If you’re in the market for a sub-gauge over/under that turns heads in the gun rack and performs just as well when the birds are flushing, the Caesar Guerini Maxum Field 20 gauge deserves a hard look. Built at Guerini’s Marcheno facility in Brescia, Italy, the Maxum sits near the top of Guerini’s field-gun lineup, pairing genuine collector-grade engraving with a trigger-plate action that Brescian gunmakers have refined over decades. It’s the kind of shotgun that’s equally at home on a driven pheasant day or resting in a display case between hunts.
What sets the Maxum apart first is the engraving. The receiver, sideplates, and forearm iron carry deep-relief floral scroll work executed by Bottega Incisioni C. Giovanelli, one of Italy’s most respected engraving houses. That hand-finished scrollwork sits against an elegant coin finish, giving the gun a striking contrast between polished metal and cut detail that photographs beautifully and looks even better in hand. This isn’t roll-stamped decoration — it’s genuine hand engraving on a production gun, which is a big part of why the Maxum has built a following among shooters who want art alongside function.
Wood quality matches the metalwork. The Maxum wears a deluxe grade of Turkish walnut with 26-line-per-inch checkering and a hand-rubbed oil finish, and the stock is cut with an open-radius, full-pistol grip that Guerini adopted to improve muzzle control over the older semi-pistol pattern. Reviewers who’ve spent time behind the gun have called it one of the best grip shapes on a production 20-bore, noting that it offers a secure hold without cramping the hand over a long day in the field. The slim, lipless forend rounds out a stock package built for pointing instinctively rather than aiming deliberately.
Mechanically, the Maxum uses Guerini’s trigger-plate action — an Italian answer to the Anson & Deeley boxlock, with Woodward-style trunnion hinging and a Browning-inspired full-width bolting lug. Barrels are drilled from 42CrMo4 bar stock and finished with a solid, tapered top rib (7-5mm on the 20 gauge) that keeps the sighting plane clean without adding unnecessary weight. Chambers are cut to 3 inches, barrels are proofed for steel shot, and the gun ships standard with 28-inch tubes, though 30-inch barrels are a common and popular option for this model. A single selective trigger and spring-loaded ejectors round out the working parts, and Guerini backs the mechanical components with a 10-year guarantee.
In the hand, the Maxum Field is what a 20 gauge should be: light, lively, and quick to the shoulder without feeling whippy. Guns in this configuration typically weigh a touch under 7 pounds, and the sideplated action puts a bit more mass through the middle of the gun, which helps it swing smoothly on crossing birds rather than feeling front- or back-heavy. Every Maxum Field arrives in a velvet-lined, lockable hard case with five flush chokes (cylinder, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified, and full), so it’s ready to hunt the day it leaves the shop. Buyers who want more can go further — two-barrel 20/28 gauge sets and three-barrel 20/28/.410 combinations are available by special order for shooters who want one stock fitted to multiple gauges.
At a price point that reflects its collector-grade engraving and hand-finished wood, the Maxum Field isn’t an entry-level 20 gauge — it’s a gun for the shooter who wants a daily driver that also functions as a keepsake. If you’re upgrading from a field-grade autoloader or looking for a second gun that combines heirloom looks with a proven action, stop by and handle one at our Rivers & Glen gun room or take a closer look at the link below.
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