Perazzi MX12

Hi everyone

I am looking at a Perazzi MX12 SC3 with upgraded wood and engraving.  The gun was a special order (over £15k)and is about 5 years old.  I shoot Sporting clays (but use my Teagued Mk38 for that) and hopefully some high pheasants (pheasants obliging of course).  I seen and held a few of these at the recent shooting show and they wowed me more than any other gun.  'Feel' was brilliant and the balance beautiful.  Is there anything I should know about these guns?  Reliability, shootability, maintenance etc?  The gun is in the £7k region private, is it worth it?  

In my mind I am going to shoot straight 30's as soon as I buy it!!!!  Childish?.......of course :-D

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

I will be keeping my Mk38 of course!!!

Sounds like Love at first sight!

Compare prices on gun trader? I think nicola and clever shoot perazzi, nice quality oh and of course gd big perazzi man.

I wouldn't swap mine. Totally reliable (apart from it used to wear firing pins, but I have fixed that).

Nothing strange or startling about the gun, it just handles well as is well made. Enjoy!

Lovely comments...keep em coming!  The more everybody tells me I can shoot like Sir Digweed with this, then the less I am bothered about a divorce with the wife :-D

90% (or thereabouts) of major competitions are won with Perazzi's. What more do you need to know??

Just get it bought!!

DT

Dog Tyred said:

90% (or thereabouts) of major competitions are won with Perazzi's. What more do you need to know??

Just get it bought!!

DT

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They sponsor all the right people then

Chard said:

They sponsor all the right people then

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They do not sponsor me and i have a few and would not swap them :smile:

I currently shoot with one. 30.75" and Teague multi chokes. I use it for clays and game.

They are all different - so if you are buying a used one you really need to know exactly what you are looking for. For me the critical issue is overall weight (I can't cope with guns over about 8lb 6oz) and even more important barrel weight. My barrels weigh 1550g. Weigh them - dont rely on what is stamped on the barrels. You can get 32" barrels that light and slightly lighter still. I would NOT want heavier barrels. If you go too light it will probably make the gun hard to control (and hard to balance). I tried an MX8 sporter once with 1680g barrels and it felt like a log.

The most recent guns can be over bored (18.6, rather than the old standard of 18.4). Personally I like slight overboring, it allegedly reduces felt recoil and means a bit less weight for the same length barrels. the ribs (and sight beads) can be different too - find what you like best.

The forend designs vary widely. I have a 'game' style forend and it is excellent.

Stock shape varies widely too - some stocks are custom made at the factory - so can be fairly idiosyncratic measurements. Std sporter/game stocks are usually 35/50 or 35/55 both with a little RH cast. The higher one is better for me and could be higher still at face. You will know what measurements suit you if you already have an MK38. Stock length also varies. I dont like the thin Perazzi recoil pads - so to gain length (I need 15"+) I add an Isis green pad. I also have an Isis recoil reducer on mine.

I have had mine a year and it hasnt missed a beat. I bought it used - very lucky to find one that already had an Isis reducer on it. All it needed to fit me was a thicker pad. It was even Teagued.

If I can help anymore just ask. If you can get to Chatcombe you can have a shot with mine......

last point: Rather than buy a used SC3, you could buy a standard grade gun new and design it yourself and have a custom made stock. It would cost you roughly the same money.

I saw a nicely spec'ed SC3 on Guntrader recently - it might be the one you are considering. There is a lovely one in Cirencester - but the stock is all over the place for me. There is ano at Wilts Rod and Gun with an Isis fitted (30.75) i could shoot that one.....

Good luck !

Super Answers everyone,  much appreciated! 

I am trying to replicate the MX2000 'Feel and Balance' I came across at the shooting show a couple of weeks back.  I held most 'Top end' guns and it was the PERAZZI's that felt the best.  My Teagued Mk38 Trap has the balance right on the pin and although heavy, everybody that picks it up says it feels light!  Some of the most expensive perazzi's didn't quite do it for me but the MX2000 did.  Balance, feel, sight picture were perfect off the shelf.  I think that gun had 32" barrels and the barrels were 1560-1580grms if I remember rightly.  I think you are right regarding getting a gun to fit.  It is going to cost me £15000 to get it done in Brescia, or taking a look at this gun and see how it feels.  A friend of mine shot for the England U21's and he is happy to let me know his opinion on the gun fit for me!  The guy who is selling the gun told me the drop on the stock is 30/50 which is how I have my Mk38 set-up.  With a bit of RH cast in the stock, I might be in with a chance!!!!

Let us see how it goes and if I have my friend with me, hopefully he will assist me with not just buying it for its looks!!!!!

Thanks again everyone!

Ano suggestion: Go to a shop that specialises in Perazzi guns. Then you can look at a few side by side -  not one gun in isolation.

