For being 498 years old, Beretta looks pretty good. Founded in 1526, the Italian gunmaker is the oldest gun company in the world. It is safe to say that the company knows what it is doing when it comes to making quality guns.
Perhaps best known for their shotguns, one of the company’s offerings in the early 2000s — the Beretta 471 EL — was the epitome of the “less is more” mindset. The 471 EL side-by-side 12-gauge shotgun doesn’t come with head to toe intricate scroll engraving.
Instead, the company tastefully finished the color case hardening to highlight the gold inlay of two ducks on the left side and two woodcocks on the right side. The richly blued, 28-inch barrels complement the case colors and come stocked in a beautiful piece of walnut.
The goal of the 471 EL was to create a gun that looked exceptionally expensive but really wasn’t. MSRP was $6,495. This shotgun was not cheap, but inexpensive, relatively speaking. Beretta accomplished this by hiding some things under the hood, or rather, in the receiver.
The aforementioned side plates, which are found on higher-end guns, are just for show. In reality, the 471 EL is a simpler boxlock gun. Outfitted with a single selective trigger, the gun is also fitted with ejectors.
Don’t let the type of lock fool you, though. Boxlock guns are generally stronger than their side plate siblings. That means you can put the 471 EL through its paces; she’s beautiful, but wasn’t meant to be a safe queen.
This Beretta 471 EL Shotgun is Rare
Even so, the gun in the Collector’s Elite Auction’s September collection looks exactly the same as she did when she came out of the factory in Italy. “New in box” is the most accurate way to describe this gorgeous shotgun. It comes in the original factory hard case with all of the paperwork and accessories, including seven different Optima choke tubes and the original trigger guard hang tag.
Made for just five short years between 2002 and 2006, the 471 EL was an exclusive gun. It was only available through select Beretta Showcase dealers. Perhaps fittingly, the one being offered in the September collection is, as of the time of this writing, one of only two 471 EL shotguns in the entirety of GunBroker’s almost 7,500 side-by-side shotgun listings. Made 20 years ago in 2004, this gun is just as exclusive today as it was then.
Starting at a penny with no reserve, some lucky bidder will take this gun home when the September Collection closes. Now’s your chance to score an exceptional Beretta 471 EL.
If you missed out on buying one when they were still in production, don’t let the rare opportunity to place the winning bid on this one pass by. You won’t want to let another 471 EL slip through your fingers, especially not this one. You’ll be hard pressed to find an example that is in as exquisite shape as the one offered here.
