MacNab highlander light  - 22 April 2002

Over the last few years there has been an expansion of the number of gunmakers making guns of extremely lightweight.

For clay shooters, the last thing needed is a light gun. After all weight will absorb a certain amount of recoil. And in the extreme environment of competitive clay target shooting what isn't needed is a gun that kicks too much.

Yet for game shooting, a gun that can be carried all day without drawing attention to itself by making its owner too tired must be something to give consideration.

In order to make a serious challenge to the weight of a gun, the makers have looked towards materials technology. Browning and Beretta have both made guns recently using lightweight materials, as have Fabarm; these have now been joined by John Macnab.

MacNab is a relatively new company that has carved itself a significant niche, particularly in the small gauge market.

The Highlander is MacNab's mid range priced gun and is available in various gauges and configurations, with both silver and colour hardened action finishes.
This addition to the range should compliment the others very well.
Of course there is nothing new about alloy actioned guns. Franchi made them in the 70's as did Verney Carron.

The Franchi was very popular at that time in the UK, in fact at that time Franchi and Miroku were probably the main suppliers of OU guns in this country.

As with most things, manufacturing and design have come quite a long way since the 70's. the Aircraft industry has brought non ferrous alloys on in leaps and bounds.

One or two critical points need attention with alloy actioned guns in order to give the gun longevity.
The cross pin or pins on which the guns pivot open need to be steel for maximum resistance to the wear of constant opening and closing.

The other area is the action face; around the striker holes which due to the pressure of firing can cause rings to appear around the hole that if left unchecked can cause the hole itself to become closed up, so preventing the striker from reaching the primer, and causing misfire.

In order to prevent this, the action face has a titanium insert dovetailed into it. This has been very neatly done from the bottom of the standing breech so it is not visible other than on close inspection.

Other than the action frame material, the gun is mechanically the same as the other Highlander gun.
The hammers pivot at the bottom of the trigger plate, with the sears being suspended from underneath the top strap.

The selector block works on inertia; i.e. recoil is need to reset for the second shot. Selection for either barrels is achieved by a rocking button in the centre of the safe button. A screw under the trigger can adjust clearance for the selector though this is certainly best left to a gunsmith, but is a useful facility for a manufacturer to leave in for gunsmiths that may subsequently work on the gun.
The safe button itself is a nice shape and is also very comfortable to move backwards and forwards. The safe is automatically returned when the gun is opened.

Cocking is by independent cocking rods for each side. These rods are captive by the hammers so that they will only engage the ejector mechanism when the gun has been fired and the cocking rods move forwards.

The ejector springs themselves directly power the extractor, and are housed in the monoblock. The ejector trips that release the extractor are also housed in the side of the monoblock. And having been pushed up to engage with the extractor by the cocking rod as it comes forward by the firing action of the gun, the trips are then pushed back to release the extractor by a boss in the action that it contacts as the gun is fully opened.

The barrels themselves as already indicated are made on the tried and tested monblock system favoured almost universally by mass producers of guns.

The tubes are well struck up and appear very true. This can be said equally for the bores which are highly finished and very concentric. An odd comment to make, perhaps you might think, but the truth is that it is very difficult with smaller bore to make them straight and true. The problem becomes more exaggerated, the smaller the bore.

The top rib is a parallel 6mm and is ventilated, more, I suspect in order to add to the weight saving than as a cooling aid on this gun. Though, none the less it would also have that benefit. The top rib is also matted to reduce glare and is finished with a brass foresight.

The finish on the barrels is very good, being a very deep gloss black. This is nicely contrasted by engine turned sidewalls on the monblock where it joints into the action.

The chambers are 76mm or 3" magnum to take pretty much anything in the way of ammunition. The forcing cones, although they couldn't really be described as long, are not short either, which will help to make the gun shoot more comfortably. And at the other end the chokes are 1 / 4 and 1 / 2. A good choice to suit most game shooting applications.

As with all MacNab highlanders the wood is very good. Nicely coloured wood that shows its figure and carry's a good oil finish.

The wooden butt plate adds a classy touch and is also very well fitted to compliment the close wood to metal on the rest of the gun.

The pistol grip is rounded in a classic game gun shape, which is swept back to give a gip somewhere between a straight hand and full pistol grip. Overall it gives a very attractive look to the gun.

The forend shape is quite a sharp schnabel. It is very slim and comfortable to hold. The forend snap release is a button that protrudes through the front of the forend and again gives a classic look usually found on English guns.

The chequer pattern on the stock is nicely laid out, though on the forend I think a pointed pattern would look better though what's there does afford very good grip.

The main feature of this gun is, of course, the action. And its weight, or more precisely, the lack of it.
For me I think it looks good. More sculptured than some of its competitors, with raised side panels and nicely detonated or carved fences. And with more engraving of game scene and scroll work as well. It is also well contrasted by its black finished toplever, safe and trigger guard.

I don't know whether it is possible but I think this gun would look really good with a colour hardened action.

But if you are looking for light weight, at 5 lb 6 oz this one shouldn't tire you too much.

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