In the December 1995 issue, we tried a couple of double-barreled shotguns that retailed for less than $900. Both of the 20 gauges in this head-to-head test, a Gentry and a Brittany, were imported by American Arms. Here’s what we foun.
American Arms Brittany: Nice Handling, Unreliable
For those who prefer a traditionally styled side-by-side shotgun with more convenient features, American Arms imports the Brittany. This Spanish-made shotgun has an English-style stock, screw-in choke tubes, and automatic selective ejectors. It is available in 12 or 20 gauge with 26-inch barrels only. In spite of their differences, the Brittany and the Gentry appear to share some of the same parts.
Our 20-gauge Brittany’s receiver had a color case-hardened finish with shallow scroll engraving, while its barrels and trigger guard were evenly blued and polished. A few minor tool marks were noted on the top front of the receiver. Structural components were satisfactorily fitted, but the firing mechanism definitely needed more work.
The two-piece stock was made of sparsely-figured walnut with a smooth satin finish. The checkering was unevenly cut, though it wasn’t as carelessly done as that of the Gentry. No other cosmetic shortcomings were found, and the vented black-rubber recoil pad and spacer were neatly fitted. The buttstock and the removable fore end were well mated with the remainder of the gun.
All of our shooters felt this shotgun’s handling qualities were very good. Due to its muzzle-heavy balance, it swung smoothly and followed through well. Shouldering was relatively fast, and target acquisition was instinctive. The comb was reasonably comfortable, and establishing a proper stockweld aligned the shooter’s dominant eye with the sighting plane. Maintaining a secure grasp on the straight grip and semi-beavertail fore end wasn’t a problem. The kick this 20 gauge generated during recoil was equal to that of the Gentry.
Operationally, our Brittany was unreliable. It failed to fire the second barrel a half-dozen times, and double-fired once. The safety/barrel selector, which initially worked in the same manner as that of the Gentry, froze up after the second misfire. After only 25 rounds, the right ejector stopped working. Although the barrels opened and closed readily when the action was cocked, they moved stiffly after both barrels were fired.
Movement of the shotgun’s single selective trigger was inconsistent. The trigger itself was brassy-gold and had a smooth quarter-inch-wide face. According to our self-recording trigger pull gauge, the left barrel let-off at 6 pounds, and the right barrel fired at 9 pounds.
Like the other shotgun in this test, the Brittany’s sighting system consisted of a solid 5⁄16-inch-wide barrel rib with a small brass bead on the front. The top of the rib was checkered to prevent glaring. In our opinion, this arrangement provided a simple, easy-to-acquire sighting reference.
Three interchangeable choke tubes, which were marked as Improved Cylinder, Modified, and Full, and a wrench were included with the Brittany. With Fiocchi No. 8 and Winchester No. 71⁄2 field loads, all three tubes produced uniform patterns that were appropriate to their ratings.
Bottom Line: All of our shooters liked the American Arms Brittany’s handling and convenient features, but its extremely poor function was very disappointing. Needless to say, we give this 20-gauge shotgun a thumbs down.
In 2025 dollars, the Blue Book of Gun Values has the American Arms Gentry 3-inch 20 gauge at $625 for a gun in 100% condition, and then the prices scale down from there: $475 (98%), $375 (95%), $300 (90%), $280 (80%), $260 (70%), and $240 (60%). The Brittany has a higher top end of $725 for a gun in 100% condition, and the price scale from there goes $575 (98%), $485 (95%), $435 (90%), $400 (80%), $375 (70%), and $350 (60%). Based on the performance of our Brittany 20 gauge in 1995, we have a hard time recommending it at any price. But, we suppose, if you were to take our review and verify a used gun you found didn’t exhibit the same problems as we documented above, we might offer half the money across the Blue Book line. The Gentry in good shape would seem to be a better choice, and maybe time would have loosened up its operation. As a knock-around gun, we can’t see offering more than $300 for a used Gentry in any condition, and we’d scale down $25 per condition drop from there. If you own either shotgun, we’d love to hear your experiences with it.
Adapted by Gun Tests Staff, using evaluations from Gun Tests Team members. GT
