Limited Edition Browning 725 Medallion Silver: beauty without bling

Browining is, according to the Game Shooting Census, the gunmaker of choice for about one in five game shots in the UK. The company’s long history and the perceived reliability of their shotguns goes a long way to explaining this. Buy a Browning 525 or 725 and you can be confident that you’ve got a well-made, reliable gun that will suit most of the shooting that you’re likely to do, from clay shooting to wildfowling. Plus, they’re reasonably priced - a brand new entry level B525 Game 1 can be yours for about £2,000.

Being a tried and tested name means that on your next game day, you are very likely to be pegged next to another Browning owner with similar weaponry. So, if you want to make a statement - and let’s face it, buying a high grade, highly embellished gun is all about standing out from the crowd - then you need to look for Special Edition models with limited production.

Limited Edition B725

Of course, a company like Browning is alive to this, and periodically releases ‘Limited Edition’ versions of their most popular platforms. The B725 Game Medallion Silver is one such special release. First unveiled in the UK at the British Shooting Show, and we understand that it is due to hit the gunracks up and down the land in the not too distant future.

As the name implies, the gun is designed for game shooting, and is built on the 725 action, with its low receiver, shorter, faster mechanical trigger system, flexible recoil pads which also allow you to adjust the length of the stock, and its Invector DS multi-choke system, not to mention the 10 year guarantee on the receiver and 3 years on the wooden parts.

This, however is where the similarities with a standard B725 end, as it is the aesthetics that mark the Medallion Silver apart from its lesser cousins. 

Starting with the woodwork, the tapered fore end and pistol grip stock are made from grade 4/5 Turkish walnut with a gloss oil finish which gives a nice classic look. However, it is the engraving on the action that will catch the eye first and foremost. 

Silver-on-silver

Where most B725s are machine-engraved, the Medallion Silver’s Acanthus design is hand re-cut, giving that little bit extra definition to the pattern. This is further enhanced by the highlighting effect of the hand-inlaid sterling silver accents which adorn the action. The deep-cut scroll engraving covers the whole action, as well as the fences.

The result is striking, without being gaudy or overly showy, the accents giving a depth to the cut of the engraving rather than taking over and stealing the limelight. This is due to the fact that the design is silver-on-silver, so the contrast between the accent and the background is not so great.

The name of the model ‘725 Medallion Silver’ along with the words ‘Limited Edition’ are engraved into the bottom of the action.

Choice of model

The Medallion Silver is available in Sporter and Game variants. The Game version has a 6mm ventilated top rib and a solid mid-rib. The Invector DS multichokes sit flush with the muzzles. The sporter has a ventilated mid-rib and extended chokes.

There are both 12 and 20 bore versions, both of which are available with 28, 30 and 32” barrels. The 30” 12 bore tips the scales at 7lb 11oz (3.5kg), the 20 bore at 6lb 10oz (3kg). The sporters are equipped with a counterweight-ready stock so that you can adjust the gun’s balance to your shooting style. 

A standard 12 bore B725 Game, with its relatively pain wheel-engraved scrollwork, but is by no-means an entry-level gun, will set you back in the region of £2.5K. The Medallion Silver, we understand, will cost somewhere in the area of twice that, around the £5K mark. 

For your money you’ll become the owner of a nicely refined shotgun that is several steps up from the off-the-shelf versions. With its hand-finished engraving and silver inlay - just enough ‘bling’ to make it stand out but not so much that it tips into the realms of tastelessness - the Medallion Silver is an ideal gun for someone who is looking to upgrade from their first shotgun to something a little more special, but that equally isn’t crazy money. Given the Medallion Silver’s limited edition status, you can also be reasonably confident that you’ll be shooting something that few others will be.

Find out more about the B725 Medallion Silver