The fairly new A300 Ultima Patrol shotgun notwithstanding, Beretta’s modern tactical shotgun lineage arguably began with the inertia-driven 1200/1201 models and continued with gas-operated variants like the TX4 Storm that eventually morphed into the 1301 Tactical, officially introduced in 2014. In some ways, the ongoing decade-long success 1301 has helped cement Beretta’s position in the tactical shotgun market.
Like the TX4 and A400s before them, all 1301s are built around an aluminum receiver and employ the Beretta B-Link short-stroke gas system, which is probably the single most important element that makes these such great shotguns. The B-Link system works in conjunction with a chromed rotating bolt by with venting gas from a pair of ports located near the midpoint of the barrel in order to swiftly actuate a sealing piston (think AR-15 bolt gas rings) that impinges a bolt-carrier assembly comprised of a shroud and two robustly welded action bars. The B-Link system has several wonderful qualities.
First, it’s extremely fast. For comparison, it’s not hard to feel the slower difference in cycling when shooting a standard carbine-length 5.56 NATO AR-15 using a carbine spring and H1 buffer. The B-Link’s design also allows it to cycle a large variety of shells reliably, including softer-shooting loads, something that comes in handy when training. The B-Link action is plenty rugged and does a great job at “absorbing” 12-gauge felt-recoil. Beyond robustness, it also keeps the overall weight of the shotgun low. This gas system, along with the high quality consistent-patterning “Steelium” alloy barrels, make the Beretta 1301 one of the top contenders for tactical self-loading shotguns in today’s market.
Upgrading The 1301
Though Beretta now offers several factory-accessorized 1301 SKUs in its catalog, that wasn’t always the case. First generation 1301Ts and early “Mod2” shotguns were plainly configured out of the box. They included the standard five-shot magazine, OEM synthetic furniture and the OEM sight set (rear adjustable LPA ghost-ring and Picatinny base with a photoluminescent front sight shrouded by a sight base). Incorporating key accessories throughout the shotgun became a way to make it a more useful tool.
Below is a quick rundown about some popular or notable 1301 Tactical shotgun accessories and upgrades. Keep in mind that the Beretta 1301’s accessory options are vast and this is by no means comprehensive.
Stock Accessories
Aridus Industries Stock Adapter for Magpul SGA Stock: Now on its second generation, Aridus Industries pioneered the original stock adapter that connects to the rear of all 1301/A400 receivers and allows for the installation of Magpul’s classic SGA Mossberg 590 stock.
Chisel Machining Folding Stock: Chisel Machining offers a pistol-grip equipped folding stock option for 1301/A400 receivers, which allows shotguns to be folded and stowed more compactly, similar to LAW Tactical Folders in the AR-world. These Chisel folding stocks also allow the end-user to mount a reflex sight off the receiver by providing a perch to install optics-mounting plates with popular footprints such as the ACRO, DeltaPoint Pro and RMR.
Kick-eez Sorbothane Recoil Pads: Kick-eez offers recoil pads made from Sorbothane, a rubber compound known for its recoil-absorption and vibration-dampening qualities. They’re available for factory Beretta shotgun stocks and Magpul’s SGA stocks; Chisel Machining uses these on its stocks, too.
Optics Mounts & Sights
Aridus Industries CROM: The Co-Witness Ready Optics Mount (CROM) is another accessory originally pioneered by Aridus Industries. Using the existing pattern of drill-and-tapped holes in the shotgun’s receiver, the CROM replaces the OEM ghost-ring sight and Picatinny base with a low-profile mount that accepts any optic with an Aimpoint Micro footprint. The CROM includes a built-in ghost-ring sight that lines up with both the red dot and the 1301T’s front sight for a fully co-witnessing set up. Aridus also offers CROM mounts with the RMR footprint. Due to the popularity of this setup, other companies offer this style of mount, too.
Reptilia Saddle ACRO Footprint: Reptilia offers an ultra-short and low-profile mount with the Aimpoint ACRO footprint. This unit only replaces the Picatinny base and leaves the OEM ghost-ring sight in place. Like the Aridus CROM, the Reptilia Saddle also allows the mounted ACRO pattern optic to co-witness with 1301 standard front and rear sights.
LTT Super Duty Shotgun Sight: Langdon Tactical offers a replacement front sight that swaps the factory post and protective wings with a low-profile notched and serrated sight with the aim of reducing visual clutter when shooting these shotguns with optics.
Shell Carriers
Aridus QD-C: The Aridus Industries’ QD-C is another of the company’s earliest products. This bomb-proof shell carrier consists of two pieces, a cradle that adheres to the left side of the 1301’s receiver and the actual shell carrier which pops in and out of the cradle via a spring latch. In addition to the cradle’s thick polymer construction, each hole employs a leaf spring to snugly tension shotshells in place.
Vang Comp Ammunition Carrier: The shotgun wizards at Vang Comp offer shotshell cards and placards that fit Beretta 1301s. These consist of acrylic adhesive, hook-and-loop-backed placards that stick to the receiver to hold shotshell “cards” in place. Manufactured in collaboration with Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC, these cards’ shell loops are made from an extremely strong and durable elastic material that keeps uniform tension on each shotshell at all times. The hook-and-loop backing facilitates the replacement of empty cards with loaded ones.
