Browning B525 Heritage

As seems to be the fashion these days, Browning launched their new Heritage onto the UK market well before you could actually buy one. This if nothing else has ensured that pre-delivery orders have more or less exceeded the numbers available to the UK market, so creating instant desirability.  The good news is that as opposed to the original plan of building just 600 and calling it a day, they will manufacture this figure annually.

Don’t get too excited though, this number is for world distribution across the range so technically only a few will make it over here. What you can’t dispute is that this has got to be the best looking B525 built, Browning’s gunsmithing beauticians carrying out one of the best makeovers the industry has yet seen.

Exhibition Grade

Not surprisingly the Heritage arrives in a luxury, fully lined travelling case with a set of five short Invector multi-chokes and key. What can’t fail to impress is the gun’s looks. Stunning walnut, drop points and huge side plates stare back at the user, the overall appearance a concoction designed to inspire any shooter.

Mechanically identical to every other 525 that’s gone before, the gun shows quality blueing. The 30” monobloc barrels are separated with a vented mid rib and crowned off with a 9mm vented top rib that tapers down to 7mm over the 3” chambers. Sights consist of the familiar white lozenge bead complimented by a half distance pip.

Size Matters

Where the Heritage differs from other 525s is in the action's decoration. Adorned with scrolls, acanthus leaves, partridge and pheasants, the size of the side plates both gives the engraving space to breathe whilst rather emphasizing the 525’s physical dimensions. Extending around the fences, top lever, manual safety catch, trigger guard and Schnable forend irons, no spaces has been wasted, tasteful embellishments garnishing all available surfaces.

Likewise the walnut; fine English style checkering complimenting the higher grade, well figured furniture, the fit of which is the equal of a best gun to be found anywhere. Lacquer finished, the overall dimensions provide a length of pull of
14 7/8” with a respective drop at comb and heel of 1 13/16t” and
2 3/16”, all of which are commensurate with a 12 bore of these overall measurements.

A silver inlayed stock escutcheon awaits the owner’s initials whilst the decision to finish the stock with a traditional Browning butt plate couldn’t be more appropriate. Add to this an average trigger weight of 5lbs 7oz on both barrels and you arrive at a shotgun virtually any fully grown adult will find more than comfortable, combined together in one of the most striking, affordable sporting guns currently on the market.       

On Balance

Since this Heritage is a Sporter it seemed only right that after 25 of Coniston’s Skeet birds, the ground’s new Pendle layout should provide the next 50 targets. Designed as the name suggests to shoot sporting clays, although it’s a given that all Browning B525’s are substantial shotguns, the Heritage weighed in at exactly 8lbs. Similarly the balance is exactly as it should be, namely just less than an inch in front of the hinges. For whatever reason and although the gun feels right and looks the business it seems to lack malleability, the sensation in the hands verging on inert.

No great problem in itself, a passable score at Skeet followed by a 91% score over the ESP birds, all sufficiently convincing that this gun was more than worthy of the name. Where it seemed to differ was that every target had to be worked for or, to coin a phrase, the Heritage had to be ‘driven hard’. Rarely did this Browning feel like it wanted to find or track any form of quartering clay, instead definite physical impressions of having to bodily drag the action sideways in an effort to propel the muzzles in front of crossers.

Anything that required the Heritage to pivot on a vertical axis such as driven or going away birds was no problem; for a Sporter this Browning did an excellent impression of a Trap gun. The lasting feeling is that it needs to shed a little weight, the point of inertia requiring some fine tuning if this B525 is to become the true all-rounder it’s intended to be.   

Should I?

Without doubt, Browning’s legendary B25 has rightfully, in my opinion occupied the position of world’s best O/U game gun, with the competition variants maybe a tad behind. What the Heritage offers is near B25 looks for at least half the price of its more costly sibling. Equally, the waiting list, should there actually be such a thing, is more than likely to be a fraction of the B25’s four year minimum.

For me, though the Heritage is visually superb, but lacks the deftness of handling of the shotgun its trying so hard to be. Even though the B525 seen here is a Sporter and there is a Game or Hunter equivalent, as a live driven bird shotgun. This example not only looks the part but would perform superbly, the kills obtained on some of the highest of Coniston’s High Tower targets indicating its ability.

Although I’d be delighted to see this 525 added to my ticket, it’d probably remain an occasional gun, the day’s sport dictating whether the Heritage would come out of the cupboard. Browning has without doubt got the cosmetics bang on, but for me, the balance needs some refinement if the Heritage Sporter is to live up to the name and history.

We Reckon!

• Looks wise this is the classiest new Browning for years
• This could be the budget B25 you’ve been waiting for
• Limited numbers means you’ll be in a select minority