SHOT Standouts

The 2007 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show was held in Orlando in January. It had been there last in '03 but will be assuming a more permanent home in Las Vegas starting next year. As usual, it was a marathon of gleeful excess. Armed with an appropriately yellow-colored press pass and shod in purposeful track shoes, your humble reporter toured most of the nearly 1,900 booths spread over 15 sprawling acres. Just about anything to do with hunting and shooting was there. Stands featured oriental knives, camo everything, doe scent for deer and booth babes for us.All the usual mainstream gunmakers and importers were there. The show was bigger than ever and reflected the thriving health of hunting and shooting sales nationally. If there was a trend, it was that Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving anymore. With the Euro suffering bloat, the non-Euro Turks are making an increasing number of guns of decent quality that people can actually afford. Turkey is becoming the new Spain. More and more Euro-based makers are concentrating on costly shotguns, because that's all that's left for them. And, of course, the Chinese might get back in at any time. There is a noticeable resurgence in the side-by-side. It's not that there are fewer autoloaders and over/unders-just more side-by-sides. Here's what I saw:

BENELLI USA Benelli is making this the year of the 20. At SHOT the company showed several of its most popular recoil-operated models in this gauge. The new 3" 20-gauge Cordoba ($1,665) is the heavily optioned crossover sporting clays/dove gun named for the epicenter of dove shooting bliss in Argentina. The gun has the Comfortech synthetic stock with recoil-reducing polymer chev-ron inserts, a stock-adjustment shim kit, different thicknesses of ergonomic recoil pads, different-height comb inserts, ported and Crio-frozen barrels, five extended chokes, plus the new AirTouch checkering on the textured Grip-Tight stock and forend surfaces. The Cordoba also has Benelli's new ShellView feature, which allows a visual check of the number of shells remaining in the magazine. The 20-gauge Cordoba really looks purposeful in black synthetic. The new 20-gauge Supersport ($1,800) offers all the same extras but adds a fancier carbon-fiber finish to the stock. With a wood stock, it becomes the new 20-gauge Sport II at $1,580. The popular M2 field-grade model gets new 20-gauge versions that come in at less than six pounds. They lack the barrel porting and ShellView features but start at a lower price of $1,215. Benelli USA Corp., 301-283-6981; www.benelliusa.com

BERETTA USA Beretta's big SHOT news was some changes to its class-leading AL 391 Urika semi-auto. The new model is the Urika 2 (starting at $875), available in upland, waterfowl and competition models. The main changes are the availability of the X-Tra Grain wood finish, a new gas piston and the Xtrema 2's Kick Off recoil-reduction system for a synthetic-stocked version. The Urika 2 with synthetic Kick Off stock ($1,250) would be a very interesting clays gun. Instead of the film overlay used by the previous X-Tra Wood finish, X-Tra Grain has chemically scribed wood "grain" applied under a standard finish coat, thus using both the natural grain of the wood and the artificially added grain beneath a more durable coating. The new gas piston, which I was told would retrofit the previous 391 models, uses slits for a better-expanding seal and teeth around the front rim to defeat carbon buildup. The Urika 2 also has a retimed lifter for increased reliability on a gun already known for extreme dependability. Also new from Beretta is the 682 Gold E Trap Bottom Single. That's a single-shot O/U with the over barrel removed, or "unsingle" to you ATA fans. The elevated rib on the gun is fully adjustable for point of impact. It comes in 32" and 34" versions ($4,725) and also in a combo set with 30" or 32" O/U barrels ($5,975). For fans of the challenge of the smallest bore, there's a new .410 686 Silver Pigeon S O/U ($2,150). It comes with screw-choked 28" barrels and is built on the 20-gauge frame. Beretta USA Corp., 800-237-3882; www.berettausa.com

