Guns International #: 102833511
Seller's Inventory #: 290
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Guns International #: 102833511
Discontinued Caesar Guerini Essex O/U 20 Gauge Shotgun - Excellent Condition
Description: Description: The coin-finished receiver has profuse floral engraving signed by Master Engraver Bottege C. Giovanelli. It has a checkered pistol grip stock of nicely figured high-grade French Walnut with high gloss bluing at approximately 98%+. The gun has a tapered 30" ribbed barrel with 5 factory interchangeable choke tubes and a wrench. It has a 3" chamber with a single selective trigger with ejectors. it is in excellent condition showing little use. Bores are bright and mechanically excellent Specs: LOP 14.5" DAC 1 1/2" DAH 2 1/4" WEIGHT 6lbs 10ozs Mike Yardley Review An attractive gun that handles well and inspires complete confidence... you can’t say better than that! Mike Yardley talks us through his gun of choice for game shooting – the Caesar Guerini Essex 20-bore. The gun test this month is a bit indulgent, but I hope interesting nevertheless. I asked our acting editor if I might write about my own favorite Guerini gun – the one I do most of my clay and game shooting with now (and much teaching). It’s a 30" 20-bore Essex model weighing in at 6lb 10oz – a near-ideal game gun weight in my opinion. It has a square bar, and side-plated action embellished with attractive tight scroll engraving. The stock is especially well conceived with a full (but not too full) pistol grip combined with a rounded field fore-end rather than the more usual lipped Schnabel. My Essex has had much use and has had no issues at all bar the failure of the top-lever latch, which was a small component easily replaced at a modest cost. It is long overdue a service but has not had one yet. It doesn’t feel at all loose yet. But I will get it back to Anglo-Italian in due course because it would be foolish not to. They back their guns with an excellent, and rapid, service operation (they can turn a gun around on service inside a week) as well as an exceptional 10-year guarantee. Visually, this now discontinued model is most attractive; the understated scroll suits my traditional taste. There was an option of chemical colour-case hardening too; mine has a coin-finished action. Guerini still offers the mechanically similar game scene engraved Magnus, Magnus Deluxe, and Maxum models, the last two offering a solid rib and similar pistol grip stock. So, you can buy a very similar gun with a slightly different look – RRPs beginning at £3,325 for the side-plated models (my preference for the little bit of extra weight between the hands) or from £2,595 without. This is not a small change, but it is similar to the main opposition. Guerini also includes in their stable the more expensive, finer-finished, Apex and Forum side-plated models (as well as Invictus models on a different action design – see the technical section). All the guns now come with 1320 bar fleurs-de-lys proof, and barrels drilled from 42CrMo4 bar stock with forged nickel chrome moly actions. My gun, meantime, has evolved. It did not begin life with 30" solid rib barrels (it once sported 32" tubes). The fit has been modified too. The length of pull is still the standard 14¾". But, I've put a bit of extra cast on the gun and raised the comb slightly. It measures 1 ¼" at the front and 2" to the rear. I surprised myself when I checked it for this article, I hadn't realized it was quite as high. It also has an excellent but not too steeply radiused pistol grip as noted. The ideal shape, which allows for even purchase throughout its length, is made possible by the excellent action proportions. Some guns with lower profiles have insufficient space between top and bottom tangs. I am enthused about this gun to all and sundry because it handles and shoots so well. I often say to people now that, as far as game shooting is concerned, a 30" 20-bore is always right! Other marques offer great 20-bores too. The thing about a modern machine-made 30" 20-bore is that it offers handling dynamics similar to those of a Best London side-by-side game gun of yore at a fraction of the price, and, arguably, even better shooting qualities. I am not over-egging the pudding if I say that I know of no other over-and-under 20-bore that shoots better regardless of price. I’m not saying my gun is perfect, no mechanical object is, but you would go a very long way to better this at any sensible money (and even, for that matter, at silly money). It’s that good, and that’s why I am writing about it. I am laying out the specification so that others might copy it. Technical The Essex/Magnus and Maxum have the usual replaceable stud pins and a single, simple, flat bolt to the rear, engaging a bit underneath the bottom chamber. Other makers in Brescia use this plan (although Beretta and Perazzi have their own arrangements – trunnion hinging and conical bolts in the Beretta, similarly 'bifurcated' barrel lumps in the Perazzi combined with Boss-style bolting). The basic Guerini has a single cocking bar positioned centrally in the action and equally straightforward spring-loaded ejectors. Coil springs power the rebounding hammers. Other Bresican makers (notably Rizzini, Sabatti, and FAIR) use a similar, but not identical, design. It reminds of our old, much beloved, Anson & Deeley side-by-side. It's simple, tough, and goes on working. Shooting impressions I won't mince my words. I love this little gun. I shoot most of my clays and almost all my game with it. It’s a pleasure to shoot (and carry) at 6lb 10oz. Light enough to be fast handling, heavy enough not to be wild. I seem to shoot it as well as my 12s even at tough clays. I don’t feel in any way under-gunned. The gun controls recoil beautifully. I've put thousands of 24g and 21g loads through it (and, an ounce and heavier for game – my current favorite field load being 28g of 5 shots). I don't think about this gun anymore. I just shot it. What chokes does it have? I've forgotten – about Half. Let's measure it (I’ve not looked for some years although I remove the chokes for cleaning periodically)! It turns out to be Half and Three-quarters! The extra cast and higher comb mean it points where I look. I like the steadiness of the solid rib barrels and the grip offers exceptional purchase. My Guerini inspires complete confidence. Layawy: 1/3 down 90 days Shipping: $75, with insurance $110 Payment: Personal Check, Money Order, Cert. Check, or Zelle randywine2000yahoo (703) 858-2881 Returns without damage or alteration within 3 days of delivery minus a 20% restocking fee Price: $3,599.00 Buy Now Shotgun Gauge: 20 Gauge Manufacturer: Caesar Guerini Model: Essex Serial Number: 124962 Barrel Length: 30 Chambers: 3" & 2 3/4 Ejectors: Yes Condition: Excellent Metal Condition: Excellent Wood Condition: Excellent Bore Condition: Excellent Barrels: O/U Action: Break Triggers: Single Selective Stock Comb: 1 1/2 Stock Heel: 2 1/4 LOP: 14.5 Rib: yes Finish: Satin Weight: 6lbs 10oz Sights: bead Manufacture Date: 2010 Chokes: Five Factory Tubes Engraving: yes Case: yes Grips: checkered pistol Contact Seller |
Guns International #: 102833511
Seller's Inventory #: 290
Guns International #: 102833511
Seller's Inventory #: 290