The Beretta AL391-Xtrema2 is a semi-automatic shotgun developed and produced by Italian firearm manufacturer Beretta. It is currently used by hunters and target shooters, mainly in the United States. The shotgun is commonly referred to simply as the Xtrema2. The shotgun is found in several variants, depending on barrel length, barrel type, and factory-installed camouflage exterior. Semi-automatic shotguns are a subclass of shotgun that are able to fire a shell after every trigger pull, without any of the manual reloading typical in most shotgun designs. ... Logo of Pietro Beretta This article is about a firearm manufacturer; for the car, see Chevrolet Beretta. ... Countershaded Ibex are almost invisible in the Israeli desert. ...

Overview

The Xtrema2 was released in mid 2006, to answer the call from hunters and target shooters for a complete do-all shotgun. Beretta’s goal was to produce a shotgun that could reliably fire 2-3/4” loaded with light target loads all the way through the very brutal 3-1/2” super magnum round without any modification or settings to be dealt with. They decided to take the already immensely popular AL391-Xtrema, and update it to fit their needs. They also wanted to add as many recoil reduction features as possible to the shotgun to increase follow-up shot accuracy while target shooting and hunting. In firearms, a follow-up shot are the shot(s) fired subsequently after the first shot. ...

Technical Advantages

The Xtrema2 had several features that were designed to increase accuracy and reliability. For one, Beretta decided to strip away as many o-rings and springs as possible for less chance of wear, and also to make easier for the weapon to be field stripped without the accidental loss of parts. They chose to go with a gas operated action instead of inertia driven action, because it has less moving parts, and doesn’t require modification as the shell-load is altered.

Another advantage is in the over-bored barrel design, which starts out larger than normal at the chamber, and tapers off to a cylinder-choke bore at the muzzle. This reduces muzzle jump and also improves shot-pattern.

Beretta also redesigned their stock choke system by increasing the length of the choke inside the barrel for a more gradual constriction, without having to add to the length of the barrel like after-market choke tubes do. They then also chose to take the time-proven technology of hydraulic shock absorption from car-manufactures and put it in the gun’s stock for up to 44% felt recoil reduction at the shoulder.

Beretta also saw the need for the gun to be protected from the elements so as to protect the gun in harsh hunting conditions such as water-fowl hunting, where salt spray can damage a gun within hours. Beretta’s answer to this need was to coat the gun’s working parts in a micro-thin membrane which completely protects the metal from corrosion while out in the field.

Other improvements such as an extra long barrel tang(the part of the barrel that fits into the receiver, and is actually behind the chamber)to more accurately fix the barrel to the receiver in order to increase accuracy when using slugs with a scope fixed to the receiver.

Stock spacers are also available to change the Length of Pull (distance between trigger and butt end of stock) without major modification.

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Technical Specifications

Gauge: 12
Chamber: 3-1/2” Super Magnum
Operation: Semi-Automatic, gas operation with exhaust valve mounted on barrel
Locking System: Two lug, rotating head breach bolt
Receiver: Aluminum alloy with elastomer bolt travel recoil absorber
Barrel: Alloyed steel, chrome-plated bore and chamber
Overall Length: 44-3/4” - 50-1/4”
Barrel Length: 26”-28” smoothbore, and 24” rifled slug
Safety Device: Cross Bolt safety switch
Feed Device: Fixed under-barrel tube magazine
Magazine Capacity: 2-11 rounds (comes plugged at 2 rounds, expandable to 11)
Feed Type: Gas-operated
Sights: Vented rib barrel with bead-sight
Weight: 7-1/2 Lbs.
Max effective range: 175 yards w/ rifled barrel and 3-1/2” magnum sabot slug round

Sources

Beretta Xtrema2 User Manual
http://www.berettausa.com
http://www.nssa-nsca.com