www.lacacciaalcinghiale.com LA CACCIA AL LA CACCIA AL Caccia all estero Turchia: il regno degli «Attila» Come il lupo cambia il comportamento dei cinghiali Regioni Umbria Toscana Basilicata Armi Browning Maral N 80 Rivista bimestrale Anno XIV - n 80 - Luglio-Agosto 2014 - Euro 5,50
GUNS The Browning Maral straight-pull rifle with quick-loading system The Maral straight-pull action hunting rifle with its quick-loading system is one of the latest products from Browning, and a particularly notable evolution of its ancestor, the Browning Acera that was launched in 1999. The Maral is the worthy heir of the prestigious Browning brand, boasting a new and highly reliable mechanical design that delivers outstandingly effective performances from a straight pull rifle on all types of hunt, whether driven, stalking or hides. The Maral combines three main features: a high level of safety common to all rifles of this kind, a revolutionary mechanical straightpull re-cocking system, and remarkable precision and ergonomics. 78 The Boar Hunt - No. 80 - July-August 2014
Reloading the Maral is easy - just pull the cocking lever all the way back and release. The recoil spring brings the bolt forward with enough force to chamber the next round and then lock the rifle. B rowning s aim with the Maral has been to develop and sell the most effective hunting rifle in its category. safety, thanks to a design that users will readily feel at ease with, simple and efficient handling action that delivers first-class firing speed, all with perfect ergonomic styling that makes it a natural extension of the shooter s body. Maral technology The Maral is locked using the same 7- lug bolt that is fitted to Browning s legendary BAR, and which has already featured on over a million rifles since 1966. It s not an overstatement to say that it has never failed to prove its reliability in every test it has been through. Furthermore, the Maral comes with an independent manual-cocking system located at the rear of the breech and within easy reach for both lefthanded and right-handed shooters. However, for us, the outstanding feature is that the bolt is housed entirely within the receiver, eliminating any risk of accidental injury when the re-cocking system flies backward. Operating system The most significant of the Maral s technical innovations is its spring-assisted Quick Reloading System that closes the bolt automatically. This patented system is based on a mechanical assembly that uses a servo-bolt return mechanism. Recocking the Maral is as simple as pulling the re-cocking lever back and letting go. The spring then pushes it forward with enough force to load the next round and close the 7-lug rotating bolt. Another important safety feature when handling is the removable three-, four- or ten-round magazine. The Boar Hunt - No. 80 - July-August 2014 79
Shotgun Browning Maral The outstanding carry case, above, comes as standard. Left are the standard Bavarian stock, the battue type rib and rear sight, and adjustable fiber optic front sight. Receiver The technique of fully enclosing the bolt action inside the receiver makes for far easier reloading after every shot and a better view along the sights. Reloading is greatly simplified, and the shooter can keep the target in the sights at all times. Increased accuracy Browning s 7-lug rotating bolt seats the lugs flawlessly in their bored recesses in the barrel extension and aligns the cartridges perfectly inside the chamber. The rifle is remarkably accurate and totally safe, regardless of the gage used. The bolt face covers the entire base of the cartridge and locks straight into the barrel, which is securely screw-mounted to the front of the receiver. This type of locking system gives the rifle perfect technical attributes that significantly reduce barrel vibrations when shooting, thereby helping to improve the shooter s aim. 80 The Boar Hunt - No. 80 - July-August 2014
We tried the Maral with different ammunition. The new Winchester European range gave excellent results. The Maral also stands apart thanks to its manual cocking system, which consists of a pushbutton located at the back of the receiver to arm and disable the trigger. Pushing the button forward applies load to the hammer spring readying the rifle for firing. The top of the receiver includes sightmounting or red-dot-mounting threads. The re-cocking lever has a chunky plastic ball end that is easy to grip in any conditions, and is easy to use for perfect shooting action every time. Stock and fore-end The Maral stock is designed to be removed quickly for practical storage in the plush Elite carry case provided. The buttplate is a cushioned Inflex pad that greatly absorbs recoil and increases shot stability. The stock and fore-end are made of oil-finished Grade 3 walnut, and the pistol grip offers effective handling. As with the Bar Zenith, the three different types of stock and fore-end can be mixed and matched in any number of ways. Barrel The barrel is available in several gages, both standard and magnum length (see data sheet). The barrel is cold hammer forged, fluted, 22 inches long (22.8 in. for magnum gauges) and fitted with a battue type rib and a horizontally and vertically adjustable raised fiber optic front sight. Technical Data Manufacturer: Browning International s.a. - Parc Industriel des Hauts Sarts - 3ème Avenue, 25 - B-4040 Herstal -Belgium www.browning.eu Type: straight-pull action rifle. Model: Maral Gauges: 9.3 x 62, 30-06 Springfield, 308 Winchester, 300 Winchester Magnum Barrel: : 22 or 22.8 inches, cold-hammered steel, rifled (fluted). Blued finish. Stock: Aluminum alloy, 8.5 inches with RH ejection port, matt anodized. Bolt: Steel, 7-lug rotating head. Shooting action: 1,850 g trigger pull weight. Sights: Fixed battue type rib with green and white reference fiber optic inserts, horizontally and vertically adjustable red fiber optic front sight. Magazine: Three-, four-, or ten-round capacity Stock: Grade 3 walnut. Optional Bavarian or Monte Carlo stock, fore-ends in a range of shapes and grade 4 or 5 wood. Total weight: 7.27 lb Conclusions The Maral is a worthy heir to the Acera, and one of the most interesting straightpull rifles on the market. Joel Serre The Boar Hunt - No. 80 - July-August 2014 81