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Developed as a civilian alternative to the military M14 rifle, Springfield Armory’s M1A has been around since 1974. In fact, Springfield Armory just celebrated the 50-year milestone of the M1A’s release with a limited-edition 50th Anniversary model, just as I was wrapping up testing for the air-powered replica version of this iconic rifle. The air version of the M1A is an underlever, single-shot pellet rifle available in .177 and .22 calibers. It features a spring piston power plant and open sights.

Manufactured by Air Venturi under a licensing agreement with Springfield Armory, the pellet rifle is a faithful replica in appearance and a good performer suitable for fun plinking and small game hunting. And at $200, it costs less than 10 percent of what the anniversary edition of the real firearm will run you. Here is a closer look at this replica air gun.

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Specs

• Type: Spring-piston (underlever)
• Action: Single-shot
• Caliber: .22 (tested), .177
• Projectile type: Pellets
• Feet per second: up to 800 (.22), up to 1000 (.177)
• Energy at muzzle: 20 foot pounds
• Sights: Peep rear, Blade front
• Length: 45.6 inches
• Weight: 9.9 pounds
• Price: $199 (MSRP)

Pros

• Good power
• Accurate for a springer
• Backyard friendly
• Easy operation
• Realistic design and weight
• Moderately priced

Cons

• The dye on stock seems cheap
• Heavy cocking effort
• Not sling compatible
• Creepy trigger

M1A Replica Air Rifle Overview

The air-powered version of the M1A combines realistic style with functional performance. The underlever spring-piston design is a perfect match for the M1A, as what would be the gas cylinder on the firearm serves as the air gun’s cocking lever. Pulling down on the cocking lever opens a port for loading pellets. The loading port is large enough to accommodate all but the largest, clumsiest fingers. But the underlever design means you can’t outfit the rifle with a traditional sling.

On underlever guns, that loading port is sometimes called a bear trap. That’s because some poorly designed guns don’t have safety, so accidentally tripping the trigger after the gun is cocked while the lever is down will snap the action shut. If you happen to have fingers in the port when that happens, it’s something you’ll remember for a long time, likely with scarring as a reminder. On the M1A, the bolt catch on the left side of the receiver is an anti-bear trap safety. You have to hit the catch to move the cocking lever back into place and close the loading port.

The M1A air gun features a workable bolt, but it’s just for show, and the pull is just an inch or so. The rifle has threads for a scope mount should a shooter want to install optics. The stock on the pellet rifle is some kind of non-defined hardwood, and the dark coloring is from wood stain, which looks like it was hastily applied by hand. Maybe that is intentional to give the rifle an antique-like patina.

This is a big, heavy gun—just like its firearm counterpart. Because it so closely resembles the firearm version in weight and feel, it would work well for M1A firearms shooters who want to get inexpensive trigger time.

Range Performance

I tested the M1A pellet rifle over several weeks at my 25-yard backyard range and at my local range. The test model provided was a .22. As shooters familiar with spring-piston air guns know, they can be hold-sensitive. I shot off sandbag rests with a light hold that works best for me when shooting springers.

Spring-piston guns also typically improve in smoothness and accuracy after a substantial break-in period of 500 or even more shots. Many are also pellet-picky. Finding the right ammo isn’t quite the involved endeavor that tuning a high-end PCP can be, but it can still take time.

This style of air rifle can also be a bit rough early on, and that was the case with the M1A. But cocking became noticeably smoother after a dozen shots or so. The rifle’s cocking effort is 35 pounds, which is pretty stout. Although the cocking lever can be extended for a bit more leverage.

I haven’t hit 500 shots with this pellet gun yet, but I’m already impressed by its performance. The gun’s power is consistent. Shooting 18-grain FX domed pellets, velocity ranged from 689 to 710 feet per second, which equates to about 20-foot pounds of energy. That’s plenty for pest control or hunting small game.

While accuracy seems to be an afterthought with some replica air guns, that’s not the case here. The M1A is quite accurate, though centering groups required setting the windage adjustment on the rear peep significantly to the left. At 25 yards, I was getting 1- to 1 ½-inch groups out of the gate with the above-mentioned FX domed pellets. The groups tightened up slightly when I tried 18-grain Air Arms domed pellets. The trigger is advertised as two-stage and non-adjustable. I didn’t feel much of a first stage—just a gradual pull before the break, which I measured at just under 2 pounds.

