Garcia Guns 1970 (3)

     All other SO over-unders—which start with the SO-2 (I don’t know why there isn’t an SO-1!) and run through the SO-3 and SO-4—are equally the  well-built and offer the same functional features as does the SO-5. The essential differences are in the embellishments and visual aspects of one grade against the other—the wood quality, the engraving, the checkering and so on.

     What does this Iuxuriousness cost? Well, the SO-5 guns carry a catalog price of $1750, to which you’d and something for the options mentioned Extra barrels ordered with the SO-5are $460. The SO-2 grade lists for #950, extra barrels $365, while the SO-4 and SO-4 guns are in between. Whatever grade, a fair amount of money is involved,no question about that. Still, just ablut everyone of you reading this owns an automobile in one price class or another, and in a year or three you’ll be buying another. You’ll spend anywhere from a minimum of $2000 or so up to $5000 and more (and these figures might rise to $3000-$6000 if inflation keeps up, as it looks like doing). yet in a few short years most of those new cars will be ready for the junkyard. In the interim, more thousands of dollars will have been spent on fuel and care, heavy insurance charges, tires and the like.

     Now, that doesn’t happen when you buy—invest is a better and truer term—a really first class shotgun, believe me. Let’s say you put $1500 or so into a fine smoothbore, and that you give it decent care over the next 5 or 10 years. At the end of that time, say 10 years or so, it’s an absolute verity that your top grade double gun is going to be worth more than you paid for it, assuming that the dollar is going to continue to lose value—which is just what it has been doing for 150 years or more, notwithstanding the temporary reversals of the trend brought about by such catastrophes as our Great Depression of the 1930s.

     Don’t you wish—those of you who were young men or a bit beyond that in the late 1930's—that you had bought a Parker VHE or a Model 21 Winchester when both could be had at a full retail price of about $150?

That price bought either of these fine—if relatively plain—guns with fancy wood, beavertail fore-end, single selective triggers, auto ejectors and ventilated ribs—plus a quality of workmanship and detailing hard to come by in American firearms to day.

     I know! That $150 or so wasn’t burning a hole in many pockets in 1938-1940, but I don’t imagine that  a spare $1000-$1800 is much more readily to hand today. Nevertheless, these are the money machanics I’m pointing up; how to solve ‘ em is where you come in.

     Gee, I wish I’d had sense enough in 1939 to buy one of those Parkers at $150, or one of their GHE or DHE grades at…

     Two brand new Berettas are on the Garcia list for 1970. These, the SO-6 and the SO-7, are side-by-side doubles that equal the top grade So-4 and SO-5 over-unders in quality and lavishness of treatment generally, in the variety of chokes and barrel lengths offered, and in the optional constructional details and dimensions to be had on special order. We’ve not as familiar with these latest Berettas as we’d like to be, but Berettas in this quality and price bracket ($1360-$1820) leave little to be desired and nothing to criticeze.

Garcia Guns 1970(2)

The SO-5 locks are of the fullydetachable sidelock form, of extremely

simple and rugged construction. All friction surfaces are specially hard-

ened, and all inside action parts are hard chrome-plated. Barrel locking

is by means of two lugs extending from either side of the upper barrel into mating slots in the standing breech, these locked in place by a modified Greener crossbolt system

     Barrels for the Crown Grade Berettas are made from the best barrel metal to be had—Bohler Antinit(rustless) steel, made in Austria—and that’s true of all SO-series barrels. Made normally in 26- and 28-inc length and 12 gauge only, the regular boring in improved cylinder/modified and modified/full respectively. On special order, though, barrels can be had with any choice of choking, and from 26 to 30 inches Ventilated ribs are furnished on all SO-series guns, and all have a matted, knurled top to kill glare. SO-4 and SO-5 ribs are hand matted. Barrels may be ordered with chrome-plated bores, if desired.

     Two triggers are sual on all of the SO-series over-under doubles, but  selective single triggers are available Auto ejectors are standard, as is an auto safety, but a manual safety may be ordered.

     All SO Beretas carry hand-cut engraving, but the SO-5 grade will illustrate. carries the finest and most lavish. The deep relief chiseling is perfectly executed and covers virtually  all metal except the barrels, in cluding screw heads, tangs, fore-end release, etc. The thumb-piece of the top-snap opening lever is filigreed(pierced)and engraved, and a superbly done gold crown is inlaid in the broad top lever.

 

Garcia guns 1970 (1)

by JOHN T. AMBER
Here's full descriptive data on the Beretta shotguns and the
Sako rifles that appear on our front and back covers,
plus a rundown on the full Garcia-Beretta-FI lines in general.

     Garcia Sporting Arms Corporation--which became the sole distributor of
Beretta shotguns last year, and took over Firearms International more re-
cently--furnished us with the Beretta and Sako arms pictured in full color
on the front and back cover of this 25th Silver Anniversary edition of the
Gun Digest.
  
     One of the world's finest overunder shothuns, the Beretta Crown Grade
SO-5, was selected for one of the two smoothbores shown on our
front cover. The SO-5 is the top overunder shotgun in Beretta's extensive
line, and everyone is a masterpicec that exhibits the combined skills and
artistry of the gunsmith, the stocker and engraver. Only the finest and
fanciest-figure Curopean walnut is used, the checkering is extra fine-
line, and the most careful, painstaking attention is lavished on inletting,
fitting-up and jointing to the metal. Buttstocks and fore-ends are cut from
the same bland, of course, for full matching of grain flow and color. A
hand-rubbed oil finish is standard, but glossy or wax finishes are optional.
The standard stock on the Crown Grade is a pistol-grip type that measures
1 1/2 inches drop at the comb bose, 2 1/2 inches at the heel, with a
14 1/8-inch pull length. However, on special order stocks can be made to
the customer's specifications, and straight-hand or pistol grip as desider.
read more

Collecting




The Gun Digest


     The some extent, all riflemen and hunters are collectors. My armory
consists of many rifles, combining the best skills and craftsmanship that
modern manufacturing can produce. All shoot and shoot well. They are
not antiques in any respect and, by some standards would not be called
a collection. They aren't used very often. and certainly not enough to
justify their cost and care. Yet, they are among my most treasured pos-
sesions--their value being primarily intangible. Since there is more than
one rifle in the rack. and since valueis measured by more than more
utility, by my definition it has to be a collection.

     Most collcetions of things aren't worth much in cash, and will hardly
ever alter history. Their value is measured in other ways. It is of such stuff
that museums are made, filled with wondrous things that stir the imagi-
nation and kindle stange fires. The past should be preserved. Not to
escape the present, but to bring contentment for things accomplished and
condition the perspective of the future. I think this applies equally to
the advertising arts as well as the masterpieces of the gunsmiths.

     When I think of the adventurous scenes of hunters and campfires,
black bear and elk that once graced thousands of firearms advertising en-
velopes, it makes me wonder how many postal clerks, circa 1910, might
have been stirred to less mundane activities after seeing dozens of these
covers pass through their hands. I wonder if any one of them quit his
job, bought a rifle, a box of new somkeless shells, and left for the
North country....I think I would have.