Beretta 391, grip degrading.

Nekarsulm

Hi guys, I have a 391 Urika with the polymer stock and fore-end.
These have a rubberised inlay, which is now degrading.
You can easily scrape lumps of it off with a thumb nail.
Anyone else find this?
Did you manage to get replacement stock and fore end?
And if so, at what cost?
Cheers.

Cass

From reading it seems a common problem. Some claim its gun oil, others say they found cleaning products cause it. Which makes sense as its rubber and they don't react well to chemicals, over time. Soapy water is your friend here.

A forend replacement is the only option i know off. Don't know of anyone that has, successfully, replaced the rubber because once it starts to go its gone. As for repair even less of a chance than replacing it.

Seems its a forend replacement. I read somewhere before about guys using the A400 forend on some models of 391, but you'd want to check before purchasing.

customrifle

https://estore.beretta.com/en-eu/beretta-synthetic-forend-xtrema-2-12-ga/
Is that the same one?

garv123

Can't beat a shotgun that looks like its been through a few wars Better than those cabinet princess some lads have, ive seen lads put the gun back into the slip when it started to drizzle :rolleyes:

I have the same myself, theres a few small marks on the rubber but nothing that bad.

People do seem to blame gun oils and cleaners.

CJhaughey

Scrape the rest of the rubber jelly out, clean the area with acetone and use some epoxy with sand in it to fill the area, obviously you will need to mask it off but that would be a good solution to get some grip and reuse the fore end which is still perfectly functional.
You can buy flexible epoxy in many different colours, or if you wanted to try something more rubber like use black Tec 7 and try and put a pattern into it with some wire mesh or similar.
I bet you could get a very nice finish if you did some practice.
The absolute worst outcome would be buying a new fore end.
I think its a good chance to personalise the gun.

Cass

CJhaughey wrote: »

Scrape the rest of the rubber jelly out, clean the area with acetone and use some epoxy with sand in it to fill the area,

Wonder would the OP need some sort of "anchor" for the epoxy to bind to as well as the forend? Like using rebar when pouring concrete. Perhaps some small screws or metal dowels?

I bet you could get a very nice finish if you did some practice.
.

On that note would a piece of mesh (example) laid across the epoxy for a short time leave a permanent imprint if it were removed before the epoxy set. A quick way to give a chequered design.

Nekarsulm

Great ideas, CJ and Cass.
Nothing beats a try, and as you say, theres always a new one if the experiment fails..
Cheers.

CJhaughey

Id say if you are texturing epoxy you probably would have to spray some silicone mould release on the mesh before application.
Easy enough to practice with some scrap material and see what works first.

Nekarsulm

CJhaughey wrote: »

Id say if you are texturing epoxy you probably would have to spray some silicone mould release on the mesh before application.
Easy enough to practice with some scrap material and see what works first.

Good idea!
Been thinking about this, and might try using a spare piece of wax foundation from a bee hive, cut to shape, as a means of adding texture.
It'd give a hexagon pattern, in a kind of "hounds tooth" arrangement.

tudderone

Perfect project for someone with a 3d printer, you can make allsorts on those things, turn your Beretta into a ghost gun .

But seriously, i'd be amazed if you couldn't find something online to print off, grip panels, someone must have done it if this is a common problem on those stocks.

garv123

tudderone wrote: »

Perfect project for someone with a 3d printer, you can make allsorts on those things, turn your Beretta into a ghost gun .

But seriously, i'd be amazed if you couldn't find something online to print off, grip panels, someone must have done it if this is a common problem on those stocks.

I was always tempted to 3d scan mine and 3d print ones but never got around to it.
I'll wait for the pads to get a bit more damaged first before I go ripping it apart.

J.R.

Here is Beretta’s response


Thank you for contacting Beretta Customer Support.

Rubber material cannot be repaired once deterioration has set in. Unfortunately, stock or forend replacement is your only option.

However, forends have long been sold out through our channels for over five years. If stock replacement is required, then we recommend that of a 1301 or A400 stock. The latter will retrofit to your receiver.

For forends, we recommend Gunbroker and Numrich Gun Parts.