Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2 12 Gauge 18.5in Folding Stock — Superb Defense Shotgun

Description

The Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2 is the defensive version of the fastest-cycling autoloading shotgun Beretta builds, and this configuration, part number J131M2CPFC187, is the one with the folding chisel stock. Barrel is 18.50 inches of black steel, the chamber is 3 inches, and the magazine holds seven with one in the chamber.
The receiver wears black Cerakote and carries a Picatinny rail, and the handguard is M-LOK, so lights and sling mounts attach without clamps or adapters.

Cycling speed is the whole argument

Beretta rates the Blink gas system in the 1301 at roughly thirty-six percent faster cycling than the action it replaced, and the claim holds up on a shot timer. On a defensive shotgun that matters in a specific way: the gun is ready for the next round before most shooters have recovered from the first, so the limit on your rate of fire is your own recoil control rather than the mechanism.

The system is gas operated with a self-cleaning piston, which also means it tolerates sitting loaded and uncleaned for long stretches — the condition most home defense shotguns actually live in.

The folding stock, the rail, and the handguard

The chisel stock folds, which makes the gun considerably easier to store in a safe, a vehicle, or a bag. It is a rigid stock rather than a collapsible one, so length of pull and cheek weld stay consistent, and the chisel profile gives the shooting hand a defined place to index.

The receiver rail takes a red dot directly, which is the single most useful addition to a defensive shotgun: a dot removes the bead-alignment problem entirely and lets you shoot with both eyes open. The M-LOK handguard means a light mounts where you want it rather than where a barrel clamp allows. Controls are enlarged throughout, which is the difference between a clean reload and a fumbled one when your hands are not cooperating.

Specifications

• Model: Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2, part number J131M2CPFC187
• Gauge: 12
• Chamber: 3 inches
• Capacity: 7+1 rounds
• Barrel length: 18.50 inches, black steel
• Action: semi-automatic, Blink gas system with a self-cleaning piston
• Receiver: black Cerakote with a Picatinny rail
• Handguard: M-LOK
• Stock: black chisel folding synthetic
• Grip: black polymer

Why it is worth considering

• The fastest cycling autoloading action Beretta makes, in a defensive package.
• A folding stock, which solves the storage problem a full-length shotgun creates.
• A receiver rail ready for a red dot straight out of the box.
• An M-LOK handguard, so a light goes where it belongs rather than where a clamp fits.
• A self-cleaning gas piston, which suits a gun that sits loaded for long periods.

Who it suits

This is a home defense and duty shotgun. Seven rounds in the tube, a short barrel that handles in hallways, and cycling speed that rewards a shooter who has practiced are the arguments for it, and the folding stock makes it practical to store somewhere sensible. It also works for three-gun competition. It is emphatically not a hunting gun: an 18.5 inch barrel with a chisel stock and a Picatinny rail is the wrong tool for birds, and hunters should be looking at the A300 or A400 lines instead.

Shells, patterning, and transfer notes

Shotshell pressures and dimensions are standardized by SAAMI, and the 3 inch chamber accepts both 2 3/4 and 3 inch 12 gauge shells. For defensive use we stock nine pellet 00 buckshot. Pattern whatever load you intend to rely on at the distances inside your own home before you trust it, because buckshot patterns vary far more between loads than most people expect. Gas guns are less tolerant of very light target loads than pumps are, so for practice stay with standard 2 3/4 inch loads such as 1 1/8 ounce target shells rather than reduced recoil shells.

Shooters who prefer a fixed stock should compare the fixed chisel stock build, and those who want a pistol grip should look at the gray pistol grip version. Hunters should be looking at the A300 Ultima instead. Every long gun we sell ships to a licensed FFL for transfer and background check, and Pennsylvania buyers should plan on the state point of contact check at pickup.