Kemen Titanium

Just occasionally we test something really, really, special in these pages. I am not normally into highly adorned guns, function is what floats my boat. But enter a very special Kemen – made with a titanium action and most unusual engraving commemorating historic Aberuchill castle. It is called the Suprema and belongs to the inimitable Andy Castle, who told me the other day we had known each other for 33 years. The long-barrelled Kemens also took the UK by storm some years back! Both Richard Faulds and George Digweed put in awe inspiring performances with their KM4s a decade or more ago. I tested the guns when they first arrived in the UK too and was so impressed that I bought one and campaigned with it extensively.

That Kemen was a good gun for me, I won a county championship with it and many sporting events. In fact, I never felt more confident with any gun. But, infuriatingly, but typically (of early Kemens) my KM4 broke – breaking through the grip (which is not materially thick because of the detachable lock). Then it began to gall at the action knuckle too. It was put right, but then went again. Galling is a problem that tends to recur, come to think of it, it is rather galling… I lost confidence in the KM4 and went to the 32” Beretta semi-auto that I still use for clays and pigeons.

I regret the loss of that first Kemen, though. It was a fine handling weapon with particularly good long range performance. Indeed, because I miss it, I have just bought another KM4 from Park Street guns (if you have not been there please go – it’s one of the best shops in the country – with Bob and Stephen always willing to do a good deal). My acquisition is not the newer version with narrower action to the rear but is in outstanding condition and has long Teague chokes.

Kemen at Kelbrook

Kemen, now imported by Mike Meggison of the Kelbrook Shooting Lodge (who also offer an excellent gun fitting service), and carry an excellent range of Kemen 32” guns. Other barrel lengths are available too. There is, moreover, a new emphasis on quality control. You can choose the barrel weight and rib type you want, and they will guarantee barrel weight within 5 grammes (which few other manufacturers do). The stock - which is now made thicker through the grip - will be made to your dimensions at no extra cost.

Some 90% of the guns Mike Meggison sells for sporting are equipped with 32” tubes, an 11 by 7mm taper rib and barrel weights from 1570-1620. The most popular barrel weight is about 1580. Not too light. Not too heavy. The slight taper rib is an excellent pattern too. As a point of interest, generally 30” is the most popular barrel length these days with more pedestrian stuff by a long margin, but in the specialist sporter market, this does not apply. It is certainly a fact that most top shooters use 32” guns now, and I believe a 32 will improve most experienced competitors scores. There is a limit – I think 34” barrels are too long for most people.

The KM4 Titanium Test Gun

The KM4 on test was made especially for Andy Castle who is a superb shot and former Beretta World winner. First impressions are very positive indeed, it is like a normal 32” Kemen - pointable, but lively at the muzzles – but it has an extra quality, a life between the hands that makes it ‘sing’ somehow. 

The barrels are monobloc, and the lumps are similar to a Perazzi (although, don’t forget that the ‘Perazzi’ bolting system itself owes much to Boss and Woodward). The barrels are well presented. Occasionally, Kemen can slip a little on the consistency of their tubes. I did not have the opportunity to measure the consistency of the walls, but Andy assures me that they are fine. He did note, however, that when he first got the gun it recoilled excessively because the chamber rim recesses were too deep. He had this rectified in the UK by a friend in the London trade.

The barrels bear Spanish proof for 2 3/4” (70mm) shells, have the popular taper rib, as noted, and a slight over bore (most Kemens come out at 18.7mm internally or about 0.738. Chokes on the test gun were fixed at tight half top and bottom. Briley chokes are a factory option, though many buyers here prefer to buy fixed choke guns and have them modified by Nigel Teague with his long thin wall chokes.

The action is essentially the same as a Perazzi mechanically (and thus inspired by Boss and Woodward). The trigger unit is not taken out by pushing the safety thumb-piece forward as on the Italian gun, though, instead, there is a small, sliding latch at the back of the trigger guard bow. This system is a little more fiddly than a Perazzi, but does provide a degree of extra security (it would not be as easy for someone to pinch the works of your gun if left on a rack!).

Shooting Impressions

Superlatives are in order here, this is one of the best, if not the best over and unders that I have ever shot. The spec, as modified by Andy, is exactly right in my book. The barrel length, barrel weight, bore diameter and choking, have combined with a lightweight action to make this a truly extraordinary gun. A 7 ½ pound 32” seems the way to go to me now – this gun handles like nothing else that I have shot. All I can really say is that I want one, and, as I can’t afford one, I am going to have a go at building something similar.

The handling characteristics of the ordinary 32” KM4 inspire confidence, but this is in a different league. The gun retains the Kemen characteristic of pulling down rangy and hard angled birds. But, it was gun to use on skeet too (although I admit moving back and back off layout, though I never got far enough away to miss anything and there’a witness!). This is one of the best sporting guns available, though the pricie is pretty serious.

My thanks to Andy Castle, and Lyalvale (Express) who supplied the cartridges for this test.

OPTIONS:
You can have exactly what you want with regard to stock shape and fit, barrel length, choke and rib type

PRICE:
In the region of 40-50K (no, that’s not an error, but it is a great gun, and the King of Spain shoots a trio of them!).

CONTACT:
Mike Meggison of the Kelbrook Shooting Lodge on 01282 861632