I'm hoping for some shotgunner knowledge . I'm looking at a Beretta o/u with fixed chokes . The markings on the top barrel has ++ and beneath it has +++ . The dealer thinks it's means full on top modified on the bottom but isn't sure . I'd appreciate your help . Thanks !

You'll get some replies, but they will be more accurate if you can tell us which Beretta O/U you're looking at - Silver Snipe, BL3, etc.

Thought about it some more. The really knowledgeable shotguners would say you'd have to measure them to really know, no matter what the markings may say.

Should be improved modified and modified.

Larry

Fishinfool's got it sorted out!


Hopefully a chart of all the Beretta choke markings w/ USA designations
Should be good for any Italian shotgun though some like Perazzi use overlapping markings such as when ImpMod gets into Full territory.

https://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/for...1181298797.jpg

I was thinking that those markings were I/C & Mod. On every Beretta O/U shotgun with fixed chokes I or my brother owned. The tighter choke was on the bottom (same for Browning and others too).

Ivan

Choke amount is the difference between the bore and the choke itself. Thus a choke tube that is say improved cylinder in one barrel may be a light mod. in another barrel. The only accurate way to find out what you have is the find some one with a bore reader to measure the two to find the difference in thousands of an inch. The markings on the choke tubes are fairly inaccurate because of the various bore sizes.

As an example, I have 2 barrels for my Rem 1100. One bbl. measures .729", which is the nominal bore size for 12 ga., the other bbl. measures .740", so as you can see the choke tubes are not interchangeable nor are the marking for the .729" bbl. correct for the .740 bbl.

There you have it, the first lesson in understanding shotgun chokes.

Sorry to be so long winded. Rem 3200.

__________________
CSM, U S Army(Ret) 1963-1990

I believe the ++ and +++ for IC & Modified are correct on the early Berettas marked with stars. If I remember correctly, the BL series had the chokes actually written on the side of the barrels. A call to Beretta would give the correct answer without relying on "us experts" though.

Every fixed choke Browning (a bunch) that I ever owned had the more open choke on the bottom. My only Beretta has screw in chokes.

Jack

AFAIK the Italian/Beretta choke marking system of stars/asteriks has never changed.
Pre-war guns are marked the same as modern. The only changes has been the addition of choke tubes and sleeves and a color system marking on some of the sleeves. Some tubes use hash marks but they copy the stars as far as number and what choke they stand for.

..and the traditional open choke bbl on an O/U is the bottom bbl. The tighter choked bbl on the top. Same as most SxS's are choked open in the rt bbl and tighter in the left.
There are exceptions of course. Certain hunting and some clay target guns were made with 'opposite' choke bbls.
But that is mostly irrelevant now with interchangeable choke tubes. You set it up any way you want.

Here's Beretta's rather lengthy current choke explanation options.
Scroll down to the bottom and they list the original fixed choke markings (stars) and their equiv. in 'Merican choke marking.
beretta choke tubes identification suggestions

Some of the Beretta BL series were marked with US style choke markings (Full/Mod,,ect) as imported into the USA in the 50's, 60's and 70's.
I think J.L.Galef was the primary US importer then and had them do that for their imports.
The BL4 bbl'd actions we used at Pedersen Custom in the early 70's were still marked using the star system. But they came to us in the white from Italy and with no other markings on them other than proof marks,,not even a Beretta name.

Pattern it with your choice of shells.

Then you will know what it patterns in reality.

The gun is a Beretta BL3 20ga. , the finish on the barrel is V.G. with a little wear at the muzzle and the wood has some light scratches that I would associate with field use . That is no finish removed but it is marked but only noticeable up close . They’re asking 500.00 which seems like a fair price for a Beretta . G.B. had nothing to compare price.

Good gun at a great price👍

I kind of agree here. One cross or asterisk would be full. 2 improved modified, and 3 modified.

However, it seems to me that there was some slight deviations in diameters of certain Italian shotguns that had to do with importing. I would go by a shop, and have them measure the bore, and then the choked end to get the points of constriction. Points being thousandths of an inch. i have a Perazzi o/u that I had choked to 12 thousandths and 30 thousandths to shoot doubles. The Ljutic i shoot is 40 thousands( pretty full) But by checking it you can tell what kind of choke you have. Meaning, maybe you have a jug choke. That runs at one constriction down the bbl, flares, and then constricts again. You can see it happen with a bore gauge. I like fixed chokes. Nothing to clean or monkey with