Browning Citori: Browning’s base-model Citori Lightning features two welcome improvements for 2010: the price has been rolled back and the gun now has a retro engraving pattern similar to the classic Belgian Lightning design. Sometimes steps backward count as progress. $1869 Phil BourjailyCaesar Guerini Maxum: Light An alloy receiver and sideplates reduce the weight of a 20 gauge gauge Maxum to 5 pounds, 10 ounces, without sacrificing any of the gun’s heavily engraved good looks. Like all Guerinis it is well made, well finished, and a value in terms of how much gun you get for an admittedly large ($5495) chunk of money. Phil BourjailyWinchester SXP: Winchester’s Turkish-made reintroduction of the underrated Model 1300 is every bit as fast-shucking as the original “Speed Pumps.” The gun cycled so fast at the range day it would be open before I knew it, leaving me pulling on an already open action. It comes with a black synthetic stock and a very attractive $400 list price. Phil BourjailyPdersoli Side by Side Shotgun: Davide Pedersoli is well known for excellent replicas of historic muzzleloaders. Pedersoli 2, their modern black powder division, makes guns like this muzzleloading side by side. This is the gun you need to add extra challenge to your next turkey hunt. This muzzleloading double has 28-inch barrels, screw in chokes and camo-dipped wood stock. $899 Phil BourjailyFausti Stefano Round Body DEA: The already light and trim DEA gets even slimmer for 2010 in a round body design that sculpts the receiver into elegant curves. Rich case coloring over light scroll and gold letters give the gun a look of understated luxury. Fit and finish are excellent, which they should be, given the 5999 price tag. Phil BourjailyRemington 11-87 Sportsman: Remington now offers the proven 11-87 with a matte finished, checkered walnut stock reminiscent of the gun that revolutionized semiautos back in 1987. The 11-87 was the first gun that shot all 2 ¾ and 3-inch loads interchangeably and it remains an excellent hunting gun today. $812 Phil BourjailyRemington 887 Combo Pack: The 887 is not a handsome gun, but it is tough and easy to shoot well. The radical, budget priced polymer covered pump now offers an even better value as it comes with two barrels: 28 inches for waterfowl, an a fiber-optic sighted 22-inch barrel for turkeys. $665 Phil BourjailyBenelli Legacy 28 Gauge: Billed as the lightest semiauto in the world, the 28 gauge Legacy weighs 5 pounds, 1 ounced. It is a delight to hold, and not as difficult to swing as many lightweight shotguns can be. It has a carbon fiber rib and shortened magazine tube to save weight and well-figured wood and an engraved receiver. $1989 Phil BourjailyBeretta A400 Xplor: Beretta’s new A400 semiauto is lightweight, soft-shooting, easy to care for and reliable. Currently it comes in 3 1/2 -inch only, with walnut stock, blued steel and a greenish anodized alloy receiver. Show here with and without the very effective Kick-Off recoil reducer, the A400 isn’t cheap, but once you have one, you don’t really need to shoot anything else. $1700 with Kick-Off; $1600 without. Phil Bourjaily
