Today, we're taking a look at the Beretta A400 Xcel Multi-Target in 12 Gauge. When a shotgun manufacturer claims their shotgun can shoot all disciplines (Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays), we're often skeptical. However, we've been big fans of the Beretta A400's and this multi-target might change our minds about multi-discipline shotguns. After a bit of a learning curve, this A400 has been a blast to shoot. But is it worth the money? That's up to you to decide. Let's go! If you have experience with the XCEL Multi-Target, please let us know on the TFL COMMUNITY!      

Beretta A400 XCEL Multi-Target in 12 Gauge:

• The current MSRP of this multi-target is $3,029 but we picked it up from REEDS SPORTS for less than that
• Designed for multi-discipline shooting (trap, skeet, sporting clays, etc.)
• Get a FREE case of Federal Ammo with a purchase of a new shotgun from Reeds priced at $500 or above!  

QUICK SPECS

• 12 gauge (gas driven)
• This A400 comes with three Optima HP chokes (IC, M, IM) - But of course, we'd swap that out with a Carlson's Choke Tube
• 3-inch chamber
• 32" Barrell
• Shotgun Weight is 7lbs 11oz 
• Length of pull is 14 1/4" and is not adjustable.
• The comb is adjustable up,down, and from left to right to get your eye centered on the shotgun
• Shims are available to change drop and cast
• Sports the Kick-Off recoil reduction system

TRIGGER

• Like many other A400's the trigger has a bit of sponge to it
• We've really enjoyed the A400 Xtreme Plus as a duck gun, so we're hopeful that this A400 will rock as a multi-target gun
• 5lbs 3oz (Average pull weight)  Nice!

ERGONOMICS

• The pistol grip of this A400 is a bit beefy, but it seems to fit the hand very well and has a great grip radius
• The multi-target is a bit forward heavy, which can be helpful to achieve a smooth swing. The Excel Multi-Target has a weighted forend cap that can be changed to get the ideal balance point.
• Brass mid-bead and a large ivory front-bead (at least it's not a fiber!) 
• A huge advantage that this A400 has over other multi-discipline guns is that the B-Fast rib is adjustable to help dial in your point of aim and impact across the different disciplines. There's a simples screw towards the front of the rib that raises and lowers it with ease
• Nice wood for a gun at this price point
• All the controls are oversized and really easy to use. The bolt release in particular is huge and easy to hit
• Cross-bolt safety in front of the trigger.
• Raised rib
• The only ergonomic inconvenience is the bolt lock which is small, and tucked on the bottom behind the loading port
• The loading port is nothing fancy. Not milled out like some other shotguns.

RECOIL/RELIABILITY

• The first thing we noticed was the weird sensation of the kick-off system. It's like a pulse-type feeling. That being said, it does seem to help dissipate the felt recoil well. 
• The A400 is gas operated and it is a relatively soft shooting shotgun
• Their reliability was impressive and shot from every unorthodox position without an issue. These A400 gas systems have continued to impress us
• Overall, everything worked great for us - If you have experience with this gun, we're relying on you to share how reliable it's been! Chime in on the  TFL COMMUNITY!    

BREAKDOWN/QUALITY OF BUILD

• For a semi-auto, we were very pleased with the ease of breakdown
• The only quirk is that to remove the bolt handle, you have to push down the bolt head to just the right spot to get it loose. No big deal
• The bolt, slides, spring, and sleeve all slide off as one unit. We love that the spring is in a housing like this to prevent it from flying anywhere on its own
• The important components of this system come apart in 3 different sections rather than having about 200 pieces lying around like other gas guns
• The trigger group is a single-pin design
• This gun comes apart and goes back together very nicely

TRAP SHOOTING WITH THE A400 Multi-Target

• This gun had a little bit of a learning curve to get into a comfortable rhythm, but eventually, it mounted and shot quite smoothly. Steve shot 22 out of 25!
• With practice, this gun will become a very natural trap-shooting machine

SKEET SHOOTING WITH THE A400 Multi-Target 

• It was a weird feeling transitioning from trap to skeet but like all things, with a little practice and process, smoking clays with this A400 became very comfortable
• We would maybe consider making minor adjustments to the point of impact when switching between disciplines - super cool that this Beretta has the flexibility to do that!
• With practice, this gun will become a very natural skeet-shooting machine

SPEED SHOOTING THE A400 Multi-Target

• Beretta didn't mention how this shotgun would perform in the TFL Speed Shooting Discipline... This is where we hand-throw 3 clays on a timer to see how well a gun performs with the pressure of the clock. We find this to be valuable as everything about the gun is tested like balance, grip, recoil, reliability, etc...
• Our fastest time from the throw to the last clay was a blazing fast 1.08! Steve may have thrown just a hair early, but this gun still rose to the occasion and shot exceptionally well

So the question is: "Can this A400 successfully shoot all 3 disciplines" What we've found in the past is that shotguns that try to cover multiple bases in just one gun often end up having a weakness in each area. However, out of all the multi-target guns we've tried, this Beretta has impressed us the most. We believe that if you really dedicated some time to this gun and figured out how to match it to your style across the different disciplines, you could be very successful with it. Just don't expect it to perform exceptionally well at any discipline right out of the box. Your gun fit and individual adjustments will be very important to seeing success with this A400. But overall, if you're interested in shooting trap, skeet, and sporting clays with one gun, this is one of the best options we've found. Beretta makes a very solid gun, and this Xcel Multi-Target definitely impressed us.

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we will only hit what we are focused on, so live the #targetfocusedlife 

Stay Target Focused,

Steve