As I always do when testing springers with iron sights, I pulled out my peep sight adorned Feinwerkbau 124 to shoot a couple of groups under the same conditions. Groups from the .177 Feinwerkbau—which is a tack-driver at 25 yards with a scope—were a little better than the M1A groups, but not by much.

So, why not scope the M1A? The receiver is drilled for a scope mount, and I have no doubt that half-inch groups at 25 yards would be easy with a scope. However, putting a scope on this gun seems like heresy, though I might do it temporarily just for fun and to see just how accurate it can be. But for now, I’m sticking with the iron sights—just like the real gun.

Final Thoughts

Many replica air guns are intended as practice alternatives for firearms shooters looking for an inexpensive way to get trigger time or to appeal to a shooter’s nostalgia for historic firearms. While the Springfield Armory M1A pellet rifle checks both of those boxes, it’s also a functional shooter that can be an effective hunting or plinking rifle. Despite a so-so trigger and open sights, it’s surprisingly accurate out of the box and will likely improve as it breaks in. It’s a gun that wants and deserves to be shot, not just admired as an homage to a classic American firearm.

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Going by the name alone, you would rightly expect the Mossberg International Gold Reserve to be a higher-grade gun than the Mossberg International Silver Reserve. Introduced in 2021, the Gold Reserve comes from Turkey’s Kahn/Kayhan factory, the same maker that has been building the Silver Reserve for Mossberg in one form or another since 2005.

New for 2024 is the 20-gauge Sporting version of the Gold Reserve. As soon as I opened the hard case, it was clear that this gun was more than just a Silver Reserve with better decoration. Actually, it was more and less at the same time. It was better decorated but also light and trim, and built on an entirely different, smaller, lighter frame, giving it a feel all its own. The Gold Reserve dashed my expectations about Mossberg O/Us. There’s nothing clunky about it, nor overweight. In fact, it could stand to put on a few ounces, but we’ll get to that later.

After giving the gun a thorough inspection at home, I was able to spend some time on the range testing the new 20-gauge Gold Reserve Sporing, and here is my full review.

Mossberg Gold Reserve 20-Gauge Sporting Specs and Overview

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Specs

• Length: 47 inches (with 30-inch barrels)
• Weight: 6 pounds (20-gauge with 30-inch barrels)
• Barrel: 30-inch vent rib, ventilated mid-rib, brass bead, 5 extended chokes
• Action: Break-action O/U
• Trigger: 8.5 pounds
• Capacity: 2
• Finish: Engraved silver receiver
• Stock: Grade A walnut
• Chambering: 3-inch 12-gauge, 3-inch 20-gauge (new and tested), 3-inch .410
• Price: $1135

Along with the hard case, the gun comes with five extended choke tubes. Overall, the fit, finish, and decoration are very good for an $1100 O/U. Scroll engraving fully covers the silvered receiver, except for a space on the bottom for a letter “M” in a gold oval and the words “Gold Reserve, Mossberg International.” Unlike some laser- and roll-engraving, this is deep-relief enough that you can see it, even at a distance.

My test gun’s walnut stock has some figure to it and a classy satin finish. The forend has a Schnabel tip with a Deeley latch on the bottom, and the checkering panels on the forend and the stock are as neat and clean as one expects them to be in these days of laser-cutting. The butt-pad is very thin and doesn’t provide much in the way of recoil mitigation, although it does have a hard-plastic insert up top to help the gun shoulder without snagging. Break the Gold Reserve open, and you’re pleasantly surprised to find that the monoblock of the barrels is jeweled, adding a bit more elegance to the gun’s overall looks. The barrels have a flat vent rib, vented mid-ribs, and a small, simple gold bead. Overall, the Gold Reserve looks the part of a sporting gun.

