Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2 12 Gauge 18.5in Gray Pistol Grip — Superb Defense Shotgun

Description

The Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2 in gray, part number J131M2CTP187GR, is the pistol grip build of Beretta’s defensive autoloader, finished in gray Cerakote from muzzle to receiver. Barrel is 18.50 inches, the chamber is 3 inches, and the magazine holds seven with one chambered.
What separates this configuration from the folding stock version is the stock itself: a fixed pistol grip stock with an adjustable comb, which lets a shooter set cheek height to whatever sight or optic they are running.

An adjustable comb on a defensive shotgun

Put a red dot on a shotgun and the factory comb height is suddenly wrong. Bead sights sit low on the barrel; an optic on a receiver rail sits much higher, and a shooter whose cheek is welded to a stock built for a bead will be looking at the bottom of the housing rather than through it. Most people solve this with a stick-on cheek riser.

The adjustable comb on this build solves it properly. Set the comb once for whatever sighting system you are using and your head goes to the same place every time, which is the whole point of a consistent mount. On a gun that is going to be picked up in the dark, that consistency matters more than it does on a range gun.

The Blink action, the rail, and the handguard

The Blink gas system is the fastest cycling autoloading action Beretta builds, rated at roughly thirty-six percent quicker than the design it replaced. It is gas operated with a self-cleaning piston, which suits a shotgun that spends most of its life loaded and untouched in a safe.

The receiver carries a Picatinny rail for an optic, and the handguard is M-LOK, so 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 adrenaline has taken your fine motor control away. The pistol grip gives a more vertical wrist angle than a conventional stock, which some shooters strongly prefer and others do not.

Specifications

• Model: Beretta 1301 Tactical Mod 2, part number J131M2CTP187GR
• Gauge: 12
• Chamber: 3 inches
• Capacity: 7+1 rounds
• Barrel length: 18.50 inches, gray steel
• Action: semi-automatic, Blink gas system with a self-cleaning piston
• Receiver: gray Cerakote with a Picatinny rail
• Handguard: M-LOK
• Stock: gray synthetic with a pistol grip and an adjustable comb
• Grip: black polymer

Why it is worth considering

• An adjustable comb, which is the correct fix for running an optic on a shotgun.
• The fastest cycling autoloading action Beretta makes.
• A receiver rail and an M-LOK handguard, so optic and light both mount without adapters.
• A pistol grip stock for shooters who prefer the more vertical wrist angle.
• Gray Cerakote throughout, which is corrosion resistance rather than decoration.

Who it suits

This is a home defense and duty shotgun for a shooter who intends to mount a red dot and wants the stock to support it. The adjustable comb is the reason to choose this build over the folding stock version, and the pistol grip is a matter of preference rather than performance — try both if you can. It is not a hunting gun and it is not a clays gun. Shooters who value compact storage over comb adjustment should compare the folding stock build 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 shells. For defensive use we stock nine pellet 00 buckshot, and you should pattern whatever you plan to rely on at the distances inside your own home before trusting it. For practice, standard 2 3/4 inch 1 1/8 ounce target loads cycle reliably; reduced recoil and mini shells are a poor match for a gas gun.

Shooters who want compact storage rather than comb adjustment should compare the folding stock build. Hunters should be looking at the A300 Ultima or the A400 Upland 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.