The shotgun’s brutish firepower is usually what catches a shooter's attention. But there is another asset, often overlooked, that helps define a quality scattergun — agility.
Fast to the shoulder, quick on the point and right on time delivering its payload, these are all qualities shooters look for in a good shotgun. And these are the properties Blaser is shooting to deliver in the newest shotgun to grace the pages of its catalog. The German gun maker recently released the F16, an over/under shotgun tuned to make it among the swiftest at the range and in the field.
Perhaps the key element Blaser has engineered into its new F16 Sporting and Game models that should aid the speedy delivery of shot is its receiver. The company touts the F16 as having the lowest profile receiver on the market, which should deliver a couple desirable qualities to the shotgun.
First, it drops the center of the smoothbore’s gravity, giving shooters more control over the firearm. This means the F16 should mount the shoulder intuitively, thus facilitating a quicker point. It also opens up the shooter’s peripheral vision, thus giving them a wider field of vision. Blaser tapering the rib towards the rear has further enhanced this aspect of the shotgun. Whether busting clays or bagging birds, these new features have the potential to make doubles all the more frequent.
The company gives shooters direct control over the 12-gauge (3-inch chamber) with a select mechanical trigger. The controls are positioned within easy reach at the front of the trigger. And from Blaser’s specs on the F16, the trigger itself should prove to be snappy, with around a 4-pound pull weight. The manufacturer has also included its Inertia Block System, which prevents doubling or fan fires.
The F16 also has the aesthetic qualities that should turn shooters’ heads. Blaser has given the shotgun a sleek look, rounding the edges of the metal components. But, it has retained a timeless “over/under” look to the gun, stocking it in Grade 2 (there are Grade 3 and 4 options) walnut and giving it an English style forearm.
The F16 Sporting is available with the option of a 30- or 32-inch barrel and weighs in at 7.5-8.4 pounds (depending on barrel length); the Game is available with a 28- or 30-inch barrel and tips the scales at 6.8 pounds. Both come outfitted with Blaser’s Comfort Recoil Pad and are shipped with a gun case. The MSRP of the Sporting model is $4,195, while the Game is presently priced $3,795.
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