THIS 32in, 20-bore Guerini Forum is imported by Anglo Italian Arms (who also bring Fabarm guns into the UK). I requested the gun because I have been conducting a series of experiments on the shooting qualities of 30in and 32in 20-bores. I am interested in the perception of forward allowance using the different barrel lengths and the ultimate placement of the shot pattern (I used to think long barrels reduced the apparent lead picture but it’s not so simple).
The Forum, meanwhile, is Guerini’s most upmarket field gun save the Revenant. It is distinguished by tight scroll and game-engraved side-plates, an extended trigger tang, fine chequering and other deluxe model features. Apart from the firm’s excellent solid, taper rib there is a skeletonised steel pistol grip cap and a well-figured, 14⅞in butt without a separate end-plate or fixing screws (unusual in mass-produced over-and-unders). The Forum sits almost at the top end of Guerini’s range, above the Tempio (a trigger-plate ‘boxlock’), the Magnus (sideplates with game scenes), the Maxum (side-plates with deep scroll) and the Apex (fine scroll only, an extended tang and steel-capped grip).
The test gun is predominantly machine made, like the vast majority today, but distinguished by its extra hand work. The artisan input is evident in refined stock shapes, the well-executed, traditional oil finish and in especially good barrel presentation. You can also see evidence of extra hand work in the decoration on the action. The attractive engraving is applied by laser (a process Guerini has led the way with) but hand finished (areas with curved surfaces require more handwork). The machined components of the gun inspire confidence; the engineering of the action body is particularly neat.
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Denne historien er fra January 2021-utgaven av The Field.
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Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside
The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.
Fodder
Local fare with the feel-good factor.
Celebrating the game changers
Once served only in the traditional manner, the fruits of our forays now find their way into all manner of diverse and delicious dishes, say Neil and Serena Cross
The first civil engineer
John Smeaton left an indelible mark on the field of engineering and, three centuries after his birth, his legacy remains as strong as ever
School spirits
From grey ladies and ghostly gardeners to more malign entities, public schools are a rich repository of unnatural phenomena
'A long way from Piccadilly or Pall Mall'
Marking 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Conor Farrington explores this eminent statesman’s often-overlooked 1907 tour of British East Africa: a journey rich with enchanting natural beauty and sporting adventure
Top of the pups
Canines in all their guises were celebrated at The Field Top Dog Awards lunch at Defender Burghley Horse Trials whether eager on the peg, patient at home or perpetually making mischief
Angling for success
It’s never too early to shape up for next season’s salmon and trout, and these top fishing schools are here to help
Talking scents
The canine nose is an astonishingly complex piece of biotechnology that man has harnessed for sustenance and sport for thousands of years
Wall-to-wall excitement
Criss-crossed by formidable drystone walls, the High Peak Harriers’ scenic country provides a day out with an exhilarating difference