Game Fair 2016 was an important moment for the Italian market of Beretta. On this occasion, three new product lines were presented: the Tikka T3x air rifles for the SAKO brand, the semi-auto Beretta A400 Lite cal. 20 and the object of our test, the 690 Field I over / under. A rifle dedicated to a hunter who wants to distinguish himself, a rifle from the great family of Beretta 690 which includes 690 Field III, 690 Black for skeet shooting and the various versions of the 692. We are talking about weapons with a few years of production and experience on shooting ranges all over the world and during hunting.
The 690 Field I we tested has 76 cm barrels and *** / * choke: it was one of the two available on the Game Fair Italia shooting lines, intended for the tests of all fans present at the fair. Without doubt a good test of durability and resistance.
The occasion is tempting, and first of all I want to test it. From the first contact I have the impression of an important, well structured and well balanced shotgun. When the first targets are thrown, I also check their efficiency - I feel good both on fast shots, trying to speed up the shot a lot, and on long shots, where it is necessary to think and calculate the advance. The recoil and the detection are normal, the Steelium barrels, in addition to being very performing, always have an excellent reaction to the shot and the 690 Field I, after firing, always remains well aligned.
Analyzing the shotgun, it is a classic hunting over-under, with pistol butt and good quality walnut woods finished with oil, the folds are the classic ones for hunting, 35/55 or 38/60 to choose. The knurling, made by machine, ensures an excellent grip both on the pistol and on the shaft, the latter being of the classic type, slightly rounded. The butt plate is the Beretta MicroCore, designed for the best recoil absorption and available in different thicknesses.
The slender and elegant action frame, in steel, boasts an elegant and refined Renaissance-style floral engraving and the double poppetta, derived from Beretta luxury rifles, such as the 687 EELL. Here is placed the selective single trigger that acts on internal Anson-type batteries. The closure is the classic one of the 680/690 series with the two conical pins for constant play recovery and always perfect tightening. The barrels, assembled in Monobloc, are in Steelium Optimabore HP tri-alloy steel with deep drilling, cold hammering and vacuum distension, characteristics that contribute to reduced recoil and minimal fletching, as well as ensuring excellent shot patterns with excellent penetration on the target. All barrels have the latest generation OptimaChoke HP internal chokes, perfect for both lead and steel shots. The barrels are surmounted by an elegant 6 × 6 ventilated rib with a solid base, while the ribs between the two barrels are solid, as befits a hunting rifle.
The extractors are automatic, as befits a modern rifle, and on this rifle there is no ecological system for the exclusion of the ejector, therefore the extraction will always be automatic. The safety is positioned in the classic position behind the opening key and acts on the triggers, inside the safety button there is the selector to choose which of the two barrels should shoot first, when the red dot in the lower position is highlighted, it fires the bottom barrel first, while if the top bullet is highlighted, the shooting sequence will be reversed.
Il Beretta 690 Field I it is the solution for those who love to hunt with the over-under and want a reliable, elegant and refined shotgun, of national production, at the same time at an affordable price, a gun with a price / quality ratio that is certainly unbalanced towards the latter. The 690 Field I can be configured for many types of hunting, from roaming with the dog to woodcocks or pheasants, where 66 cm rods will be appreciated, or for drives and sheds where 76 cm ones are available for long shots. cm, in addition of course to the 71 cm all-rounders, for all the drilling is from 18,6 the best solution to reduce recoil and have homogeneous patterns and excellent penetration of the pellets. Of course, in all cases you can choose from the 5 chokes supplied, the ones most suitable for the occasion.
DATASHEET
Trademarks Beretta - www.beretta.com
Model 690 Field I
CALIBRO 12/76 Magnums
Weighing machine Steel with floral engravings
Safety Manual, with barrel selector
Trigger Selective single trigger
canna Steelium, in tri-alloy steel
Lengths barrel 66, 71, 76 cm
Strippers automatic
Bindella 6 × 6 ventilated solid base
Chokes supplied with 5 OCHP chokes
Viewfinder White
Stock and auction Selected walnut wood
Recoil pad MicroCore 20mm
Piega 35/55 or 38/60
Accessories Case, choke wrench, lubricating oil, instruction booklet
Weight : Kg 3,35 (with 71 cm barrel)
List Price Euro 2.499
Great review. So, if I am not mistaken, will it support the Field III by positioning itself at a slightly lower level in terms of price?
Cal. 20 in the future?