Posted on 11/26/2007 9:14:50 PM PST by damondonion
I'm looking at something here which would cause me a certain amount of consternation, to say the least, if I were a person involved in procuring firearms for any sort of military organization:
That is Beretta's ultimate hunting shotgun, called the Xtrema. As far as I can tell, it appears to be a solid ton more sophisticated than any millitary firearm I'm aware of.
For starters, it's gas operated and very fast compared to semiauto shotguns of 30 years ago; you can't get ahead of it trying to pull the trigger fast. It totally solves the basic problem which the M16 attempted to solve without the side effects inherent in the M16. The gas piston is very light and only moves an inch and a half or two inches and THROWS the bolt carrier back rather than pushing it. In other words, not enough moving weight to affect accuracy.
Powder residue doesn't get back to the bolt or bolt carrier and the thing is advertised as self-cleaning and it's close to that. The piston actually has a ring like engine pistons and the ring inserts easily into the cylinder it moves in without tools.
The system includes a heavy spring bleedoff valve and adjusts automatically for loads i.e. you can shoot geese with it one day and quail or skeets the next without changing anything other than the ammo you're using. I don't know of any military weapon which can do that.
It's hardened against salt spray and water of any sort so that you can sit there shooting ducks off the Atlantic shore all day long and it doesn't hurt it.
They appear to be selling this item off at cost or not much more than that on gunbroker and auctionarms. My own guess would be that large Beretta dealers make their money on skeet/traps guns costing 5K - 30K and have to take a certain number of the less expensive guns including the Xtrema with the others, and then sell the cheaper guns off on auctions.
Oh, and I’m pretty sure that that nice shiny Beretta won’t do well after a truck runs it over:
http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=sWmMNHSVR4I
Now THAT is a nice shotgun.:)
Yeah, that is a pretty shotgun, but a shotgun is only as good as the person who is holding it.
I can’t hit *squat* with a shotgun, but I am fair to middlin’ with a rifle.
I have a student who can break 120 out of 125 on a trap range routinely, but it has more to do with the shooter, not the gun.
Besides, an ultimate shotgun to me is a Krieghoff, or my father’s shotgun.:)
“Here’s my old girl.”
My Dad has possession of one of her sisters.
Some day, my brother or I will be looking after “the old girl” for a few
more decades.
I never had a chance to handle a 15...I gotta go with what I know!
A -15 is a -12 that feeds off a stick mag and has an M-16 style grip and AK-like folding stock. Handles like an M-4 carbine.
I’ve seen picks and read about the 15...never had the chance to fire one. Although the box mag certainly makes sense, I guess I’m too much of a traditionalist to let go of the tube...
L
Tubes/pumps are fine for most purposes, especially when you have a limited number of targets to engage.
Unfortunately, I got caught out in the 1992 LA Riots and discovered what a mob *really* was. Shortly after that I lost all interest in tube-fed shotguns as “riot guns”.
And the Saigas now have US-made 19/20 round drums.
I've seen those as well...and they are intimidating, but I'd imagine they're heavy when stuffed, and hard to sling out of the way when not being used.
Of course, if you like that rotary thing you could always opt for one of these...;-)
Heh.
Me, I figure the drums are useful for fixed-position defense and are best used with the weapon on a bipod. 10 round USA-made stick mags for the rest of the time. :)
I have yet to see one, and I've got over 8000 birds to my name this year. But if somebody wants to shoot skeet with one, more power to them! You want to pursue the wiley skeet, you're my friend.
Very nice.
Folks giving them to you on the highway don't count!
So far, most people using them in skeet are in the South and Southeast.
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