Beretta 687 EELL shotgun review

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Beretta 687 EELL shotgun review

The Berretta 687 EELL is a pimped-up version of the best selling original.

By Jason Harris

Wednesday, 20 February 2008

The Beretta EELL shotgun is an updated and improved version of the well known best seller.

I've said it before and I will say it again, Beretta rarely lets grass grow under its feet - and the new 687 EELL Diamond Pigeon is proof of it.

For whatever reason the company has decided it' s time to give the lovely EELL a bit of a gee up by looking to its locks. Or rather, sideplates. More of this in a moment...

For those who are unfamiliar with the gun let me give a quick run down on this over-under game gun. The model being reviewed came with 28in fixed choke barrels (¼ and ½) and 3in chambers capable of handling magnum loads.

A multi-choke version is available, but I think the fixed choke model handles better. That said, both barrel sets have been chrome lined for maximum resistance to corrosion, and to make cleaning easier.

Mechanically speaking, the Diamond Pigeon remains the same as its predecessor: remove the gun's decorative sideplates and you will see it shares the same inertia trigger mechanism as other guns in the 680 series.

Berretta 687 EELL shotgun.

Stock dimensions are also the same with a length of pull measuring 14½in and drops at comb and heel of 1½in and 2¼in, a good average specification for most sportsmen out there. This gun was slightly cast in favour of the right hander but left hand stocks are also available.

The weight of the gun is approx 7½lb but this rises slightly in the case of the multi-choke model.

The changes to the EELL are purely visual and mainly centre on the engraving.

Berretta 687 EELL shotgun.

In many respects the style of engraving remains the same - fine scroll and game scene - but a greater emphasis has now been placed on detail. The engraving is rolled on but then the detail is picked out by hand. The EELL's sideplates might well add support and strength to the stock but their real purpose of course is to increase the canvas size for the engraver's art.

Berretta 687 EELL shotgun.

The sideplates on the EELL are simply that; sideplates for added decoration with woodcock in flight on the left side of the action, and pheasants on the right. The belly of the action sports a woodcock surrounded by scroll work and the rest of the action frame carries an almost full covering of engraving made up of tight scroll and floral bouquet.

More engraving can be found around the hinge area of the action frame. The other obvious change on this gun is the fore-end which now sports a rounded nose in place of the usual Schnabel shape on previous models.

Berretta 687 EELL shotgun.

Personally, I like the new profile both in terms of looks and the way the fore-end sits comfortably in your hand. The chequering is very fine and nicely cut on both stock and fore-end.

We have come to expect good quality wood on a gun of this price and the new Diamond Pigeon maintains that standard. Over the years I have seen various patterns of wood on EELLs, but I have never seen a piece of timber that I didn't like.

Each gun comes supplied in a tough ABS travel case complete with accessories.

JASON'S VERDICT:

Overall I like this new look to the gun. The engraving is very good - as it always is from Italy - but I can't help but wonder why the makers have taken into their heads to improve a gun that didn't need improvement in the first place!

Ah well, at least the customer's a winner in this respect.