Luke Cuenco 03.03.23
Beretta’s highly polished and prized SL3 shotguns can often run upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. These shotguns feature beautifully engraved stocks and receivers and are often the jewel of many outdoorsmen’s collections. Beretta will be presenting a one-of-a-kind SL3 Shotgun – the SL3 Tutankhamon, at this year’s SCI (Safari Club International) convention along with its specialized gun case which is modeled after King Tuts’ sarcophagus.
Beretta Coverage on AllOutdoor
One-of-One Beretta SL3 Tutankhamon to be Presented at SCI Convention
Accokeek, MD – Beretta is pleased to present to the public a custom one-of-one shotgun at this year’s SCI Convention – the SL3 Tutankhamon. The SL3 Tutankhamon celebrates 100 years after the discovery of King Tutankhamon’s tomb by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon with its enriched engravings depicting common imagery from Egypt, symbols of the Egyptian civilization, and hieroglyphs found in Tutankhamon’s tomb.
This one-of-one shotgun is an SL3 EELL 12-gauge with a classic field configuration and Beretta proprietary Steelium hyper-polished 30-inch Optimabore-HP barrels. Made of an exhibition-grade 5 European walnut wood and hand checkered with a Tru-Oil finish, the SL3 Tutankhamon underwent 1,000 hours of hand engraving by master engraver Luca Casari.
The engraving has been done in the Bulino-style with a Gold, Green Gold, Silver, and Copper hand inlay, and features a hammer and chisel technique for the background beating.
The right sideplate of the SL3 Tutankhamon features three main gold-inlaid subjects, representing three main personalities of Ancient Egypt’s 18th Dynasty related to King Tut’s history (from left to right): the Pharaoh Tutankhamon, Queen Neferneferuaten Nefertiti (the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled before Tutankhamon), and Queen Ankhesenamun (the Great Royal Wife of Tutankhamon). The background of these three subjects is enriched by imagery from Egypt and symbols of its powerful ancient civilization, also taken from the hieroglyphs in Tutankhamon’s tomb: desert caravans and oasis, the Great Sphinx of Giza, and on the left, the ankh or “key of life,” the ancient Egyptian symbol for life.
The golden cartouche placed above the decorated pin represents Tutankhamon’s prenomen or throne name Nebkheperura, one of the five names included in the Pharaoh’s royal titulary.
With a gold-inlay technique, the two main subjects of the left sideplate represent two of the main deities of Ancient Egypt: Horus and Anubis.
The shotgun is presented in a bespoke gun case notably designed and handcrafted by Pietro Beretta’s Custom Atelier featuring handmade wood construction and finished with fine Italian leather, pyrographed, and painted to recreate Tutankhamon’s sarcophagus.
The SL3 Tutankhamon will be presented to its new owner on the opening day of the 2023 SCI Convention.
The SCI Convention will take place February 22nd through 25th in Nashville Tennessee. For more information on the Safari Club International Convention, you can visit their website here to learn more including booth information where you can go see Beretta’s new SL3 Tutankhamon shotgun.