Related: Best Over/Under Shotguns for Any Pursuit

Mossberg Gold Reserve 20-Gauge Sporting Range Results

My test gun weighed exactly 6 pounds. The 30-inch barrels cause the gun to balance well ahead of the action’s hinge, but it didn’t feel the least bit muzzle heavy to me. Although the gun fit me well and shot flat, 50/50 patterns to my point of aim, I didn’t shoot it particularly well at low-gun skeet. As well-balanced as I think this gun is, it didn’t weigh enough for me to move it as smoothly as I’d like. A 6-pound target gun is not easy for most people to shoot. In the Gold Reserve’s defense, I’ll put out that I do most of my target shooting with 12-gauge guns that weigh closer to 9 pounds than to 8. Another pound or so of weight would have made this an easier gun for me to swing. It may work better for you on clays than it did for me. Mossberg lists the gun at 7 pounds, so maybe mine was unusually light.

I did have a couple of quibbles with the controls. The trigger breaks at well over 8 pounds. That doesn’t bother me any, because I just don’t notice trigger pulls. If you do notice pull-weights, you might count this as a strike against the gun. Also, it is possible to leave the safety-mounted barrel selector tab between barrels, at which point, it blocks the safety. This isn’t a problem on the clays course, but could be in the field. The ejectors worked perfectly and tossed shells consistently to within a few inches of one another.

Final Thoughts on the Mossberg Gold Reserve 20-Gauge Sporting

Pros:

• Good fit and finish
• Light and trim
• Handles well for upland hunting

Cons:

• A little light for target shooting
• Heavy trigger

While the 20-gauge Gold Reserve wasn’t the sporting gun for me, I couldn’t help thinking about what a terrific hunting gun it would make. A 6-pound, 30-inch 20-gauge is not an easy gun to come by at any price point, much less just over $1100. It’s a gun that will be easy to carry, but the longer barrels will help you hit the birds you shoot at when the time comes. The gun has 3-inch chambers, too, so it could handle a wide assortment of field duties. Hunting seasons were closed when I tested this gun, and while I always wish it were hunting season, having the lithe 20-gauge Gold Reserve in hand made me wish it even harder. Regardless of season, this gun is a good buy at its price and is worth a look.

Read Next: Best Shotguns, Tested and Reviewed

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People become loyal to shotgun brands the way they’re loyal to pickup truck brands. My dad was a Browning guy, so it wasn’t a surprise that the first shotgun he gave me was a Browning Auto 5. If we had been a Remington family, that gun would have been a Remington Model 1100. When I started buying guns for myself, I soon learned that if I was going to put together the battery of shotguns I wanted, brand loyalty would only limit me. There are a lot of shotguns on the market from different makers, and all have something unique to offer.

While several stalwart brands remain, the shotgun landscape changes constantly. The United States has lost many of its storied brand names, including Parker, A.H. Fox, and L.C. Smith. Even Ruger and Marlin are out of the shotgun business.

At the same time, foreign brands are much more prevalent in the United States than they used to be. Italian and Turkish-made guns make up a large share of the U.S. market today. It can be daunting to be a gun buyer if you’re not familiar with the major shotgun brands. 

Here is a list of the best shotgun brands to make the search for your next firearm easier.

Mossberg

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Swedish immigrant O.F. Mossberg founded the gun company that bears his name in New Haven, Connecticut in 1919. Up until 1961, Mossberg was known for rimfire pistols and rifles, but that all changed with the introduction of the Model 500 pump. The new gun embodied the Mossberg brand. It was inexpensive and it was versatile. One of the first guns to be sold with extra barrels, the Model 500 was, in Mossberg’s words, a “shooting system.” You can find one for any purpose and the 500 has gone on to become the most popular shotgun ever made. 

The lineup has grown over time to comprise semi-autos and a line of affordable imported O/Us. In most people’s minds, however, Mossberg is a pump gun company.

My favorite Mossberg—and my constant companion in the spring turkey woods—is the Model 835. It was the first gun to be chambered for the mighty 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge and it’s essentially a supersized Model 500. It has the top safety that makes these guns left-hander friendly. I shoot an older 835, but the model I’d like is the new 835 Turkey Holosun dot combo. Mossberg has always been an innovator, and they are the first to make a cut in the receiver for a low-mounted red dot sight. This gun comes with a red dot sight mounted. 

