Читать книгу Guns Illustrated 2011 - Dan Shideler - Страница 7
ОглавлениеSHOTGUNS BY JOHN HAVILAND
Ithaca’s Mike Farrell his holding his company’s Phoenix 12-gauge over-and-under that is in production after a year and some of final development.
Except for hunting pronghorn antelope at long-range, a shotgun in various forms of dress works fine for every type of hunting in North America. With one receiver a hunter can clamp on a rifled barrel to shoot slugs and hunt big game from deer and elk to bears and hogs. That barrel can be switched out for a smoothbore barrel that accepts various screw-in choke tubes to hunt feathered game from waterfowl and turkeys to grouse and quail and stay tuned up on clay targets all year. Many of us, though, are not quite so utilitarian and like a separate shotgun for each shooting game. Let’s see what the shotgun companies have for both practical and particular shotgunners this year.
BENELLI
Last year Benelli built up the suspense to the unveiling of their Vinci shotgun with advertisements of fashion models running through the street, carrying an oblong parcel containing the shotgun and looking with concern over their shoulders like international secret agents were on their trail. Once Benelli opened the box in early spring I got my hands on a Vinci and I’ve been shooting it ever since.
The Vinci comes from the box in three pieces: barrel/receiver, trigger group/forearm and buttstock. The barrel/receiver mates with the trigger group/forearm and a turn of the forearm cap locks them together. The front of the buttstock locks into the rear of the trigger group/forearm and a clockwise partial turn of the buttstock fastens them. Once the gun is together its profile does have a rather bulbous belly forward of the trigger guard.
The Vinci action uses the In-Line Inertia Driven operating system. Its two-lug bolt is similar to other Benelli autoloaders. However, the bolt’s rearward spring and guide rod compress against a plate inside the receiver, instead of extending into the stock like the Inertia Driven system in other autoloading Benellis. The In-Line Inertia Driven system cycles very reliably and the Vinci fired several hundred 1- and 1-1/8-oz. target loads without a single blip, leaving just a slight amount of grime inside of the action after all that shooting.
Browning Cynergy Mossy Oak Breakup.
The Vinci’s ComforTech Plus recoil reduction system is gentle on the shoulder and cheek when shooting that many target loads and hunting loads. The smooth insert on the comb allows the cheek to slide during recoil. Vertical rows of gel inserts in the buttstock allow the buttstock to fl ex and absorb recoil and a soft recoil pad caps it off. Several days in the duck swamps I shot the Vinci with Winchester Xtended Range Hi-Density waterfowl loads with 1-1/4 and 1-3/8 oz. of shot. The recoil was much less than with my old Benelli Super 90.
Gail Haviland struts her stuff with a Beretta Tx4 Storm autoloader 12-gauge.
The Vinci weighs six lbs. 14 oz. with a 28-inch barrel. That’s fairly light for a three-inch 12-gauge, so I carried it into the mountains for blue grouse and along the creek bottoms for ruffed grouse. I shot handloaded 1-1/8 oz. of 7½s for the grouse and if I do say so myself, I shot rather well with the gun.
This year the turkey version of the Vinci is available. It has a SteadyGrip vertical grip stock and 24-inch barrel, camouflaged muzzle to toe.
On the light and handy side, Benelli’s Legacy autoloader is chambered in 28 gauge. The gun weighs fi ve pounds with either a 24- or 26-inch barrel with a carbon fiber ventilated rib. Benelli states it is the lightest autoloader in the world. Its walnut stock and forearm are covered with WeatherCoat finish to protect the wood from the rain and snow. An acid-etched bird hunting scene covers the lower receiver and an Aircell recoil pad soaks up what little recoil the 28 gauge generates.
BERETTA
Shotgun companies continue to develop mechanical methods to reduce the brutal recoil of 12-gauge 3½-inch magnum shells. My solution is to simply not shoot shells the size of a Roman candle.
Beretta’s autoloading A400 Xplor is for bird hunters who want a portable 3-inch 12-gauge shotgun, but with the option, if the silly notion ever overtakes them, to shoot 3-1/2-inch shells. The Xplor weighs 6.6 pounds, slightly less than Beretta’s AL 391 3-inch 12-gauge. To reduce recoil, the Xplor uses the Kick-Off system that incorporates two hydraulic dampers in front of the recoil pad and a third inside the stock bolt to check the slam of the bolt against the rear of the receiver. In addition to lessening the sharp stab of recoil, that third damper reduces wear on the internal parts.
