SHOTGUNS MADE IN ITALY
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Breda Shotgun Barrels
The Best Shotgun Barrels In The World
Breda is unmatched in the art and science of barrel production - Our shotgun barrels are the foundation of our excelence.
What sets a Breda "Precision Drilled" shotgun barrel apart from the rest?
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Breda's sporting competition shotguns, semi-automatics for hunting, and over/unders are among the most beloved firearms known to competitors and hunters worldwide. The common thread that unites Breda shotguns is the exceptional attention to detail in the design and production of our world renowned shotgun barrels – made in a crucial proprietary months-long process that significantly impacts the shotgun's overall performance, and value.
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Ballistic superiority - expertise from advanced military production - meticulous production
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Metallurgical knowledge - superior barrel harmonics produced buy our “Acciaio Breda” alloy.
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Mechanical precision - accurate and careful machining and meticulous processing
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Chemical understanding - produce treatments that ensure product longevity
We Begin With The Finest Steel for Breda Shotgun Barrels
Every barrel used in Breda's, semi-automatic and over under shotguns is crafted from our proprietary “Acciaio Breda” tri-alloy formulated steel. “Acciaio Breda” shotgun barrel steel was developed to exhibit specific chemical and physical properties that after drilling and processing result in ballistic pattern superiority. This premium raw material requires very long lead times due to our natural aging process, and repeated rigorous material inspections which necessitate precise and organized planning. Our Quality Control department is responsible for evaluating, identifying, certifying, and tracking incoming materials before directing them to the various stages of the shotgun barrel production process
The Cutting, Drilling, and Machining Processes Are Completed In House.
Our shotgun barrel manufacturing process continues with cutting to size of the “Acciaio Breda” round barrel bar stock followed by a time intensive deep-bore drilling process to create barrel tubes to our exacting specifications. This deep-bore drilling process combined with our specially formulated steel, results in a highly elastic and high-performance shotgun barrel, free from surface tensions and fully molecularly correct. There is no need for any “stress relieving” process which attempts to partially correct insufficiencies created due to production methods which prioritize speed and cost at the expense of quality and precision.
The production cycle then proceeds with a series of internal and external mechanical processes on the chamber, forcing cone, barrel core, and choke. The barrel is then polished in a honing process using porous ceramic inserts, known as "stones," which polish the surfaces to achieve minimal roughness and a mirror-like finish. Our time intensive honing process has been developed specifically to benefit our Acciaio Breda steel, ensuring smooth pellet formation, maximum velocities and superior pattern impact characteristics.
Binding and Welding of the Shotgun Barrels
Our team of skilled artisan barrel craftsmen meticulously bind the rib and tenon to the barrel, by hand taking extreme care to avoid creating tensions that could cause damage during the oven welding process. The barrel ribs of Breda's shotguns are welded using our specially developed method of “Castolin Welding”. Our process uses a specially formulated alloy composed of silver, copper, zinc, and tin with a melting point that does not interfere with the barrel's molecular structure, thus preserving the elastic properties that create Breda’s desired barrel harmonics.
Hand-Finishing The Shotgun Barrels
Our painstaking barrel creation process concludes with manual hand finishing by our experienced craftsmen. These artisan shotgun barrel makers possess extensive technical expertise that has been passed down from generations of tradesmen before them. This final stage of hand work included fine tuning of the barrel tube as well as surface polishing, external barrel finishing, and additional treatments such as external blueing and internal chrome plating. The dedication of our artisan shotgun barrel department ensures that Breda's over/unders, semi-automatic sporting, and hunting shotguns produce superior accuracy, shot velocity, and pattern density.
Final Testing and CPI Certification
In the final step, each Breda shotgun barrel is transported from our factory to the Italian National Firearms Proofing House where it is tested by third party Italian State authorities to ensure the quality and safety of each Breda barrel surpass the Italian and European Union pressure test standards. After a successful test the barrels are stamped with marks of the proof house as well as the CPI. This critical step is performed on all Breda shotgun barrels prior to releasing them for sale to the consumer market.