BLASER USA Blaser, of Isny, Germany, has been fine-tuning its innovative F3 O/U this year. Blaser USA CEO Jack Muety showed me the new 34" ATA unsingle trap barrel with an architecturally stunning fully adjustable rib. The barrel can be ordered on the F3 AT model ($6,183 to $28,793, depending on grade) or added to a standard F3 AT to make a combo set for an additional $3,622. The trap guns are shipped from the factory printing 60/40. Stocks can be had with a Monte Carlo or an adjustable comb with an optional adjustable pad. The new F3 AS skeet gun ($5,756 to $28,302, depending on grade) weighs about 91/2 pounds with a standard-weight barrel. Lightweight LST carrier barrels ($3,085) also are available. Though lightweight, these barrels are proofed for 3" shells and have Briley screw chokes. When fitted with optional Briley Ultra Light Revolution skeet tubes, the tubes and lightweight barrels equal the weight and balance of the un-tubed standard barrels. The F3 AS skeet gun comes with a Monte Carlo stock or an optional stock with adjustable comb and pad length. I shot the skeet gun with the tubed lightweight barrels. It was one of the best-balanced tube sets I have ever handled. Blaser also has introduced 20-gauge barrels to fit the 12-gauge frames. They're available in lengths up to 30". Blaser USA, 410-604-1495; www.blaser-usa.com

BROWNING Browning showed 22 shotguns listed as "new," but these were mostly cosmetic upgrades and gauge additions to existing models. The ultra-modern Cynergy O/U line has expanded, but Browning also is catering to the traditionalists by promoting some Cynergys that look less like Cynergys. They are called Cynergy Classics and have more conventional engraving, stocks, forends and recoil pads but still the same innovative actions. Last year's 12-gauge Classic Field ($2,200) has been augmented with 20, 28 and .410 versions. The new Classic Field Grade III ($3,168) and even fancier Grade VI ($4,736) come in 12 and 20 with upgraded wood and engraving. Last year's 12-gauge Classic Sporting is now available in the three small gauges ($3,235) and with an adjustable comb in 12 and 20 ($3,489/$3,567). There is even a Cynergy Classic Trap model with and without an adjustable comb ($3,232/ $3,514). The proven Citori is not forgotten and gets a GTS crossover game/target model in both a GTS Grade l ($2,125) and a more elaborate GTS High Grade ($3,900). The most noticeable mechanical upgrade is to the new Citori Grand Prix Sporter ($3,112). It features a selective ejection system wherein the ejectors are easily converted to extractors for those who haven't quite mastered the knack of catching their hulls. Browning, 800-333-3288; www.browning.com

CORTONA Cortona is a new line of O/Us imported by Kalispel Case Line, the company that makes the gun cases. Although the guns had been due to begin shipping late last fall, SHOT was really their main debut. Cortonas are made in Italy by F.A.I.R. (Fabbrica Armi Isidoro Rizzini). They use the popular modified Boss-style O/U frame with underlugs and a low-mounted locking tongue. The steel field model 12-, 16-, 20- and 28-gauge guns come with gauge-specific-sized receivers and three different levels of embellishment (Grande, $1,795; Legend, $2,595; and Prestige, $2,995). The Aluminio aluminum-receiver model comes in 12 and 20. The 12 weighs only 51/2 pounds and starts at $1,995. Cortona also markets a Grande Sport ($2,495) target model in 12 and 20 gauge for sporting clays. Cortona, 800-398-0338; www.kalispelcaseline.com

FRANCHI USA Franchi USA, a division of Benelli USA, certainly doesn't give up. In 2003 the firm introduced an outsourced Highlander model boxlock single-trigger side-by-side. The gun failed to meet the company's expectations and never made it into distribution. For '07 a new gun is being introduced with the same name. It is an Anson & Deeley boxlock side-by in 12 and 20 with 26" barrels, a flat rib, "A grade" oil-finished walnut, screw chokes, a single non-selective trigger and a Prince of Wales grip. It is made in Gardone, Italy, and inspected at Beretta Due, the second of Beretta's two huge manufacturing complexes. (Beretta is Franchi's and Benelli's parent company.) The Highlander costs $2,749. A step up from the Highlander is the new Destino side-by-side ($3,479) from a different, smaller Italian producer. It's an extractor boxlock with a single selective trigger, auto safety and a receiver machined from billet steel. The English stock features "AAA Select grade oil-finished walnut." The Destino comes in 20 gauge with 26" barrels and includes five screw chokes. Only 250 will be made in '07. This year Franchi also has an addition to its O/U Renaissance line: the Renaissance Sporting target gun at $2,039. It weighs eight pounds and comes with 30" barrels, five extended screw chokes and an adjustable-comb stock. Unlike the alloy receivers on the Renaissance field guns, the target model's action is all steel. Franchi USA, 301-283-6981, www.franchiusa.com

