Beretta 451 EELL Gran Lusso 12ga – FACTORY 3-BBL, GIOVANELLI ’71, CASED

The Model 451 EELL has its roots in the great Continental European tradition of live-pigeon competition, a demanding and prestigious form of shooting in which considerable skill, money, and reputation could be at stake. Beretta built serious competition guns for this world, and the architecture of this 451 EELL GRAN LUSSO reflects that heritage: a substantial sidelock action, pistol-grip stock, beavertail forends, ventilated ribs, single trigger, ejectors, and the weight and balance required for fast, precise shooting.

Live-pigeon shooting remains an active pursuit among elite international sportsmen today, and H0222 remains entirely suited to the demanding game for which guns of this type were originally created. But the genius of this particular factory three-barrel set is that its usefulness extends far beyond the pigeon ring. Its three carefully chosen barrel and choke combinations transform one familiar, beautifully balanced sidelock into an extraordinarily versatile sporting gun.

The first 25 3/4″ barrel set has .729″/.727″ bores with .006″/.005″ constrictions. At 7 lbs. 4.6 oz. and balancing just 1/4″ behind the hinge pin, this is the quickest and most open configuration of the three. It is wonderfully suited to skeet and other close clay presentations, as well as fast game shooting over dogs—quail, woodcock, grouse, early-season pheasant, and preserve birds.

The second 25 3/4″ set has .731″/.731″ bores with .012″/.030″ constrictions. The open first barrel followed by a substantially tighter second is particularly interesting given the 451’s live-pigeon heritage, where a rapidly departing target could make the second shot considerably longer than the first. Yet the same progression makes this an exceptionally versatile field combination today. At 7 lbs. 4.8 oz. and again balancing 1/4″ behind the hinge pin, it provides virtually identical handling to the open set while offering considerably greater reach for mixed game, pheasant, partridge, sporting clays, and other situations where shot distances can change quickly.

The 28 1/4″ barrels complete the system. With .729″/.727″ bores and .024″/.037″ constrictions, they provide the tighter patterns and additional reach expected for demanding longer-range shooting. Weight increases only to 7 lbs. 7.2 oz., while balance moves subtly forward to the hinge pin. That small change adds steadiness and momentum without making the gun cumbersome. This is the natural choice for challenging live-pigeon presentations, high and driven pheasants, longer crossing targets, late-season birds, and other situations where dense patterns and a smooth, deliberate swing become important.

What makes the three-barrel concept so impressive is how little the gun itself changes. The two 25 3/4″ configurations differ by only two-tenths of an ounce and share precisely the same balance point. Even with the longer, tighter 28 1/4″ set installed, only about 2 1/2 ounces are added and the balance moves forward just 1/4″. The shooter can therefore change the gun’s capabilities dramatically without having to learn a different gun.

Viewed in its proper historical context, H0222 becomes much easier to understand. This is a Continental European competition gun descended from the serious world of live-pigeon shooting, but ordered as something considerably more versatile. Its three factory barrel sets allow the same finely fitted sidelock to move naturally from the pigeon ring or clay ground to close-cover shooting behind dogs, mixed upland hunting, driven game, and demanding high-bird shooting.

That versatility may be even more appealing today than it was in 1971. Rather than owning several fine guns for several different pursuits, the sportsman who appreciates becoming intimately familiar with one exceptional gun can travel with H0222 and select the barrel set appropriate to the day’s shooting. Whether standing at a live-pigeon ring, walking behind pointing dogs, shooting clays at the club, or taking a peg on a formal driven shoot, the gun remains familiar in the hands while its capabilities change with the occasion.

That was an extraordinarily sophisticated concept in 1971, and more than half a century later its brilliance remains.