William Powell Perseus

William Powell launched their Continental range some years back and have had considerable success with it. There are side by sides made by Arrieta, a well known Spanish firm who recently took over Arrizabalaga, and over and unders made by the no less well known Italian gunmaker B.Rizzini.

An Established English Gunmaker

Mark Osborne the man behind William Powell, and Peter Powell of the Powell family, who is still a consultant to it, both have my greatest respect as well. They have put a lot of effort into developing this range of guns which has models at a wide range of price points (Powells I might add, also make a very few of their English made No. 1 sidelock side by sides). You are not only getting an Arrieta or Rizzini when you buy one of their guns, you are getting something very carefully thought through, specified and checked in the UK by a long established English gunmaker with very high standards and tremendous expertise and pride.

This month’s test gun is the Perseus over and under, which is the least expensive, no frills, Powell at £1,795 (the side by side range begins with the full sidelock ‘Marquis’ at £3,250). The Perseus is available in both 12 and 20 bore with 28 or 30” barrels. Our test gun is my preference though – a 30” 20 bore. First impressions are good, the gun has a coin finished action with relatively sparse scroll engraving on the walls as well as a ribbon with the William Powell name. There is a woodcock on the action belly with a bit more scroll (I could have done without the bird which is not offensive but artistically indifferent). The engraving coverage is not extensive as noted but it is well done, and, aesthetically the gun looks fine with classic proportions and a particularly nice semi-pistol grip stock (a design which Rizzini have perfected in recent years). The stock wood shows good figure too. The level of finish is good all round, wood to metal, metal to metal and blacking all pass muster.

Layout

I liked the form of the gun, and I liked it even more when I brought it up to face and shoulder. These 30” 20s – this one weighs about 6lbs 9oz and feels really good – not too heavy, but stable, pointable AND swingable. The gun is lively in the hands with good stock shapes and good purchase front (on a schnabel forend) and rear on the A1 semi pistol grip. The Perseus inspires confi dence before you shoot it. I have often noted that 20 bores with Browning style bolting as this gun has allow for an almost perfectly proportioned grip. Indeed, I could wax lyrical about the grip, suffi ce to say I have it on my own 20 bore game guns.

On a general note, because of the high tech machining, and more and more dealer input, the guns coming out of Northern Italy just seem to be get better and better. I have seen some very expensive Rizzinis recently – some going as high as 30K a pair – but the proportions here are excellent and the mechanics essentially the same as the guns costing ten times as much. Meantime I liked the simple lines of the action here.

Stock Work

The stock I have already noted was excellent. Rizzini were one of the fi rst Italian fi rms to offer a really good version of this classic shape. It works especially well in their 20 bores.

The grip is ideally radiused and complimented by a nicely tapered comb. As for measurements, length of pull is just under 15”.  Drop is 1 3/8 at the front of the comb and 2 1/8 at heel (near ideal for a shelf dimension though Powell have improved it further by ordering new guns at 15” LOP). There is just a little cast for a right-hander - ideal dimensions for me. I also liked the simple wooden butt plate well matched to the butt timber (but which allows for easy extension by means of a recoil pad or ebonite block if required).

Tubes

The barrels are monobloc, 3” chambered, and have 7mm ventilated sighting rib which was good (though a hollowed and tapered ‘solid’ design would be even better). Solid joining ribs extend the full length of the barrels. The latter, with tubes bored at 15.9 and multi-choked with long type, but fl ush fi tting chokes, bear standard rather than fl eur de lys marks which have been struck in Gardonne. They are well presented with good striking up and excellent blacking. Internally, they are straight, and Italian barrels I note seem to be getting better in this department. Joins between the tubes and monoblocs are competent – no gaps – and disguised with the usual lines of simple engraving.

The action is familiar. We have explored its like many times. The bifurcated lump barrels pivot on stud pins, bolting is inspired by Browning with a wide bolt engaging a slot bite beneath the bottom chamber. “Solid and simple” as I have noted previously. It works especially well in a 20 or 28 bore because it creates an action with top and bottom tangs that are almost ideally spaced for the creation of a good grip (in a 12 bore this action can look a bit bulkier than those which combine trunnion hinging with Boss or Beretta type bolting to the side of the chambers rather than in a lump/lug beneath them). This action has become what might be described as the Gardonne Anson and Deeley. It is adopted by half a dozen mass producers with Beretta and Perazzi being exceptions.

Shooting Impressions

This was a good little gun to shoot, as good as any mass produced, mid-market 20s (so you pays yer money and take your choice with regard to the competition). The gun was a pleasure to shoot with 24 gram Lyalvale loads because of the good shapes. The trigger pulls were reasonable, the function of the inertia trigger mech and ejectors perfect. I especially like the comfortable rounded trigger blade profi le too. This is a good gun in all departments.

Personally, I would have liked it with a plain black action, but you can’t please everyone. There is no plan at the moment to produce a 28 bore Perseus which is a pity because this 20 bore scaled action with 30” 28 bore barrels produces an exceptional gun. Meantime, this is a well sorted, well priced, piece of kit and one which could be used for any sort of game shooting (including walking up), in a hide, or for informal clays. In all cases it will bring a smile to your face without requiring a second mortgage.

My thanks to Lyalvale Express for supplying the cartridges used in this test. GM