SP1 vs 682 Gold E? Opinions on gun purchase decision..

Help Support :

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
That looks in good order but being a std non adjustable stock it's not worth the asking price, also next time pay extra attention to the way the lever sits with the gun closed, needs to be very slightly off centre towards the right, another clue can be the wear marks on the trigger itself, a brand new one may well be trying to disguise something, when closing the gun it needs to clunk like a merc door, fore ends do have very slight movement and can be almost cured with loctite. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
That looks great! Unfortunately the 30" barrels felt a little wild to me when I tried it, whereas the 32" calmed everything down into a smoother swing. Will have a look through that website - thanks. 

That looks in good order but being a std non adjustable stock it's not worth the asking price, also next time pay extra attention to the way the lever sits with the gun closed, needs to be very slightly off centre towards the right, another clue can be the wear marks on the trigger itself, a brand new one may well be trying to disguise something, when closing the gun it needs to clunk like a merc door, fore ends do have very slight movement and can be almost cured with loctite. 
Thanks for the info. Here's a picture of the top lever position: 

Image from iOS (4).jpg

 
The gun looks good in the photos but you really need to see it in the flesh. One point. This Sporter has a trap fore end which some shooters prefer but does not appear original to the gun. There appears to be a difference in the colour of the stock with the fore end. Personal preference I know but 32” barrels on the 682E do make a difference to the gun in terms of pointing and handling.

 
Also, just to add to this thread. 

When buying the 682 Gold E, my plan is to send it off to Doveridge with Simon and have him refurb the wood, fit an adjustable comb, service the gun and fit a new micro core pad. 

This will probably be around the £500 mark so add that to a purchase price of £1800 means £2300 overall outlay - creeping into the new gun territory!

 
Before you undertake this additional expense get your instructor to check whether or not the stock fits you. If you require a comb raiser to be fitted then Simon is your man. His work is exemplary. The additional bonus is that the mechanism that he fits is far superior to the factory fitted one.

 
I can vouch for Simon's work have had 2 guns fitted with adjustable coombes and the Jones adjustable butt pads a k80 as and 3800 superb work and a 4 day turnaround. Tried 2 682 gold e 's yesterday at Sportsman Exeter one in 32 " left handed  and a 30" right handed both in excellent condition one at £1450 and £1550 both shot very well maybe worth a phone call if it helps 😁

 
The gun looks good in the photos but you really need to see it in the flesh. One point. This Sporter has a trap fore end which some shooters prefer but does not appear original to the gun. There appears to be a difference in the colour of the stock with the fore end. Personal preference I know but 32” barrels on the 682E do make a difference to the gun in terms of pointing and handling.
It was a suggestion to show you what is available and if true to description it is  a bargain..as i stated before i have had my hands on one that was mint and got sold for that price.

Many people prefer trap forends and i have several spare ones for a variety of guns,it may not be an exact match,changed or could just be the light.

Obviously you are an expert that has years of experience so no need to point you in the direction of any bargains!

 
It was a suggestion to show you what is available and if true to description it is  a bargain..as i stated before i have had my hands on one that was mint and got sold for that price.

Many people prefer trap forends and i have several spare ones for a variety of guns,it may not be an exact match,changed or could just be the light.

Obviously you are an expert that has years of experience so no need to point you in the direction of any bargains!
You have just repeated what I have said regarding trap fore ends and yes there are bargains to be had, especially if it is a private sale. I don’t understand why you feel the need to finish with such a catty remark. The sarcasm was unnecessary and offensive.

 
I can vouch for Simon's work have had 2 guns fitted with adjustable coombes and the Jones adjustable butt pads a k80 as and 3800 superb work and a 4 day turnaround. Tried 2 682 gold e 's yesterday at Sportsman Exeter one in 32 " left handed  and a 30" right handed both in excellent condition one at £1450 and £1550 both shot very well maybe worth a phone call if it helps 😁
Good to hear, nearly everyone rates him from what I’ve seen.

He said he’d need a couple of weeks with mine for the refinish etc.

I have a masterclass booked with Ben Husthwaite on Dec 6th as a gift in Leicester so this is all leading up to that. 

 
Your money your choice but......

if you intend to buy a £1800 Gold E and spend a further £500 on restoration why not buy a new 686 evo if you want a traditional 68 series action or a  690 and have a new gun for similar or less outlay and have a full warranty etc?

 
Your money your choice but......

if you intend to buy a £1800 Gold E and spend a further £500 on restoration why not buy a new 686 evo if you want a traditional 68 series action or a  690 and have a new gun for similar or less outlay and have a full warranty etc?
Yup this is exactly the point I was eluding to earlier! 

 
£1800 is a lot for a Gold E of unknown provenance.. the last one I purchased (a fixed comb 32”) was new at £1690 ! In the unlikely event 🤔 you decide to p/x in the future your £2300 investment will be worth £1200-1400 (I’ve been there) . I’ve shot my mates 690 Black Edition 30” extensively which is a cracking piece of kit and      easily the equal of any Gold E in my opinion.

 
Jasper

In addition to my A400Excel and Benelli Super Sport my O/U is a 525 Trap One for every reason you stayed in your earlier post but the op seems to be predisposed to Beretta and , in my opinion for what it’s worth, a new 690/ 686 Evo is a better investment than a Gold E of unknown provenance 🙈

 
I felt it totally necessary and not offensive in any way,so a snowflake to boot 🙄
I have held a SGC for over thirty five years so if I express an opinion it is based on hard earned experience. I know the Beretta brand inside out. You are obviously more expert than me so I, a mere snowflake, will accept that a gun with a mismatched coloured stock and fore end is a bargain buy. If the mismatch is down to lighting then I apologise unreservedly.

lf the newbie buys a new gun then he loses 20% to VAT. If he buys a second hand 682E at a sensible price and he gets Simon at Premier Guns to work his magic then he will end up with a gun that he will eventually grow into. This gun will be far superior to anything that he could afford to buy new.

l look forward to the day that Schmokinn and I can meet up and discuss the merits of shooting a 682E. I don’t think that he and I would differ too much in the merit of buying a pedigree second hand Beretta against the mediocre fare that the Beretta factory is pumping out at the moment. 

 
This is just my opinion as I have found it to be. Bookham guns never budges on price, most of the guns that are on sale have sat on the shelf for years. All the guns I have looked at have been in fairly good condition but don't expect to haggle, I have tried a couple of times over the years and have ended up buying equal quality elsewhere at better prices. I still miss my 682 Gold E, my biggest sale regret since I started shooting. Good luck with your first purchase.

 

Latest posts

Back
Top