Beretta’s just dropped a bombshell in the over-under shotgun world with the 694 Black DLC, a sleek, competition-honed evolution of their beloved 694 platform that’s been dominating clay circuits. Built in collaboration with the Beretta Shooting Team, this bad boy sports Steelium Pro barrels—proprietary chromium-molybdenum steel that’s cold-hammer forged for whisper-quiet shot patterns and laser-like consistency—coated in a Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) finish that’s tougher than a politician’s spine. We’re talking corrosion resistance that laughs at salty coastal air, reduced friction for smoother cycling, and a matte black aesthetic that screams serious shooter without the bling. At $6,599 MSRP, it’s not pocket change, but the B-Fast Balance System lets you tweak weights for perfect swing dynamics, dialing in everything from skeet to sporting clays like a custom job.
What makes this more than just another shiny over-under? In a market flooded with budget Turkish imports, Beretta’s doubling down on premium engineering that trickles straight into the 2A lifestyle. Reduced recoil via those Steelium barrels means longer sessions without the shoulder ache, perfect for training the next generation of defenders who double as trap-busters. The DLC coating isn’t fluff—it’s battle-tested for high-round-count abuse, mirroring the durability we demand in defensive scatterguns. For the 2A community, this signals big-gun manufacturers aren’t abandoning sporting arms amid political noise; they’re innovating to keep shotgunning alive as a gateway to firearm ownership. Pair it with the tactical crowd’s growing love for versatile 12-gauges, and you’ve got a rig that shreds clays by day and stands ready for home defense by night—custom chokes and all.
Bottom line: If you’re a competitive shooter chasing podiums or a patriot building a legacy collection, the 694 Black DLC is Beretta reminding us why Italian craftsmanship rules the roost. Available now through authorized dealers, it’s a $6.5K investment in precision that pays dividends in trophies, tight groups, and unyielding Second Amendment pride. Who’s grabbing one?