Beretta 

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Beretta has been in the same family since 1526 in Gardone, Italy, in the middle of Italy’s gumnmaking center of Val Trompia. There are well over 100 gun makers in the Val Trompia, and Beretta by itself makes more guns than all the rest combined. The giant maker can build anything, including pistols used by armed forces around the world, some of the most expensive hand-crafted over/under shotguns, and target shotguns durable enough to win at the Olympic level.

Among American shotgunners, Beretta is perhaps best known for its gas semi-autos. A leader in semi-auto design, Beretta offers the A400 in several variants. The A400 Xcel sporting gun and the A400 Xtreme Plus waterfowl gun have a deserved reputation for reliability and soft recoil. Both the gas operation and Beretta’s own Kick-Off recoil reduction device deliver mild recoil to the shooter while the guns break targets and drop ducks and geese. The A400 comes in 3 and 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge, 20-gauge and the new 3-inch 28-gauge, so there is a model for every purpose.

Benelli

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Benelli made only motorcycles until the 1960s, before going into the shotgun business with a unique semi-automatic operated by what is known as the inertia system. Located far from other Italian gunmakers in the small, medieval city of Urbino, Benelli continues refining the inertia action and building several different models around it.

The gun that made the company famous was the Super Black Eagle, introduced in 1991. It was the first autoloader made for the then-new 3 ½-inch 12-gauge. American waterfowlers quickly learned that the inertia action stayed cleaner, longer, than other types of semi-auto, and that the guns kept working in conditions that shut other shotguns down. Today the Super Black Eagle 3, the third iteration of the SBE, is available not only as a 3 ½-inch 12-gauge but also in 3-inch 12-, 20- and 28-gauges.

CZ-USA

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Česká zbrojovka, the Czech Armory, is best known for producing the CZ-75 pistol. In 1997, the company established CZ-USA to distribute and service their guns in the U.S. Shortly afterward, CZ-USA began importing a line of affordable Turkish-made shotguns. Those CZ guns became the first Turkish imports to win wide acceptance among the American public. The presence of a well-run service center in Kansas City further set U.S. shooter’s minds at ease, and their low price made them very attractive.

Hunters shopping for a no-frills side-by-side bird gun need look no further than the CZ Bobwhite G2. The lightweight, classic-styled gun has a straight grip, splinter forend, twin triggers and extractors. Unlike older side by sides, however, this one has interchangeable choke tubes and is rated for steel shot, making it a gun you can hunt with anywhere. The Bobwhite G2 comes in 12-, 20- and 28-gauge.

Remington

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An American icon since it was founded in 1816, Remington fell on hard times in the early 20th century until it was purchased by a group determined to make quality Remington guns again. Remington made its reputation among shotgunners with the 1100 gas semi-auto and the 870 pump. The new ownership has started by making 870s again, and by making them the way they should be made. 

Designed to be produced with common, stamped, and molded-injection-metal parts so it could undercut the hand-fit and finished competition, the 870 turned out not just to be inexpensive, but great. Over 11 million have been made since its debut in 1950. Quality problems that plagued the 870s of a few years ago have been addressed, and once again, this American classic shoots the way it should. The Remington 870 FieldMaster synthetic comes in all-black in 3-inch 12 and 20-gauges, it doesn’t cost a ton of money, and it’s a well-made, reliable gun.

Browning

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Utah’s John Browning, the greatest gun inventor who ever lived, founded Browning Arms Company in Ogden, Utah, in 1878. Browning—who worked with his brothers and later, his son, Val—was prolific and visionary as a designer of firearms. Many of his guns, like the now 113-year-old 1911 pistol and the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, are still made and used today. The gun he considered his greatest invention, the Auto 5 shotgun, was the first successful semi-automatic shotgun design, and it was a gun so far ahead of its time that it had no serious competition for fifty years after it was introduced. 

Browning’s last invention, the Superposed O/U, changed the tastes of American gun buyers. The over/under, at the time, was available only as a very high-end custom proposition. Browning found ways to make it much more affordable. He died while at work on the gun, which was completed by Val in 1931 and became a huge success during the affluent, post-WW2 years. Today the Superposed exists as a custom gun, while its lower-priced successor, the Citori 725, comes in a wide variety of hunting and target models. The 725 Field is an excellent hunting gun that comes in 12-, 20-, 28- and .410 bore. 

