Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Yildiz SPZ ME .410 £625
Shooting Times’s new shotgun reviewer Jonny Carter takes a look at a popular small-bore that impresses with its value and performance
1½in and 23/8in, and comes up like many other mainstream makers’ stock dimensions. It also comes in a junior model for those of shorter stature, but this standard specification will only be a few slight alterations from fitting most shooters. A little more comb height wouldn’t go amiss, however.
The gun reviewed had a 30in (76cm) barrel, and it comes with a set of five chokes. The barrels are monobloc and are made of 4140 steel. This is a fantastic material due to its durability and excellent corrosion resistance, which make it more forgiving of lackadaisical maintenance.
Although Yildiz does make a steelactioned SPZ, this model features a lightweight alloy action made of a metal often referred to as Ergal. This is the commercial name for 7075 aluminium alloy, which contains 6% zinc, lesser portions of magnesium and copper, a dash of iron and a sprinkle of other things that give it excellent mechanical properties. Like many metals, 7075’s properties vary according to its temper, which Yildiz does not state; however, seeing
“Over five years, this shotgun will cost the same as having Netflix — it’s a no-brainer”
as you don’t hear of many actions blowing in half, it probably picked the right one for the job.
At the time of writing, a look on Guntrader revealed 11,000 over-andunder 12-bores and only 307 overand-under .410s. A lot of these .410s are lower priced and of a significantly lower quality than this SPZ; however, the saving is only a few hundred pounds and the drop in quality is significant. To get an increase in quality, you are looking at double or
triple the retail price on this gun. Based on this, I would happily say this gun is great value and an excellent purchase. The laser-engraved scroll, featuring some birds and a dog, is the only part of the gun that lets it down, I’d say.
Will it last a lifetime? Well, given it has a five-year warranty, it’s going to last five years. And if you look at it like that, then over five years this gun will cost the same as having Netflix — a no-brainer. Of course, life expectancy has more to do with use than age. Breaking clays is one thing, but what are .410s capable of in the field? My better half has a silenced pump-action .410 that she uses to profound effect with both 2½in and 3in cartridges.
There is an obvious limitation in range, but the main talking point around .410s is the move away from lead. There are currently no steel options, and they may never be commercially available. Bismuth loads will hit the market shortly and tungsten will follow (which, although expensive, is a game-changer and already popular with small-bore shooters in the US). I think we may see reloading .410 shot shells becoming popular, and if you take this up, the scope of what a .410 can do opens even further.
The barrels are made of 4140 steel,
a material that offers fantastic durability and corrosion resistance