need to beat up an old gun with high velocity loads. If you must use non toxic, stick with bismuth and loads made for older guns with 2 3/4”.

 

Thanks again for information. Here is some pictures that I got from the seller. Did Beretta stamp any information about the choke degree on the barrels?
I ordered the book “history of Beretta. Is there any other books out there with information about the S/SO series?

 

Looks nice! There is also an out of print book dedicated to the SO by Lupi. Hard to find an English version, maybe the beretta gallery?

Il mitico So-Berettta: 9788825301823: Amazon.com: Books

Il mitico So-Berettta on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Il mitico So-Berettta

www.amazon.com

 

Rich Coles can work on them. I had an ejector break that I had to have replaced. No big deal to fix.

 

There might be choke symbols on the right side of the barrel monobloc.
There should be further proof marks below the monobloc, on the barrels, giving bore diameter in millimetres and possibly choke diameter

 

Thanks again, great information. I will lock for the choke symbols next time I will see the gun. I searched the internet for that book but without finding any exemplary.

 

I wouldn't rely purely on the choke symbols a gun of that age may have had the chokes opened at some stage. have them properly measured and/or put it on the pattern board?

Thanks for posting the pics, it looks real nice

 

According to the seller the chokes is not opened. But I will for sure measure them and pattern when I got the Gun. I live in Sweden, here we have to wait a couple of months to get the permission to buy guns😢

 

Got some more information from the seller. They measured the choke and it’s modified and full(stamped*** and ***). The barrels are stamped with “Boehler antinit steel” and “kg 1,390”. Also stamped with “18,4” and “18,5”

 

The 1390 is the weight of the barrels. The 18.4 and 18.5 is the diameter of the barrels. Boehler Antinit was the best barrel steel Beretta used at the time the gun was made.

Ken

 

Thanks.
I was a little worried because all other S2 and S3 I have seen has the Boehler antinit steel stamped on the left side of the barrels but I couldn’t see anything on the pictures but this one had the text on the right side.
I guess 1,390kg is on the light to medium side for a 28” barrels?

 

Yes, the barrels are on the lighter side. Let us know how much your gun weighs when you get it. I have an S3 that is right around 7lbs. It has 28" barrels and a straight grip, built in 1955.

Ken

 

According to the seller it weights 7lb 5oz.

 

Took here out for some clays yesterday. It’s handle nice. I think it will serve good under the next hunting season.


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Beautiful gun! I just love that action shape, its simply gorgeous. The slope on the barrels to fit the action is one of the most unique, interesting things in over and unders there is.