Often a 3-1/2-inch gun has a difficult time cycling target loads. An elastic band on the gas piston in the Xplor, though, prevents propellant gases from escaping from the gas valve so all the gas operates the action. The elastic band also scrubs gas residue off the inside of the cylinder. I shot Federal 1-1/8 oz. target loads one after another through an Xplor without a single hiccup. Recoil was only a slight jump of the gun in my hands. The silly notion to fire 3-1/2-inch shells in the gun momentarily overtook me. I came to my senses and fired just one. The recoil was ouch! there but no more than from other guns weighing a couple more pounds.
Gail Haviland is shooting an Ithaca Model 37 Ultralight with Ladies Stock.
The Beretta Tx4 Storm autoloader is a home-defense 12-gauge. The Storm weighs slightly under 6-1/2 pounds with its 18-inch barrel ported at the muzzle. The length of pull of the buttstock can be adjusted with half-inch spacers. Rubber grip inlays on the synthetic stock and forearm ensure a firm grasp. An adjustable ghost ring sight mounts on a rail on the receiver top to aim in conjunction with a high front sight with protective ears.
My wife shot the Storm with buckshot loads at 25 yards. The paper target was a sieve when she finished shooting and I plan to stay on her good side.
BLASER
The over-and-under F3 SuperTrap uses interchangeable single or over-and-under 12-gauge barrels. The barrels are free-floating and adjustable to move pattern impact of each barrel. The tall rib is also vertically adjustable to fine tune pattern placement. A barrel weight system keeps the gun’s weight the same whether one or two barrels is in the receiver. The stock is set with cast for left or right-handed shooters and the comb is adjustable for height.
The F3 frame is also available in 28 gauge with 28-inch Competition or 28-inch Game barrels. The Competition barrel features the identical weight, balance and rib as all the other F3 Competition barrels in 12 and 20-gauge. A variety of Briley choke tubes comes with each barrel.
BROWNING
The Maxus Hunter is a good looking version of the camoufl age Maxus autoloader introduced last year. The Hunter wears a walnut stock and forearm and the nickel finish on its aluminum receiver is engraved with a mallard and a pheasant. The barrel is blued with a fl at ventilated rib and comes with full, modified and improved cylinder Invector-Plus choke tubes.
The Maxus Sporting Carbon Fiber has a silver and carbon fiber finish on its receiver and stock and forearm and carbon fi ber finish on its barrel. It comes with fi ve screw-in choke tubes and an Inflex Technology recoil pad.
As always, there are new Citori over-and-unders.
The Citori 625 Feather Three Barrel Set comes in a leather-trimmed case with 26 or 28 inch lightweight profile barrels in 20 and 28-gauge and .410-bore. The aluminum receiver has a walnut forearm with a Schnabel tip.
A leather case holds the Citori 625 Sporting Four Barrel Set with 30-inch barrels in 12, 20 and 28 gauge and .410. Each barrel set has fi ve screw in choke tubes and a HiViz fiber optic front sight. The 12-gauge barrels have a tapered floating top rib. The 20, 28 and .410 have a ventilated top and side rib. The 12 and 20-gauge barrels are ported.
Remington 870 Express Tactical A-TACS Camo.
Remington 870 Super Mag Turkey-Predator Camo.
Remington 870 Bone Collector.
Browning Cynergy Classic Feather Combo.
Browning Maxus Sporting Carbon Fiber.
Mossberg Slugger with LPA trigger.
Ithaca’s Phoenix 12-gauge over-and-under. The gun has no soldered parts.
Blaser F3 Super Trap.
Browning Citori 625 four-barrel set.
The Winchester SX3 All-Purpose.
Browning Citori 625 three-barrel set.
Browning Citori Micro.
Browning Citori WHite Lightning.
The Citori 625 Sporting Golden Clays is chambered in 12 gauge with a 2-3/4-inch chamber. Its steel receiver is finished in silver nitride with gold engraving of a game bird transforming into a clay target. The stock has a gloss oil finish on high grade walnut with tight radius grip. Lengthened forcing cones go along with fi ve choke tubes.
