Beretta Silver Pigeon questions

Questions For anyone who owns a Beretta silver pigeon... What is your POI? I've read it's supposed to be 50/50, but some say it's not. Also, is it cast-on or neutral? I'm a lefty, but hear Beretta's come stock cast-on. Haven't been able to verify that though. Thanks

Silver pigeon do have a cast to them. They do make a left hand model.

I have never owned one, but a quick search turned up this from a shotgun forum in response to your cast question:

Awesome, thanks!

I've patterned 5-6 SP's for customers, and they have all been 50/50, or very close to it. Like close enough I wouldn't even say 55/45. they do have a cast, but its small enough as to not bother most lefties.

So the cast is insignificant? that's good to know. I've been scared to purchase any other manufacturer other than browning because I assumed it was a big issue. I like the SP but really want a 60/40 poi for an all already gun. Trap, skeet, clays, and occasionally bunker.

I brought a buddy to my place to hunt woodcock. I knew he quail hunted some, but when he uncased a sweet little Beretta SP in 28 gauge I began to suspect he was a serious wingshooter. (I am passable at best.) Jenny pointed a bird - it flushed, he shot it. Next point and bird he did it again. And then he did it again. 3 points, 3 birds up, 3 shots, 3 birds down. A limit. Perfection. I have been trying to do that for almost a decade now, and he acts like it’s just another day at the office.

I love my current gun, but I have been thinking about that little Beretta ever since. Though I suspect the man behind the gun was the most important factor in that equation.

Your POI can be changed as easily as adding a pad, adjustable stock or one of the newer adjustable ribs. I wouldn’t let that get in the way if you like everything else about the gun.

NP, if you have never fired a nice 28 gauge you should do so...IMO the perfect upland gauge, especially for pointed birds. The way it patterns and brings birds down along with almost no recoil gives the hunter a great deal of confidence.

I have a Ruger Red Label 28 gauge I am really fond of. I am not an experienced wingshooter but have always done pretty well with it. I really love its light weight and maneuverability in the thick stuff. I have never even held the Beretta, not even my buddy’s because I was scared I would want one.

The Ruger is a fine gun!

Jsarmory, I am a south paw. They are cast off for a right handed shooter. I am a well rounded wing shooter. For me the right handed stock was not conducive for instinctive wing shooting. I struggle to mount a cast off stock to my eye. As for the 60/40 pattern: adding drop to the stock is the best way to address that. Every 1/16” of stock adjustment will move your pattern 1” @ 16 yards. There are some left hand stocked SP’s out there. Cole gun in Maine is the first place to talk to. Cole has left hand wood for sale but it is a pricey proposition to buy a SP and change the wood set. Buying a left hand stocked SP is the way to go and that is coming from a fellow lefty. As for the 60/40 pattern: adding drop to the stock is the best way to address that. Every 1/16” of stock adjustment will move your pattern 1” @ 16 yards. Depending on your mount and physical dimensions, a shotgun that shoots 50/50 for one may shoot high or low for another....
if you are spending the money for a SP, get one that fits. Mine has left hand wood and shoots 50/50 for me, which is what I prefer.

Edit to add: I have had a lot of right hand shooters say that it was no big deal, until they tried to shoot one of my cast on (left handed cast) shotguns and struggled with it....

I'm a lefty and had mine fit at Todd Ramirez place on 69 near Alba/Golden. Went out and did fittings and shot the with the white board, 60/40 split, etc...

Your pattern will vary on choke type, what doesn't change between chokes is the POI. Your POI should stay constant from your POA. Mark and Lauryn Russell from Go Shooting explain this theory and have awesome youtube videos on this very subject including videos on Cast.

Cast On for Lefties...

Youtube videos:

Cast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOhgv49nQjo

General Basics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adaweuoakL0

Thanks for sharing. Learning much more than I thought I would on this!

My 20ga SP is 50/50, my 12ga SP is 70/30.
The next big shoot where the Country Gentleman gun fitters are at I’ll be getting both fitted.

I bought a spankn’ new SP II a few years ago. I’m not much of a wing shooter but usually fake my way through. I could not, for the life of me, shoot that SP. I’ve never picked up a shotgun that hated me so much. After about 500 shot shells, I gave up and sold it.

Funny story, I borrowed a Browning Cynergy from a buddy of mine and took second overall at a benefit sporting clays match. I’m not sure what the “fit” difference is between the Beretta and Browning but it is there.

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