Caesar Guerini has only been making shotguns since 2001, but in short order, they have made quite the name for themselves. We had the chance to spend a day with Travis Mears at his range (Defender Outdoors Clay Sport Ranch) to review our first Ceasar Guerini shotgun, The Summit Sporting. The Summit Sporting is made to be a clay-crushing workhouse, and we couldn't wait to put it to the test. Travis is a highly regarded professional sporting clays shooter, and his insight is invaluable to this review. Let's go!

If you have experience with Ceasar Guerini shotguns, please let us know your thoughts on the TFL COMMUNITY!   

CEASAR GUERINI SUMMIT SPORTING 12GA

• Specs

  • 12 gauge. (20, 28, .410 available)
  • 32" barrels (30" and 34" available)
  • Comes with 6 chokes made by Caesar Guerini. The chokes are made from the same material as the barrel, so as the shot is leaving the barrel, the choke flexes in the same way as the barrel, which creates really consistent patterns. Looking for aftermarket chokes? Check out Carlson's Chokes Use Code "targetfocused20" for 20% off.
  • The length of pull is 14 3/4" - Aftermarket spacers and pads are available. Our favorite pad is a Falcon Strike. (Add a FalconStrike for less recoil)
  • Drop at comb 1 1/2" The Summit Sporting has an adjustable comb.
  • Drop at heel 2 1/4"
  • Inertia triggers.
  • Right-handed palm swell. Left-hand models are available.
  • This shotgun is cast off for a right-handed shooter and toe-out. There are also left-handed options available.
  • 8lbs 5oz
  • We got a sub-3 lbs average trigger pull weight. This a very light and crispy trigger. One of our favorites.
  • MSRP is $4,795

• Ergonomics

  • The Summit has an adjustable trigger. The trigger shoe is also slightly canted.
  • DTS trigger system. Release triggers are available
  • This gun is beautiful and has nice oil-finished wood.
  • This Summit has fantastic 26-line-per-inch checkering, which provides a good look and great grip.
  • The receiver and control surfaces have some nice modern details yet a classic engraving. This is not your typical $2,000 o/u shotgun.
  • The combination of the silver receiver, blued barrel, and oil finish will certainly make this shotgun an eye-catcher too.
  • Silver mid-bead and white front bead (we love the simplicity)
  • The vented rib is tapered, meaning it gets skinnier as it runs the length of the barrel. This is to minimize visible obstruction and promote TARGET FOCUS!
  • Basis rubber recoil pad
  • The overall ergonomics and build of this gun are awesome. It feels great in the hands, has tight tolerance, and is balanced nicely. 
  • Holding this gun in our hands just felt right. This is a well-crafted firearm with crushing targets as the objective of this shotgun's ergonomics.

• Recoil and Reliability

  • We'll keep it short and painless for you: This shotgun had very manageable recoil straight back into the shoulder.
  • You will have no issues with follow-up shots using this shotgun. The combination of the light trigger, good balance, smooth swing, and minimal recoil could make this a dangerous gun in all shotgun sports.
  • If you can speak to the reliability of a Summit please let us know how it's held up on the  TFL COMMUNITY!    
  • Travis has shot Caesar Guerini for a long time and is a proud dealer of these shotguns. He can attest to the longevity of these guns. He also talked about the continued support you get from the Guerini team when it comes to maintenance and replacement parts. Guerini has exceptional customer service and quick turn-around times to get your gun back in your hands fast.

• Breakdown/Quality of Build

  • As we've said, this gun is super reliable. It's built well and as Travis said, will last a long time. He has a buddy who has shot more than a million rounds through his and its held up just fine.
  • It's a small thing, but this shotgun has no rattles, out-of-place noises, or loose components.
  • Caesar Guerini goes over and above for their customers. Some companies won't have your gun back or even respond to you for 6 months. Caesar runs a different ship.
  • This lifetime warranty also includes the Pit stop program. This allows you to get your gun serviced back to its original specs for its lifetime.
  • Travis's range also has the Summit as one of their most popular rental guns. They have certainly withstood a lot.

• Shooting The Summit

  • In every review, we typically do a speed shooting test. However, this Summit is going to be used for your more normal shooting disciplines. So, instead, we took turns testing it on the sporting clay course. Everything good we've said about this gun thus far became even more true as we started to crush targets with it. This gun certainly gets the TFL stamp of approval.
  • Recoil was minimal, and follow-up shots were easy. 

In conclusion, there is a lot to like about this Summit. We officially have zero complaints about this shotgun and think that if you want to get into a lifelong clay gun the Summit could be a good upgrade. This is no cheap shotgun. Mind you, in the grand scheme of higher-end shotguns, the Summit is more affordable. Either way, this shotgun is going to last you a lifetime, as you'll have Caesar Guerini's warranty to back you up, too. So, if you're a passionate clay shooter, the Summit is absolutely one of the best options out there.

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we will only hit what we are focused on, so live the #targetfocusedlife 

Steve Gould