Beretta A400 Upland 20 Gauge 26in Walnut — Superb Lightweight Field Gun

Description

The Beretta A400 Upland in 20 gauge is the gun a lot of experienced bird hunters end up carrying after they stop trying to prove something with a 12. This is the 26 inch configuration, part number J40AN26, with a 3 inch chamber, a two round magazine, a nickel engraved receiver, and an Xtra Grain walnut stock with Kick-Off recoil reduction.
A 20 gauge autoloader in this class weighs noticeably less than its 12 gauge counterpart, and on the fifth mile of a walk-up day that difference stops being an abstraction.

What a 20 gauge actually gives up, and what it does not

The honest tradeoff is payload. A 20 gauge shell carries less shot than a 12, so at long range the pattern thins out sooner. Inside forty yards, which is where the overwhelming majority of upland birds are killed, that difference is largely theoretical. Modern 20 gauge loads pattern well, and the gun points faster because there is less weight to start and stop.

What you gain is carry weight and recoil. Less of both means a more comfortable day afield, a faster mount on a bird that flushes underfoot, and a gun that a smaller-framed or younger shooter can actually handle well rather than merely tolerate.

Blink gas system, Steelium barrel, Kick-Off stock

The Blink gas system carries over from the 12 gauge guns unchanged in concept: fast cycling, a self-cleaning piston, and pressure venting that lets light 2 3/4 inch loads and 3 inch shells run without adjustment. On a light gun, a gas action also soaks up a meaningful share of the recoil before it reaches the shooter.

The barrel is Steelium, cold hammer forged and vacuum distended, with the Optima-Bore HP profile and its long forcing cone. Three OptimaChoke HP tubes are included. The Kick-Off dampers inside the buttstock finish the job on felt recoil, which matters most in exactly this combination of light gun and 3 inch capability.

Specifications

• Model: Beretta A400 Upland, part number J40AN26
• Gauge: 20
• Chamber: 3 inches
• Capacity: 2+1 rounds
• Barrel length: 26 inches, Steelium with a ventilated rib
• Bore: Optima-Bore HP with an extended forcing cone
• Chokes: three OptimaChoke HP tubes
• Action: semi-automatic, Blink gas system with a self-cleaning piston
• Receiver: nickel finished, engraved
• Stock: Xtra Grain walnut with Kick-Off recoil reduction
• Hand: right

Why it is worth considering

• Meaningfully lighter to carry than the same gun in 12 gauge.
• A gas action plus hydraulic stock dampers, which together make a light gun comfortable with 3 inch loads.
• Fast handling on birds that flush close and turn quickly.
• Steelium barrel and Optima-Bore HP geometry for even patterns.
• Nickel engraved receiver and figured walnut, the same finish as the 12 gauge guns.

Who it suits

This is the right gun for grouse and woodcock covers, for quail, for early-season doves, and for anyone who values a light carry over maximum payload. It is also the sensible first autoloader for a younger or smaller shooter, because nothing teaches a flinch faster than a gun that hurts. It is not the tool for pass shooting geese or for long-range pheasant work in open country; a 12 gauge with a longer barrel does that job better.

For a 20 gauge with a bit more reach and a smoother swing, the 28 inch version of this same model is worth comparing.

Shells, chokes, and transfer notes

Shotshell pressures and dimensions are standardized by SAAMI, and the 3 inch chamber takes both 2 3/4 and 3 inch 20 gauge shells. For pheasant and late-season birds we stock 1 ounce number 5 loads, and for clays and early dove work the 7/8 ounce 7.5 shot target load is inexpensive and clean. Steel shot runs safely through improved cylinder and modified OptimaChoke HP tubes; never put steel through a full choke.

Shooters who want a slightly smoother swing on crossing birds should compare the 28 inch 20 gauge build, and anyone who needs more payload for open-country work should look at the 12 gauge version. 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.