By Clair Rees
Photo: Made of forged nickel-chrome-steel, the receiver is lightly but attractively engraved.
Upland bird hunters should find a lot to like about the fast-handling Milano.
Best known for its highly accurate bolt rifles, Savage recently added a new over-under shotgun to its lineup. Following the lead of other American gunmakers, the company imports the new stackbarrels instead of manufacturing them in the U.S.
The vast majority of today's twin-tubed scatterguns are made overseas. "American" classics like the Browning Superposed and Citori have always been imported from other countries. American manufacturers can't be beat when it comes to mass-producing quality bolt rifles and pump or autoloading scatterguns. However, Old World gunmakers excel in producing fine side-by-side doubles and stackbarrels requiring specialized, painstaking craftsmanship.
Introduced in 2006, the twin-tubed Milano succeeds earlier Savage over-unders like the Italian-made Model 440 and Model 312, along with the Model 330 and 333 Valmet field and target guns once made in Finland.
The new gun is produced to Savage specifications by Fabbrica Arms Isidoro Rizzini (FAIR), one of four Italian gunmakers sharing the Rizzini name. All four independent companies are located in the Brescia area ¡ª a region long famed for its gunmaking tradition.
Photo: The Milano comes with a choke-tube wrench and full, modified and improved-cylinder chokes that are safe to use with steel shot.
I asked Brian Herrick, national sales manager for Savage, why that particular manufacturer was chosen to build the new Savage stackbarrels.
"We selected FAIR for several reasons," he said. "First and foremost, we were impressed by the exceptional quality level evident in the guns they manufacture. Quality was a big concern, and we were satisfied this company could deliver it.
"Another important factor was the company's genuine willingness to partner with us. The Italian gunmaker agreed to produce the shotgun we specifically wanted instead of simply putting the Savage name on a product they already made. Another plus was that FAIR could instantly supply our new over-under shotguns in three separate frame sizes. Our 12- and 20-gauge guns are each built to a different scale. The 28- and .410-gauge models share an even smaller frame."
My test gun arrived just after dove season got underway, so I rounded up a couple of boxes of 20-gauge 8s and headed for desert country. As often happens, the doves that lazed the summer months away in Utah had already headed south. Other flights would appear as they traveled down from Canada, but until they arrived, birds were thin on the ground. During a full morning of hunting, I saw a lone pair of doves flying in the distance, but none winged into shooting range.
Clay pigeons aren't as tricky as mourning doves, but these fast-moving targets offer a more dependable chance to evaluate shooting performance.
When doves failed to put in an appearance, I took the Milano to a shooting range. After a few practice shots to get the feel of the new gun, I began shattering claybirds with regularity. I didn't hit every target, but that was no surprise. Becoming an expert at skeet, trap or sporting clays demands dedication and regular trips to the range. I'd rather shoot grouse or pheasants, so my claybird skills have been sadly neglected.
I was happy to break an average of four of every five birds thrown. Eighty percent shooting fostered warm feelings for the new Savage stackbarrel. The Milano made hitting easy. The comb was neither too wide, nor too narrow, and had just the right amount of drop. I also liked the feel of the slender, Schnabel-tipped forearm, which lacked any hint of bulbous beavertail bulk. Both grip and fore-end sported sharp laser-cut checkering.
Photo: The author tracks a dove flying into range. Dove hunting was spotty in Utah's desert country when he tested the Milano.
Whenever I shouldered the gun, my eye fell naturally behind the raised ventilated rib. The fluorescent fiber-optic front sight was perfectly aligned with the brass bead mid-sight. I wasn't aware of seeing the rib or sighting beads when tracking a target, but they registered somewhere in my subconscious.
I liked the gun's lack of excess heft. The model I tested had 28-inch barrels and weighed a bare ounce over 6 pounds. With chambers loaded, the Milano balanced exactly at the hinge pin, distributing the gun's weight evenly between the hands, contributing to easy carrying and extremely fast handling.
Bores are chrome-plated, with elongated forcing cones providing even patterns and reduced felt recoil. Interchangeable full, modified and improved-cylinder choke tubes are supplied. They can safely be used with steel shot.
Like all 20-gauge guns sold today, the Milano has 3-inch chambers. This increases versatility, but a steady diet of 3-inch magnums would get old fast in this Italian featherweight. I'm a big fan of lightweight doubles, but I'll stick to feeding the Milano 2 3/4-inch field loads. If I need more than 1 or 1 1/8 ounces of shot, I'll use a heavier gun. Twelve-gauge Milanos weigh an advertised 7 1/2 pounds, making them less punishing with heavier loads.
Automatic ejectors throw expended hulls well clear of the gun while raising unfired shells for easy removal. I like auto ejectors, but today's landowners will more likely invite you back if you pick up your empties. Automatic ejectors may help sell guns, but I see an increasing demand for plain extractors. Manually removing and pocketing fired shells takes a lot less time than hunting for them underfoot. Simple extractors is an option that Savage should consider. In addition to being environmentally friendly, they could shave a few bucks from the gun's cost.
The Milano is supposed to be equipped with a mechanical trigger. If your first barrel misfires (a rare but not unknown occurrence), you can simply pull the trigger again. For whatever reason, my sample gun had an inertia trigger. I mentioned this to Brian Herrick, who promised to check into the switch.
A stiff, heavy trigger can affect accuracy, so I was pleased when the Milano trigger proved delightfully light and responsive. Triggering the first barrel required just 4 1/4 pounds of pressure, while the follow-up barrel fired at an even 5 pounds. After a tiny amount of creep, let-off was uniformly crisp and clean.
The barrel selector is on the tang-mounted safety. It functions whether the safety is in the "on safe" or "fire" position. Thankfully, the safety did not automatically engage every time the action was opened. I've missed a number of birds by neglecting to thumb an auto safety to "off" after a hurried reload. I consider auto safeties an abomination on any shotgun.
The Milano's forged-nickel, chrome-steel receiver contrasts nicely with the blued barrels and trigger guard. The sides and bottom of the receiver are lightly, attractively engraved. The trigger guard carries additional engraving, along with an image of a woodcock in flight. The satin-finished, straight-grained Turkish walnut stock showed a hint of burl in the butt. The solid recoil pad was tapered at the top to prevent hanging up on clothing. Barrels were well polished and deeply blued.
I think the Savage Milano offers solid value. It's not fancy, but appears durable and well-constructed. It's satisfyingly light and well-balanced. Upland gunners should find a lot to like with this good-shooting stackbarrel. It handles well, looks great and is priced right.
--Clair Rees
GunHunter Magazine -- November 2007
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