Caesar Guerini

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A relative newcomer to the Italian gun trade, Caesar Guerini was founded in 2000 by two brothers, Giorgio and Antonio Guerini, from one of Italy’s leading gunmaking families. The Guerini brand centers around field and target O/Us with traditional decoration and styling, and aimed squarely at the US market. Guerini has become very successful in a short time by listening to American consumers, giving them what they want, and by providing excellent customer service. The company offers both hunting and target guns.

Their first gun, and still mainstay of the line, the Tempio, comes in both a steel and a lightweight alloy-framed model in 12-, 20-, 28-gauges and in .410 bore. 

Tips for Buying a Shotgun

You have a lot of choices when you choose a shotgun. Fit, weight and balance all matter a great deal, because a shotgun is shot instinctively. If you don’t get those things right, the rest doesn’t matter much. 

Fit

Make sure it’s a gun that fits well and that you can handle and operate easily. If you’re not sure about how to tell if a gun fits you, consult a gunsmith or even a knowledgeable and trustworthy gun shop employee. No one needs a gun that doesn’t shoot where they look, or that they can’t handle because it’s too long or too heavy for them.

Purpose

It’s just as important, too, that the gun suit its intended purpose. Although crossover models exist, in most cases, target and hunting guns are not the same. Target guns are often heavy, to soak up recoil and point steadily, with long barrels for a smooth swing. Hunting guns are often shorter and lighter, especially guns made for upland or turkey hunting.

Action

Action type matters, too. The great advantages of gas semi-autos is that they actually reduce felt recoil. Pumps are reliable and inexpensive, but not well-suited for making fast follow-ups in clay target games. O/Us are excellent upland and target guns but have limited firepower (two shots vs three) in waterfowling and they can be awkward to load in a blind.

Gauge

Gauge is another choice you’ll face. In general, the smaller the gauge (the bigger the number), the lighter and softer-kicking a gun will be, although that is oversimplifying. You’ll take all these factors and more into account when you choose a shotgun.

Budget and Quality

Buy the best gun you can, even if you have to stretch. A shotgun can last two or three generations with proper care.

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Remington’s new Premier CuT Copper Tipped rifle ammunition is the company’s latest line of lead-free of big-game hunting ammo. It’s not their first. In the early 2000s, Remington loaded Norma’s lead-free Naturalis bullet, and then, starting in 2010, you could get Remington ammo loaded with Barnes Triple Shocks. Although the company could continue to load the latter, Remington wanted their own, modern, lead-free, big-game bullet—and now they have it in the Premier CuT.

I was recently in Africa for 42 days, where I got to spend a week hunting with Remington’s CuT ammo, with it’s brand-new mono-metal bullet. Here’s my full review, including how the ammo and bullet performed on a variety of African game animals.

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Remington Premier CuT Copper Tipped Ammo Overview

Remington’s new Premier CuT Copper Tipped line of hunting ammunition uses a monolithic, lead-free alloy bullet. That’s how the CuT bullet got the first part of its very descriptive name. In the periodic table of elements, “Cu” stands for copper, and 95 percent of the CuT bullet is copper, the other 5 percent is zinc. The CuT bullet also has two relief grooves to give bullet material displaced by the rifling somewhere to go, and the front groove can be used for crimping. The last letter in the name—the T—stands for “tipped,” because all of the bullets used in Remington CuT ammunition have polymer tips.

One advantage of a cooper-alloy bullet is high weight retention, which helps increase penetration, without inducing any lead particles into the meat. This makes the CuT bullet suitable for locations that do not allow bullets containing any lead. The polymer tip increases ballistic coefficient, reducing drag, flattening trajectory, and minimizing wind drift. Initially, for 2024, Remington’s Premier CuT ammunition line will include offerings for 10 very popular and trusted big game cartridges.

