Michael Yardley puts the legendary manufacturer’s latest series of game and competition over-and-unders to the test in gloriously sporting surroundings
Browning 825 put to the test
The Browning 825
I recently put several new Browning 825s through their paces at Sandricourt, a grand sporting estate near Paris. The Browning 825 retains the same basic mechanism as the Browning 725 (Read more on the Browning 725 here.) but with aesthetic change and some functional and mechanical improvement. The bolting, hammer ejectors and back-bored, monobloc and steel-proofed DS (Double Seal) choked barrels remain. However, the action fences have been remodelled, the top-lever slimmed, and the safety and fore-end latch made a little more ergonomic. The fore-end iron is less angular where wood meets metal, and the mechanical single trigger has been improved (with a higher pivot internally) to function even with very light loads. There are new engraving styles too.
As with the 725, the action of the 825 is about 1/8in shallower than a 525 or B25. This enhances the profile appearance and creates a lower point of inertia at the shoulder. Second shot rotation at the shoulder is reduced and with it, slightly, barrel flip. The 825 also has a lightly restyled action with what the manufacturer describes as ‘sharp modern lines’. Barrels, shoulders and fences have been reworked to give a smoother look. There is a subtle change of radius to the bottom edges of the action too.
I particularly liked the new engraving on the Pro clay guns (other models are available with plain black actions). The scheme takes what looks like a detail of classic acanthus scrollwork and expands it. This pattern is applied to about half the action walls with some stippling at the fences and the forward top of the action walls, and plain surfaces (save for an 825 logo) between: an attractive, clever combination of classical and modern. There is engine turning to the sides of the monobloc and extractors on clay and game guns, again to good decorative effect. The Prestige, as pictured, has full-coverage, lasered game scenes on its action walls and pleasing, fairly deep scrollwork to its belly; the basic game model has thinner but adequate game scenes. As mentioned, the smart new engraving on the Pro would also work well on a field or allround model.

The semi-pistol grip and slim field fore-end made for an instinctive-handling gun
When it came to handling, my preference – certainly where driven shooting was concerned – was for the game guns with semi-pistol grips and slim field foreends. The seemingly bigger, steadier clay busters had thicker (adjustable) combs, tighter radius palm-swell grips and handfilling beavertail fore-ends with thumb grooves. Stock design was fundamentally sound but a slightly slimmer comb might be considered (a thick comb may have the unintentional effect of adding cast-on). A mid-size rounded fore-end is preferable on a Sporter (the beavertail, however, may suit a trap gun). I also thought it might be worth raising the standard heel dimensions slightly. Most Brownings still come out of the box (or ABS case) at around 2¼in at heel, which is just a bit low: 2in or 2⅛in would be my call on a fixed stock. For someone of average head size, the bead may be lost with normal cheek pressure when the gun is raised above 45 degrees (potentially causing the wrong eye to take over).
There is a simple but good, parallel, 10mm ventilated rib with hi-vis sight and the facility to change balance (as well as adjustable triggers and one model with an adjustable rib) on the clay guns. The game gun’s 6mm vented ribs (also good) contribute to lower barrel and overall weight. I thought the 30in game gun especially well balanced and liked both the semi- and full-pistol versions. The plain metal bead was well proportioned too.
The clay guns come with eight extended DS Pro chokes (true cylinder to 45 thou in 5 thou increments) whereas the game guns have five flush-fit DS chokes (true cylinder to full) and arrive with a nonautomatic safety but are supplied with a rod for conversion to auto function. All the guns have a 10-year guarantee.
Technical
Essentially, the 825 is a refined 725. The 725, launched in 2012, was a major redesign of the Citori/325/ 425/525 series of BC Miroku Japan-made Brownings. Browning engineers managed to keep the best features of the 525/B25 while making significant mechanical improvements and retaining the classic Browning look but with a lowered action. The hinging and bolting on the 725 and 825 remain, in essence, the same as on the 525/B25 (notable because they provide much bearing surface). The 725 offered an improved singletrigger mechanism; the 825 refines it further and also offers a slimmed top-lever and modified fore-end iron. Excellent DS chokes, introduced in the 725, remain in the 825. Barrels and chambers are hard chromed internally to resist corrosion.
Shooting impressions
Not many tests involve pitch discs and two days of first-class driven game shooting. The first 825 shot (on clays) was a 32in Sporter with adjustable comb and palm swell. Putting too much movement into this big gun, I shot in front initially. Not much was missed after locking on to the birds. The 30in Prestige game gun required no adaptation. Everything broke, and a brace was chosen for the doublegunning that ensued. The Prestige was lighter than the Pro and boasted a semi-pistol grip and slimmer fore-end. At 7¼lb, weight was ideal for driven. Shooting the pair with Guillaume, my excellent French loader, was memorable. Sandricourt’s grey partridges are addressed from butts much like grouse. Shots were recorded and I averaged 1.9:1 on the partridge. On high pheasant the next day, the guns excelled, averaging 2.3:1. There were no malfunctions, and recoil with the Inflex II pads and 32g Winchester 6s was not noticed. Great guns.