Beretta EELL with two sets of barrels (20 bore and 28 bore)

I am a particular fan of the Beretta over and under range. I own three 68 series guns at the moment - all 28 bores! These include a 30” EELL - an upmarket, side plated, 68 series gun similar to the test gun - and two, consecutively numbered, Silver Pigeon 28s with the new style stocks which boast the so called ‘American‘ forend. I did nearly all my game shooting with them last year, feeding them with 21 and 28 gram Lyalvale fodder - the former for practice, the latter for excursions in the field. In the season before that, I was using a Beretta 20 bore (as well as my trusty 303 semi-auto for sport abroad).

Test Bench

This test therefore focuses on an especially interesting gun for me a 20-28bore EELL combination set (one EELL action with two sets of barrels). It is imported to the UK by GMK of Fareham, a company, as regular readers will be well aware, with which I have dealt with for many years and of which I have a very high regard. They are notable not only for their growing product range - which includes Beretta, Benelli, Franchi, Lanber and some Arrietta shotguns, but Sako and Tikka rifles as well, not to mention Leupold and Burris optics and Federal ammunition - but for the excellent back-up they offer to the products sold.

First impressions of our EELL twin are good. The gun has the usual - and most attractive - game-scene engraved, side-plated action with which we are familiar. Barrels are both 28" long and equipped with multi-chokes and narrow game ribs. Top lever, trigger guard and forend irons are nickel plated.  This EELL has the traditional Beretta schnabel forend rather than the new American style as mentioned (essentially a schnabel with front lip removed). The stock has the usual half-pistol grip too - sometimes mistakenly called a Prince of Wales. The stock is well presented with something that looks much like a traditional oil finish (though I suspect that it is not quite that).

The 28" monobloc barrels on the test gun were both well presented too. Both boast a 6mm, ventilated rib. They are well put together as one expects from this famous firm, but I would have preferred a solid rib design on any game gun. This is one of my perennial gripes - solid ribs (in fact internally hollow to reduce weight) are not so subject to denting (an especially relevant consideration in narrower designs). There are traditional metal beads at the muzzles - fine. Joining ribs are solid as they should be on game guns.

The barrels bear Italian proof marks for 3" (76mm) shells in the case of the 20 (which would, of course, quite happily digest, shorter fodder as well). The 28 bore set are proofed for 2 ¾” (70mm) loads (there being no 3” 28 bore yet as far as I am aware). The bores are well finished on both sets of barrels - these are Beretta EELLs after all. The tubes are chrome moly steel hammer forgings. Blueing is adequate, but not quite as lustrous as it might be; which seems to be the modern Beretta preference - their finish is extremely hard wearing though. Fit and finish of the ejector work is especially neat though.

The action is the usual low profile Beretta type with split stud-type hinge pins engaging the bifurcated lumps on the sides of the barrel monobloc. The bifurcated concept - which dispenses with a full width hinge pin - may be attributed to Boss and Woodward in the early part of the 20th century, but monobloc manufacture was perfected by Beretta themselves circa 1900 or thereabouts.

Lock up is achieved by conical locking bolts engaging circular bites positioned just below the centre line of the top barrel. This clever system is now well proven. There is some room for it all to ‘wear in’ too. But should excessive wear occur - and you might have to wait quite a while on this most reliable of designs for this to happen - oversize conical bolts and hinge pins are readily available. There is a single, recoil-activated, selective trigger. The Beretta design is one of the best in the business in terms of reliability - the pulls are not quite as crisp as a leaf spring powered gun though. 

The wood on the test gun was well figured as already noted. The stock finish was what most real shooters will want - matt 'oil' with well cut chequering in traditional panels (the latter in all probability accomplished by laser). The thin wooden butt sole is practical for a game gun too, because it is unlikely to cause a glitch in the mount. The stock dimensions were on the money.  The length from the middle of the trigger to the middle of butt sole was standard for a Beretta game gun at 14 5/8" (there is 14” of solid wood - which would allow for 15” with a 1”/26mm pad). There was an extra 1/8" to heel and 3/8" to toe - standard Beretta dimensions and well suited to most people (though in an ideal world I would like to see 3/16” extra at heel). Drop was sensible at comb, measuring 1 3/8" to the axis of the rib, but just a little low at heel where the measurement was 2 1/4" (2 1/8” would have been my advice). The stock was good though and any criticisms I might have are small ones.

Shooting Impressions

As will be evident from the accompanying photos, I was aided in my gun testing by Emma Covington-Cross from GMK. It was a tough assignment! Emma does a lot to help me with her company’s product and is always kind, helpful and enthusiastic. This sort of gun, a 20 or 28 which is relatively light at the front, is ideal for a woman to use. These little guns are also great - especially in longer barrelled form - for any experienced shot who wants a bit of a challenge. I can’t be very objective, because this is one my favourite models in the Beretta line. In both 20 and 28 it shoots very well. Having both sets of barrels avoids the need to make a very hard decision - which is better. I have to say though, that although I am a 28 bore enthusiast most would be better served with a 20 if only because the cartridges are more readily available and significantly cheaper. But, if you can afford a EELL that may not be such a big issue. This gun was well up to the Beretta standard and did not miss a beat in the field.

My thanks to Robert Frampton, Emma Covington-Cross, Bob Bigwood and Lyalvale (Express) for supplying the cartridges used in this test.

PRICE (RRP):  £5075