The Citori Lightning’s steel receiver has a blued finish and engraving and a gloss finish on its walnut stock and forearm. The Lightning is chambered in 12, 20 and 28 gauge and .410 and comes with three choke tubes. The Citori White Lightning is pretty much the same gun with a silver nitride finish on the receiver.
The Citori Micro has a steel receiver. Its 24 or 26-inch barrels are chambered in three-inch 20 or 12-gauge. The stock is short with a 13-3/4-inch length of pull to match the slender forearm.
More than a few Browning guns are now stocked with a Dura-Touch Armor Coated composite stock and forearm covered with camoufl age:
•The Gold Light and National Wild Turkey Federation’s Gold Light 10-Gauge are covered with Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity.
• The 12-gauge 3 and 3½-inch Browning Pump Shotguns are also covered with Break-Up Infinity camo. The BPS Rifled Deer 12-gauge has a composite stock while the 20-gauge version has a wood stock. Both guns have 22-inch barrels and a cantilever base for mounting optics.
• The Cynergy over-and-under 12-gauge with a 3-1/2-inch chamber likewise has a composite stock covered with Mossy Oak Infinity or Duck Blind camo.
Browning’s Cynergy line of over-and-unders is starting to rival the number of its long-established Citori models. The Cynergy Classic Feather Combo has an aluminum receiver and comes with 27-inch barrels in 3-inch 20 gauge and 2-3/4-inch 28 gauge. Three choke tubes come with each barrel set and the whole package fits in a leather case. The Cynergy Classic Field has a steel receiver with a silver nitride finish. The 12 gauge model has engraved pheasants on the left side of the receiver and mallards on the right. The 20 and 28 gauges and .410 are engraved with quail and grouse. The Cynergy Classic Sporting with Adjustable Comb has all that plus ported barrels and ventilated top and side ribs.
The Winchester SX3 Comact.
Mossberg Mini Super Bantam.
Browning Citori 625 Sporting Golden Clays.
The innovative Rossi Circuit Judge revolving shotgun.
Benelli Vinci – just as it comes from the box.
The easily-installed Timney 870 Trigger Fix.
ITHACA
Ithaca is putting its Ladies Stock on its Model 37 pump 20 gauges. The stock has a little less pitch on the butt, a bit more toe out and drop of the comb heel to fit a woman. The gun comes with a 14.25- inch length of pull, but Ithaca will cut the stock to any length requested when ordering a gun. Ithaca’s Mike Farrell said, “I rejected the first four forearms they brought into my office because they were all too big.” The forearm Farrell finally approved is just large enough to fill the hand, yet keep the fingers away from the barrel.
My wife, Gail, picked up a Model 37 Ultralight with a Ladies Stock to shoot a few clay targets thrown by Farrell. Being a typical male, I coached her on fixing her focus on the target and to bring the gun up to the target and fire. Farrell leaned over and said, “Why don’t you just let her shoot.” As fast as Farrell could push the release button on the electric trap, Gail dusted nine targets in a row with the little Ultralight 20-gauge.
As Gail kept shooting, I took the hint and walked over to look at Ithaca’s Phoenix 12-gauge over-and-under that is in production after a year and some of final development. Ithaca starts with a 15-lb. length of steel to make the over-and-under’s barrels. Two pounds of steel remain by the time the barrels are final machined. All that machining leaves behind integral dovetails at the muzzle that lock the barrels together and stanchions for the replaceable rib that is held in place with one screw. The breech end of the barrels are held with a tubular connector. “There is no solder on these barrels,” Farrell said, “and they will never shoot loose or move or warp due to heat or just about anything else.”
It was kind of noisy trying to talk with Farrell, as Gail was in the background, still busting targets with the Ultralight.
MOSSBERG
Mossberg has reduced the size of its Youth model pump and called it the 510 Mini. The .410and 20-gauge Mini both have 18½-inch barrels and a length of pull of 10-1/2 or 11-1/2 inches, 1-1/2 inches shorter than the standard Youth Bantam models. The forearm is also scaled down from the traditional youth size and is easy for short arms to reach.
