Beretta 1301 what am i looking at/anything to be aware of

[yocan]

Only place where I can expect mostly analytical answers so I'm looking at this beretta 1301. "Gen 1 Beretta 1301 Shotgun with Nordic Extension, Urbino stock, Estacc shell carriers. 7 + 1 capacity, ghost rings, high speed clay killer, with a low round count."
I was unaware the 1301s had generations. What's it worth any shortcomings from being a gen 1? Aside from needing a yt-1301 latch to not have a negligent tube dump lockup. So $60 upgrade.
Offered to me for a 43x mos 3 s15s and $300

 

[Luke G]

Don’t have a gen 1 one but I have a gen 2 that I love. Ended up with the gen 2 because I got it for a crazy deal but when doing the research about the two generations I heard of the shell dump problem that the latch fixes and occasional cycling issues with light trap loads but they make a spring to fix that.

 

[srt-4_uk]

Picture is shitty but it looks like it has a different latch than a normal gen 1.

Fwiw, I use two different gGen 1s. 1301C for 3 gun and a 1301T for the house. Never had a problem hitting the shell release.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I think mine is a Gen 1, picked it up off the used rack at Cabelas. I've used it in 3 gun and am not sure if it has had any upgrades but it has been 100% with bird loads. The 1301 has a good following as being a solid shotgun.

 

[yocan]

Picture is shitty but it looks like it has a different latch than a normal gen 1.

Fwiw, I use two different gGen 1s. 1301C for 3 gun and a 1301T for the house. Never had a problem hitting the shell release.

After googling I think it is the yt1301 latch I'd want already installed

 

[Eliteii]

Love my Gen1, other than upgrading the latch, the only other issue for me was it not being threaded for chokes. The gen 2 is. I had mine sent off and threaded for Rem choke. I use mine to Dove and Turkey hunt with my SilencerCo Salvo. Only problem is all the looks I get and compliments.

 

[Chickentoast]

I've got a Gen1 Comp, added a $15 latch fix. Never had a malfunction, high and low brass ammo. No complaints. Would buy again.

 

[rjacobs]

Ive got a 1301 comp with 23" barrel(I think 23"), I guess its a Gen 2 because I think its threaded for chokes. Has a +3 nordic tube on it and some kind of follower upgrade.... shit runs fantastic. Never been apart for cleaning because I am lazy to take the nordic extension off... I bet ive got somewhere between 2000 and 2500 rounds through it... runs like a champ.

ETA: guy I used to shoot clays with asked if he could play around with it one day. He is pretty fast on the trigger. The gun was faster than him. He couldnt out shoot the speed of the action. He tried with like 5 or 6 tubes full(50-60 rounds) maybe more. Its my go to shotgun for everything. Its nickname is "Hurt Feelings" because when you pull out a 23" shotgun with a +3 mag extension(longer than the barrel) setup for 3 gun to shoot trap/skeet/5 stand/sporting clays all the guys with 28-30" over-unders that cost thousands of dollars start to shit on you. Then you out shoot them easily because the gun is so easy to shoot. I really want to get an A400 with maybe a 26" barrel as a dedicated trap/skeet/sporting clays gun, but this gun just does everything I need out of a shotgun its hard to justify 1600+ dollars on an A400.

 

[srt-4_uk]

Ive got a 1301 comp with 23" barrel(I think 23"), I guess its a Gen 2 because I think its threaded for chokes. Has a +3 nordic tube on it and some kind of follower upgrade.... shit runs fantastic. Never been apart for cleaning because I am lazy to take the nordic extension off... I bet ive got somewhere between 2000 and 2500 rounds through it... runs like a champ.

All the 1301Cs were threaded for chokes. They came in 21" or 24" barrels I believe.

 

[rjacobs]

All the 1301Cs were threaded for chokes. They came in 21" or 24" barrels I believe.

ah. than maybe I have a 24"... need to measure it I guess.

 

[Mute]

Only issue with the Gen 1, as you've noted, is that bolt/shell release latch. Other than that, no major changes. I love my Gen 2 1301, but won't hesitate to get a Gen 1 if a good price is to be had. Changing that release to a non-problematic one is easy and inexpensive.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Never had a problem hitting the shell release.

Same. My early gen 1 1301C has about 15k on it right now, and easily that many quad loads, and I've never hit it unintentionally and created the mag dump death jam. It's also the most reliable gun I own. Had a couple FTE's at 10k, replaced a bunch of springs and it's been back to 100% ever since.