The Perazzi Maze

[CharlesP]

Like many, I cast a glance at the adverts for guns and equipment. I reckon I have a woolly and vague idea of the various models available new from the big manufacturers, and a vague idea of those that I may find second-hand.

I have even managed to get my head partially round the Perazzi range. But I can't work out second hand Perazzis that are older than the current range. How different are they? are spares available? Are they worth having? 

Does anyone know of a potted guide to Perazzis of the past that might guide me?

 

[Ian Lawrence]

Does anyone know of a potted guide to Perazzis of the past that might guide me?

Nicola! :wink:

 

[40UP]

Perazzi have used the same action since the 1960s. All components are hand fitted so generally not interchangeable. The great divide is between removeable and non-removeable trigger plates which requires different stock headers. In general trap versions are removeable trigger, sporting versions are fixed [allows easy barrel selection]. I can carry a 1970 trigger plate as a spare for new MX8. If you find an action in good condition you can have it re-wooded at the factory. Simply find a barrel and rib combination to suit you. I'm in favour of a spring renewal every year now like the sponsored krieghoff users do. The americans have documented the history of Perazzi models better than the British have.

 

[CharlesP]

So when I see advertised an MX3 or an MT6 with what I consider a good action/barrel combination it's worth considering?

 

[40UP]

Yes, all grades were made to the same standard. If you ask at the factory for SCO grade trigger plate they adopt the usual blank stare.

 

[Les53]

Charles, you may also find a few rare ones knocking about, such as the Grand Italia and the Mirage. As far as I know the Mirage was a drop out trigger and the Grand Italia was not. They also made a gun that fired top barrel first, can't remember what name it had, possibly MX2 ???  Was it that Fred (40UP) ???

 

[Paul120]

For the older models a good reference is the Book by Karl Lippard. You can usually find it on fleabay. It was written in the mid 90s but has all you need to know.

Just about everything since is in the catalogue on the perazzi website. 

 

[CharlesP]

Thank you all.

Once I had recovered from the shock of the Amazon price of £999.00 (I'm not kidding) I popped over to Fleabay as suggested and have bought myself a copy. 

Hopefully it will give me the fortitude and knowledge (or at least an insight) to resist the "hardly used" examples that float around that look like bargains...

 

[Les53]

Thank you all.

Once I had recovered from the shock of the Amazon price of £999.00 (I'm not kidding) I popped over to Fleabay as suggested and have bought myself a copy. 

Hopefully it will give me the fortitude and knowledge (or at least an insight) to resist the "hardly used" examples that float around that look like bargains...

£999 for a book Charles????  A first edition I presume? As for Perazzi's, if you find a cheap one, then there will almost always be a reason why it's cheap! I've seen some of those "hardly used" ones over the years too, some have been very nice, but others have been drastic.

 

[jwpzx9r]

The great thing about Perazzi shotguns, in my opinion, is that they are nearly always worth having restored. I use as an example a gun bought by someone at the club I shoot at. He bought an older MX8. The barrels were fine as was the wood but the hinge pins (trunnions? ) were badly in need of replacement and the blacking was shot too. He had the whole gun redone new lock the lot by a Perazzi specialist gunsmith... cost €2000. It sounds a lot but he now has a gun that is completely as new for less than €4000 which is less than half the cost of a new one and about the same cost as a new Beretta 692. I know which of the those two guns I would rather have... each to their own though as they say.

 

[PhilR]

My MX3C, with drop out trigger group, fired the top barrel first. The parts are available to convert a top firer to bottom firer and it's a simple job to do.

 

[Les53]

My MX3C, with drop out trigger group, fired the top barrel first. The parts are available to convert a top firer to bottom firer and it's a simple job to do.

Phil, what was the thinking behind why they made some guns to fire top first? I only ever saw a few of those guns.

 

[PhilR]

I don't know Les, mine was a multi choke in both barrels from the late 70's .

I used it for game shooting, so it was useful to reduce the gape for reloading when just firing one shot. I kept a tighter choke in it and a more open one in the bottom, same principal as a fixed choke gun. It pre-dated Perazzi's introduction of a barrel selector on the trigger group.

I only had it a couple of seasons as a single trigger AYA no2 hand detachable sidelock fluttered her eyelashes at me and I was smitten.

Someone I know still uses an MX8 trap gun with a fixed raised rib which fires the ported top barrel first. 

 

[Doctor Lecter]

rather have a miroku president  ,  quality     

 

[Wonko the Sane]

Lippard's book is a good start but there is some mis-information in there but not any great consequence.  There are "standard" models but Perazzi would (and may still) provide the client with any combination of features they might desire.  The important piece to know is that parts are available for anything but the ejectors for the very earliest Type 1 guns (AFAIK those ejectors are impossible to find even from Perazzi).  There are four basic action types but the commonest is the MX8 type with the dropout trigger.  And the internals are all the same with the exception of the hammer/spring parts for the coil spring guns.  Changing from top first firing to bottom first firing requires only one small part but it MUST be fitted by someone who actually knows what they're doing.  Older guns may require new parts to be fitted, but it has been my experience so few replacement parts are ever required that it becomes a non-issue and most parts will just drop in.

The ones in the accumulation here run from 1972 to 1984.  Most have tens of thousands of carts thru them and all are alive and well.

The top first thing was an artifact of the "top barrel recoils more" thinking, something which is just BS AFAIC.  But it does in some instances make guns less desirable and that has been financially advantageous to me several times.  A big thanks shout out to all the meatheads that have been so generous to me in that regard.  Anyway, since the top barrel recoils more (hahaha) you put the lighter pigeon load in it and the cannon load second barrel in the bottom that recoils less hahaha.  When bunker shooters were still using 36gm and 32gm loads the thinking was prolly the same hence the MX2.   You could have any gun provided new as a top first and I have a Mirage that is just that and even has a factory tube in the bottom barrel to give the gun some real versatility.  Obviously the original owner was a pigeon shooter.  The MX3, MX1, and MX2 were all top first guns in the old catalog.  The MX1 that I have is early '80s and was certainly a pigeon gun order.  The older MX1 and MX2 both had the same height high rib and I've had a MX2 bunker barrel fitted to the MX1 and me and that gun are just great friends.

This is not to sound pompous so please ...............  anyway I've been gathering info on the guns as simple self protection for a couple decades so if anyone has a specific question I may be able to provide some info.  Or point you to someone who can.

Charlie

 

[Les53]

Some interesting stuff there Charlie!!!   

 

[CharlesP]

Which if any of those early ones can be easily converted to non-ejector?

Are Perazzi factory multichokes compatible with anything else?

Is there a standard set of prices for new (standard grade and dimension) stocks if required?

 

[40UP]

1. I had a non-ejector made, but they gave me the parts to put back so yes.

2. Perazzi multichokes are "bellends" and rarely seen in use.

3. Even shelf guns have various stocks but somebody like Jonathan at Mid-Wales could send for any dimension or may have some.

 

[Dog Tyred]

Perazzi stocks are wickedly expensive . If you need a new one made better to go to an independant stock maker such as Esseviere, Manuel Riccardo or our very own Mutley.

Alternatively keep an eye on Ebay as second hand stocks frequently crop up.

DT