Mossberg first put its adjustable Lightning Bolt Action triggers on all its bolt-action centerfire rifles. Now the trigger is available on its pump-action guns and is called the Lightning Pump Action (LPA) trigger. The LPA’s pull can be adjusted from under three to seven pounds. The trigger is featured on the Mossberg 500, 535 and 835 Turkey, Slugster and Combo models.
The Just In Case Mossberg 500 pump breaks down into three pieces to store in soft case. To keep it compact, the gun has a synthetic pistol grip stock and 18-1/2-inch cylinder bore barrel. The grip attaches to the receiver with a slotted head bolt. Assembled, the gun measures only 28-3/4 inches in length and holds fi ve rounds in the magazine and one up the spout. Such a compact package stores out of the way in a boat or truck, but is there just in case you need it.
REMINGTON
Remington continues to add models to its Model 887 Nitro Mag with three new pumps.
The Nitro Mag Bone Collector Edition has a 26-inch barrel with a HiViz fiber optic front sight and is emblazoned with that TV show’s whitetail skull logo. The gun has a 12-gauge 3½-inch chamber and its pump action insures it will cycle every type of shot and slug load.
The 887 Nitro Mag Combo is made for waterfowl and turkeys. A 22-inch barrel for turkeys has HiViz fiber-optic Rifle sights and a Super Full Turkey Rem Choke tube. The 28-inch waterfowl barrel has a front HiViz fiber optic sight and an Extended Waterfowl choke tube.
The forearm on the Ithaca Model 37 Ultralight with Ladies Stock is just big enough for the hand to hold and keep the fingers away the barrel.
The Model 887 Nitro Mag Tactical has an 18-1/2-inch barrel with a clamped on rail for mounting a flashlight or other accessories. A tube extension increases magazine capacity to six rounds. At the muzzle are a HiViz fiber optic sight and an extended, ported tactical Rem choke. Sling swivel studs are built-in the stock and on the forearm.
The 870 Express Super Magnum Turkey/Waterfowl is covered with Mossy Oak Bottomland camo. Its 26-inch barrel is chambered for 3-1/2-inch shells and has includes Wingmaster HD Waterfowl and Turkey Extra Full Rem choke tubes. A HiViz fi ber optic front sight and receiver drilled and tapped for an optic sight tops it off.
The 870 SPS Super Magnum Turkey/ Predator is mounted with a TruGlo 30mm Red/Green Dot Scope. The ambidextrous ShurShot vertical grip stock has soft molded-in panels for a sure hold and its 20-inch barrel has a Wingmaster HD Turkey/Predator Rem choke tube.
A black padded sling and Wingmaster HD™ Turkey/Predator Rem Choke are included.
The Tactical A-Tacs Camo dresses the Model 870 Express Tactical A-Tacs. The Tactical has an 18-1/2-inch barrel with an extended, ported Tactical Rem choke. The SpeedFeed IV pistol grip stock provides a firm grip and a SuperCell recoil pad dampens recoil. A fully adjustable XS Ghost Ring Sight is mounted on a Picatinny rail on the receiver rail with white bead front sight. The gun holds seven rounds of 2-3/4-inch shells with the two-shot magazine extension.
The Model 11-87 has been banging away in the duck swamps and pheasant fi elds for decades. This year the 11-87 returns to its roots with the Sportsman Field wearing a satin-finished walnut stock and forearm with cut checkering. A nickel-plated bolt and gold-plated trigger accent the satin blue barrel and receiver. The 12-gauge model has a 28-inch barrel with a ventilated rib and modifi ed choke tube. The 20-gauge has a 26-inch barrel.
In Remington-speak, the word “Super” means a 12-gauge 3-1/2-inch gun. Remington has several new Super 11-87s. The 11-87 Sportsman ShurShot Super Magnum Turkey has a ShurShot pistol-grip stock and is covered with Realtree APG HD camo. Its 23-inch barrel has fully adjustable TruGlo rifle sights and a Wingmaster Turkey choke tube. The 11-87 Sportsman Super Magnum comes with HiViz front fi ber optic sight with interchangeable light pipes on its 28-inch barrel. The 11-87 Sportsman Super Magnum Waterfowl includes an Adjustable Length of Pull Kit to vary pull one inch. It also has a HiViz front fi ber optic sight with interchangeable light pipes on its 28-inch barrel. All 11-87 Supers now have rubber overmolded grip panels on the stock and forearm, SuperCell recoil pad and a black padded sling.
