I just got a copy of the 2005 Guns Illustrated and on page 246 is the Beretta SO9 12ga. o/u.  Tell me, what makes this piece worth 31 big ones.

Here's the 2005 Guns Illustrated description.
_________________________________________________________________________
BERETTA MODEL SO5, SO6, SO9 SHOTGUNS
Gauge: 12, 2-3/4" chambers. Barrel: To customer specs.  Stock: To
customer specs.  Features: SO5-Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays models
SO5; SO6- SO6 and SO6 EELL are field models.  SO6 hase a case-
hardened or silver receiver with contour hand engraving.  SO6 EELL has
hand-engraved receiver in a fine floral or "fine English" pattern or game
scene, with a bas-relief chisel work and gold inlays.  SO6 and SO6 EELL
are available with sidelocks removable by hand. Imported fomr Italy by
Beretta U.S.A.
Price:  SO5 Trap, Skeet, Sporting...................................$13,000.00
Price:  SO6 Trap, Skeet, Sporting...................................$17,500.00
Price:  SO6 EELL Field, custom specs...............................$28,000.00
Price:  SO9 (12, 20, 28, .410, 26", 28", 30", any choke)....$31,000.00
_________________________________________________________________________
Now I know it's a lot of hand made work done to customer's specification's, but is it really worth the price?  Anyone ever see or shoot one of these?  Would you buy it if claygunning was your thing and could afford it?  Would you risk hunting with it?  Man, that's a lot of dough!  

I'm sure the Kreighoffs were pricey, but in the GI 2005, none of the models, the ones that are illustrated at least, are valued higher than that.  I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just amazed and envious of thier position!

I also saw this on page 252 and about lost my stomach contents!
_______________________________________________________________
LEBEAU-COURALLY BOSS-VEREES O/U
Gauge: 12, 20, 2-3/4" chambers. Barrel: 25" to 32". Weight: To customer
specifications. Stock: Exhibition-quality French walnut. Features: Boss-
type sidelock with automatic ejectors; single or double triggers; chopper
lump barrels.  A custom gun built to customer specifications.  Imported from
Belgium by Wm. Larkin Moore.
Price: From...................................................................$96,000.00
_______________________________________________________________



As I said before, I would love to be in the position to say "Hey, I've got an extra $100k, let's go buy a shotgun!

Quoted: LOTS of upgrades.

Wow.  Got any pics?

Sharkman629,

You have to remember when you get into custom shotguns, the sky is the limit in regards to prices.  It's not the price of the gun your paying for, It's the amount fo time that went into hand engraving the receiver.   The SO9 is one of the lower priced shotguns that has hand engraving.  Depending on the amount of hand engraving and the amout of gold inlay you can get up to the $100,000 range real quick.

To sum it up, your paying for artwork that just happens to be on the side of the receiver.

www.perazzi.com/std/coord.asp?cdSrv=catalogo_prod&cdLng=en&idCategoria=61&

I guess there are some things in this world I will never understand.

Those shotguns are also custome measured and made for YOU.....they measure and fit you as if you were buying a suit.

Not to mention that each side of the receiver will be hand done by MASTER engraving artists with likely 100 hours on each side of the shottie.

Inlays, etc, etc, etc.......

I'll take an M1 or 1201FP any day.

There was a shop in Kittery Point Me (I'm not sure if it still in business) that you had to be buzzed in after you told them who you were that had an unbelievable inventory of very high end shotguns and double rifles. There were many shotguns in the $200,00 range and up and forget about the rifles I was afraid to pick some of them up. The sky is the limit if your pockets are deep enough. Mine are not.

Quoted: Those shotguns are also custome measured and made for YOU.....they measure and fit you as if you were buying a suit. Not to mention that each side of the receiver will be hand done by MASTER engraving artists with likely 100 hours on each side of the shottie. Inlays, etc, etc, etc.......

Ah.  That explains it.
Wait, no it doesn't.  I think 100K would be better spent on machineguns.  I can get a Browning Citori for around what, 1K?  But for me, my Remington 11-87 will kill pretty much any fowl I need.  I'll never understand why you'd want to pay that much for something you can get for much cheaper, and not have to worry about beating up in the field.  Unless you're buying it as a piece of artwork to hang on your wall (and in that case, just get a damn painting.)

Quoted: Wait, no it doesn't.  I think 100K would be better spent on machineguns.  I can get a Browning Citori for around what, 1K?  But for me, my Remington 11-87 will kill pretty much any fowl I need.  I'll never understand why you'd want to pay that much for something you can get for much cheaper, and not have to worry about beating up in the field.  Unless you're buying it as a piece of artwork to hang on your wall (and in that case, just get a damn painting.)

It's the difference between a Lexus and a Toyota.

Quoted: Quoted: Those shotguns are also custome measured and made for YOU.....they measure and fit you as if you were buying a suit. Not to mention that each side of the receiver will be hand done by MASTER engraving artists with likely 100 hours on each side of the shottie. Inlays, etc, etc, etc....... Ah.  That explains it. Wait, no it doesn't.  I think 100K would be better spent on machineguns.  I can get a Browning Citori for around what, 1K?  But for me, my Remington 11-87 will kill pretty much any fowl I need.  I'll never understand why you'd want to pay that much for something you can get for much cheaper, and not have to worry about beating up in the field.  Unless you're buying it as a piece of artwork to hang on your wall (and in that case, just get a damn painting.)

Do you have, or make, millions of dollars a year?  If the answer is no, then you probably would do like I do and just buy a rack grade Beretta O/U for $2000 and call it a day.  If you do, then $31,000 or $100,000 is "the same" as $2000 is to me....


Look at folks who don't even bat an eyelash when writing a check for a $400,000 Rolls or $280,000 Ferrari.  Cash money......no issues, no regrets.

Same thing.

The kind of folks who buy $100,000 O/U shotguns are the kind of guys who make more in a week than you and I combined in a year.

However, I can appreciate the craftmanship that goes in to one and they are worth every penny....if you can afford it.

Quoted: It's the difference between a Lexus and a Toyota.

What, a hood ornament and a few thousand dollars?