Perazzi MX28-B Over/Under 28

Known more for its competition models, this 28 excels in the field. Lithe and striking, Perazzi’s MX28B over/under wasn’t even out of the box yet and I was struck by the number of descriptive adjectives I could come up with. Built on a tiny 28-gauge frame, this is a light little thing (6.8 pounds) but when I shot it the first time on clay targets I was pleasantly surprised by the relatively light recoil. There are lighter small-bore over/unders around—even 12-gauges—but this shotgun is just about the weight of some old 12-gauge Purdey side-by-sides. Balance is about ½-inch in front of the hinge, so it’s a little forward weight—not at all bad when a woodcock tops the alders. Generally, a bit of front heaviness results in quicker movement on a fast-escaping bird. The barrels are 29½-inches, and the top rib is not tapered—7mm breach to muzzle—with a metal bead at the front. There are full non-vented side ribs in front of the fore-end, separated barrels under the fore-end. The barrels weigh 2 pounds, 12.5 ounces. Again, many a set of light side-by-side barrels weighed similarly over 100 years ago…though in 12-gauge. The bores measure .547. Traditionally, 28-gauge bores measure about .550 so there’s no overboring here. The forend is slim at 1.53-inches. The fore-end wood appears a perfect match to the figure of the buttstock walnut. The checkering is also very fine line. There’s no super sharpness to the checkered tops so the gun is comfortable to carry all day without gloves. The walnut is hand-rubbed oil, beautifully done with all the pores completely filled. While the MX28B does not have SC2 engraving, Perazzi did use a very nice looking grade wood on this new model. The pistol grip is relaxed/open, but the crowning touch to the stock is the checkered butt. Again, the checkering on the butt plate is very fine line, plus there’s an opening to insert the stock removal tool that is included with all Perazzi shotguns.