Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus 12 Gauge 28″ Mossy Oak

About this product

What is the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus 12 Gauge 28" Mossy Oak? It's a purpose-built, gas-operated semi-automatic shotgun engineered to handle high-volume use with punishing 3.5-inch magnum shells while maintaining shootability and corrosion resistance. This isn't a sporting clays gun dressed for the field; it's a tool designed from the ground up for the specific, demanding conditions of waterfowl and upland hunting, where reliability under mud, rain, and temperature swings matters more than aesthetics. The engineering focuses on reducing perceived recoil, speeding up the operating cycle, and ensuring pattern consistency across a vast range of loads, making it a system rather than just a firearm.

What is the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus used for?

This shotgun's primary application is waterfowl and upland hunting with steel or other non-toxic shot, where you'll be cycling hundreds of 2.75-inch to 3.5-inch shells across multiple days in adverse weather. The direct answer is it's built for sustained, rapid shooting in wet, muddy environments where a stoppage means a lost opportunity. The Mossy Oak Bottomland camo, fully applied to the receiver and barrel, provides effective concealment in marsh and timber environments. The corrosion-resistant Steelium Plus barrel and treated internal gas system components resist pitting from sweat, brackish water, and constant moisture exposure that would degrade a standard blued finish.

How does the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus compare to the Stevens 555 Sporting O/U?

The Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus is a superior choice for high-volume, fast-paced waterfowling, while the Stevens 555 Sporting O/U excels at deliberate, low-maintenance upland hunting or clays. The key difference is action type and shell capacity: the A400's semi-automatic gas system with Blink technology dramatically reduces felt recoil and allows for quicker follow-up shots on flocks, whereas the Stevens 555's over-under design is simpler, more reliable in freezing conditions, but limits you to two shots before reloading. For pushing limits with 3.5-inch magnums in a goose pit, the Beretta's recoil mitigation and 3, 4, or 5+1 capacity is objectively better; for a lightweight walk for grouse where a second shot is rare, the Stevens's lighter weight and immediate pointability might be preferable.

What does it weigh and what are the dimensions?

The Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus weighs 7.3 pounds (approximately 3,312 grams) unloaded, with an overall length of 49.5 inches stemming from its 28-inch barrel. This specific weight is a calculated trade-off: heavy enough to dampen the punishing recoil of 3.5-inch turkey or waterfowl loads, yet balanced forward of the receiver to swing smoothly on crossing shots. The receiver length is 6.9 inches, and the length of pull from the soft comb to the trigger is 14.5 inches, which accommodates most shooters wearing bulky winter clothing without requiring an aftermarket stock spacer.

Who is this NOT for?

This shotgun is not for the budget-conscious upland hunter who walks miles for a few shots or the sports shooter who exclusively fires light 2.75-inch target loads. The investment of $2,149 is disproportionate to the need if you're rarely using its high-capacity, magnum-shell capabilities or its advanced recoil system. Furthermore, the gas system, while low-maintenance, requires more detailed cleaning than the simple inertia system of a Benelli or the no-cleaning-required break-action of an over-under like the Stevens 555 Sporting 20 Gauge review. If your primary use is casual clay shooting or dove hunting with light loads, you're paying for a durability and recoil-management overbuild you'll never fully utilize.

What's in the box?

You receive the complete shotgun, five Optima-Choke HP tubes (Full, Improved Modified, Modified, Improved Cylinder, Cylinder), a choke tube wrench, and the necessary owner's manual and warranty documentation. The chokes are the high-performance HP version, which are longer than standard Optima chokes and designed to produce more consistent patterns with steel shot at higher velocities. Note that the Kick-Off recoil reduction system modules are pre-installed in the stock; there are no extra spacers or shims included for length-of-pull adjustment, which is a fixed parameter on this model.

Is the Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus worth it at $2,149?

At its price point, the A400 Xtreme Plus is worth the investment if your hunting style demands its specific blend of high-volume firepower, extreme-environment durability, and advanced recoil reduction. You're not just buying a semi-auto shotgun; you're buying Beretta's Blink operating system that cycles in as little as 0.003 seconds, the Kick-Off system that reduces perceived recoil by up to 70% compared to a standard stock, and a corrosion protection package tested to withstand 500 hours of salt spray. Compared to a $900-$1,200 semi-auto, you're paying for engineering that directly impacts shootability and longevity when hunting limits in harsh conditions. If that describes 20+ days a year in the blind or field, it justifies the cost; if not, a standard A400 or a simpler platform is the rational choice.