CAESAR GUERINI USA Caesar Guerini is certainly one of the shotgun business's success stories. Good marketing, good service and excellent products have propelled this recent Italian maker to an enviable position in only six years. This year all the target-grade 12s are getting the Maxis Bore bore diameter of .735", the maximum overbore permitted by the Italian proof house. Factory overboring, as opposed to aftermarket backboring, tends to slightly increase barrel weight, because wall thickness is maintained while diameter is increased. To maintain the guns' excellent center balance, Guerini stocks are now slightly deeper from heel to toe and just a tiny bit wider for a little more pad surface area. The changes are subtle, but that's what proper gun balance is all about. For the first time the company is offering adjustable combs that can be set parallel or sloped on all of its sporters. The field guns retain tighter bores, as this permits lighter barrels and quicker handling appropriate for the field. This year Guerini has announced its first line of trap models. These guns are quite high-tech, with fully adjustable, highly elevated ribs and adjustable combs to suit the American trap market. The Summit Trap is $4,495 with either an O/U or unsingle barrel. A combination two-barrel set is $6,395. The same gun is available in the more embellished Magnus Trap ($5,640/$7,395) and the highest-grade Maxum Trap ($6,550/$8,400). Caesar Guerini USA, 410-901-1131; www.gueriniusa.com

KIMBER Kimber has introduced a lightweight model of its very attractive Valier sidelock side-by-side 20-gauge. The new Valier Lightweight has 23/4" chambers, more-slender barrels and a re-contoured frame. This allows the weight to be reduced substantially to less than six pounds, most appropriate for a field 20. It is available in Grade II with high-grade Turkish walnut and barrels of 27" or 29" for $4,999. The original 3" 20-gauge Valier will now also be available in an American-style edition with a non-selective single trigger, Prince of Wales grip, slender beavertail forend, 26" or 28" barrels, case-colored or blued receiver and high-quality wood for $5,250. In the O/U department, the existing 20-gauge sidelock Marias has been joined by a 12-gauge version. The Marias Grade II 12-bore ($5,750) comes with a Prince of Wales stock, Schnabel forend, choke tubes, upgraded Turkish wood, auto ejectors and a single, non-selective trigger. Barrel-length options are 26", 28" and 30". Kimber Mfg., 800-880-2418; www.kimberamerica.com

LEGACY SPORTS INTERNATIONAL Legacy Sports International is offering three new product lines of inexpensive to moderately priced shotguns. The Turkish-made Escort O/U ($564 to $750) has a single trigger, Beretta-style safety/barrel selector, a Trio recoil pad (somewhat like that on the Browning Cynergy) with two spacers that can be added between the pad and the stock to adjust stock length, and five screw chokes. Escorts come in 12 gauge with 28" barrels and extractors at a weight of 7.4 pounds. The new Italian-made Pointer M-80 models produced by Silma are traditional boxlock O/Us with 28" barrels and ejectors. They come in 12, 20, 28 and .410, and all were shown with very attractive wood. Prices are $1,200 for the 12 and 20, $1,500 for the 28 and .410. Legacy has also just begun handling certain autoloaders in the established Breda line from Italy. The recoil-operated guns, somewhat Benelli-like, start at $1,365 for the 12-gauge Echo model. Legacy Sports International, 775-828-0555; www.legacysports.com

MARLIN In its L.C. Smith line (made by Fausti Stefano, in Italy), Marlin introduced a cute little side-by-side 26"-barreled 28-gauge (the LC 28-DB) and .410 (the LC 410-DB) to keep the 12 and 20 company. The sub-gauge boxlocks have pistol-grip stocks, beavertail forends, single triggers, auto ejectors, engraved sideplates with gold gamebirds, case-colored actions and screw chokes. The price sheet lists the MSRP for each as $1,491, more than $450 less than their larger siblings. Go figure. Marlin must understand just how delicious the 28-gauge cartridge is. The 28 has a nice balance and would be even nicer if Marlin would add an English-stock option. Marlin, 203-239-5621; www.marlinfirearms.com

