Page 33 - GUNS Issue n.01

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1_The stock is made of class 2.5 walnut,
selected for its particular lightness.
It is oil finished with a matte effect and it’s
370 mm long.

2_The inside of the stock has been hollowed
out to reduce the overall weight, all without
weakening the structure. The weight saving
on the stock, on average, is around 120 grams.

3_The Ultraleggero comes standard with the
new Extralight buttpad. Made of closed cell
expanded technopolymer. Compared to the
Microcore, the Extralight is equally shock-
absorbing but more resistant and 30% lighter.

skeletonized action

The biggest innovation that characterizes the Beretta Ultraleggero, as anticipated, certainly is the action. The designers
of the company’s R&D department started with the 690 series steel action, the same one used by the 691, 693 and 695,
which was subjected to a “slimming treatment” to reduce its weight as much as possible. The half side plates, slightly in
relief, have been hollowed out, milled in the central part up to the level of the action body, leaving only a frame on the
steel edge. To preserve the iconic line of Beretta’s over-and-unders, however, the milled areas were filled with two plates
made of polycarbonate, the same material used in the production of plastic parts for the automotive sector, resistant to
high temperatures and characterized by a density of only 1.2 g/cm3, compared to 7.7 for steel.
The same principle has also been applied to the front of the action, where a portion of the central part has been
removed, creating a through cavity that has also been filled with a polymer plate. The two side plates are mounted
using a simple interlocking mechanism: thanks to a dovetail milling, they are held in place by the stock. The one
on the front, on the other hand, is first press fitted and then blocked by a small screw inserted in the rear part of the
action, so to remove it, it is first necessary to disassemble the trigger guard.
The millings, therefore, involve non-structural areas, as the resistance depends mostly on the upper portion of the
action, which has not been modified. The locking mechanism, in fact, is entrusted to the classic dual truncated cone
lugs controlled by the top lever, supported by the shoulders of the action and the counter-shoulders obtained on
the sides of the sleeve, which, as for the whole 690 series, are rounded to increase the contact surface. This solution
results in a saving of 94 grams for the receiver, while the dimensions have remained unchanged, with a width of
42 millimeters and a height of 63. The steel surfaces of the action are satin-finished and black burnished, while the
technopolymer plates are characterized by a particular texture, made during the molding phase, which reinterprets
in a modern way the classic Renaissance-style floral scroll engravings. In addition to the ornament, with a particular
damascus effect, there is also the name of the model, written in italics, which, thanks to a particular arrangement
of angles and surfaces, appears and disappears depending on how the light hits the receiver. Beretta has released
schematics for 3D printers, so those who have access to this technology will have the opportunity to create
customized polymer plates. The action fences are split and rounded, with an orange peel texture in contrast with the
smooth surfaces of the receiver. The pin covers are flat, mirror polished and black blued. The top lever, made of matt
blued steel, has an elongated and sinuous shape, very easy to operate, with a smooth surface on the right side and
checkered on the left side to increase the thumb grip even in extreme conditions.

Beretta Ultraleggero caliBer 12/76_TesT shoTgun 31