Guns Illustrated 2011. Dan Shideler
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