doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Opinions of B Rizzini BR 550 round action shotgun

Does anyone own one or has handled one? I'm thinking of getting a 16 GA pistol grip gun. I like the round action from what I see in photos. Any actual experience with one?

I have two 20 gauge BR550's, but the earlier field version with case hardened frames not the round body. No real difference except the frame shape. I really like them but had to make a few adjustments. The guns were a little long for me so I cut the stocks and added 1/2" rubber recoil pads. The stocks are pretty straight so I bent them about a quarter inch for cast off. Keep in mind that these guns have a stock bolt. On a very personal feel. I felt the guns were to stiff on cocking. All the springs are coil so it's unlikely that that they would relieve any with use. I cut a few coils off the hammer springs. I disassembled the ejectors and decided not to clip those springs at that time though they are a bit longer than necessary for reliable ejection.
The guns open a bit lighter and I won't mess anymore. I really do like them. The fit and finish are very good and are light for a 20 gauge with a 29" barrels at 6 pounds 4 oz. The balance is around the hinge pin after my modifications perhaps a bit more forward. They swing well and steady. The choke tubes are a plus and now that the international covid rules are relaxing they are steel capable for the UK and Europe. In general I really like them.

I have a heavy 20 with 30" barrels and pistol grip. Really great guns for the money. Not without flaws. I had to send mine to Utah to fix forend, which was done without charge. I shot mine in heavy rain at Medford one year and when I got home took the stock off to clean and oil, which is a nice feature of a stock bolt gun. It was completely dry inside, which shows the good fit of wood to action. I would love to have this gun with hand engraving and nicer wood, keep the internals as is. It would rival my Dickson RA.

I have one in .410/30". I haven't shot it a great deal, but it hasn't missed a beat in the few hundred rounds I put thru it. As you can see, the checkering is laser cut and the "engraving" is some form of either chem milling or laser, with a few cuts here and there to make it look "real".

I have seen your Dickson RA, Jeff, and it is a very nice gun, so the comparison is very telling, IMO. Wonder could you order a BR550 without checkering, then have it done the way you want it here? That wouldn't deal with the engraving but would add a lot to the wood appearance.

Best to you, Stan

Good to hear from you too, Chuck. Wishing you a good upcoming hunting season.

Chuck your wood is outstanding. A friend , after seeing my BR550 ordered a 2 barrel set 16 and 20 from Gordy and Sons, I think. Anyways, his wood is much better than mine. I am torn between case colored which mine is and the silver, which shows the engraving much better. After shooting a friends .410 even though an O/U, I would like a BR550 in .410, especially with long barrels, what fun to shoot.
Stan, I expect to be coming through your part of the country again in late Jan, hope we can get together, as I owe you a round of clays.

I'll be looking forward to it, Jeff.

Thanks for the pictures Chuck H. The action appears nicely scaled to the .410.

I also had questions on which finish to select when I was looking at the RB O/U guns.
I finally decided on the silver finish as it just makes the engraving pop! I ordered a 28 gauge RB Deluxe with the pistol grip and grip cap and later went back and got a 20 bore RB Deluxe with the sideplates and long tang and grip cap.
I shoot the 20 gauge really well, the 28 not so good. I suppose because it is so light.
I have thought on special ordering a BR550 in 28/410 with a beavertail and 30" barrels, long tang, English grip. Just can't take the leap of faith to do it.

Does Rizzini make 32” barrels for the small bores?

Chuck, I should have asked where did you get yours to have such special wood?

Paul, while I almost always prefer a straight grip I have found that on small bores, 28 and .410 I think the pistol grip works to give you a better grip, otherwise if the stock is scaled to action it is too tiny. My hands are just slightly large

Horses for courses, as they say, but I am of the opposite opinion, Jeff. I prefer pistol grips for harder recoiling guns, such as the larger gauges. I find that I can get on the second target, or bird, faster with a heavier recoiling gauge when it has a pistol grip because I just have better control of the gun in recoil. With "slight" gauges that recoil little, like the .410 bore, I can do fine with straight grips. Just another opinion, and we all know what they're worth.

Chuck,

Did you have to special order the double triggers? The only thing I didn't care for on the BR 550 was the single trigger.

I have a Rizzini EM round body. Mine has 30” bbls and I installed double triggers on mine. I noticed that it had two slots underneath. I’m so used to double triggers so why not.
Absolutely no problems with the gun.

The gun was special ordered directly from Fierce. Single or double triggers are no cost, IIRC. The wood was an upcharge.

I like these guns, but I don't like swamped ribs. Wish they would put a level rib on them, might consider a 30" 12 ga. for clays.
JR

I would also prefer a flat rib. You can order Rizzini guns from their custom shop and my understanding is that you can get about anything they can make. But, my gun had only an upgrade to the wood and it took 2 years. I have no idea how long a true custom would take.