Remington Premier CuT Ammo Offerings and Specs

Field Test: How the New CuT Ammo Performed on Game

After 18 days of hunting in Africa’s Eastern and Northern Cape, I headed up near Musina, South Africa, to hunt with Joel Hodgdon of Remington Ammunition in the Limpopo province. We were hunting near the Limpopo River, just across the border from Zimbabwe, and Joel had brought a rifle chambered for the 7mm PRC. At that time, the 7mm PRC was the only cartridge Remington had finalized for the new CuT ammo. During our week-long hunt, Joel and I took seven animals ranging in weight from about 20 pounds to nearly 800 with seven shots, all using the new CuT ammo.

The smallest plains-game animals taken were steenbok and duiker. Both are small African antelope that range in weight from about 20 to 35 pounds. Though you’ll see them frequently on the veld, they’re usually they’re running, so both can be challenging to hunt. Joel shot his steenbok ram at about 70 yards. The bullet entered the chest, passed through the abdomen, and exited behind the off-side hip. The duiker Joel took was walking away at about the same distance. Almost a Texas heart shot, that bullet passed through the body in almost the opposite path of the bullet that took the steenbok. Neither animal took a step after impact.

Joel also took a black impala ram and a nyala bull. Impalas are about the size of a south Texas whitetail doe, and a nyala can weigh as much as a mature mule deer buck. Joel shot his impala ram quartering away at about 55 yards, and it dropped instantly. The bullet entered just behind the shoulder, passed through one lung, and exited the ram’s chest. Joel shot his nyala at about the same distance, the bullet passed through both lungs and exited, and the bull ran about 40 yards and piled up.

The greater kudu is one of the most sought-after of all of Africa’s plains game, and a fully mature bull can weigh 600 pounds or a bit more. Joel and I both took a kudu. Joel’s shot was at about 80 yards, and the bullet entered behind the shoulder and exited just forward of the shoulder on the opposite side. The bull ran about 90 yards through the thick acacia and mopani bush, but the tracking was easy. I shot my kudu at about 160 yards. It was quartering towards me, and the bullet struck just forward of the point of his shoulder and lodged somewhere in the paunch. At impact the bull collapsed and never moved.

A zebra was the largest plains game animal we took, and a big stallion can weigh as much as 800 pounds. I don’t think any species of African game is harder to kill than another, but through 20 years of safaris I’ve seen more troubles with zebra than anything else. I shot the stallion at about the same distance I shot the kudu, with almost the exact same shot presentation. He ran about 80 yards. The bullet had traveled through the lungs and into the paunch, but we never found it. What we did find, with no trouble at all, was an expired zebra.

Final Thoughts on Remington Premier CuT Ammo

In Africa, I shot the 7mm PRC load on the range to confirm zero and then saw it used on seven animals. It seemed to deliver good precision, but I never got to measure groups. After returning home, I got to range-test the 120-grain 6.5 Creedmoor CuT load for precision. It shot well out of my son’s New Ultra Light Arms 6.5 Creedmoor with a 24-inch barrel, with slightly higher than advertised velocities. It averaged 1.03 inches for five, five shot groups at 100 yards. I also tested that load in Clear Ballistics. That bullet penetrated 27 inches and upset with a frontal diameter of nearly a half-inch with 98 percent weight retention. Here’s a breakdown of the ballistic performance and precision of the 6.5 Creedmoor load I tested.

We only recovered one bullet in Africa, and it was from one of the smallest animals. We found the 160-grain 7mm bullet under the hide on the front of the duiker’s chest after about 20 inches of penetration. This was surprising after seeing a complete pass through on a kudu bull, but with the duiker the bullet impacted and shattered it’s pelvis right after entry. What was surprising was that the 7mm PRC did not blast these small antelope into oblivion. I’ve seen lead core bullets from lesser cartridges erupt these diminutive antelope ruining their pelts. The new CuT bullet, however, worked well on both small and large game.

Remington is on what you could call their third generation of mono-metal big-game ammunition with the new CuT line. Based on my experience, I think you can expect it to perform on par with Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks and Hornady’s CX bullet. And you’ll be able to try it for yourself soon, as Remington says loaded CuT ammo for all 10 of the initially offered cartridges should be available by the 2024 big game season.

