A Brilliant Buy

This month, Mike is looking at a nearly new Beretta 686E Evo Sport 12-bore – a reliable, proven gun that offers a lot of bang for your buck, whether you are a clay or game shooter

- Mike Yardley

This month’s test gun is a 686E Evo Sport Optichoke 30" Sporter. It is not new – I thought it would be interesting for a change to look at something that was nearly new. It is an almost mint condition gun, and sits on the shelves of Ladds in Crediton – one of the busiest and best gun shops in the country. Mike Ladd is offering it at the excellent price of £1,495.

It looks virtually new and is just the sort of gun that I often advise friends to buy. The model is being phased out, but it ticks all the boxes – one of the big brands, a proven design, 30", multi-choked, in perfect condition and the right price. It’s a do-anything gun that will always hold its money.

Berettas, as a rule, just go on and on and on. If they break – which is rare – or if they wear, they are easy to fix. Just to give an example, if hinge-pins need changing, they are available in no less than three oversizes above the standard 9mm (9.15mm, the first oversize, then 9.3 and 9.45). I think the support available is a big reason for buying Beretta.