Perazzi Deluxe

This month, with the game scene arriving, I thought it would be good to have a look at something just a little bit special – yet not so ritzy as to be unobtainable – a Perazzi SC3 MX12. It is imported by RUAG Ammotec of Liskeard in Cornwall. It is the personal property of RUAG MD Philip Unwin. And, like our other test gun, my eye was drawn to it because I am always interested in what experienced representatives of well known companies – men who know a thing or two about firearms - choose to shoot.

The Deluxe SC3 MX12

The test gun is a 30” 12 bore with a game scene engraved action, and a pleasantly proportioned stock with semi-pistol grip and a field style forend rather than the usual Schnabel. The SC3 MX12, in case you are unfamiliar with the Perazzi range, is a deluxe gun and comes in at an RRP of £11,675. The basic black actioned gun – which like this one may be made bespoke to you at no extra cost – begins at a comparatively reasonable £6,900 including VAT. This is not a bad price at all for a gun that can and has won a clutch of Olympic medals and which is the choice of George Digweed amongst many others.

Let me explain where this gun sits in the current Perazzi product line. The MX12 – like the 2000S – is built on a fixed lock, selective trigger, action with helical springs powering the hammers. The famous MX8 model – the progenitor of the MX12 – has a detachable trigger lock and is available with both coil and v springs. Just to complicate the issue, some of the 2000 series guns – all of which are dedicated to sporting clays – are available in drop lock form too.  It is not normally fitted with a selector, though one is available but it does not operate conventionally off the top strap safety like the MX12, and thus, in my opinion is less convenient.

Best Quality Build

Perazzis have always been very well engineered guns. They have as a consequence been copied by Kemen (and other Spanish firms), Perugini and Visini in Italy and even Purdey (the new Purdey sporter, built in association with Perugini and Visini is a generic Perazzi design but one now significantly modified by the great London firm and made 60% in the UK).  Perazzi, historically, score especially in the quality of their barrel making (amongst the best in the world), in the quality of their machining (many of the CNC techniques which are commonly employed today were developed by them), and their general standard of fit and finish.

The precise machining of a Perazzi allows them to benefit from features such as interchangeable trigger units in some models (but not the test gun as noted) and quickly interchangeable stocks. To change the stock of most Perazzis you just insert the extended allen style key in the hole in the pad and unscrew the stock bolt). The action design, moreover, is one of my all-time favourites and combines – as well as excellent proportions and solid build quality – stud pins to the front (with bifurcated barrel lumps) and Boss style bolting to the rear.

Perazzis have a great reputation for the quality of their trigger pulls, which, in my opinion, are at their brilliant best in the leaf sprung MX8s – favoured by many serious trap shots. The trigger pulls in the test gun were perfectly adequate though and it also benefits from the simplicity and durability of coil springs and a top strap barrel selector as discussed. Needless to say the machining quality on the test gun was impressive and the aesthetics excellent with well executed game scenes.

Barrels

The barrels are very well built on the monobloc system. They are 30” long, as noted, and fixed choke (quarter/half as I remember). The 7mm sighting rib is ventilated and suits the gun well. It has the original factory brass bead, but Phil has also fitted an EasyHit sight which quite a few people with eye issues seem to do these days (they are not a guaranteed cure for eye dominance problems, but some people benefit from them greatly). The barrels are well presented as you would expect Perazzi barrels to be. The tubes are straight. Internal and external finish is fine. Bore diameters are 18.4 top and bottom and the gun bears Italian proof marks for 2 ¾” cartridges though 3” (76mm) proof is an option.

The internal bore diameter is question for some discussion at the moment. Phil believes that a game gun should not be too open to avoid problems with gas sealing and fibre wadded cartridges. I prefer 18.7 on a clay gun, but I think he is right with regard to game guns using fibre or felt wadded cartridges. The barrels weigh in around 1540 grams – not especially light for a 30” gun, but not excessively heavy either. The gun seems well balanced in the hands though it is very slightly muzzle heavy.

Mechanically and ergonomically (as well as aesthetically) this SC3 scores well. All controls fall to the hand easily and function positively. I liked the proportions of. Ejectors were well timed; Perazzi uses a system with trips in the forend activated by two pushrods that are brought forward by the hammers on firing. On opening the gun, the trips engage with the sliding extractors in the monobloc – holding them back - and are finally released when a certain point of opening is obtained. The lack of a detachable lock, of course, allows for a selective trigger which many will find useful.

Woodwork

The stock on the test SX3 was made from a good piece of nicely figured walnut. The semi-pistol grip is my favourite on an over and under game gun.  This grip feels especially comfortable and, unlike a full pistol, is not difficult to hold up in the ready position, muzzles high, as one awaits one’s birds. I also liked the stock design and dimensions (although, you may order whatever you want). Length was 14 3/4”.  Drop at comb was 1 3/8” and just a whisker under 2 1/8” at heel. This suited me very well and might be considered a standard shelf dimension for the gun. A fairly thin black rubber pad is fitted and it has a leather backing to avoid mounting glitches

Shooting Impressions

This was a steady, predictable, gun to shoot. It had few obvious vices. I liked the game style forend and the grip, as noted, suited me well. Weighing in at about 7 ½ pounds it was not too light, just about right for a field over and under. I was struck by the solid quality throughout the test. Phil noted of his own product: “The great advantage of the Perazzi range is that you can have a bespoke gun at no extra cost whatsoever, and this means not only your chosen stock dimensions, but also rib type, barrel length and choking. Any client may also visit the factory at moderate extra cost and benefit from the stock fitting and testing service there and choose their own stock blank, and, indeed, watch it being made.” This gun is well made, well presented and fairly priced (and the plain black action guns appear a relative bargain under 7K). There is a new model just out too – the SC3L. This has scroll instead of game scene engraving. It comes in at £9,375 which will be attractive to many considering that you may have it made to measure at no additional cost as well as having the cachet of a deluxe Perazzi.

PRICE: £11,675