At first glance, the buzz around Beretta’s SL2 launch seemed like just another promotion. What could possibly be new in an over/under designed for smashing targets? The answer is: everything—or at least almost everything.
Beretta’s recent release of just 50 SL2s worldwide has been met with near-universal acclaim. The gun is initially available in 12 gauge and three models: Trap (2¾" chambers with 30" barrels), Skeet (2¾" with 28" or 29" barrels) and Sporting (3" with 29" to 32" barrels). Depending on configuration and stock type, guns weigh 8 to 9 pounds. The majority come with Grade 4 walnut and are hand checkered on both the stock and forend. A manual safety is standard. At least one of the first 50 features a carbon stock and forend.
The SL2 is a cool, stylish shotgun. The edged curvilinear contours of the action extend back into the stock, creating a unifying, almost-neo-art-deco aesthetic. Or as the Beretta tech sheet puts it: “Contemporary racing lines seamlessly blend receiver, stock and fore-end, making the SL2 the hypercar of shotguns.”
The top of the gun is laser engraved with micro pyramids, to create an anti-
glare texture. The modish toplever is pieced with Gabriele D’Annunzio’s familiar three-arrow logo but in an entirely new postmodern configuration.
The barrels are a modified version of Beretta’s tried-and-tested Steelium Pro tubes. The new Steelium ProX barrels feature an innovative internal profile with long 430mm forcing cones and chokes extended to 90mm—improving terminal energy and shot patterns as well as better recoil management, according to the company.
Orders are now being taken for the production model, which offers many custom features. In the US the preorder price with standard Grade 4 timber is $22,900. The SL2 is a low-profile, high-performance competition gun that pushes the boundaries of technology and styling. It’s already being hailed as a potential game-changer for competition shooters.
For more information, visit beretta.com.
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