Anyone know much about them? How are they? Is there any spare parts I should keep around? Any upgrades that must be made?

Never heard of it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%253Aar15.com+Beretta+1201

I know they recoil pretty good. One of the reasons they're not around much. Or so I am told by those that sold them for 1301's

Thank you. It seems to recoil about the same as my FN SLP but I’ve never shot a 1301 to compare it too

Basically the same system as a Benelli M1 Super 90.  Some parts can interchange with a little tweaking.  (Beretta owns Benelli I believe is how the company is structured)

My 1201FP wears Mossberg 590A1 type iron sights and a Benelli M1 Super 90 pistol grip stock, so it is kind of unique!


Also- light as hell, kick like a mule.  Reliable as hell, like most of the recoil operated shotguns are.  

You cannot add capacity to a 1201 mag tube like a Benelli, so that is a major difference.  They cannot swap barrels without also swapping mag tubes.

That kinda sucks about the extensions. It’s all good to know thank you.

Surefire used to make a forend for them. If you find one holler at me. I’ve been looking for one for a while.

Great shotguns, AIM used to sell them for cheap!

I owned a 1201FP. Sort of wish I'd kept it.  They came in black and green and I had the more attractive green furniture version. It used the Benelli ARMI system and a long tube mag.  Could be ghost loaded via a button inside the loading well triggering the shell release.  Mine had barley corn+bead sights and a standard stock.  It did not support chokes, just a straight cylinder bore.  It was a very light tactical shotgun and had vicious recoil even with AA birdshot.  Slugs out of the 1201FP were like firing a .416 Rigby from a Ruger No.1 lightweight rifle.  Very miserable and punishing recoil with tactical loads.  Again, if you ever pick up a 1201 FP you might really be surprised at how light it is.

Bad design components was that the mag tube cap was aluminum with aluminum threads and could be easily ruined by cross threading.  Other than that the gun was very similar to an M1S90 only without the Benelli's features like a barrel supporting threaded chokes and a tritium ghost ring sight and elevated front sight post combo. I liked everything about the Beretta 1201 FP except shooting it a lot.  Very flinch-inducing shotgun that left big purple bruises on my shoulder that would turn yellow and take almost a week to go away.

A neat thing about the FP1201 is if you're lucky enough to get the original box and documentation, the Italian warranty and proof house certificate is really pretty like a medieval illuminated manuscript. The user manual I got was completely in Italian.

I sold it to a friend and gathered up extra cash to buy a Benelli M1 Super 90 Tactical which I still enjoy.  The Benelli M1 is, um, a much tamer and more refined shotgun compared to the FP1201 side by side.  Still, I wish I still owned it.  If I were to ever find one NIB with all accessories I may be tempted to buy it anyway despite the punishment it inflicted on me.

Yes, recoil is a thing. Please remember that this thing is lighter than a lightweight AR, but is 12 guage.

Hell yeah I’m excited for this thank you everyone.

Very light

Beretta is known for its quality craftsmanship, and the 1201 is no exception. It is generally rated for its reliability and shooting accuracy. You can install the best scope, mounting equipment, etc. on it.

Welcome fellow shotgun enthusiast.

I want one but my poor ass cervical spine does not. Same reason I don't own a super 90.

I doubt that I ever sell mine.  I know it will run everything I run through it, from birdshot to buckshot and slugs as fast as I can pull the trigger and not skip a beat.  yeah I am sure the newer options 300 ultimata and 1300 are better, but then again mine works so no reason to spend the new money.

I took it out shooting again. It doesn’t seem all that bad with buckshot. I definitely see it’s light as hell it’s kinda weird

I have one, an FP I bought around 1995.
Never shot it.

Still have the box and stuff, I think

I bought it because it was on sale when I was assisting a coworker who wanted a pistol
I talked him into a doublestack 3rd gen S&W 9mm.

Had a couple.   Very good guns…fast actions.   I’ve also had Benelli M1 and M3s.  

The only downfall was the lack of any aftermarket stuff.    It was going to stay in the configuration you get it in.

If I found one cheap, I’d probably pick one up again

Thank you everyone

No comparison to the 1301 or Benelli guns.

Got two of them, rifle and ghost ring sights. You can use Benelli safeties, charging handles, stocks, and extended bolt releases.

One of the best and fastest shotguns I've ever shot.  Used it for years at our local pin shoots.  #4 low recoil buck on pins was quick and devastating.   My record time for 5 pins starting at low ready was 1.63 seconds.   Thousands of rounds through it and keeps going.  

Great gun.

That’s good to know. I think I’ll need an extended charging handle I kept slipping off the stock one

I have one ghost loaded next toy bed right now, pistol grip rifle sights. It is insanely light even loaded. Recoil sucks, after a few slugs or buckshot it wears you out. Its also insanely fast firing. I gave $400 dollars for mine, it was money well spent

I’ve got one.  Haven’t shot it in over 20 years.  Good gun.  Super light and never had any problems.  But as others said the recoil will beat you half to death.  Fine for a defensive gun but as far as just taking it out to shoot a bunch, forget it.

I haven’t tried the cheap birdshot yet but if it cycles it I may use it for skeet and trap shooting

Mine was mostly ok but not 100% with birdshot. Lightweight and the stock design don’t help the recoil. I tried an M1 PG stock, better but still too long and I couldn’t get comfortable with the PG.

My 1301 is better in every way but the price.

If you stick to at least 1 1/8 ounce loads I bet it will cycle fine.  

@smd226

The 1201 is a great low $$ shotty. Enjoy it!

This is one of my bump-in-the-night guns.

Great guns.  Maybe a bit old-school.  But still cool-school.

Choate,   riflestock.com  makes pistol grip replacement stock with shorter LOP than factory stock.

Works great, will leave bruises.  Use full power loads for reliability, and pistol grip stocks suck.

FWIW, the only shells I ever had issue with were the Federal reduced recoil buck, everything else, even the cheapest shit birdshot I could find, worked fine.

That should cover it.

Thank you everyone. I get the 1301 is supposed to be massively better but this is something I inherited I want to use it