So what all is involved in fitting a barrel on a Beretta 686? I know new barrels have to be fitted, but what are the risks of buying a used barrel and getting it fitted? I've only had one brand new barrel fitted to my gun, but I'm interested in buying a used barrel if it's not too much of a risk.
What about the amount of metal that has to removed for the fitting? Is there an amount removed that would prevent a used barrel from being reliably re-fitted to another gun?
Suggest you try the used barrel on the gun,you might find it fits fine. Beretta barrels are CNC machined many interchange with no to minor fitting.
That would depend entirely on the cause and nature of the binding and I'd put the hinge pin as suspect WAY down the list. Might be prudent to consult w/ someone who actually knows what they're doing with Beretta fitting. JMO of course I've had the misfortune to encounter a couple Perazzis that had been "fitted" by persons who obviously had far less knowledge and skill than they did misguided enthusiasm. I would think it unlikely that a few Berettas had not suffered the same.
I have done this and I found in my case they fit fine and was told by gunsmith to go ahead and shoot it. I also had to have ejectors timed on another set no big deal. The best thing is if the new barrels are tight when closed and the top lever is way right then all they do is fit the locks to the new barrel by enlarging the hole on the barrels where the locking pins go. If the barrel locking holes are too big then the easiest thing is to weld them up and have the lock refitted. I always prefer to keep the smallest lock pins as possible as they make bigger pins as guns wear in lock area. I have had several Perazzi locks replaced some new others welded up if the welder used the correct hardness and proper angle is resurfaced I found they lasted longer than original locks. The welded ones were harder and wore slower now we are talking many thousands of rounds before this happens.
I suspect that would mean that the lugs on the barrels were absorbing the wear and they're LOTS more difficult to replace. Wear is not an issue for a well cared for and properly treated Perazzi in my experience In the last 30yrs or so I've replaced one locking block and that was in a pre-owned gun that had not been treated well at all.