Gun

SKB Model 5100 trap

It was back in January that we revealed the return of SKB to these shores, through Kevin Gill's Shooting and Leisure company. Since then they have begun to appear on dealers' shelves and make an impact in competition, particularly in trap events. Kevin himself has been shooting very well with, it seems, whatever gun he happens to have to hand and Sarah Gibbins is another who is putting together a consistent run of performances. After enjoying using two sporters in 12 and 20-bore form, I was keen to try out some other guns from the range, particularly the Model 5100 with its detachable trigger mechanism. Kevin sent down this 30" trap gun, fresh from the British Open ABT Championship, where he had used it to shoot 194/200 and win A Class.

Kevin Gill now has the full line up of SKB models coming on stream with woodwork tailored to UK needs. Richard Rawlingson has been looking at the Model 5100 Trap, the highest grade of the standard production guns from this Japanese manufacturer

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
In all main respects the 5100 is the same basic gun as the rest of the SKB range. This means it retains the immensely strong Kersten bolt locking system in which extensions either side of the top barrel engage slots in the breech face where they are locked by a bolt running horizontally across the action. This is operated by the top lever and can be seen protruding outwards from the left hand side of the action as the gun is opened.
This type of locking system has been widely used in the German and Austrian trades and by some Italian makers. Of the German marques, the most familiar to us in Britain is Merkel and as I commented before, there is more than a hint of Merkel in the styling of SKB's guns, most notably the shaping of the upper action frame.

The barrels pivot on bifurcated front lumps that engage trunnions in the walls of the receiver. Further locking is achieved by the location of a small rear lump in a cutout in the action floor. Visually this is not the most elegant locking system ever devised for an over-and-under gun, but there is no denying its efficiency. The second-hand guns that you see dating back to when SKBs were sold here in numbers 20 years ago are generally still very sound. The trade speaks of them with affection and is happy still to deal with older models, always a good sign.
Where the 5100 differs significantly from its siblings is in the trigger department. The main range has conventional coil spring lockwork, but this gun has an interesting detachable trigger unit. With a price of £2250, the SKB 5100 is probably the cheapest gun on the market to offer this feature. One of the ways the company has been able to achieve this is by simplifying the construction to some extent. Unlike most guns with the Ôdrop lock' feature, SKB have avoided complex catch mechanisms and instead retain the trigger group with a large retaining screw in the rear of the trigger guard. Four turns of a screwdriver (or a 20p coin) is all that is needed to release the unit, so it is hardly an onerous task to take it out, but it is less easy to demonstrate to your chums down at the club. On the positive side it is also less easy for the light fingered to remove it when your back is turned!
Removing the unit reveals a neat lock with two hefty V-springs providing the power. The relatively low price of the gun means that it lacks the high degree of surface polishing and engine turning we see on more expensive guns, but that is mainly cosmetics. The impression is of solid engineering rather than finesse.
All SKB actions are machined from solid blocks of steel to high standards of finish. There are a number of variations on the basic theme in terms of shape and the 5100 can be spotted at a distance by the sloping back to the action body (rather like the rear window of the old Ford Anglia for those of you old enough to remember it). The cheaper guns in the range have a squared-off action.
Being a trap gun, the test model has a non-selective trigger, but more unusually is a multi choke. The proof marks reveal that the gun is proofed at 850 bar and both bores measure at standard 12-bore size of 18.5mm (.729"). SKB switch between standard and overbored (what they term Ôbig bore') barrels throughout the range, but not it appears on this particular model. Both top and mid ribs are ventilated, the top rib being 12mm parallel with a centre channel. With tapering ribs being so common these days, my initial impression was that it was wider than it actually is.
The stock on this gun is a modest Monte Carlo, dropping 10mm from the parallel section of the comb. It also has a double palm swell. It is finished off with a 25cm rubber recoil pad that is firm at heel and toe, but hollowed out in the centre section.

COSMETICS
I remarked in the last SKB test that the guns have a very conservative, rather old fashioned look to them that is in stark contrast to all the fancy finishes and racy graphics we are seeing more and more of from other makers. Whether you think it looks dated or not is largely a matter of taste; I like the restrained styling personally, in much the same way that I prefer Mirokus to the latest Brownings. If you are into the modern look then I guess you will look elsewhere.
The action is given a subtle greyed satin finish and is decorated with tasteful scroll pattern engraving. Again that word restrained leaps to mind; this is not a gun that jumps off the rack at you, nor will it attract much in the way of admiring glances. On the other hand none of the detailing jars at all, with all the minor furniture nicely presented.
Stock and fore end are reasonably well matched and the stock has a fair amount of character. The woodwork is oil finished, but very flat and needing several more applications of a conditioning oil to bring out the best in it. In time it should look very nice. The wood is left proud of the metal throughout, which would earn minus marks in some quarters, but it is consistent.

ON TEST
At just a couple of ounces over 8lbs (3.7kg), the 5100 is not particularly heavy by trap gun standards. It is very nicely balanced, totally neutral with the balance point dead on the hinge pin. The barrels weigh in at a moderate 1500g (3lbs 5oz) so even with the multichokes (now apparently standard) the weight distribution is good, very much concentrated between the hands - a recipe for a low moment of inertia and smooth, effortless handling. In fact Kevin tells me that he feels the small amount of extra weight improves the handling over the fixed choke barrels, which he finds a touch light for his taste. The handling as a result is not so much fast as easy, a gun that you can adapt to in fairly quick time. Some guns feel as though they are fighting back, this one goes with the flow.
The woodwork is on the chunky side. The fore end is a full beavertail and the stock has plenty of meat through the comb area, more in the Italian style. With drop at comb set at 35mm (1 3/8"), it is flattish by current trap gun practice, rather in the Miroku mould, and I found that with that small Monte Carlo step it fitted me nicely straight out of the box. That was helped by a length of 375mm (14 3/4"), which is about half an inch longer than the factory's normal production, but which Kevin is specifying on all his guns for the British market.
Regular readers will know I am not a fan of palm swells, but this one did at least swell in the right place and I could live with it. I thought the chequering worthy of note, it is not ultra fine, but is very sharply cut and gives excellent grip.
The trigger performance came in for particular attention, given that it is one of this gun's prime selling points. As on the other models, there is a small amount of slack to take up, but then the pull itself is very crisp and relatively light. My gauge measured the first barrel at 31/2 lbs and the top about half a pound heavier. I don't think you are likely to find much better on a gun in this price range.
With its price just over the £2000 mark, the SKB falls into something of a gap in the market. It is significantly more than rivals such as the Browning XT, Marocchi M99 or Beretta 682E and lacks some of their Ôextras' such as adjustable combs or fancy fitted travel cases. But it does have that cracking detachable trigger and undercuts others of that ilk like the Kemen or Beretta DT10. It also will score on that count against natural competition from the higher grade Mirokus.
It makes judging the package trickier than usual. It is low on features and showroom pizzazz, but high on build quality and sweet handling. My feeling is that it is appealing very much to the same type of buyer who chooses the traditional lines of a Miroku over the more aggressive styling of some others. That sector of the market has had few options in recent times, but there is a viable alternative now.