Review: The Sovereign and The Viscount from William Powell

A few weeks ago I wrote about two new guns that William Powell have released - traditional English-style side-by-sides proofed for high performance steel loads and designed to cope with the heavier loads used by high-bird shots, the Viscount and the Sovereign. I concluded the article by saying that I was really looking forward to trying them out. Well… be careful what you wish for, because I was duly invited to the Edgehill Shooting Ground in Warwickshire to give them a go, leaving me in the somewhat daunting position of having to write my first ever actual gun review for GunsOnPegs. It's a tough gig.

So let me start with an apology, or at least, an excuse. I’m no expert in shotguns. So if you’re after a review packed with technical details and expositions about the finer points of the mechanics and art of gun making, you’re in the wrong place. If, however, you want a layman’s view then I hope I can provide some insight into the two guns - how they feel to handle and shoot, and my general impressions. I’m also absolutely the target market for these guns - I’m a traditionalist and have always used a side-by-side. My 70s-built AYA is not steel proofed, and has full choke in the second barrel, meaning sooner or later I shall probably need to get a new gun.

 

 

When I arrived at the shooting ground Ross from William Powell had three guns to show me: 20-bore versions of the Viscount and the Sovereign, plus a 12-bore Sovereign. If you recall the previous article (I’m vain enough to assume that you memorised every word, but in case you didn’t you can remind yourself) the Sovereign is the boxlock, coming in at just under £5,000 and the Viscount is the sidelock, priced at just under £11,000.

So let’s start with appearance and feel. Visually, they are a delight, perhaps unsurprising given that they are made by Rizzini to William Powell’s specifications. The Viscount’s engraving is less deep-cut, and somewhat more elaborate than that of the Soveriegn, and there are more flourishes in the form of carved teardrops and hand chequering. The 20 bore Viscount that Ross had with him for me to try had a particularly interesting stock, quite light in colour, which I was particularly keen on. That said, these things are window dressing, and the Sovereigns are very easy on the eye too.

 

So having had a look at the three guns, we went off to try them out. Ross had brought a good selection of cartridges - from 21g to 32g - for me to put through them too, so that I could get a feel for how they handle different loads. Having warmed up on a few relatively easy clays (the first time I had handled a shotgun since January) we moved on to some driven clays. I broke more than I missed, so on a basic level, the guns work. But more than that, they felt great, and I was quite surprised by how well I shot with them.

 

A motley selection of shells

The Viscount 20 bore had a slightly high comb, which meant it took a little more getting used to but once I’d made the adjustment this was great to shoot, coming to the shoulder nicely and with a 28g load the recoil was barely noticeable. The swing felt natural and it felt great to use. By the end I was hitting more or less everything.

 

The Sovereign 12 bore felt somewhat weighty in the hand, perhaps owing to the 30 inch barrels - a couple of inches longer than my usual gun - and perhaps owing to the direct comparison with the lighter 20s. In the shoulder, however, this translated into an effortless swing. I really enjoyed using it and by the end I was dusting, dare I say pulverising, clays without having to think too much about it. Even with a 32g shell the recoil was negligible. I did have a slight bruise that evening where I mis-mounted on one occasion, but that must be put down to operator error.

The one I would buy out of the three was the Sovereign 20 bore. I just loved shooting with it. It felt light, but was balanced in such a way that there was no danger of ‘stopping’ on a clay. The gun felt almost like an extension of my body, such was the ease with which it swung and mounted. I also - and this is merely my perspective - prefer the deep-cut engraving to the Viscount's slightly fiddlier decoration.

 

As mentioned in the previous article, there are dozens of customisable elements to all of the guns, and a gun fit is included in the price. The Viscount can be made to measure, and this is included in the price, and for a further £750 you can have the Sovereign made to measure as well. Both guns are also available ‘off the peg’ if you happen to be the right size and don't have any particular needs or wants. If you want to order one, the current lead time for new guns is around 10 months.

 

I would have no hesitation in buying any of these guns, though I’d probably need a pay rise (Hint. Hint.) or the death of a hitherto unknown wealthy relative if I were to go for the Viscount - and I’ll genuinely be factoring them into my calculations if and/or when I need to replace my gun.