EBA Blackthorn

Edgar Brothers has formed a new collection of shotguns designed under the banner of Edgar Brothers Arms (EBA). They are economically priced and offer a blend of reliability and great performance.
First up on test is the EBA Blackthorn 12-bore semi-automatic, which I have to say, on first impressions, is rather good. It’s a Turkish-made shotgun—surprise, surprise—but from the very well-thought-of Huglu firm. There are three versions of the gun available, including black synthetic, walnut bronze, and camo bronze. The latter is my favourite and is the version that we have on test.
Common to all is the discreet black bolt for non-reflective performance in the field, traditional sling studs, a 28” barrel, five multi-chokes, and a 3” chamber with steel proofing. You also get a twin-piston gas system, meaning you can change between field and magnum loads with ease. This makes the Blackthorn just as good for field use as it is for busting clays. The synthetic and camo bronze (Mossy Oak Bottomland) models both come sporting a 14.5” length of pull (LOP). However, included in the package is an optional shorter recoil pad that provides a 14” LOP. You also get peace of mind with Edgar Brothers’ enviable three-year warranty, all for a little over £550—a bargain.

Looking smart
The injection-moulded stock has an almost seamless quality, which is a great start to making the Blackthorn look good and also feel better put together than some 12-bore semi-autos in this price range. It features a fairly neutral cast, and while it doesn’t include a set of stock shims, the 14.5” LOP is decent for a semi-automatic shotgun, especially when compared to many American models, which often come up short at around 13”. The length of pull can also be altered by unscrewing a small screw at the base of the stock and replacing the recoil pad with a different profile/thickness. It’s a very good recoil pad too, boasting just the right blend of tactility and ease of shouldering, without snagging on clothes, while the ventilated form helps to soak up those heavier cartridge weights. As such, its overall sporter-type low cast design feels very comfortable and is instantly easy and natural to shoulder, swinging well.
The furniture is further complemented by a long and nicely rounded fore-end (12.5” long and 1.75” wide), complete with faux exhaust ports, with extra grip provided by the raised stippled panels that are duplicated on the pistol grip.
Best of all is the very effective camouflage pattern that is applied to the complete stock, as it effectively breaks up the gun’s outline. It’s the Mossy Oak Bottomland pattern and it works well in most areas of the British countryside. It shows an almost tiger-stripe quality, combined with the soft blending of blacks, greens, and browns on a lighter grey base. Overall, it is very effective and looks smart.

Pattern producer
This model comes with a 28” barrel, and as previously mentioned, it is chambered for 3” shells. It is proofed for high-pressure steel shot too, as indicated by the engraved fleur-de-lys symbol under the barrel. I was pleased to see that the gun comes supplied with a decent set of flush-fit chokes ranging from cylinder to full, so all bases are covered. A single red DayGlo bead at the front is all that is needed to steer the shot pattern towards your game or clay, and the eight evenly spaced vents below the serrated rib give a nice low profile to this semi-automatic shotgun. The overall finish, as with the action, is a very hard bronze colour that I have to say looks superb against the Mossy Oak camo finish. It gives the Blackthorn a truly earthy ‘gun-from-the-woods’ look.
Interestingly, the Blackthorn has a secondary locking ring that secures the barrel in place when tightened against the piston housing. This gives a very secure and strong barrel-to-action union, and the fore-end can be removed regardless of whether this is in place or not. However, the fore-end has the usual twist-and-grip knurled end cap, plus an extra metal spacer that is not captive until tension is built up, so don’t lose it. I did, and it took ages to find in the grass!
An interesting feature of the gas-operated system is the choice of two pistons: one for standard cartridge pressures and one for heavy loads. These can be swiftly exchanged when the barrel is removed, as they simply slot directly into the piston housing where the ports from the barrel bleed off the expanding gases as the gun is fired.

Action, trigger, and safety
As stated, the action features a durable bronze finish. The top of the action has 11mm scope rails for sight use, making it slug-ready. Other than the Blackthorn name and EB Arms branding on either side, the plain finish gives the action a clean, functional look.
Inside, the matte-black-finished bolt is of a single-piece construction, with a sturdy extractor claw fitted to the right-hand side. The last round locks the bolt open, and it can be manually released by using the small black button that’s positioned on the right-hand side of the receiver, just below the ejection port.
Loading is via a black anodised split loading gate. This design means that if a cartridge inadvertently pops out, causing a jam, it can be pushed back into the magazine with a screwdriver through the slotted ramp. The gate is not recessed or enlarged but provides ample room for loading two cartridges into this section two gun.

In the field
For testing, I installed the ½ choke, set up three pattern boards at 30 yards, and loaded up some Eley Grand Prix HV, as I have always found these a very hard-hitting cartridge (32gr | No.6 | fibre wad). This load is good for game or vermin, and the extra velocity and energy ensure a pricked bird is downed cleanly. I had a dense pattern of 237 pellet strikes in total, with 94 inner strikes and 143 in the outer sectors. The recoil was minimal in the Blackthorn, and its function and ejection were very brisk.
Gamebore’s Clear Pigeon cartridges are great all-round performers (30gr | No.6), and they performed very well in the Blackthorn, with mild recoil and great patterns. I counted a total of 176 pellets on the board, with 72 inner hits and 104 outers. It was obvious the test gun liked this load, as the pattern was dead centre on the board. The mild recoil ensured that a swift second shot could be administered if required.
Finally, it was the turn of Lyalvale Express’ Pigeon Special cartridge (29gr | No.6), which I should use more often, as it’s a great load. Even though it was a slightly lighter load than the others, and shorter too (2.5” case), it still functioned flawlessly, producing negligible recoil, making this cartridge perfect for decoyed or roosting pigeons. I had a total of 148 pellets, with 101 outer strikes and 47 pellets within the 15” inner circle. Overall, a lovely, even pattern.

Conclusion
The Blackthorn is superb value for money, combining excellent build quality with affordability, and the dense, even patterns rival premium guns that cost a lot more money. All in all, I strongly recommend taking a closer look at the new EBA range.