REMINGTON Remington remains committed to expanding its imported lines. In addition to the established Russian-made line of SPR (nee Spartan) O/Us, side-by-sides, autoloaders and single-barrels, last year's new line of Premier field O/Us made by Sabatti of Italy has been augmented with competition guns for '07. The Premier STS Competition 12-gauge O/U with 28", 30" and 32" barrels lists for $2,540, whereas the same gun with an adjustable comb is $2,890. The Premier O/U barrels are overbored to .735" and have long forcing cones to go with the screw chokes. The big news for SSM readers was Remington's introduction of a new line of Anson & Deeley boxlock side-by-sides made by Zabala in Spain. The Premier Upland model ($2,030 to $2,086) comes in 12 and 20 (28" barrels) and 28 and .410 (27" barrels) with a pistol grip stock and semi-beavertail forend. The Premier Upland Special ($2,086) has an English stock and comes in 28 and .410 with 27" barrels. All models have a single trigger and a selection of ProBore choke tubes. There are three distinct receiver sizes for the 12, 20 and 28/.410. The engraved receivers are case colored with a gold-washed bird on each side. Remington Arms Co., 800-243-9700; www.remington.com

RIZZINI USA Rizzini USA is starting to deliver the side-by-side 20-gauge BR 550 boxlock and BR 552 sideplated boxlock that were announced at the 2006 SHOT Show. For '07 the company has the entirely new BR 440 ($7,000) and BR 440EL ($10,562) O/U competition clays guns. These feature removable trigger groups driven by durable coil springs. Twelve-gauges come with 28", 30" or 32" barrels, whereas the 20s are in 28" and 30". The sporting clays guns come with five screw chokes, flat ribs, long cones and selective triggers. Dedicated trap and skeet models have fixed chokes and non-selective triggers. Stocks are listed as being to customer dimensions. The high-end EL model has upgraded wood, a hand-engraved receiver and polished parts. Rizzini USA, 610-344-7730; www.rizziniusa.com

SMITH & WESSON After a 20-year hiatus, Smith & Wesson, the renowned American maker of pistols and revolvers, has reentered the shotgun business in a big way. With local partners, the company has built two new plants in Turkey. One plant produces the S&W 1000 Series 12- and 20-gauge semi-autos. The outsides look like classic Beretta 303s, but the gas-operated actions are original. The 1000 series will be available in 29 variations at MSRPs ranging from $650 to $925. The other plant produces O/Us and side-by-sides in the Elite Series. The Elite Silver Grade 1 O/Us ($2,350) are 12-gauge guns and come with 3" chambers, screw chokes, 24-lpi hand checkering, Prince of Wales grips, AAA Turkish walnut and bone-charcoal case coloring. They have 26", 28" or 30" barrels and weigh about 7.8 pounds, depending on barrel length and wood. The side-by-side is the Elite Gold Grade 1 ($2,350) 20-gauge with 26" or 28" barrels, Prince of Wales or English stock, splinter forend, charcoal case hardening, rust-blued chopper-lump barrels, grade III Turkish wood and a rounded action. Both the O/U and side-by-side come with a lifetime warranty that even extends to the first inheritor of the gun. Smith & Wesson, 800-331-0852; www.smith-wesson.com

STEVENS Stevens, a division of Savage Arms, showed the new 512 Gold Wing O/U. It's made in Turkey in partnership with Hatfield Arms (which also produces Kimber's Marias and Valier). Hatfield built an entirely separate facility to make the 512 and future products from Stevens. The 512 comes in 12, 20, 28 and .410. Each, including the .410, has a scaled receiver. All have 26" barrels except the 12, which has 28" tubes. The 512 is an extractor gun and has good Winchester Model 21-type fleur-de-lis laser checkering, an attractive black chrome receiver with a raised gold pheasant, a selective mechanical trigger, chrome-lined barrels and five screw chokes (except on the .410, which is fixed Improved Cylinder/Modified). The retail price for all gauges is $649. Savage Arms, 413-568-7001; www.savagearms.com

