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Perazzi MX8 HPX

Perazzi MX8 HPX

This month’s test gun is the new 20 bore version of the Perazzi HPX designed by John Jefferies. It is a gun built to make game shooting as easy as possible – especially at longer birds. It follows on from his 12 bore HPX which has already been a considerable success (watch out for a review in GunMart soon).  John commented, “I have put a lot of effort into the new 20 because - though I am very pleased with the 12 bore HPX - there are some people who find it too much gun. To retain pointability on a lighter frame, the 20 bore was the obvious way to go.”

First Impressions

I have shot, previous to this test, prototype and production HPX 12 bores extensively. I was impressed by both, they really seemed to make driven targets of all sorts less difficult (and, especially high driven). The long barrels make it easy to find line (which, never forget, is just as important as lead).  When I shot with John last a few months back, he mentioned that he was also working on a 20 bore HPX. I was especially interested, because I shoot a 32” Guerini 20 bore at game and have been very pleased with it. No one needs to convince me that the concept of the long-barrelled, relatively heavy, 20 bore over and under has potential in the field. I know it does.

So, enter the test gun. It is a slender, elegant, sporting firearm with, long, long, barrels. It hits the scales at only 7 ½ pounds (5 ounces heavier than my Guerini).  Quality of finish, even in the basic grade, is what you would expect of Perazzi. It might be added, though, that all John’s guns come with upgraded wood and include extra regulation and finish by him (not to mention a free gunfitting and final-fitting) within the base price. This is a surprisingly attainable, moreover, with £7,950 being the bottom line for the standard gun. The SC3 version with rose and scroll and further upgraded wood is £11,950, and the deluxe SCO with game or scroll is serious money at £19,500.

Advanced Trigger

The guns are all built upon the classic Perazzi detachable trigger lock MX8 style action. John only utilises the V spring variant (some Perazzi detachable lock guns employ helical springs now) because he believes it allows for the crispest trigger pulls. John works on the triggers of all his guns. He tries to create a pull with no play whatsoever – one which immediately and precisely responds to finger pressure. He regulates them at 3 1/4lbs, although this can be modified to suit a customer’s request.

There is not much else to say about the action save that it is Boss and Woodward inspired with a bit of the genius of Daniel Perazzi and Ivo Fabbri thrown in. I believe that it is one of the best there is – good enough for Purdey to use as the inspiration for their new sporter and much copied by other makers such as Kemen in Spain.

The monobloc barrels of the HPX are built to the usual high Perazzi standard. They bear Italian proof marks for 2 3/4” (70MM) cartridges and have chokes fixed at three-quarters and three-quarters (though both Briley and Teague thin-wall multi-chokes are options). They are ribless as noted and bored at 15.9mm. There is a long red fluorescent foresight fitted at the muzzles, although John offers other options including a simple metal bead.

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The vented sighting rib on the test HPX is a tapered 11-7mm design which begins with a flat section that progresses to a short 20mm ramp that rises to the flat surface of the main rib. There is also the option of a more gently sloping ramp that extends some 130mm forwards directly from the breech face. The latter has no step, but the former does. John says this of his carefully conceived ribs: “I believe that both my rib designs position the eye well above the breech allowing greater vision of the target.” John Browning once said something similar, though I have to say that my personal preference is for a flat rib.

Perfect Balance

The stock is of similar form to the 12 bore gun but on a reduced scale and with an even more slender grip. The comb in profile is fairly constant because John believes this gives the best facial support. The comb is a near parallel design for straight line recoil and mounting consistency. The standard forend is of Schnabel pattern with others available to order. Oil finish on the guns and upgraded wood (even on the basic model) is standard. John fits each gun individually, and, before delivery, not only does he regulate trigger pulls to his own high standards, but he also puts extra work into the stock finish, and, most importantly, balance which is 10mm forward of the hinge pin.  He notes: “Even though I thought I knew how important balance was, I discovered that it is absolutely critical – a few millimetres either way really does make a difference. For all long barrelled guns to work properly, all these finite adjustment points are extremely important to ensure perfect performance.”

Shooting Impressions

This is another really good gun with a singular feel to it. If you haven’t tried a long barrelled 20, you really should, I think they probably are the ultimate for driven game shooting. They really do seem to make shooting easier. One applies lead naturally (and the perceived lead seems to be substantially reduced with long tubes). And, as noted, they make it much easier to hold line.

The 20 bore HPX, meantime, is a quality gun. The trigger pulls are excellent, the build and finish quality first class, the concept very interesting. Are 34” barrels too long? It’s a personal decision, but this is a very well sorted piece of sporting kit and a tremendous amount of effort has gone into it.  John’s not finished yet, he is developing a light-weight 12 bore with 31” barrels which will weigh in under 7 1/4  pounds.

John Jefferies and the HPX

John is an interesting guy for many reasons. He was the first person in the UK to develop and market a dedicated 32” sporting over and under gun. That was back in the 1980s when many of us who shot the discipline used both skeet and trap guns depending on the presentation (and occasionally packed a third gun too!). It could lead to some decision angst. So, John created the Diamond Guns (DG) range of sporters in conjunction with Perazzi and damn good guns they were too. I used one for many years and liked it greatly. It came with 32” and 30” barrels, but I sold the latter and just did my thing with the 32s (to this day my favourite length for both clay and most game shooting).

John has had a long standing involvement in clay shooting – and runs a club too – but, in recent years, his interests have turned more and more to game shooting. With this in mind, he reconsidered his Perazzis and developed a new ‘HPX’ gun dedicated to high bird shooting. This was and is distinguished by its 34” rib-less barrels (though there are other options), interesting sighting rib designs, and a special stock which has evolved from his old DG sporters. The HPX is notable too for an acute, but relatively slim grip design.

PRICE: £7,950 (standard gun – contact John Jeffries for options)

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  • Perazzi MX8 HPX - image {image:count}

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gun
features

  • Model: Perazzi MX8 HPX
  • Bore: 20
  • Type: Over and under
  • Barrel length : 34”
  • Choke: ¾ & ¾ fixed (Briley or Teague multi-chokes optional extras)
  • Chambers: 2 3/4” (70mm)
  • Stock: Higher grade walnut, hand finished for best balance
  • Triggers: Regulated to 3.25lbs with no take up (or to customer’s specification)
  • Weight: 7.5lbs
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