Read Next: 5 Great Big Game Bullets Tested in a Lab

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The Fabarm L4S Allsport is a jack-of-all-trades target gun, made to shoot every target discipline. Let me point out that the full “jack of all trades” proverb reads: “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” The point of the proverb is not that generalists are bad, but that versatility is good, and the L4S Allsport is versatile. The quick-change rib, adjustable comb and excellent choke tubes of the L4S allow you to switch it from sporting gun to trap gun in a couple of minutes. Those features save you from having to buy another entire shotgun.

I recently took a test-model L4S Allsport to the range and put it through it’s paces. Here is my full review.

Fabarm L4S Shotgun Specs

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• Weight: 8 pounds
• Barrel: 30-inches with interchangeable vent rib, white bead, five choke tubes
• Action: Gas semiauto
• Trigger: 7 pounds
• Capacity: 4
• Finish: Blued steel, black anodized alloy with enamel highlights
• Stock: Oil-finished walnut
• Chambering: 2 ¾-inch 12-gauge
• Price: $2750; $2950 for left-handed model

Fabarm L4S Overview

Generally speaking, the Italian-made Fabarm L4S is a very good gas gun that hasn’t quite yet received its due in the U.S. It is both reliable and soft-kicking. All of the guns in the L4S line that I have tested have cycled everything, even very light, sub-1-ounce loads. The gun is built a little bit differently than most. Removing the barrel requires first removing the forend, which is held in place by a nut resembling a regular magazine cap. All it does, however, is hold the forend in place, both keeping it snug to prevent wiggling, and to reduce stresses on it. Once that is off, you undo the real barrel nut, and take the gun apart. The gas system parts are beautifully polished and shiny, and the gun has its action spring around the magazine tube where it’s easy to see and clean.

The barrel, like all Fabarm barrels, is both proof-tested to a higher level (1630 BAR) and deep-drilled to Fabarm’s Tribore dimensions. Each Tribore barrel has a long forcing cone taper, an over-bored section, then a long taper to the choke section. Apparently, by tapering the bore at the end, the Tribore does add a small velocity increase courtesy of the Venturi Principle, which we also use when we put our thumb halfway over the end of a garden hose to make the water spray harder. Fabarm’s focus on barrel making is also reflected by the fact that they make their own choke tubes, a part many gunmakers outsource.

What separates the Allsport is it’s versatility, particularly its quick-change rib. The gun comes with two ribs, one set up to deliver a 50/50 point of impact for skeet and sporting clays, the other gives you the elevated 65/35 POI that works best for trap. The ribs interchange in less than a minute. You push a pin out at one end, slide the rib off, slide the new one on, and replace the pin. It is that easy. If you want to change the stock dimensions when you switch disciplines, the Micro Metric 3D adjustable comb takes a little longer to change than the rib with an allen wrench, but not much longer.

Fabarm L4S Test Results

My test gun had a 30-inch barrel and weighed exactly 8 pounds on my scale. On the range, I thought it moved well to the target, and even with heavy 1200 fps, 1 1/8-ounce target loads, recoil was negligible. It is a very pleasant gun to shoot. It is, however, stocked with the assumption that you’ll be shooting it pre-mounted. I found it very difficult to shoot from any kind of low-gun start. Shooting it gun-up, however, was a breeze.

The trigger breaks at 7 pounds. The weight of it didn’t bother me at all, especially because the pull was crisp and clean, but it might annoy the easily annoyed. The Allsport also has an enlarged bolt handle and bolt-release button. The bolt release is located on the left side of the receiver, which is unusual. Once you realize that all you have to do to close the gun is bump the button with your palm, you wonder why all guns don’t have releases on the left side. The L4S Allsport, like all Fabarm guns, has a cleaner, modern look, with blue and white enamel highlights on the receiver and matching blue controls and forend nut. The wood is oil-finished, nicely grained walnut, without any of the fake-grain enhancement one sees on some Italian guns. The furniture has a combination checkering/stippling to enhance your grip, and right-handed palm swell. True left-hand models are also available.

Final Thoughts on the Fabarm L4S Allsport

Pros

• All-discipline versatility with interchangeable ribs
• Soft recoil
• Excellent fit and finish
• Sturdy hard case

Cons

• Not suitable for low-gun shooting

The L4S Allsport is good-looking, soft-shooting, versatile and, while $2750 is a fair amount of money for a semiauto shotgun, the Allsport may be the only gun you need to buy.

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