Beretta 1301 Tactical

[GJM]

After looking at both the Tactical and Competition gun at SHOT, I am going to get the Competition one at some point. Even though I like the shorter barrel on the Tactical, the Competition looks like it has more thought into it (like the 3 1/2" receiver to allow more room for manipulations of ammo). I figure at some point a shorter barrel will be available or a custom cut version could be figured out if the 3 inches is something I couldn't live with.

I think it depends on what you are trying to do. The standard 1301 is the new darling of the 3 Gun crowd, and as you point out has a number of good features.

The 1301 Tactical/TX4 has one significant difference that for my use trumps the standard 1301 for defensive use -- the stock design and relationship of the aperture sights to the rail. With an H1 in a Larue low QD mount, the aperture sights and red dot are co-witnessed on the TX4/1301 Tactical, but not the regular 1301. It isn't the co-witness exactly that excites me, but rather the stock is optimized for using both the aperture sights and dot. Every other shotgun I have tried (Benelli M2, Benelli M4, 1301, 870 with Magpul or any stock) is set up for an optic or iron sights, but not both. That means the stock feels wrong 50 percent of the time, if you want aperture sight and optic capability. Since launching a single projectile Brenneke slug is my main use for the shotgun, and I want aperture sight and red dot ability, nothing else compared to the 1301 Tactical/TX4 for my use. If you really want to shoot 3 Gun or buck, the regular 1301 is probably the way to go.

[David Armstrong]

I enjoyed my 1201 FP. Recoil operated, light weight, blazingly fast. Looks like the 1301 may be a nice successor.

[Dagga Boy]

GJM, my thought was to try to find someone to barrel mount a small rail at the back of the vent rib on the Competition gun for a Micro to leave the receiver slick for more loading options.

[shootist26]

Looks like the 1301 Tac has the rail on top with the full cutout down the middle. Doesn't work too hot with QD mounts like the Larue from what I've seen.

[GJM]

I bought a 1301 before I knew the 1301 Tactical would follow, and since I wanted to primarily shoot slugs, I got the Beretta rail and put an H1 on my 1301. I think the 1301 stock is optimized for the two FO beads that it comes with, as even in the low Aimpoint factory mount, the H1 sits higher than I prefer.. Your face may be different than mine, but I would set an H1 on the rib and see whether that will work out -- my bet is that the Aimpoint will ride too high for your liking and mess up being able to use the FO dots when the H1 is removed..

[ScotchMan]

Why wouldn't they stretch out the magazine tube enough to fit a 6th round? 6+1 is fairly standard as a minimum for a tactical shotgun, no? Mossberg 930 holds 7+1. There is even a gap there at the end of the tube. With the platform's biggest downside as a defensive weapon being capacity, why wouldn't they fill that thing up as much as possible?

[GJM]

Briley can do that for you with a +1 or 2 magazine extension that includes a bit of rail for your light and sling.

[DocGKR]

OK. I love my 1301 Tac. It is a quick and easy to shoot. I'll be getting another 1301 soon. However, there is NO easy way to mount a light on these things, let alone a good sling. The Briley extension tubes w/pic rails are nice, but it places the light too far forward. You can also get a sling swivel stud on the Briley extension tubes, but I'd rather have a fixed sling attachment.

[ScotchMan]

Briley can do that for you with a +1 or 2 magazine extension that includes a bit of rail for your light and sling.

Interesting. I may need to look into these. They look sharp as hell and I am pleasantly surprised to see the PF crowd with good things to say about them. I can't say I've seen that with anything else in the "Storm" series, even though I myself am quite fond of the pistols.

[ToddG]

Can someone give me the short list in terms of differences, Tac vs Comp?