Reviews

AyA No.1 Sidelock shotgun: AyA shotguns are known to British sportsmen for their looks, reliability and competitive pricing. The No.1 sidelock side-by-side ticks all these boxes and more.

The K3 is disassembled in an instant for storage or travel. Merkel, one of the oldest gunmakers in the Suhl district of Germany, is renowned for its fine shotguns, rifles and double- or triple-barrelled guns. The Merkel K3 Extreme .308 harks back to the tradition of quality single-shot rifles that are popular for Alpine regions, travelling…

The shotgun on test this month is the Browning 525 Laminate, a new offering from Browning that will be available in the UK from June 2019. Featuring grey laminate woodwork, it is aimed at the clay shooter and has a recommended retail price of £2,175. The demonstration model arrived at the shooting school in an…

Beretta’s 687 EELL has been the Italian gunmaker’s bestseller for the past 30 years. So how can the company improve something that is already a firm favourite with shooters? Bring out a limited edition, of course. Limited to just 100 guns, the 687 EELL Deluxe Field features deep scroll engraving on the decorative sideplates, which…

Prior to picking up the Chapuis C40 for this month’s review the only other French shotgun I had shot before was a Darne made in the same region of France as the Chapuis but with a unique sliding breech action. So on opening the travel case I was quite relieved to find a conventional over-under…

Here in Britain we are a little thin on the ground when it comes to good semi-automatic .22 rimfires for vermin control. The old stalwarts were the Ruger 10/22, the odd smattering of Anschütz and CZ models and the excellent Remington 597. Savage’s new range of A22 semi-auto rimfires, available in .22 LR WMR, has…

The shooting season is over for another year and guns that have seen action are being sent to the gunsmith for a strip, clean and service to ensure they are ready for next season. This is vital, especially if they have been used in wet weather, as water may find its way into the action,…

You know when a pair of shoes fits because it feels comfortable. It’s the same with shotguns. When I shouldered the Fausti Class SL my eye was in exactly the right place to look down the barrels, the trigger blade came easily to my finger and the gun fitted to my cheek in one swift…

Designed as a compact, longer-range, fast-handling rifle, the Pantera — from Sauer’s Model 100 series — is equally good in the field. The manufacturer’s Model 100 rifles range from walnut-stocked classic to laminate, synthetic and camo-clad variants, but the one on test was the dual-role Pantera in .308 Win, which doubles as a compact tactical…

In a break from tradition, I thought I’d start with the conclusion. The Swaro Z8i is without doubt the best lightweight hunting scope I’ve ever had the pleasure to use. The overall design is flawless, the 8x mag range is ideal, the glass is alpha all the way with a feature set that leaves absolutely…

Launched at the British Shooting Show in 2018, the Browning Crown (or Royal as the prototype was called) uses the renowned 525 action and is designed specifically as a game gun. It replaces the Grade 6, which was decorated with gold inlaid game birds on the action, which some thought too “blingy”. The Crown takes…