Mesa Tactical SureShell Carrier + Reflex Mount: Mesa Tactical’s SureShell carrier takes a different approach by combining an optics mount meant for red-dots and a shell carrier while taking advantage of a single mounting point—the dorsal area of the 1301’s receiver where it comes drilled and tapped from the factory.
Handguards
Aridus Industries Imperium: Aridus Industries recently launched the Imperium aluminum handguard. Imperium handguards are machined from a single piece of extruded aluminum, and they’re currently the only completely enclosed handguard option available for 1301T. Its outer surfaces are checkered with a unique radial pattern that provides a moderate amount of grippy texture. The upper portion of the handguard serves as a heat shield and as a means to keep the Imperium extremely rigid. To facilitate the attachment of accessories, M-Lok slots are present on either side of the Imperium. No special tools or techniques are needed to install the Imperium; it’s 100 percent drop-in.
Briley 3-Gun M-Lok Handguard: Briley offers a full-size, open-top M-Lok 14-inch long handguard that fits all Beretta 1301 and A400 models. This cage-like handguard is tall and features several rows of M-Lok slots. It installs directly in place of the OEM polymer handguard without the need for specialized tools either. The open top means that this handguard is compatible with ribbed shotguns as well.
Midwest Industries: Midwest Industries also offers a low profile aluminum M-Lok handguard for 1301s. Like the Briley, the Midwest Industries unit is another open top design. The Midwest’s design leaves the upper half and top of the shotgun’s barrel exposed, but it can be combined with Langdon Tactical’s Labyrinth heat shield to protect the shooter’s hands from the hot barrel.
Honorable Mention: It would be difficult to write an article about 1301 accessories without mentioning the Aridus Hardware HGA Retrofit Kit for the Zhukov AK handguard. Now in its second generation, Aridus Industries created a series of tabs, screws and collars that could securely hold a full-length Magpul Zhukov AK handguard in place of where the 1301’s original OEM handguard sat. In the earlier days before the aftermarket caught up, using the Zhukov was one of the few reliable ways to add a “modular” handguard with a built-in bottom heatshield on these shotguns.
Magazine Extensions & Barrel Clamps
Nordic Components: Along with the first wave of Aridus’ accessories, the Nordic Components MXT shotgun magazine extension has been one of the go-to parts since end-users began accessorizing their Beretta 1301T models. Manufactured from aluminum, the Nordic +2 extension holds seven shells and is practically flush with the muzzle. Nordic Components offers a barrel clamp that’s complementary with the MXT; it’s possible to mount QD sockets to the clamp for a forward sling attachment point.
GG&G Extensions: GG&G offers a 6061 aluminum +2 magazine extension. Like Nordic Components, a complementary magazine clamp is available too. Similarly, this part does not require any specialized tooling to install to the standard Beretta 1301 five-shot factory magazine tube.
Toni System Extensions: Though hailing from a competition background, Toni Systems of Italy offers magazine tube extensions for the 1301 Tactical. They also offer three different styles of corresponding barrel clamps that are compatible with their extension: a tactical unit, a similar clamp with a built in QD socket and a lightweight “sporting” clamp.
Miscellaneous Items
Aridus Industries, Toni System, GG&G and many other companies all produce an array of small peripherals that go in or around the 1301’s receiver. This includes small parts such as charging handles, action release latches, followers and shell-holding “match savers.” Parts like the Aridus YT-1301 Latch and Shroud assembly were developed in response to the 1301’s “shell latch glitch” that was prominent in first-generation 1301s; the action-release/shell latches on these early guns were sensitive enough to inadvertently release shells from the tubular magazine and cause and annoying or even fight-stopping jam. A later redesign of the factory-standard action-release/shell-latch has solved this problem, but many end users still upgrade their 1301s for increased action release functionality.
Aridus Industries’ Connection To the 1301
Aridus Industries is mentioned a fair bit in this writeup, and that’s because Aridus Industries deserves much credit for its design and implementation of Beretta 1301 accessories dating back to the gun’s earliest years. Since Aridus just about pioneered the high-end aftermarket accessory space for the 1301 Tactical in the U.S., the company has become synonymous with Beretta 1301 Tactical itself.
In the late 2010s, before the rest of the industry caught up, 1301 Tactical shotguns festooned with Aridus parts and Magpul accessories became their own “thing.” It wasn’t unlike the way the “Roland Special” Glock 19 became its own thing and started a theme of slide-mounted red-dot tactical pistols with compensators. These “Aridused 1301s” had a distinctive look with their Magpul Zhukov and SGA furniture while having a low-mounted red-dot, thanks to the Aridus CROM.
In the earlier days, these shotguns would usually also sport the Nordic Components +2 extension and barrel clamp, too. The FDE shotgun pictured in this article is such a gun, dating back to 2015 and having been put together with all of the Aridus components in the later 2010s. The other model is an early Mod2 1301 and wears the current generation of Aridus Parts including the new Imperium handguard. 1301s done up in the original Aridus configuration even made it into popular fiction including shows like "The Terminal List" and "The Tomorrow War."
While this article provides only an overview of some of the many accessories available for the Beretta 1301 shotgun, it should also serve as notice to readers that there exists a wide market of parts and accessories that allow tactical shotgunners to fine-tune their guns and make them their own. Modularity and customization isn't just relegated to the AR-15 world anymore, and with the right upgrades, a well-configured and well-built shotgun can be a powerful tool for defensive use.
