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This month our Gun Room Manager William Mole takes a look at the much anticipated and newly released Beretta 694 Black DLC (Diamond Like Carbon)

Beretta is known for bringing top quality shotguns to the market and one of the recent successful launches was the 694 model in 2019.  It wasn’t just a face-lift but a new action both inside and out bringing numerous technical innovations improving aesthetics, ballistics and handling characteristics for the shooter.  After being successful selling in large numbers and produced in several variations including trap, sporting and skeet how could this gun get any better?

Well, the launch of the 694 Black DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) has done just that, taking the 694 model to even greater heights.  The gun was launched a few months ago and after much anticipation we have now started to see the guns arriving here at Thimbleby Shooting Ground.  So how could they have improved the 694, lets take a look at the technical differences…..

The first thing you will notice about the 694 Black DLC is the striking black action with contrasting acid green accenting.  This creates a fresh and modern appearance, but it goes deeper than just looks.  The black colour is a DLC or “Diamond Like Carbon” surface treatment.  This DLC is a very thin coating of amorphous carbon, which then transfers to the steel some fantastic properties associated with natural diamonds, such as hardness, abrasion and chemical resistance which of course are all very good things for a shotgun action.

Some of the main benefits of the DLC coating are….

• Very high resistance to alkaline and acidic solutions, such as acidic palm sweat.
• Resistance to general use and rust giving a much-extended lifetime.
• Superb anti-scratch and anti-shock properties.

Moving away from the action we come to probably the most important part, the barrels.  The 694 range has always had the Steelium Plus barrels, but with the 694 Black DLC they have been taken to another level.  They have been fitted with the Steelium Pro barrels available in 30” & 32”.  These are normally found on the DT11 range and feature a triple forcing cone.  This internal barrel profile allows the shot to leave in a more uniform way producing improved patterns and increased terminal velocity.  Not only that but this increase in performance comes with a reduction in perceived recoil for the shooter.  They are chambered 3” and are HP steel shot proofed making them fully steel shot ready for the future.  They come finished blued in a high gloss and with a full set of black extended Optima HP multi chokes, completing the fresh and modern look all the way to the end of the muzzle.

Looking at the stock and forend the gun comes finished with  grade 2.5+ European walnut.  The guns we have had delivered here at Thimbleby Shooting Ground have all featured good figure and are finished with a high gloss weatherproof coating, which seems to further enhance the grain.  The forend mechanism has had an improved design giving an improved lockup and positive feel.  The grip and palm swell are comfortable and from customer feedback seem a big improvement on the 692 dimensions.  The cut-outs on the shoulders where the stock meets the action give increased peripheral vision for the shooter helping them to see those targets even quicker and with ease.  Both adjustable and fixed comb variations are available depending on your preference.  All the stocks are fitted with the Micro Core recoil pad which gives good comfort and recoil reduction and is available in various lengths to achieve the correct length of Pull.

Finally something you can’t see but what makes a crucial difference to the gun is the B-fast weighting system.  The gun comes supplied with weights for the stock and the gun has the facility to add barrel weights that can be purchased separately allowing the shooter to really fine tune the gun to their personal requirements and handling characteristics.  The barrel weights are magnetic, slotting onto the barrel underneath the forend, and the stock weights are screwed in underneath the recoil pad.  Depending on the density of the stock the guns are shipped from the factory balanced on the hinge pin, so it may have some, none or all of the stock weights already fitted to achieve this.

So Beretta have really pushed the already successful 694 to another level with this exciting new release!  With several of these guns having already been delivered to us and supplied to clients we look forward to continue to receive further stock in the gunroom as we know it won’t last long….