84 SPORTING GUN M AY 2019 http://www.shootinguk.co.uk

T

hisisoneofthemostexciting

clay-shootinggunstohitthemarket

thisyear.Combiningthetriedand

tested 525 Browningactionwithan

all-newlaminatestockissomethingthatwill

divideshooters– atleastontheaesthetics

front.Youwilleitherlovethewaythe 525 SL

looksoryouwillhateit.I ama bigfan.The

beautifullydefinedgreylinesofthelaminate

stockcomplementedtheunembellished

brushedsilverfinishoftheaction.Ithasa

TheeditortriesBrowning’snewclaygunandfindsthe

525 Laminatea leapforwardinstock-makingtechnology

purposefullook,whichissomethingyou

wantonwhatisessentiallya piece

ofsportingequipment.Thegunseems

tohavebeenpareddowntotheessentials.

Justlikea sportscar,anythingthatis

extraneoushasbeenremoved.Thisgunis

allaboutperformance.

What’snew?

It ’sthelaminatestockthatisthemajor

changeonthisgun.Airgunandrifle shooters

areusedtosuchstocks,butweshotgunners

arenot.Yes,thereareothershotguns

availablewithlaminatestocksasanoption,

suchastheexcellentATASporter,butthey

arenotmainstream.SowhyhasBrowning

optedforlaminate?

Therearenumerousadvantagesof

usingsucha stockoverwood.Laminate

ishard-wearing.Beingmadeofstripsof

hardwoodlayeredtogetherwithhotresin,

it isanincrediblyrobustmaterial.Timberis

pressure-treatedwithnaturaldyestogive

thewonderfulcolour.If thestockgetsdented

orscratchedtheoffendingmarkcansimply

besandedoutandthestockrefinished.

Thematerialisalsowaterresistant,sothe

stockwon’twarpinwetweather.Thisis

moreimportantforriflesthanshotguns,

whereprecisionaccuracycanbeaffected

GEAR

Editor’s test

Browning 525

SL Laminate

NICK RIDLEY

IN DETAIL

Weight: 8lb 4oz

Barrel: 30in (tested)

32in available soon

Length of pull: 147 ∕ 8 in

Drop: 13 ∕ 8 in at comb

and 2^1 ∕ 8 in at heel

Rib: ventilated

13 ∕ 8 in 21 ∕ 8 in

(^14 7) ∕ 8 in
INFO from: £1,999 30in or 32in barrels Laminate stock Multi-chokes Manual safety^ http://www.browning.eu
TRIED AND TESTED
The brushed steel finish and plain action
will divide opinion, but we liked it