Perazzi MX8. - 30 December 2002

Perazzi are a fairly recent gunmaking company being formed in 1952.

The MX8 is the model on which the company was founded and has flourished. It has formed the basis for all the subsequent models and forms the chassis for the entire high grade range both boxlock and sideplate.

At its conception what was to become the MX8 was built for a very few Italian shooters by Perazzi himself in conjunction with Fabbri. At this stage the two were starting out on what was to become very successful gunmaking careers for both of them. The MX8 gradually evolved with its main feature being a drop out trigger mechanism, and in 1976 Materelli won the gold medal at the olympic games. Although perhaps unknown by most British shooters today, Materelli was probably the greatest shot in the world at the time. All of a sudden Perazzi became a recognised gunmaking name.

The guns are distinctive and have formed the basis and inspiration for many other gunmakers mainly in Italy, but perhaps also in the British gunmaking industry. The USA is the biggest market for Perazzi in terms of numbers, though the UK is perhaps the most significant market with the guns that are sold here are increasingly higher grade engraved models. Perazzi guns are only available through a small number of dealers, which perhaps gives them something of a mystique. They are not as common as guns such as Beretta and Browning, but then again they are a far more expensive product in general terms.

Consequently, they are affordable to a much smaller sector of the market, though a huge number of shooters would like to afford a Perazzi.

Although Perazzi will build you a gun for any purpose, they are quite rightly best known historically speaking as trap shooting guns. That is the field in which they have continued to excel. Though now there is quite a demand for Perazzi in the game shooting sector of the market.

Generally the MX8 is quite heavy, though superb balance hides weight. what Perazzi are mainly is very strong, very well built guns that are made to shoot many thousands of rounds.

Although it has now been imitated by many other gunmakers, the MX8 was the first gun of its type to be made with a detachable trigger mechanism.

The trigger plate houses the full firing mechanism of the gun, which is, itself, relatively simple.
The hammers of the gun are powered forwards by vee springs. The springs are fitted so that they bear on the tail of the hammer when the hammers are fired forwards. This makes the hammers rebound slightly to prevent striker drag. And also allow the trigger plate to be refitted into the gun with the hammers fired forwards, as the hammers won't be obstructed by the backs of the firing pins.

The trigger plate is remove from the action by pushing the safe all the way forwards past the normal fire position, this pushes a toggle that will move back the retaining pin in the rear of the action frame.

The sears work directly behind the hammers and engage in bents at the bottom of the hammers. The sears themselves are lifted at the back by a lifter directly connected to the trigger. It is a simple arrangement but one which ensures that the MX8 has very crisp trigger pulls. Occasionally it will be for this reason alone that some may buy a Perazzi such is the reputation of the trigger pulls. This ia particularly significant for trap shooters.

The action frame itself is quite a chunky piece of metal and has really been designed simply to be very strong and hardwearing. The barrels pivot on stub pins in the side of the action walls and the barrels are locked down by a large H shaped locking bolt. The bolt engages with bites on either side of the barrel lumps. In addition to this there are what would be termed as circles in English gun terms on each side of the barrels lump. These mate with corresponding abutments in the walls of the action to form a very secure lock up when the gun is closed.

The H bolt is worked back directly by a cam on the bottom of the top lever spindle. It is held over whilst the gun is open by a stop plate bearing directly on the bolt and disconnected by a button pushed through the action face as the gun is closed.

The firing pins are located in the back of the action face and are both spring loaded for return after firing.
The gun is cocked on opening by a cam in the forend iron which pushes back the cocking bar which runs along the floor of the action. This bears directly on feet on either side of the trigger plate; one for each hammer.

The forend iron also houses the ejector trips. The ejectors are directly spring loaded in the barrel lumps, and are worked by rods that run through the action walls. The ejector rods are pushed forwards by the hammers as the gun is fired.

An interesting feature on Perazzi guns is that the H bolt can be replaced with one of a larger size should it be come worn and the gun loose; and this will take some time and a great deal of shooting. In addition there is a bolt in the forend that keeps things tight at the front end, and this is available in various oversizes as well, should it need to be replaced.

The barrels are one of the best features on any Perazzi gun. They are the component of the gun that takes the longest time to build and are still made in the way directed by Mr. Perazzi senior. High technology machining has been incorporated into every other aspect of the manufacture of Perazzi guns, but the barrels are still made in the tried and tested methods. And it does show. A friend of mine who has worked for two of the best London gunmaking firms as a barrel maker told me sometime ago that he has rarely seen barrels of such quality as Perazzi.

The barrels are of mono-block construction as is usual in large gunmaking production. A little unusually, the bores are not chrome lined as they are on most Italian guns. However, both the chokes and the chambers are chrome lined. The reason for this is to give greatest wear resistance at the points at which it is most needed, but should the tubes themselves become dented then they may be repaired more easily and satisfactorily.

Blacking is very good to both the barrels and the action frame and furniture. The action has a little engraving on the top lever but other than that is very plain, yet quite elegant.

The woodwork on the MX8 is very well finished with very good shaping and wood to metal fit. Though in its basic form it an often be a little plain and lacking picture, so these days MX8 tend to be supplied in the UK with selected wood which is of better quality. And for about £400 the buyer can have a wood up grade to a far higher level, something well worth thinking about.

The starting price for an MX8 is £3600 including VAT. But it is well to remember that is very much the starting point, and it will do all you ever ask of it from a shooting perspective. And at this price you can have a stock made to your specification in terms of dimensions.

But then you do have many choices such as fixed or multichoke. An infinite number of combinations on barrel lengths, top rib dimensions and types as well as side rib configurations.

You have the choice of selective or non-selective triggers, and also adjustable triggers. Then there are stock and forend configurations and shapes as well as wood grades. Then, do you want conventional boxlock shaped action frame or sideplate. And if that is not enough to think about then your imagination is the only constraint on the engraving, other than what it might cost. And that could be £25000 or more.
But underneath it all you have the strength and reliability that is inherent in the basic MX8.

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