ROSSI
Rossi’s sister company, Taurus, has been backordered on its Judge .410/.45 Colt revolver ever since it was introduced several years ago. Rossi has run with the Judge and made a long gun out of it and called it the Circuit Judge. The revolving cylinder gun is available with an 18-1/2-inch smoothbore or a Rifled barrel and weighs 4-3/4-pounds. The Circuit Judge has a blued finish and a hardwood stock with a Monte Carlo comb. A fi ber optic front sight, recoil pad and transfer bar safety system finishes it.
TIMNEY TRIGGERS
The 870 Trigger Fix lightens the pull and removes the creep from the trigger on Remington 870 pumps. The Trigger Fix comes with a sear, light, medium, or heavy pull weight springs and a hex head wrench. I put in the new sear and a spring in my 870 in about fi fteen minutes. I drifted out the two pins that hold the trigger assembly in the 870 and then the pin that holds the sear in place. Then I slipped in the new sear with the light spring and tapped the sear pin back in place. The original sear and spring in the trigger produced a pull with a lot of mush and a four pound pull. The new sear and spring reduced the pull to two pounds and removed all the creep. A few turns in of the adjustment screw increased the pull weight to 2-1/2 pounds, just right.
WEATHERBY
The Synthetic Youth 20 gauge semiauto weighs 5-3/4 pounds and has a 12-1/2 inch length of pull and a 24-inch barrel. That light weight is the result of an aluminum receiver and a synthetic stock and forearm. The barrel bore is chrome lined and comes with improved cylinder, modifi ed and full choke tubes.
The PA-08 Synthetic pump shotgun has a black injection-molded stock and metal with matte black finish. Like its partner the Upland, with walnut stock and forearm, the Synthetic is a 12 gauge with a 3-inch chamber and a 26 or 28-inch barrel and a weight of 6-1/2 pounds. Improved cylinder, modifi ed and full choke tubes are supplied.
The PA459 pump is a home defense shotgun. Its vertical rubber grip buttstock makes it quick to point and shoot. Its forearm incorporates a rail to clamp on accessories such as fl ashlight. A second rail is screwed on the receiver and is mounted with a ghost ring sight adjustable for windage and elevation. The blade front sight has a fiber optic pin. The 19-inch barrel is chrome lined and fitted with an extended and ported cylinder choke tube.
WINCHESTER
Winchester has several new variations of its Super X3 autoloader for big game and bird hunting and target shooting. The Super X3 All-Purpose Field 12-gauge has a 3-1/2-inch chamber. Its gas-operated Active Valve System cycles target to magnum shells in combination with full, modifi ed and improved cylinder choke tubes in 26- or 28-inch barrels. Its stock is adjustable with two length of pull spacers and drop and cast adjustment shims, which are included. Mossy Oak Break-Up Infi nity camo, with Dura-Touch Armor Coating, covers the entire gun. The Super X3 Compact Field 12- and 20-gauge models have 26 or 28-inch barrels with a 13-inch length of pull on the stock. A supplied spacer increases that length to 13-1/4-inches. Cast and drop shims are also included. The gun’s chamber and bore are chrome-plated and the bolt, slide and carrier are nickel-plated. An Infl ex Technology recoil pad helps dampen recoil.
The Super X3 Rifled Deer Cantilever has a 22-inch rifled barrel and is covered in Mossy Oak Breakup Infi nity on the metal and composite stock.
The Super X3 Sporting Adjustable has a walnut stock with an adjustable comb. The Sporting 12-gauge has a 2-3/4-inch chamber, ambidextrous safety and Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad. Five choke tubes are included.
The Super X3 Walnut Field 20-gauge weighs 6-1/2 pounds with a 28-inch barrel. The 12-gauge model weighs only 7 pounds. That light weight is the result of an aluminum receiver and magazine tuber and slender barrel with a trim forearm. A Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad is installed and two stock spacers can lengthen pull.