I once went to Chris Potter's and they had  half a dozen that might have done the job for me (if price had been irrelevant). They even had a cupboard full of different stocks and were able to swap the stock on the gun (barrels/action) I liked for one with the right measurements. Unfortunately it weighed 9oz more (!) than the one on the gun -  so it wrecked the balance. But it was a useful exercise and an insight into the myriad of different combinations available.......

I tried a 32" MK38 Trap gun recently -  8lb 8oz and neutral balance. It moved nothing like my MX12 and to me it felt 'dead'. However I did once have a 30" 3800 trap and that was lovely. Wish I'd never sold it!  

Good idea regarding gun fit.  As it happens, I believe a chap at the club I shoot at is going to let me do a round with his MX2000.  Certainly the one I felt at the show was spot on.  But it would be a really good idea to take a look at a few.  As it happens, a friend of mine that shoots for England, his gun fit and mine are identical.  He said he is more than willng to come down and take a look with me to make sure I don't just buy it for its looks..........AS IF!!!!!!!

Regarding my Mk38, I am just in the process of fitting a green pad to it and the gun feels totally different.  Much easier to mount as it doesn't have the trap pad fitted.  I will keep that gun. It fits and is balanced.  The Perazzi's just felt 'special'

Geordieboy said:

Good idea regarding gun fit.  As it happens, I believe a chap at the club I shoot at is going to let me do a round with his MX2000.  Certainly the one I felt at the show was spot on.  But it would be a really good idea to take a look at a few.  As it happens, a friend of mine that shoots for England, his gun fit and mine are identical.  He said he is more than willng to come down and take a look with me to make sure I don't just buy it for its looks..........AS IF!!!!!!!

Regarding my Mk38, I am just in the process of fitting a green pad to it and the gun feels totally different.  Much easier to mount as it doesn't have the trap pad fitted.  I will keep that gun. It fits and is balanced.  The Perazzi's just felt 'special'

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Whooa Tiger. If you get a Perazzi, try it for 1000 shells, decide if its better for you than the MK 38 or not; then sell the loser! Two guns is a great way to stop you reaching your potential.

Well I missed out on that MX12 unfortunately.  However, I had a rather invaluable chat with a great chap at my local clay ground. It was his Perazzi I fell in Love with initially. His gun has had its stock replaced by Steve Turkay of here: http://www.gunstockblanks.co.uk/  He now rates this fellow above Perazzi for gun fit, having had his MX8 Stock replaced due to cracking! If you see this wood on his gun it is a Joy to behold.  £1200 for stock and forend matched and the gun fitted to you.  £4500 at Perazzi by all accounts.  It is classed as Exhibition Grade and I am sure it would have us all drooling over it. 

So the plan now is to source a suitable MX8/12 SC3 with 32" Fixed choke Barrels and pay the extra to get the gun to fit me.  I can save a lump of cash over Perazzi and have the gun quicker too.  So if anybody knows where the above used gun is for sale, then I would be grateful if you could let me know!

Cheers everyone!

Stunning work there Geordieboy.

Well this actually opens a can of worms now doesn't it?  Imagine, having your favourite Miroku, Browning, Blaser etc., sent down to this chap.  Your gun may be great in every respect, but be out of 'fit'  I know that £1200 (For Exhibition Grade wood) is a lot of money for many of us, but we can have our favourite gun made to measure.  Time was when we had to look at remortgaging our houses to get an English gun fitted like this!  It at least requires some more investigation by yours truly I think!

Mr Turgay is based in Dartford I think. He does seem to have some lovely wood but I was always under the impression with him that a custom made stock with exhibition grade wood was going to cost in excess of £3k...... So £1200 seems a bloody good bargain. Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick(no pun intended) or the recession has seen the prices come tumbling down. One thing to be mindful of is the grain of the stock wood and its propensity to crack on the MX12/8. I am no expert but I understand some grains(not always the prettiest) are far far stronger than some of the fancier more expensive ones. Perhaps Mr Turgay can advise...

MM

Madmillie said:

Mr Turgay is based in Dartford I think. He does seem to have some lovely wood but I was always under the impression with him that a custom made stock with exhibition grade wood was going to cost in excess of £3k...... So £1200 seems a bloody good bargain. Maybe I got the wrong end of the stick(no pun intended) or the recession has seen the prices come tumbling down. One thing to be mindful of is the grain of the stock wood and its propensity to crack on the MX12/8. I am no expert but I understand some grains(not always the prettiest) are far far stronger than some of the fancier more expensive ones. Perhaps Mr Turgay can advise...

MM

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Good advice, Mr Turgay is at Meopham ,not far from Dartford. Before you make a decision have a look at Esevier stocks.

If it fits and you can shoot with it, then buy it! I love Perazzis to bits and I've had three MX8's, but alas I did not shoot any of them at all well. After many years and several guns, I have ended up back with a 3800 that I originally bought new in 1991.