Since 2008, the A400 has been Beretta’s top-end semi-auto hunting shotgun. Following this year’s introduction of the AX800 Suprema, the company has sought to bridge the gap between its AX800 and A400 shotguns and the company's entry-level A300 shotguns. The result is the A400 Solo, a shotgun built around the proven action and designed to be rugged and ready for any field condition and be the only gun for the one-gun hunter.
Like other A400 models, the Solo is built around the company’s B-LINK Pro gas system, which Beretta calls its “fastest, cleanest and most reliable gas-operating system to date, cycling up to 36 percent faster and running 46 percent cleaner while reliably handling everything from light target loads to heavy magnum hunting ammunition.” The action is housed within a lightweight aerospace-grade aluminum receiver, which is drilled and tapped to be optics ready. It has been updated with a semi-flat trigger with crisper pull and shorter reset, a competition lifter, and an enlarged loading port.
Recoil is mitigated with the company’s Kick-Off Plus recoil reduction system, which uses two elastomer shock absorbers built into the buttstock to reduce felt recoil by a claimed 40 percent. This is paired with a B-Uffer recoil pad for additional recoil reduction and the B-Steady buttstock design. A B-Lok magazine cap allows for tool-free disassembly.
Barrels are made of cold hammer-forged tri-alloy Steelium and use an extended 80 mm forcing cone that delivers “exceptional ballistics, dense and consistent shot patterns”, and features a 7x7 mm stepped rib. Chokes are of an Optima High Performance pattern and an extended cylinder, modified and full are supplied with each shotgun.
Knowing the importance of shotgun fit, the A400 Solo uses shims and spacers to adjust the stock and both the buttstock’s pistol grip and the fore-end have been given a new profile and a new more aggressive texture. The trigger group and housing have been re-designed to mimic the styling of the Suprema and the enhanced safety is reversible.
A400 Solo models are available in 12-gauge with a 3-inch chamber with barrel lengths of 26, 28 or 30 inches, synthetic stocks, and multiple finish options. The standard all-black model has an MSRP of $1,549. Available camouflage finishes include Optifade Timber, Optifade Marsh, Realtree Max-7, Realtree Legacy, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Mossy Oak Original Bottomland, Mossy Oak Original Shadow Grass, each with an MSRP of $1,649. For more information, see the company’s website.