TRISTAR TriStar has added to its Brittany line of Spanish Zabala A&D boxlock side-by-sides. The new model is the Brittany Classic ($1,150 to $1,180). It comes in 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410. The .410 shares the 28's receiver, but all others have gauge-specific receiver sizes. The Classic has a Prince of Wales grip, semi-beavertail forend, oil finish, engraved and case-colored frame, ejectors, choke tubes and a single selective trigger. All the barrels are 27" with raised flat ribs. The standard Brittany is the same gun with an English stock. These look like a lot of gun for the money. TriStar, 816-421-1400; www.tristarsportingarms.com

WEATHERBY Weatherby is shifting its Athena and Orion O/U shotgun production from SKB in Japan to Fausti Stefano in Italy. This follows the firm's move to Fausti for its side-by-side Athena D'Italia two years ago after a very short run of side-by-side guns from Abolla, in Spain, in 2002-'03. The new O/Us will use the Emilio Rizzini-patented "four lock" system of a conventional Browning-type underlock and extra sidewall lugs. The barrels are chrome lined and have lengthened forcing cones. The wood includes a thinner stock wrist and slender forend to give the guns a leaner feel. Both models will be available in 12, 20 and 28 gauge. Prices range from $1,439 for the Orion Grade I to $3,499 for the attractive sideplated Athena. Weatherby, 805-227-2600; www.weatherby.com

WINCHESTER Winchester's big news is the rebirth of the 101 O/U name. It's the Select Model 101 (Field, $2,061; Sporting, $2,328) and is based on the current Belgian-made Select Winchester series. It has the look and stock dimensions of the original Olin-Kodensha 101 made in Tochigi, Japan, from 1963 to '87. The Select Model 101 Field even has the "olde tyme" white-line recoil pad and metal grip cap. Based on the same Select action, two Select Energy trap models carry over from last year, but the remainder of the Select line, started in 2000, has been renamed yet again. Now it is the Select Platinum (Field, $2,359; Sporting, $2,625) and Select Deluxe (Field, $1,607). Stocks and forend dimensions are trimmed down a bit, and the new machine-applied engraving is actually quite nice. At this time, all Winchester Select models, including the 101s, come in 12 gauge only. US Repeating Arms Co., 800-333-3504; www.winchesterguns.com

ANTONIO ZOLI NORTH AMERICA Zoli has added to its durable and attractive line of detachable-trigger sporting, trap and Expedition-grade field guns with the new Zoli Z Skeet. This 12-gauge O/U competition gun comes with 28" or 291/2" screw-choked barrels. Ribs are 11mm x 7mm flat tapered or 11mm x 11mm step parallel. The trigger is mechanical, so it should be ready for .410 skeet tubes. The trigger can be ordered as selective or non-selective. As befits a target gun, the safety can be locked out. The stock is a parallel Monte Carlo with an adjustable comb and will be available in left- and right-hand versions. The base-grade Z Skeet starts at $5,199 and rises through three grades of embellishment to $9,500 for the Z Ambassador EL SK. There's also a new 20-gauge sporting series of guns with barrels of 291/2" or 32". The Z Sport starts at $4,775. It has a flat 11mm x 5mm tapered top rib, a choice of vent or solid side ribs, an attractive non-Schnabel forend and the option of fixed chokes, flush screw chokes or Teague chokes. Two different pistol grips are available, as is a full custom stock. The Z Gun Expedition Series field gun (from $4,795 to $9,500, depending on engraving grade and wood) is a derivative of the 20-gauge Sporting but with different barrels and rib for more-lively handling. The hand-oiled stock has an elegant, open Prince of Wales grip and checkered wood buttplate. The gun comes with all of the tools required for maintenance in the field. Zoli calls it "The gun to take when you are only taking one." Antonio Zoli North America, 585-394-1271; www.zoli.it Bruce Buck is Shooting Sportsman's Gun Review Editor.