Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge 26in Walnut — Superb Over/Under

Description

The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge is the gun that has quietly defined the mid-priced over/under for forty years. A low-profile boxlock action, a silver receiver with cut engraving, Grade II walnut, and the sort of build quality that means a shot-loose gun can be tightened rather than written off. This is the 26-inch configuration, which is the one upland hunters and skeet shooters reach for.

Part number J686F1226: 12 gauge, 3-inch chambers, two rounds, blued over/under barrels with a vented rib, a fixed walnut stock and a right-hand configuration. The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge comes with five OptimaChoke HP tubes.

What separates the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge from the field

• A monobloc action that sits the barrels closer together than most competing designs
• Conical locking lugs with replaceable shoulders, so the action can be re-tightened
• Grade II walnut with hand checkering on the grip and forend
• A silver receiver with cut engraving rather than a printed or laser-etched coating
• Five OptimaChoke HP tubes supplied with the gun

Why 26 inches in 12 gauge

• Quicker to mount and swing in thick cover, which is where most upland shots happen
• Lighter at the muzzle, so the gun does not fight a fast, close bird
• The classic skeet length, and still the most popular for walked-up game
• Easier to carry all day than a 30-inch competition barrel
• Paired with the right choke it still patterns well past 35 yards

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Beretta USA
• Part number: J686F1226
• Gauge: 12
• Chamber: 3 inch
• Barrel length: 26 inches
• Configuration: Over/under, vented rib, blued
• Capacity: 2 rounds
• Receiver: Silver, engraved
• Stock: Fixed Grade II walnut, right hand
• Chokes: Five OptimaChoke HP tubes
• UPC: 082442989716

Chokes and loads

Five tubes is a genuinely useful spread. Skeet and cylinder for close flushes, improved cylinder and modified for general walked-up shooting, and full when the birds start getting up wild. The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge takes the standard OptimaChoke HP pattern, so extended tubes and replacements are easy to find.

For clays and practice, Browning BPT 7.5 target loads and B&P Competition One Steel are both economical and clean-burning. Shotshell standards are published by SAAMI; 3-inch chambers take 2.75-inch shells with no adjustment.

A gun to keep rather than trade

The reason the Silver Pigeon holds its value is that it is built to be serviced. The conical locking lugs and replaceable shoulders on the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge mean a gun shot loose after decades can be brought back to tight, which is simply not true of every competing design at this price.

Maintenance is undemanding. Wipe the barrels and standing breech after each outing, keep a light film of oil on the hinge pin and lug faces, and take the forend off before storage so the wood is not left under tension in a dry cabinet.

Why this shotgun earns its place

• Real cut engraving and Grade II walnut at a price most makers reserve for synthetic
• The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge can be tightened and serviced rather than replaced when it wears
• Five chokes included, which very few competitors match at this level
• A low-profile action that points naturally and swings between the hands
• Resale on a Silver Pigeon is among the strongest in the over/under market

The Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I 12 Gauge suits the upland hunter who wants one gun for grouse, pheasant and the occasional round of skeet. In the smaller bore the 20 gauge carries lighter, the combo set gives you two barrel sets, and the .410 is the lightest gun in the family.

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