JL GALEF & SONS
Can anyone give me any information on a 20ga o/u Silver Snipe III. It looks like a Beretta but i can`t find the Beretta name anywhere on it. All i can find is the name JL Galef & Sons. It was made in Italy in the mid 1960`s as far as i can find out. No one has been able to give me any for sure answers on this gun. Is there any way i can tell for sure who made this gun and it`s value. It has never been fired and it is in brand new condition. I took it out of the original box. Thank you
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Hello, I have a 20ga O/U with the name JL GALEF & SONS Silver SnipeIII. Does anyone know anything about this gun? Anything you could tell me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
williamprim@adelphia.net0 -
"J L Galef" was the long time principal importer of Beretta manufactured firearms, circa 1940's to 1980's.
Your shotgun was produced by Beretta, probably in the 1960's.
There should be a "Made in Italy" marking, along with Italian proof marks.
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Rufe Snow is certainly right that it is an Italian shotgun, but it might not be a Beretta. Galef also imported Antonio Zoli shotguns in the same period and there is some (deliberate?) confusion between the makers and their models. Zoli and Beretta BOTH marketed an O/U called the "Silver Snipe" and a SXS called the "Silver Hawk"! They are all excellent guns; I've used all four extensively. So if you are KEEPING this shotgun, it's an academic question as to which it is.
But if you intend to SELL it, find out if it is really a Beretta before you advertise it as one.
A Beretta will have the Beretta, Gardone trademark on it somewhere; a Zoli will have the Antonio Zoli, Brescia marking. Another quick way to tell with most of these guns (there are exceptions...) is that a Beretta "Silver Hawk" SXS will have a Greener crossbolt action; the Zoli "Silver Hawk" won't. Conversely, the Beretta "Silver Snipe" O/U will have the Beretta-patented "conical" locking lugs inside the reviever; the Zoli "Silver Snipe" will probably have a square or oval Greener crossbolt on the outside of the reciever. Are we having fun yet?0 -
I'm looking at an old Galef catalog from 1971 and your shotgun is listed as the Galef "Zoli" Silver Snipe Over & Under. These shotguns were available in either 12 or 20 guage and in a variety of configurations. The standard game model listed for $229.95, a standard skeet or trap gun for $259.95, the vent rib model with selective automatic ejectors for $274.95, and the top level skeet or trap model listed for $304.95. It is worth noting that at this time Galef only imported the line of Beretta handguns, while Beretta shotguns were imported by the old Garcia Corp.. I have not thought about Galef for many years!
Mark T. Christian0 -
Mark- I'm looking at a 1963 Burtons Guide to Foreign Firearms and it shows,at that time ,Galef imported Beretta shotguns as well as pistols.The Silver Snipe was a Beretta Model as well,in both 12 and 20 ga.I think I recall Garcia picking them up in the late 60's.Can't get to all my old catalogs now to be more exact.In '63 the prices started at $174.50 and went up according to configuration.
Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob0 -
You'll need to go back prior to 1960 Hangfire because I have a Galef catalog showing them as importers of Beretta pistols as of that date. I'd be curious to learn when Galef first started importing for Beretta so if you can go back further than 1960 please let us know. If I recall correctly, Garcia picked up the handgun line from Galef in late 1969 and Beretta began their own importation in 1980.
Mark T. Christian0 -
I think Garcia picked up all Beretta guns by 1969[that would be late 60's, right[8D]]Memory's a little shakey, I was just leaving the gunshop and graduating from college.I don't really know what books I have,got them so packed away.Those were sure great times.
Love them Pre-64's!!!!-Bob0 -
quote:Originally posted by mark christian
You'll need to go back prior to 1960 Hangfire because I have a Galef catalog showing them as importers of Beretta pistols as of that date. I'd be curious to learn when Galef first started importing for Beretta so if you can go back further than 1960 please let us know. If I recall correctly, Garcia picked up the handgun line from Galef in late 1969 and Beretta began their own importation in 1980.
Mark T. Christian
The Triple K Catalog that I have ( Edition 15 ) gives extensive ink to the Beretta pistols imported by J. F. Galef & Sons. The dates they give are the mid 1950's.
I personally believe that Galef imported Beretta's, prior to that date.0
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