Beretta A400 Upland in 28/76 caliber

Beretta A400 Upland. Chambering the semi-auto A400 Upland for the 28 Magnum cartridge seems to us to be a truly formidable idea and surely the combination will promptly reap the merits deriving from this combination where lightness and ballistic performance prove to be exciting

Thirteen years have passed, autumn 2009, since the presentation of the semi-auto Beretta A400, the hunting shotgun in which all 12-gauge cartridges can be used in the various lengths of the case and therefore in the wide variety of charges which usually range from 24 to 63 grams. We recall having initially had some skepticism about the performance of such a wide range of ammunition assuming that the chamber and fitting were not always at their best using the 65/70/76/89 mm cases. The cordial Jarno Antonelli, a leading Beretta character in the hunting sector at the time and now migrated to other important positions, had entrusted us for a long time with one of the first specimens to come out of production: so we created a congruous series of targets with all lengths of available shells and with different loads of pellets to which some hunting trips were added.

Verifying in such a palm-sized way that we had inappropriately doubted the technological mastery of the Beretta was a whole: we ideally sprinkled our heads with ashes and when we returned the rifle we felt a marked sense of regret in parting with a "shooter" who had made us feel like a modern St. Thomas. This beginning is just to broadly outline the approach to the market of this novelty which even then contained an extensive and qualifying sum of functional prerogatives for the adaptability of the weapon to the shooter and for top ballistics thanks also to the barrels Steelium® where the steel and the holes were the result of exceptional studies.

the Beretta A400 chambered for the 28/76 or 28 Magnum cartridge.

The models followed one another at the most opportune times and today here is the exquisite novelty: the Model A400 chambered for the 28/76 or 28 Magnum cartridge. At first, at a superficial glance, this may appear to be nothing more than an extension of the range with a caliber that to the elderly, us among them, recalls hunting for huts when it was still possible to enjoy, here in Piedmont, the magic and spell of live calls.

But the memories stop at the 28/70 caliber with its 21g load and little more with pellets ranging from 9 to 12: today the story has radically changed and the 28 is presented as a hunting caliber with more substantial loads ranging up to 25 g and numbering of pellets suitable for the various prey that arrive at the post, from the various thrushes to wood pigeons, or wild hunted under dog control. The results are remarkable, obviously with the rifle in the hand of a good striker, but the limitations on the useful distances exist and it could not be otherwise, corrected as far as possible by the chokes, but always in defect compared to the classic 12 or 20 gauge with today's charges.

The 28 Magnum cartridge

Intervening on the design of a gas-operated semi-auto is never easy, especially when reducing the caliber with variations in pressure and mass of the gases to be put to work, but at Beretta they are so familiar with the subject that they offer a shotgun immediately efficient, effective and definitely entertaining beyond belief. The cartridge manufactured by Fiocchi as part of the Performance Magnum series includes a 76 mm plastic case, a 16 mm brass bottom and 33 g of shot pushed by a valid powder charge with the intermediary of a PLC wad container in synthetic.

For comparison we will say that the analogous cartridge in 28/70 caliber carries 24 g of pellets: the increase in the Magnum is therefore equal to 37,5%, an entity which produces a substantial difference as the intervention spaces expand. on game. Basically you have a charge equal to that of a large number of 12/70 caliber cartridges where the 32/33 g of pellets represent the usual standard for many hunting situations, especially for those with pointing dogs. Having a light and easy to handle shotgun combined with a similar load makes aiming and shooting easier, more accurate and faster, all to the advantage of results.

Let's leave the explanation of the many features of the new shotgun to the company technical data sheet and let's look forward to the emotions we will be able to experience if we have the opportunity to use the new Beretta A400 Upland chambered for the 28 Magnum both on a shooting range and in some hunting situation. In our humble opinion, such a shotgun truly represents something new in the gun scene and deserves the utmost attention.