ble profile. This tames recoil and improves target
reacquisition for second shots. The mechanical trigger is based
on the trigger system found in rifles, which is said to be ultra-fast
and will outperform traditional hammer systems found on most
over/under shotguns. They've back-bored the barrels, which increases
velocity and reduces pellet deformation. Lightweight barrels
means a faster swing and lighter overall weight. Composite Field
Models have an adjustable comb - and accessory combs are available
to adjust for individual cast-on/cast-off requirements. Inflex
Recoil Technology introduces a new recoil pad which is said to
reduce felt recoil by 25% and three pad thicknesses are available
to adjust for length of pull requirements. Browning's Triple
Trigger™ system of trigger shoes helps adjust for different
lengths of trigger fingers. The CYNERGY™ offers the potential
for a shooter to tweak the fit of this gun to suit his individual
requirements. In this case, the whole might just be greater than
the sum of its parts.
Caesar Guerini
Caesar Guerini - a newish Italian maker was the star of the show.
Benefitting from a great product review in the March '04 issue
of The American Rifleman these nifty over/unders not only demonstrate
the style and grace with which Italian guns seem to be uniquely
blessed, but they come in five hunting models (and three sporting
clays models), retail priced from $2,295 to $2,995 depending
on engraving and decoration levels. But good pricing is only
part of the news. They put some nice Turkish, oil finished wood
on these guns. Four of the five hunting models are available
in 12, 20 and 28 gauge and are available with 26" or 28"
barrels! The top-of-the-line Magnus Model has case colored side
plates with nicely executed gold game bird inlays and is matched
with a Magnus Light Model, chosen by a panel of experts at Outdoor
Life magazine as the best new shotgun of 2003. It has an attractive
alloy receiver - Tinaloy™ - which reduces the weight on
a 12 gauge gun by about 14 oz. - to five pounds, 14 oz.; on a
20 gauge gun by a pound to five pounds, six oz. and on a 28 gauge
to five pounds, four ounces. Five screw-in chokes are standard:
CYL, SK, IC, M & F. All this plus a Lifetime Warranty. Wow!
FABARM again confirmed that they have a small frame 28 gauge
side-by-side in the works - but that we would have to wait until
next year to get a sneak peek.
Fiocchi
Fiocchi - introduced two new shotshells in their Golden Pheasant
line. The 12GPX-Extreme Speed-1485 fps says it all. Fiocchi's
taken the original 12 GP 1-3/8 ounce payload and cranked it up
to 1485 fps with nickel-plated shot in Nos. 4 - 5 - 6 sizes.
Make no mistake, this is a big, quick, powerful, long range wild
bird load.
Their new 28 gauge Golden Pheasant load - 28GP - acknowledges
the growing trend toward the 28 as a |
bona fide hunting gauge. The 28GP is a
7/8 ounce load - an 1/8 ounce increase in the traditional 28
gauge 3/4 ounce payload - and is offered in Nos. 6 - 7-1/2 -
8 sizes of nickel-plated shot that goes out the door at 1300
fps. Hot stuff - plus - there's much less feather-draw with nickel-plated
shot, so cleaning birds is lot's easier.
Hatfield's is a familiar name in the side-by-side shotgun business
and this year they've come back with a new Turkish-made 28 gauge,
built on a "miniature" boxlock action. The whole gun
weighs about 4 pounds. The 26" barrels have a black chrome
exterior and chrome-lined bores, choked IC/M and extractors.
XXX-grade hand selected Circassian walnut, straight English grip,
splinter forend. The gun has good standard stock dimensions -
a 14" LOP to a rubber pad - and 0" cast. The dealer
price starts at $1,495 "whether you buy one gun or a thousand"
so retail pricing should be around $1,995.
Merkel
Merkel - also suffering under the Euro/Dollar curse - has seen
the price of their popular Model 47E in 12 or 20 gauge side-by-side
advance to $3,795 and their Model 280 28 gauge and Model 1620
16 gauge to $4,195. In addition to their own line of sidelock
doubles, this year Merkel has added two nice sidelocks from Spanish
maker Grulla®. The Model 216 RL is a round body H&H style
sidelock with double trigger, English stock, Ex-Ex wood, coin
finished receiver with Purdey style of Engraving for $7,495 in
12, 20 or 28 gauge, 28" barrels choked IC/M. A most unusual
offering is the Royal, Self-Opening round body model, seven pin
H&H sidelock, finished similar to the Model 216 RL, but with
side clips and fitted luggage case at an eye-opening $22,995.
Traditions™ by Fausti® - Traditions has been a longtime
importer of moderately-priced, good quality side-by-sides and
over/unders made by Stefano Fausti and priced in the $800 to
$1,500 price range. New this year is the Real 16™ and Real
16™ Gold - a 16 gauge over/under with 26" barrels and
chrome-lined bores, IC-M-F screw-in chokes, single selective
trigger with good standard stock dimensions and rubber recoil
pad finished to 14-1/4" LOP. Price is $1,179 for the Real
16 Model. The Gold Model, priced at $1,459, comes with a hard
molded case and fancier engraving. Both models - on true 16 gauge
frames - weigh 6-3/4 pounds.
New to the Traditions portfolio is Emilio Rizzini - whose upscale
over/unders (offered only in 12 gauge) priced from about $1,700
to $2,500 and side-by-sides (offered 12 and 20 gauge) priced
from $2,100 to $3,500 - feature all the high quality features
one seeks in a nice double gun: fine checkering on high grade
oil finished wood, automatic ejectors, long forcing cones, tasteful
engraving - and a five-year operating warranty.
|
