A good few years ago, six to be precise, I tried out one of Browning’s Cynergy 20g game guns and was stunned by its performance. One of the best sub-gauge shotguns I’d ever had the pleasure of shooting, it was the Cynergy’s design and looks that more or less always held it back, many shooters never giving the gun a chance. Well now its time for those shooters to take another look at a Browning 20g in the shape of the B725 Hunter G1.

Capitalising on Browning’s latest boxlock design, the size of the 20g B725 action is more akin to a 28g, so slim and low is the final outcome. And for what is supposedly a grade one gun, the looks, quality of fit and finish, plus handling, will make any additional grades somewhat superfluous. Whilst the B725 has its detractors, various negative comments still circulating, all I can say is that if these so-called experts were as qualified as they would like to think they are, they’d be either consultants to Browning or would be doing my job; and since they’re doing neither, I suggest you ignore them and try one of these new 20-bores for yourself.

Get Up and Go

Arriving in one of Browning’s new style grey plastic cases, all you’re likely to need is contained within. One gun plus a full set of Invector DS brass seal flush-fit choke tubes and a trigger-guard lock. All in, and given the 20-bores ease of use, you could actually open the Browning up for the first time, assemble it and, with a box of shells in your pocket, walk straight onto the peg.

In this instance the gloss black 30-inch monobloc barrels feed into 3-inch chambers, and as it’s a game gun only the top 7mm rib is vented, low stanchions keeping the rib almost flush with the top barrel. A small silvered bead sits over the gentle muzzle flare, the slight widening allowing for the chokes whilst at the other end, a wide gape and strong, well-timed ejectors means even spent 3-inch cases are thrown well clear, a significant advantage when the pheasants and partridge start flying thick and fast.

The steel boxlock action which still features Browning’s famous trapdoor system is fully mechanical which means no inertia is needed for the sears to transfer over. The overall satin finish is lifted by Browning’s application of their traditional game scene plus a modernistic take on scroll work on the base and short throw top-lever, although the familiar gold Buckmark makes it appearance on the large, ovoid trigger-guard.

Furniture Finish

If the wood as fitted to the tester was Grade 1, then Browning has come into some seriously high-quality walnut. Finished with a rich, light brown semi-oil surface, the straight grain runs in perfect parallel with the line of the gun, the London-style forend that ensures the gun remains malleable when shooting is kept in place by a neat latch, whilst the game stock and rounded grip will not only suit the vast majority of shooters without recourse to alteration but also features one of Browning’s new Inflex recoil pads.

The end result is that even with magnum loads chambered up, little if any recoil reaches through to the shoulder. The fit and overall appearance of the gun’s woodwork is excellent to a degree you wouldn’t be disappointed if you owned furniture of this quality.

Weights and Measures

Physically, Browning’s new B725 20g is one of those guns that everybody should be able to pick up and shoot with. The overall length is 49½-inches with drops at comb and heel of 1¾-inches and 2 5/16-inches with a 14 13/16-inches length of pull to the 5lbs 4oz breaking trigger. Unusually, weight-wise the 8lbs 20g weighs 2oz more than the 12g I had on test, although Browning’s distribution of the overall mass makes it feel far lighter. Balancing perfectly beneath the hinges, this B725 sits equally in either hand with no obvious bias either way, whilst the neatly checkered forend and grip have a slenderness that keep the gun moving until the shooter’s grip is tightened.

A moment or two with the Arrow Laser Shot confirmed the flat shooting attitude of the gun, whilst past experience has taught me that Browning’s Invector DS chokes throw a well-defined and uniform pattern. This meant that the selection of ½ and ¼ choke would be all I needed for both clays and an evening’s stroll around Huntroyde, whilst cartridge selection was more or less a given. For the clay it would be Eley’s 21g CT20, while for game it would be 28g VIP Game and Winchester’s new Double-X 3-inch Turkey load, the ideal shell for any 20g to add a few duck to the bag.

With typical winter weather of a cold wind and endless thick drizzle, two birds away on the first stand with a gun I’d never shot before was more than acceptable, whilst a couple more dropped on the second and third stands was better than I’d anticipated. If mine and the Browning’s performance confirmed one thing it was that a far slower swing was needed, this B725’s ability to react far, far quicker than expected.

So with a more than respectable score under our combined belt, a few partridge, crows, pigeon and an odd duck were next on the list, which is where the new Winchester ammo came into play. One thing many 20g users tend to have problems with is finding suitable cartridges with which to shoot wildfowl. Now whilst I’d heartily recommend you don’t try geese with these Americanmade shells, the 1¼oz load of 5s delivered by these bright yellow cased cartridges is tremendous. With a velocity of 1185fps even through ¼ choke their ability to level out a few mallard was seriously impressive and the equal of many a 12g.

Granted that at about £1 a bang they ain’t cheap, these new Winchester Double-X significantly expand the usability of any 20g especially the B725. Like most American-manufactured shotgun ammunition, these cartridges are made and perform to the highest standards and more than live up to their Magnum Turkey Load demarcation. The other benefit is that, whilst they more than deliver the goods at the business end, recoil is negligible.

Conclusion

For any 20g to impress me as much as the Cynergy Game, it would have to be a serious piece of kit. The great thing is the 20g that surpassed the Cynergy was and is another Browning, the B725 range now sending Browning’s star into even greater ascendancy, the entire range now proving itself.

Plus, at £1999 the B725 Hunter G1 20g certainly isn’t out of it when compared to the rest. Yes, you can buy a 20g game gun for less but I assure you it won’t look, have the feel or handle anything like this new Browning. The gun is also confirmation that Browning now listen to their dealers and customers, the feedback getting to where it needs to be as to what shooters want and not what Browning think the shooters need. And if you don’t believe me get along to your nearest dealer – in this new B725 20g, Browning have certainly got it right.