I bought one this weekend. It is a 12ga double trigger model made in 1960. It has a satin chrome engraved receiver. It is in excellent condition. It seems to be a high quality shotgun. Fit and finish is excellent as is the walnut stock and checkering. Does anyone know anything about these shotguns? I wasn't in the market for a shotgun but bought it because it because it was offered to me at a very good price.
Beretta Silver Hawk Double Shotgun
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ldausmc1369
US Veteran
Silver Hawk
I have the rare 16 ga Silver Hawk I paid the princely sum of $400 for in 1967! Finest quail gun I have ever held or fired. The wood to steel fit is perfect in every way and the quality of the walnut stock is outstanding by today's standards. The coin engraved receiver has held up well over the years, given how many miles it was carried hunting the elusive bob whites in South Ga and Northwest FL back in the day. The bluing is thinning around the carry point on the receiver, but what the heck, just character! 26" barrels, Cyl/Cyl! And, these were made in Italy and imported! I would be curious to the range you paid. I have seen beaters bring in the $1500 range and the 16's well into the $2500 - $3000 range.
I have the rare 16 ga Silver Hawk I paid the princely sum of $400 for in 1967! Finest quail gun I have ever held or fired. The wood to steel fit is perfect in every way and the quality of the walnut stock is outstanding by today's standards. The coin engraved receiver has held up well over the years, given how many miles it was carried hunting the elusive bob whites in South Ga and Northwest FL back in the day. The bluing is thinning around the carry point on the receiver, but what the heck, just character! 26" barrels, Cyl/Cyl! And, these were made in Italy and imported! I would be curious to the range you paid. I have seen beaters bring in the $1500 range and the 16's well into the $2500 - $3000 range.
Wow. I paid $325. I thought that I was getting a good deal on a $500-$600 dollar shotgun. Mine has either 28 or 30" barrels and is choked full/improved modified. I am debating on having choke tubes fitted. It would make the gun a lot more useful.
Brian41
Member
I see them from $600 on up at times. I have a Golden Snipe (O/U in 20 ga.) from the same era and they were both well built guns.
I tried to get screw in chokes installed on mine once and was told Beretta made the barrel walls too thin for that to be done. I don't know if your's would be similarly constructed or not.
I tried to get screw in chokes installed on mine once and was told Beretta made the barrel walls too thin for that to be done. I don't know if your's would be similarly constructed or not.
I live in Houston. Briley Mfg. is located here. According to there website 99% of shotguns can be fitted with their chokes. They won't commit until they see the gun though. They have a very well constructed web site. It might be worth a visit.
ldausmc1369
US Veteran
Briley
Briley does first class work and turns out first class products. I have a full set of screw in extended chokes for my Browning GTI and they pattern as advertised. I also have a set of full length tubes for my old model Ruger Red Label 12 ga that allows it to shoot to 28 ga. Outstanding for skeet, sporting clays and doves! I was told by a very knowledgeable and experienced shotgun smith that, on the Silver Hawk; (1) tubes are extremely thin (2) any fixed choke would have to be reamed out and forcing cones recut to make screw in chokes work right and recommended against it!
Briley does first class work and turns out first class products. I have a full set of screw in extended chokes for my Browning GTI and they pattern as advertised. I also have a set of full length tubes for my old model Ruger Red Label 12 ga that allows it to shoot to 28 ga. Outstanding for skeet, sporting clays and doves! I was told by a very knowledgeable and experienced shotgun smith that, on the Silver Hawk; (1) tubes are extremely thin (2) any fixed choke would have to be reamed out and forcing cones recut to make screw in chokes work right and recommended against it!
Cooter Brown
Member
Nice find right there!
Briley does good work and could probably do it with their thin wall tubes, but depending on your intended use you could simply have good a choke man open the chokes to a more useful constriction.
I have several shotguns and the only one with tubes is the one I use for waterfowl. My upland guns are all fixed choke. Well, not exactly true--I have a 28 gauge with tubes but they never get changed.
Mike Orlen does choke work and will also install tubes--he does excellent work and is less expensive than Briley.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
Briley does good work and could probably do it with their thin wall tubes, but depending on your intended use you could simply have good a choke man open the chokes to a more useful constriction.
I have several shotguns and the only one with tubes is the one I use for waterfowl. My upland guns are all fixed choke. Well, not exactly true--I have a 28 gauge with tubes but they never get changed.
Mike Orlen does choke work and will also install tubes--he does excellent work and is less expensive than Briley.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
There was a SilverHawk,,and a SilverHawk Featherweight.
The former came in 12 and 10ga, the Featherweight in 12, 16, 20 and I think 28 also but I'm not totally sure on the 28.
The Featherweight model had options like single trigger, ejectors, beavertail forend. I think the SilverHawk Featherwight model was 2 3/4" only,,,the 12 & 10 ga SilverHawk was a 3" gun. I don't recall them being around much past the late 60's or early 70's.
Nice solid Italian built shotguns. Made on boxlock actions. Monoblock barrels which were pretty much standard in the Italian gun trade. Very strong and it kept cost down.
Nice find especially at that price!
The former came in 12 and 10ga, the Featherweight in 12, 16, 20 and I think 28 also but I'm not totally sure on the 28.
The Featherweight model had options like single trigger, ejectors, beavertail forend. I think the SilverHawk Featherwight model was 2 3/4" only,,,the 12 & 10 ga SilverHawk was a 3" gun. I don't recall them being around much past the late 60's or early 70's.
Nice solid Italian built shotguns. Made on boxlock actions. Monoblock barrels which were pretty much standard in the Italian gun trade. Very strong and it kept cost down.
Nice find especially at that price!
jrm53
Member
I have a Silver Hawk S/S 12 ga that used to sell new for about 160 dollars also 2 Silver Snipes that were a few dollars more than the Hawk all built in the sixties these were and are fine examples of Berettas abilty in building shot guns, you will not be disappointed with yours, I gave a lot more than the 60's prices. Jeff
m1gunner
US Veteran
Full/modified is what I would want in an O/U anyway. Shoot it some with some different brand loads and see how it patterns.
Odds are Estate will pattern much different than Win Super-X....etc.
Odds are Estate will pattern much different than Win Super-X....etc.
It is choked full and improved modified now. I am thinking IC/modified would work for my needs as well. I like the idea of opening the chokes since Briley wants $400 to fit choke tubes. I am going to pattern it before I do anything. I may be able to live with it as it is.
Cooter Brown
Member
That's really the best plan. You can also get spreader loads that will open up those tight chokes if you need to in the meantime.
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