Shooting impressions

I liked the feel and balance of the gun instantly. The weight at 7lb is ideal for a 16-bore over-and-under game gun and would also be close to my ideal for

a 30in side-by-side or 32in 20-bore over-and-under. It offers enough mass to tame recoil and promote control but not so much weight as to hinder good, fast handling qualities. This Powell also offers efficient and aesthetically pleasing stock shapes. You can hold on to it and direct it well. The trigger pulls were crisp (witness to careful internal work). Only a couple of birds slipped away with close misses in front, which I think would have been avoided had it not been for the tight three-quarter and three-quarter choking. There was

not the opportunity to plate. It was clear that patterns using 26g loads were efficient, causing many clays shot to evaporate. Sometimes you test guns that are models “deluxe” but don’t feel especially refined compared to cheaper, mechanically similar, peers. This one

felt superior in all departments.