An evolution rather than an all-new design, the 725 moves on from its 1970s development with tweaks and improvements bringing it right up to date. For more than 40 years, Browning has used essentially the same basic platform for its mainstream range of guns and why not? It is a great design that has stood…

Having recently opened a junior section at our local wildfowling club, I was duly asked by several of our members to suggest a potential option for their respective youngsters. The choice was an easy one for me because I had seen a suitable candidate a few months earlier and have one in the cabinet at…

There is always plenty of noise around finding the right bore size for your sporting shotgun, with a seemingly inexorable trend towards smaller and smaller guns for those who wish to be considered ‘serious’ shots. Indeed, I am guilty of adding to this cacophony; more than once on these pages I have extolled the virtues…

In 2003 Browning brought out the B525 and at the time it represented the latest phase in the development of the company’s Miroku-built models. The gun had some subtle yet key refinements which improved it and set it apart from what had come before. Available in huge range of styles and grades However, Browning stressed…

Discover a few surprises with Beretta’s impressive silver pigeon budget shotgun!

When a gunmaker is established with a strong following, there still arises from time to time the need to bring something new to the market. There are three possible routes. First, something new and revolutionary that could be a great success or could offend previously loyal customers, for shooters are ever conservative and sometimes fickle….

One of the very great pleasures of reviewing shotguns (aside from the obvious) is the experience of visiting Elderkin and Son in Spalding. Not just because I am sure of a comfy spot on the sofa and a cup of tea, but because I get to watch so many people going through the process of buying a shotgun from first to last. I am…

The B725 is a continually evolving platform that Browning is using to develop an ever increasing range of guns with. The 20-bore version has come out of the last two to three seasons. One of the later editions is the new Hunter Light. The 725 is the natural successor to the 525 series, which itself was preceded by the 425, the 325 before…

I tested the Mossberg Predator a few years ago and was impressed with the price and performance of the rifle, so now it is the turn of the Scout model. The Scout rifle ethos was promoted by the late Colonel Jeff Cooper, who pioneered the principle of a short, fast-handling rifle that had a multipurpose scope mounting system. Mossberg has taken this on…

With this series of guns, Benelli has cast aside convention. A newcomer to over-and-under guns, the company has previously been more concerned with the manufacture of semi-automatic shotguns, an area where it also broke the mould with its patented inertia drive system. Benelli’s semi-autos don’t use the pressure of the charge in the barrel to cycle the bolt (gas operation), nor do they use the rearwards…

Spanish gunmaker Aguirre y Aranzabal (AYA) admits that “a true work of art does not simply appear out of thin air”. The more cynical amongst you might chuckle at this seemingly tacit admission that much of the output of its Eibar factory has been inspired by the work of craftsmen – particularly English craftsmen – who came before. This, however, is doing the company and all those…