I've had a Vixen AI, and 85 Stainless Synthetic and a 90 Peak (over many years and with increasing affluence ).
Each generation has a number of stock variations available and, it seems, bedding variants too.
The AI is relatively primitive, for example needing a small screwdriver to adjust the trigger when out of the stock, extractor on the side of the bolt like the Mauser 98 and so on. It's only 2 lug. The magazine is a floor plate type and I prefer a detachable box mag, myself. The trigger pull is a lot different depending which direction you apply the traction. It's not possible to unload the rifle without taking the safety off.
The 85 was really good. Shot just under the 5 shot MOA guarantee, fed well (always possible to stuff it up if careless of course), and ejection depends on how hard you plu. the the bolt back. I never had trouble with it hitting the scope and dropping back. The stock was plastic, with nice rubber inserts but no palm swell, which made it very forgiving in terms of trigger hand positioning and it was easy to shoot. Trigger adjustment was easy with allen key and could be done through the magazine well without removing the stock. The trigger was great. After about 10 years it got a bit lighter and I had to increase the pull up to 1000g again. Pull didn't vary so much with direction. The stock was hollow, not sealed and filled up with water when used as a walking stick in rivers. on holding it horizontal again, water would run out through the action and magazine. I couldn't persuade Beretta that this was a design fault. The only annoying feature was that the ejector which runs in a slot in the bottom of the bolt would catch on rod guides when cleaning so a trick movement with a hidden spring loaded lever was needed to release the rod guide. Due the 3 lug design, there is quite a bit of leverage and although its always easy to open and cycle, some wear and galling happened on the cocking ramp. The bolt can be disassembled by hand and if your fingers are strong put back together. The safety has a button you can push to work the bolt and unload it without taking the safety off and making it live. This rifle is very weather and dirt proof, highly reliable and the design has no extra parts or frills (say compared to Mauser 98, Blaser R8 and almost any other action.
With the 90, there are several minor changes:
Trigger adjustable without removing mag and now in 5 steps - good.
Picatinny rail - marginally easier to use and intercompatible.
You don't have to get the carbon stock (which must be half the cost of the gun), nor even the adjustable Finnlight version. The wood stock 90 Hunter is a similar price to the old 85. Recoil is very well controlled. A 70 shot ammo test session with the 30-06 was just fine. The palm swell doesn't quite fit my hand. The smaller butt pad goes real nicely into my shoulder pocket and is easy to use.
Twin plunger ejectors now, which really fling the empty case away clear horizontally. I worry what would happen if they get grit into them.
The firing spring seems stronger and I definitely need the special tool to put it back together. The instructions include putting a little grease into the cocking ramp now. The bolt has several more complications in its design and seems a step away from the "less is more" philosophy of the 85.
Accuracy is good and after half a dozen shots it was doing 20mm@100m for 5 shots with Sako factory ammo. Zero was stable within 1cm over 160 shots. I fired at 5 deer and got 5 one shot kills (20 to 300m) so its very useable as a hunting rifle. The fluted barrel seems to work OK but I just have a feeling the first two or three shots are the best. It's nice to have factory threading so you don't need to worry whether the suppressor guy has done it right. It comes with a muzzle break but I haven't used it.
adjustable cheek riser is also a plus!
