If you visit the New Products section of Italian FABARM‘s website, you’ll find half a dozen of new over and under shotguns. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see that one of them, the Elos B2 Classic Paradox Gold, is a little bit different than others: its lower barrel comes with a built-in Paradox choke.

In Paradox guns (a.k.a. shot and ball guns) the last few inches of the bore are rifled allowing to impart a spin to a slug, however, the rifled section is short enough to still let the gun pattern decently with birdshot. So these guns have rifled smooth bores – a paradox!

The Paradox barrels were invented in 1885 by Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery who is mostly known for designing the Webley-Fosbery revolver. Fosbery’s patent was bought by Holland & Holland which became the company that is normally associated with the name Paradox.

Nowadays, you can rarely see a newly manufactured shotgun with Paradox barrels like the FABARM Elos B2 Classic Paradox Gold shotgun. Although you can have a shotgun and rifle in a single gun by using removable rifled chokes or by getting a combination gun, it is still interesting to see the companies experimenting with bringing back the well-forgotten old.

Below you can find the tech specs of this shotgun quoted from the manufacturer’s website.

SPECIFICATIONS	TECNICAL DATA
	ELOS B2 AL CLASSIC PARADOX GOLD
GAUGE	12/76 MM ( 12-3”)
BARREL	TRIBORE HP
BARREL LENGTH	61/24”
TOP RIB DIMENSIONS	6 MM
BARREL FINISH	SATIN BLUED
CHOKE	PARADOX/INNER HP (4)
RECEIVER	ERGAL 55
RECEIVER FINISH	NICKEL-PLATED + GOLD PLATING
EJECTORS	YES
STOCK	PISTOL
LENGTH OF PULL IN MM	370
DROP AT COMB IN MM	38
DROP AT HEEL IN MM	58
FOREND	TULIP
WOOD FINISH	OILED
WEIGHT IN KG	2,75
CASE	CARTON BOX
PROOF TEST	1630 BAR

Let us know in the comments section what do you think about the rifled choke or Paradox technology in general? Have you used such a gun on a hunting trip?

Images from www.fabarm.com