Reviews

This new Franchi Alcione One O/U has thrown itself into the market place for the under £900, with a price of £865. And on initial viewing, they have not done a bad job either. As a gunmaker, I would struggle to supply a block of wood for that price, though admittedly I would choose a…

Even those with only a passing interest in the world of shooting are likely to have heard of the Silver Pigeon. Indeed, my first proper shooting lesson after a childhood spent learning at my father’s elbow with my grandfather’s side-by-side was taken with Beretta’s most famous product – as I am sure it was for countless others…

It is nearly six years since I tested a Powell Phoenix gun, which was the first review I did for this maker after it moved from Birmingham to Banbury. Named after the mythical bird that regenerates by rising from the ashes of its predecessor, it was the first over-and-under in its continental range. This range is so…

Beretta Silver Pigeon shotgun: Beretta have developed a knack of giving customers something new by simply twiddling and tweaking a proven winning formula.

This Classic Gun is a drilling, manufactured circa 1920. It is a combination gun I know well because I once owned it, having bought it from local farmer friend at the end of the 1970s for £40. When I had it on my firearms certificate, there was a condition added that “only the shotgun barrels to be…

Beretta 686E Evo shotgun review: Jason gets to grips with Beretta’s latest version of the 686.

The story of the 28-bore shotgun is long and convoluted but it is sufficient to say that not many years ago we seemed to be on the verge of losing it altogether. It had become a rara avis, with sightings few and far between and ammunition scarce. This defied logic, as the 28-bore is really the smallest practical light-weight for general gameshooting and,…

To me, Weihrauch are the epitome of classic quality air rifle manufacture and the standard that most other airguns are judged by. All Weihrauch air rifles are made the old-fashioned way with well-engineered metal parts and good-quality stocks that are designed to last a lifetime. Over-engineered in some respects — like the HW 35 and HW 80, which are full-powered hunting firearms —…

When I was growing up, Schultz & Larsen (S&L) was synonymous with exceptionally accurate target rifles and barrel production, as well as some stylish sporting rearms. Since the turn of the 20th century, this Denmark-based company has had a good reputation for producing exceptionally fine rifles but with a rather understated look. The Classic model on test is part of a four-series rifle collection that…

What are you getting for the money? The Beretta Silver Pigeon Classic is the most expensive gun in the current Silver Pigeon range, with the ‘1’ selling for around £1,500 and the Deluxe model for around £2000. Given all these guns are mechanically identical and so perform and shoot to an almost equal standard, what…

The Beretta 680 series has been around since 1984 and it’s still enjoyed by many of us today. So, this newly updated 687 EELL model, with scroll engraving, has undoubtedly got a serious history of previous EELL’s to compete against. This newly engraved 30in, 3in chambered, 12-bore EELL is elegantly engraved, in a way that the majority of us would find pleasing to the…