William Powell's new Perdix over-and-under reviewed

The revised Perdix is one of four guns in the over-under range from William Powell, and at £3,495 it’s the entry-level option. Although I have to say from the outset that it’s quite some entrance. The other guns in the range are the mid-range Phoenix (£6,495), the high bird specialist Prestige (£7,495) and the premier Pegasus (£14,995). 

The Anglo-Italian job

The guns are made for William Powell by highly respected Italian manufacturer Battista Rizzini; but at this price nobody would be under the illusion they are buying a handcrafted English gun built from scratch at a bench in the Home Counties. There’s no smoke and mirrors about this either  - after all why would you want to hide the good reputation for engineering, longevity and reliability that a name like Rizzini has acquired over the years? It’s a partnership both parties are rightly proud of.

What’s new with the Perdix?

So, what’s different about the revised Perdix? Well, for starters it now has a new solid top rib instead of the old ventilated version. When I asked William Powell gunroom manager Ross Gibson to explain the motivation for this switch, which would inevitably add weight to the gun, he said: “It was primarily a cosmetic decision. It has added about two and a half ounces to the overall weight but the majority of customers like it.” With the 30-inch barrel gun weighing in at 7lbs 12oz there is no problem with the extra weight so ultimately it’s purely subjective. Do you prefer a solid top rib or the ventilated version? I’m going to risk a splinter in the nether regions and plonk myself right on the fence here – I really don’t mind either.

Another major difference is the new gamescene engraving designed by brilliant British artist Ben Hoskyns. And all the parts (safety catch, trigger guard and top lever) now have a chrome finish rather than blacked as they were previously. 

The engraving is by English artist Ben Hoskyns

A smart ground for a smart gun

To test the Perdix I visited Grimsthorpe Shooting Ground in south Lincolnshire. This woodland shooter’s paradise has long been popular with the local game shooting community, as well as Sporting and FITASC competitors nationwide. But in 2018 significant investment in a stunning new lodge, approach road and landscaping made it clear that ambitions are high here. So now the ground not only caters for shooting connoisseurs, but it’s also an event venue and conference centre. It’s a warm welcome and it is both reassuring and exciting to see this sort of investment in our sport.

A good feeling

But back to the gun. First impressions are really rather good. The stock is fashioned from a lovely piece of Turkish walnut and has just the right amount of sheen for my liking – not too polished but something a bit special nonetheless. The gamescene engraving is pleasing but not too ambitious or overwhelming. I’m used to an 8lb over-under Sporter so 7lbs 12oz felt surprisingly light to me. In short this gun does put a smile on your face when you pick it up, and I felt good about it from the moment of assembly.

In the field

I shot a variety of driven, going away, quartering, looping, springing and incoming clays in the wonderful woodland setting at Grimsthorpe and enjoyed the gun very much. The selective single trigger pull is just right, felt recoil was minimal and it’s nimble enough to move quickly when snap shooting, but equally well poised for that single overhead bird which everybody can see heading your way. I wasn’t sure about the semi-pistol grip when I put the gun together but out in the field I didn’t notice it at all which, like a good referee, is a promising sign. After all if you are thinking about the grip when pulling the trigger there is something wrong.

Grimsthorpe offers some lovely woodland settings to shoot clays in

With 30 inch multi-choked barrels (it comes with a set of five multi-chokes), three-inch chambers (steel-proofed) and a stock length of 15 inches it’s the sort of gun you might find yourself using for just about every type of shooting. Although I think the wood is a bit too special for the pigeon hide where scratches are inevitable. It would be a pleasure to shoot driven pheasants, Sunday morning clays and Spanish partridge with this gun, and I believe it would bring a smile to the face of most game shooters.

A tempting price

This reincarnation of the William Powell Perdix is a well-judged all-rounder. There is an initial three year warranty, and if the gun comes back for a service within the three years that is extended for a further two years.

At £3,495 (including VAT and gunfit) it’s at a very tempting price point indeed. And for another £750 you can have the bespoke service. For this extra money there is a wider choice of barrel lengths and grip, and you can have fixed choke if you wish, but probably most significant is the option to have the stock made to your precise measurements. 

So, for £4,245 you can kit yourself out with a custom-built side-plated over-under with a lovely finish that will be good for clays and game and will stand out a bit from the crowd.
The only problem is that with a made-to-measure stock you really won’t have many excuses left for missing that straight driven pheasant.
 
For more information on William Powell guns, visit the gunroom website here.

Written by Will Hetherington, GunsOnPegs Contributing Editor

Will was the editor of the Shooting Gazette, a leading international driven shooting magazine, for 13 years. Having been involved with country sports publishing for a total of 19 years, he is now our Contributing Editor at GunsOnPegs.