Download – PDF – English - Krieghoff

includes the Ultra O/U, the Classic Double, or
the Hubertus single-shot rifle. In other words,
it looks like, and is, a representative up-market
European-style hunting rifle.
Bolt-action adherers will complain that there
is no bolt handle. With the large ejection port
on the right-hand side, some might, at first,
even think of a semiautomatic. But the overall
impression, the quality of the surfaces and fit,
clearly tell you are holding a prime quality rifle
in your hands.
Semprio shares many of its key technical
features with its competitors, although it would
not be easy to find all these features united in
a one rifle. The rotating bolt head locking, for
instance, today is more or less standard in both
modern repeating rifles and automatic military
assault rifles. Nevertheless, two details must be
mentioned regarding the Krieghoff solution:
*Seven massive locking lugs provide a locking
surface that is extremely large: 65mm 2 (0.1sq
in), a design feature that stands for assuring
safety, even at very high pressures occurring
with magnum calibres.
*Although many advertise easy calibre change
by swapping barrel and bolt head, with the
Semprio’s bolt head, you just slide it sideways
- and off it is. Push the replacement bolt head
into its place - and you‘re done. No springs to
press or screws to turn. It can’t be easier. The
barrel can be exchanged after loosening one
screw on the forearm.
Until today, manual cocking systems seemed
to be a concept mainly driven by German
safety-mania. They were first introduced in the
beginning of the 20th century in multi-barrel
combination guns. The argument behind this
is quite intriguing: an uncocked gun is a safe
gun. Period.
Like Krieghoff, all major German
manufacturers market guns with manual
cocking systems; selling figures indicate that,
even outside Europe, there is a slow, but steadily
growing acceptance for this type of action. The
operating of a manual cocking system is more
or less the same in all designs. Instead of a
safety, you push a cocking slider or lever to arm
the action. The gun will then immediately be
ready to shoot. If, for some reason, you cannot
release your shot, the action is de-cocked by
releasing the cocking slider and uncocking the
main spring. Now you have an uncocked and,
therefore, very safe gun in your hands.
Another increasingly popular feature is the
‘take-down’ option. Hunters who fly to hunt
especially attach great value to this. Again,
the Krieghoff design appeals through its preeminent
simplicity: To disassemble, simply
swing the spring-loaded release lever on the
magazine holder backwards, and move the
front section, consisting of barrel, magazine
holder and forearm, forward until the two main
components of the rifle separate.
Reassembly is even easier: You line up the rear
and the front section, slide the barrel onto the
locking bolt and the guide rod until both parts
are fully engaged, and you‘re back in business!
There are other details on the Semprio that
you will welcome as very practical or just nice
to have. They prove that everybody on the
design team knows not only his job, but also
something about hunting. To list them all
would go beyond the scope of this article.
But the key element of the Krieghoff Semprio
is its new In-Line Action. After its introduction,
some sceptics claimed it was ‘just another pump
action.’ What a pump action and the Semprio
have in common is that you move your guiding
hand horizontally to eject the spent case, feed
the next round from the magazine, and cock
the lock. And that is where any similarities
end.
The most important difference you can
feel: The Semprio action slides smoothly and
friction-clearance-free with absolutely no
wobbling and clattering. In fact, the kinetics of
the In-Line Action is reversed, compared with
the known pump-action systems: You push
forward to eject and you pull backwards to close
and arm the system - a difference more than
superficial. From the ergonomics point of view,
you ‘push’ your rifle into your shoulder. The
effect: the perceived recoil is reduced noticeably.
The repeating motion is intuitive and target
acquisition is extremely fast, allowing cycling
rates in the range of semiautomatic rifles.
Rifles in Africa
Top: The open sights of the Semprio
feature fluorescent inlays for quick target
acquisition. From the bench, Kroling found
that the rifle produced very tight groupings,
and sighting in was quick and easy.
Above: The Semprio’s ‘take-down’ option is
increasingly popular. To disassemble, simply
swing the spring-loaded release lever on the
magazine holder backwards, and move the
front section, consisting of barrel, magazine
holder and forearm, forward until the two
main components of the rifle separate.
Volume 15 • Issue 3 97