B. Rizzini BR460

My grandfather traveled from Southern Italy to Ellis Island in 1923, and I am proud of my Italian heritage. While I don’t own a Ferrari or any pieces from Bulgari, I own a few modest Italian shotguns. Working at Orvis, I am fortunate to shoot some of Italy’s finest guns, and I recently welcomed a B. Rizzini BR460 12-gauge for this issue’s review. The marketplace for Italian sporting guns is crowded. At $8,560, the BR460 has features that not only distinguish it from less-expensive alternatives but also put it on par with some fancier offerings.

Italy’s exceptional guns come from a handful of families and companies in the Val Trompia, in the province of Brescia. Rizzini is a name with deep roots in the region. The Blue Book of Gun Values offers insight into the many Rizzini brands. For example, F.lli Rizzini, founded in 1971, is a boutique maker of bespoke sidelocks; Isidoro Rizzini, also founded in 1971, offers a wide selection of over/unders and side-by-sides; and Emilio Rizzini, established in 1974, was absorbed by Fausti in 1999. Battista Rizzini, or B. Rizzini, was established in 1966, and its guns are imported by Rizzini USA/Fierce Products, in Redmond, Utah. Like most 21st Century gunmakers, B. Rizzini uses a combination of contemporary machinery and ostensibly ancient techniques of melding wood and steel to create modern, durable and artful shotguns. This is the case with the BR460.

The BR460’s 30" deep-drilled, chrome-lined, steel-safe, XL Bore barrels were impressive. The flawless matte-black finish had a suggestion of gray that was appealing. The muzzle had no gaps around the rib-end plugs. The machine-filed flat rib tapers from ⁷⁄₁₆" to ⁵⁄₁₆" and has a Bradley-style front bead and small silver center bead. The mid-rib is solid for 4" starting at the muzzle, vented for 18", and then solid to the monoblock. Given the excellent finish on the barrels, I expected perfect jointures and wasn’t disappointed. The bifurcated monoblock is big. The machining for the lumps, ejectors and ejector channels, breech and bites was exceptional. The well-fit ejectors had no discernible play or movement. The 3" chambers transition to 5½" forcing cones, and the barrels are overbored at .734". (Nominal is .725".) Five 3½"-long nickel-coated chokes are included (Improved Cylinder, Modified, two Improved Modifieds and Full). The constrictions are etched on the shafts. The knurled extensions have wrench cut-outs and etched colored-coded rings. The chokes measured as follows: IC, .008"; M, .018"; IM, .024"; and F, .039". The IC, M and IM were a touch more open than nominal and the F was a bit tighter. All threaded smoothly and seated evenly. A plastic choke case and wrench are included.

The BR460’s forged steel receiver is 1¾" wide and looked ponderous at first, but the gentle sculpted lines that shape the exterior offset my initial impressions. Truthfully, it is quite elegant. Its matte-black finish reminded me of a funeral-finish Arrieta that I coveted years ago. The action is austere, but subtle scroll engraving and a gold “Rizzini” on both sides and “BR460” on the bottom are understated and alluring. The matte-black interior was somewhat worn, as this was a demo gun. Nevertheless, the machining here and at the knuckle was clean. A sturdy ⅛" x ⅜" steel cocking bar runs along the bottom. Two bolt extensions emerge from the bottom of the receiver. Replaceable trunnions are located at the knuckle. The BR460 has a Boss-style action. Beefy wedges sit on either side of the receiver walls and engage the bifurcated monoblock. These blocks are replaceable, and the design is patented. The barrels swing on the trunnions, and the bolt engages the bites in the monoblock. This is a strong action built for a lifetime of use. Both the toplever and properly proportioned safety operated with ease. Pulling the stock revealed the firing pins, bolt, ejector trip rods and a heavy frame that composes the top and bottom tangs. The bottom tang has a milled aperture for the drop-out trigger. This is a heavy, rugged receiver.

The drop-out trigger is a cinch to remove by simply pushing forward the safety and pulling down on the trigger guard. I appreciate drop-out triggers, especially if they contain leaf springs, which can break. They make replacing the trigger setup a snap. That said, I’m not sure a drop-out trigger is warranted with the BR460’s coil springs. Some folks think coil springs are ideal for ease of maintenance, repair and replacement with handy spares. But like detachable sideplates on a fancy double gun, they just seem like an invitation for the shade-tree gunsmith and compulsive tinkerer to get into trouble.

