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Magnus Jaspe 20 bore

Magnus Jaspe 20 bore

This month we are looking at the Guerini Magnus Jaspe, which is available in 12, 20, 28 bore and .410. The test gun is a 20 bore model with 30” barrels and has an RRP of £1595. The Magnus Jaspe can also be supplied with either 28” or 32” barrels. 

Test Bench

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The action is plain colour case hardened. There is no engraving on this model save for some grass like highlights around a gold inlaid pheasant on the left-hand plate and a duck on the other. The Jaspe is also available silver polished with scroll engraving.

First impressions of the test gun are very good. I am not a fan of inlays, but some people like them, generally, though, the gun is elegant. It is clear that a lot of effort has gone into both the specification and the styling. The gun also inspires confidence as it comes to the shoulder. It is not too muzzle heavy, and it appears to have a bit of life. The semi-pistol grip stock seems well suited to the gun.

Technically there is not that much to say about the mechanical design. It is not radical or especially innovative, rather the action is of a well proven type that - not unlike a Rizzini in its mechanical layout – takes features from both Beretta and Browning designs. Workmanship is exceptional. CNC technology has evidently been used to make the well machined action body (Guerini have made a very substantial investment in a new ultra-modern factory).

The manufacturing techniques for this new generation of guns, nevertheless, interest me greatly. They allow for precision and value - a magic combination as far as the customer is concerned. Modern production machinery and techniques in the form of CAD, CAM and CNC is significantly improving the quality of both budget and mid-range guns. It is also interesting to note that many so called 'best' guns are predominantly machine made (but hand-finished).

The barrels of the Jaspe hinge on replaceable stud pins near the knuckle as in a Beretta, Perazzi or Rizzini. This arrangement is, of course, different to that seen on a classic Browning or Merkel over and under (both of which have full width pins). The locking mechanism owes more to the Browning/Winchester tradition, though, with a flat bolt emerging from the bottom of the action face and engaging the usual slot bite beneath the bottom chamber mouth. It is a proven system and it works well, but it results in an action that is a little higher than in the 'bifurcated' lump guns. In the smaller bores, this is no issue at all.

The trigger mechanism, is recoil-activated, the type favoured in most modern over and unders. Coil springs power the hammers in the action. V springs have long been abandoned by mass manufacturers as too costly and potentially unreliable. [Although early Beretta over and unders had V springs as did some Mirokus, nearly all makers go for the coil springs now. They are much easier to make and tend to be more reliable, although for ultimate quality of trigger pull the old V has some theoretical advantages.]

The monobloc barrels have 3” chambers and are marked with Italian proof marks. I am no great fan of Roman Candle cartridges, but it is a sign of manufacturing confidence that this gun has been tested to the higher pressures required. The barrels are nicely blued too and well presented inside and out. The join between barrels and monobloc was my only small gripe in a gun that was otherwise impeccable. At 15.8mm top and bottom, the bore diameters are typical of modern Italian production - I would have liked them to be a little wider. The gun is equipped with vented joining ribs and a vented 10mm sighting rib (this is standard on the 30” and 32” models, the 28” has a 6mm rib). Five well machined multi-chokes are supplied with the gun.

As far as the woodwork is concerned, the Jaspe scores well, first because the stock was stunningly figured - can they all be this good! Second because the shapes were excellent. There is an especially well formed semi-pistol grip; a form of grip that many favour but which is not seen as often as it should be. The length of the stock was a sensible 14 3/4" with a wooden butt plate. There was some shape to the butt sole but the toe was not too prominent. The drop - and in truth I have lost the figures - was near the modern norm of 1 3/8” and 2 1/8" and there was slight right-handed cast. Chequering was first class; cut by laser but in classic form with normal panels. I am not fond of the flights of fantasy seen on some guns with oddly shaped curved panels. The Guerini was conventional in this department and looked great. I also like the schnabel forend which had a button release catch at its front. The detail on the shaping of the forend - the belly of which was not too swollen - was very good.

Kevin Gill told me recently: "We have been overwhelmed with the interest in the whole range of guns and especially in the long barrelled small gauge guns… we know that people like yourself have been using longer barrelled small bores with success at game for some time, now it seems a lot more shooters are catching on. The relatively light barrelled route is clearly the way to go at sporting too.  Just as an example, Phil Beesley has a couple of 34" Guerini Summits and a couple of weeks before Christmas Matt Hance, who works for him, borrowed one for a shoot at David Payne's ground in Oxfordshire and won it on a 99. Ollie Barker, a young lad of 19 or thereabouts, came runner up in the British Open Sporting shot at Southern Counties recently with a Guerini and put in a 95 with a Summit model 32" trap gun that has an English style trap stock which handles and feels not unlike a Miroku."

Shooting Impressions

The gun shot very well. It was pointable, swung well, and recoil was well controlled. All the guns we tested on the day, as already noted, shot very well. This is most encouraging. There are only a couple of other bigger names that can pull this off in my experience. Consistency - consistency of quality, consistency of performance - that is the big deal when you are trying to become a major player in an over-crowded market. I am sure that Guerini will pull it off. They are innovative in manufacturing terms and apparently very reactive to what the shooting market wants. Longer barrelled small bore guns are trendy at the moment - and they offer loads of them. I had a go with Kevin's own gun, a 32" 28 bore and it was really sweet to shoot. We are going to be hearing a lot, lot more about Guerini. Meanwhile, the Jaspe at just over £1,500 is a lot of gun for the money.

My thanks to the Braintree Shooting Ground.  Watch out for my test on the Guerini Summit (in 12 bore) in the not too distant future.

PRICE: £1,599

  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

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  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

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  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Magnus Jaspe 20 bore - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Model: Guerini Jaspe
  • Bore: 20
  • Barrel length: 30 (28”, 30” and 32” available)
  • Chamber: 3" (76mm)
  • Action type: Bifurcated lump over and under
  • Rib type: 10mm ventilated
  • Chokes: Multi - 5 supplied
  • Weight: 6 1/2 pounds (approx.)
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