Made to measure

There are many shotgun manufacturers throughout the world, and William Powell is a name I had heard of but had never had any dealings with. I hadn’t even held one in my hands until Tom Peachey of William Powell kindly sent me a demonstrator to review.

For those like me who are new to this manufacturer, here’s a little of their history. William Powell and Joseph Simmons established a gunmaking partnership in 1802. A few years later, in 1812, William Powell became an independent gunmaker in Birmingham. Powell continued as a gunmaker all his life and passed the business on to future generations until 2008, when it was purchased by J M Osborne & Co. Then in 2010 a partnership with Rizzini of Italy was formed, and now all William Powell guns are made by this partnership. Rizzini is at the forefront of modern gun machining and production techniques, using the latest technology and state-of-the-art machinery to enhance the gunmaking process, creating guns that excel in strength, performance, and reliability. These technological advances have seamlessly blended with William Powell’s own rich heritage and love of traditional craftsmanship, ensuring that its guns are both classically beautiful and fit for the future of shooting.

It was no surprise to me to discover that William Powell has a very select range of shotguns available on the market: five over-and-under shotguns and two side-by-sides, to be exact. All seven are very high-end and bespoke, which is refreshing to see. The model I was sent for review is incredibly beautiful to look at and was very well suited to the field test I had planned for it.

William Powell Prestige

This particular model has been specifically designed for shooting high game birds and certainly has the looks to suit most shooters. I cannot imagine anyone not having a smile on their face while standing on a peg shooting game with this gun. It has stunning floral engraving with a ribbon that embellishes the maker’s name and an incredibly eye-pleasing high-grade oiled walnut stock.

The Prestige is only available in 12-gauge with either 30in or 32in barrels. The gun I am reviewing has 30in barrels and is fixed choked at ½ and ½, which is my preferred constriction. However, if someone wants a multi-choked barrel, there is the option of having it fitted with Teague chokes. The barrel has a 3in chamber and is high-performance steel-shot proofed.

As for the build quality of the Prestige, it seems to have been done to a very high standard. It has been built on a Boss-style action, which is extremely strong and reliable. The trigger pulls are extremely crisp with no drag, and the overall finishing of the wood and metalwork is excellent, which should be expected for a gun in this price range. I particularly liked the safety catch. It looks great and is very chunky, making it easy to put on and off – especially helpful in cold or wet weather.

As mentioned, the Prestige has been designed as a high-bird gun, so it has an overall weight of 8lb 6oz, which is very similar to that of a sporting shotgun. The extra weight will help the shooter maintain the correct line and a smooth swing on a high target. The tapered rib is extremely pleasing to look down and has a small brass bead at the end of the barrel that will not obstruct the target you wish to acquire.

The Prestige sat very comfortably on my shoulder and handled just how I like a shotgun to move in my hands. It is well balanced on the hinge pin and I was surprised at how controlled I was while swinging the gun as I mounted it, as I am very much used to using a 32in barrel. Most important to me were the stock dimensions. It was a relief to be able to see over the barrel, as I was expecting to be looking into the top lever as I do with most game guns, as they generally have very low dimensions. The comb height is very similar to sporting dimensions, which gave me a good cheek weld, a clear sight picture, and the hope that I would shoot it well.

Particularly attractive is the option to have the stock made to measure. If you know your gun fit measurements, a stock can be made to your exact requirements at no extra cost. William Powell also offers to arrange a gun fit with a professional gun fitter if a customer desires. I think this is an incredible service and makes the Prestige a fantastic value-for-money gun that is unique to every customer.

It was time to put the William Powell Prestige to the test. I had a driven partridge shoot planned at the Widdington Shoot in Wiltshire and decided to take this gun, which I had never even fired before. This was a big risk, but I was confident that the gun was very well built and I was happy with how it felt, so I was very much looking forward to pulling the trigger for the first time.

I drew my peg number, found myself in the middle of the line, and was told to get ready for some large coveys of fast partridge. With my first few shots, I had very little success, but I wasn’t worried as I knew what I was doing wrong. The Prestige handled faster than I initially thought, and I was trying to stop it moving so fast, which resulted in me missing behind. Once I started to embrace the fast-moving nature of the gun, I began to have much more success.

First partridge

What became very clear from the moment I shot my first partridge of the day was how incredibly well the Eley Zenith 6, 32g fibre cartridges performed through the ½ chokes. The recoil was very light with no muzzle rise, and my overall first impressions of the Prestige were that I liked it – a lot.

On the second drive, I found myself as a walking gun, where I didn’t have much shooting, but the few birds I had presented to me consisted of long crossers and a single relatively high partridge. After these few birds, which I took cleanly, I had a massive smile on my face and was confident that the Prestige was a great all-around game gun. I had taken fast-moving traditional driven birds and now distant birds I would have been happy to have taken with my own gun that I have used for years.

The Prestige had been getting a lot of admiring interest from my fellow shooters, and a good friend of mine asked if he could give it a go on the next drive. I was very impressed to see the handful of birds he comfortably took with it, and he was surprised how similar it looked, felt, and handled in comparison to his own Perazzi MX12. Although they are mechanically very different shotguns, it is worth mentioning that if you are a fan of Perazzi shotguns, it might be worth looking at and handling a William Powell Prestige, as there is a considerable difference in the price.

I ended the day’s shooting on a drive that I can only describe as one of my best performances so far this season. I was absolutely thrilled with how the Prestige shot and will remember this experience for a lifetime. Considering this gun was from a maker I had heard very little about, I was genuinely impressed with it.

Conclusion

For someone like myself who prefers a slower-moving shotgun, the 32in barrel would add a bit more weight forward, which would be better suited to how I like a shotgun to handle. If you are looking for a faster-moving game gun, the 30in would be the better option.

When comparing the price of this gun with other makes of similar quality, I would certainly consider the William Powell Prestige to be very good value for money. Not only does it have incredibly attractive engraving and beautiful wood, but the option to have a custom stock made at no extra cost is more than any other maker would offer at this price.

If you are a fan of Perazzi or Rizzini, then I believe you will also like the William Powell Prestige as it is very similar in appearance and similar handling characteristics. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with this gun, and I am intrigued to have a look at the other shotguns William Powell has to offer. Watch this space.