Since a drop-out trigger group is designed to be removed, the engineering and tolerances must be tight. The parts need to be protected and secure in their arrangement. In the case of the BR460, Rizzini has achieved that objective. The fire-control unit has coil-spring assemblies in individual steel housings, stout hammers, sears, a cocking mechanism and the non-adjustable trigger. Adjustable triggers are available. All of these parts are integrated into a narrow engine-turned steel platform to which the barrel selector and trigger guard are attached. It is a weighty, compact mechanism. The inertia trigger was nice, with only the slightest bit of travel before breaking cleanly at 3 pounds for both barrels. The barrel selector sits just behind the trigger in an economical use of space. It was a touch gritty in its left-to-right movement, but it worked and was hardly objectionable.

The sizable sporting stock had dark Grade 3 Turkish walnut with horizontal waves of figure. The medium-gloss oil finish filled the grain with no gaps in the application. The condition of the stock bore testament to the finish quality: After a lot of use, the stock still looked grand. I was also pleased to see the head of the stock had been finished. I liked the long-tight-radius pistol grip that culminated in a flared knob. The right-hand palm swell was nice, and the wrist and reach served to promote consistent hand placement. The 26-lines-per-inch machine-cut checkering was crisp. The wood-to-metal fit was commendable, save for a small, forgivable gap behind the top tang. The adjustable comb was outstanding and fully finished on top as well as underneath. The inletting around Rizzini’s patented, adjustable-comb hardware was flawless. The robust hardware adjusts for cast and drop. It operated intuitively with the provided tool and stayed put once adjusted. With the adjustable comb bottomed out, the stock measured: 14⅞" length of pull to the back of the recoil pad, 1⅝" drop at comb, 2¼" drop at heel, and ¼" cast-off. It was finished with a 1⅛" spacer and a ⅜" black rubber pad.

The checkering and finish on the rounded forend were equal to that of the buttstock. I liked the shape and feel. The forend was thick but proportional to the stock and barrels, and it filled the hand without being bulky. The Deeley latch kept the forend firmly in place and allowed it to be removed easily. The forend’s underside had a full coat of finish, and the inletting around the iron was exceptional. The iron itself was substantial, and the forend was heavy in the hand at 13 ounces.

As I considered the weight of the forend, I realized it was purposeful. The barrels are heavy. The receiver is heavy. The trigger group is heavy. The stock is heavy. How does a gunmaker achieve equipoise? I think Rizzini did so with the forend. While the BR460 weighs 8 pounds 13 ounces, the arrangement of its component parts results in a balanced shotgun where the weight sits evenly between the hands and the gun remains in the shooter’s control.

I was eager to shoot this gun. Loaded with Browning BPT Light 2¾" shells firing 1⅛ oz of No. 8 shot at 1,145 fps, the BR460 choked IC & M patterned 50/50, and barrel convergence was perfect. Recoil was negligible, as one might expect with a heavy gun. The properly timed ejectors threw hulls four to five feet. On the clays course, the gun was a distinct pleasure, and I made sure to pass it around. Shooting low gun, I didn’t find the weight objectionable. While hardly lively or nimble, the BR460 mounted easily and was certainly proper-handling. It required a modicum of effort to get moving, but the end result was a very pointable gun that facilitated a smooth, even swing and follow-through. I enjoyed success at some pesky crossers and high targets as they drifted away. Several peers shot the gun successfully as well. All commented on the weight, but none complained. Orvis Chief Wingshooting Instructor Paula Moore is a lefty and, with the comb set accordingly, she was smitten. “It’s heavy but super pointable and smooth,” she said. “It broke every target I pointed it at!” That’s a ringing endorsement, and I concur.

Photo by John Fraser Carpenter

The BR460’s sharp, leather-trimmed ABS case is compact and attractive. A divider separates the top and bottom. The barrel and forearm are secure in individual compartments on top. The bottom holds the stock with a compartment for the accessories. Everything fits with no sloshing about. It is a suitable home for this very satisfying sporting gun.

The BR460 is a formidable shooter built for longevity, and I found its weight appropriate and manageable. Pleasant recoil, exceptional handling, understated aesthetic appeal and durability—the BR460 has it all.

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