Where to shop for quality doubles?
- Thread starter Mount Sweetness
- Start date
There is a chap in Alberta that deals exclusively with Fair. He hits all the gun shows. Beautiful guns he had a double hammer 28 gauge sxs fair at the last show. It was very nice. Fair will custom make whatever you like I do believe. He travels to the factory in Italy often and works hard to get you what you want. You may have to contact fair to get his info
That is Bilozir, in Okotoks, just south of Calgary.
Dealt with this gentleman and 2 thumbs up
Beretta687EELL
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
You might also check with Stoeger to see if any of their dealers have a Beretta available.
Others have not been so fortunate.I have first hand experience, and I will never do business with him again.
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
What happened?
PM sent with details, but basically he didn't deliver the shotguns that were paid for.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Not a unique story. I would purchase from him again if it was a gun he had in stock that I could see before handing over money but I'd never order from him again.
You might want to do more than see it. FAIRs as a general rule have little cast and are built like a NA gun 1 1/2-2 1/2 with just over 14 inches LOP. My left handed son shoots a Jubilee 20 very well and I shoot it equally well. I can tolerate very little cast and the straighter the better. At the last gun show he had a beautiful Jubilee 16 that I really liked the look of. Upon handling the gun, the cast was so extreme I couldn't hit a stationary target with it. This gun was obviously a special order of some sort but not a word in response when I mentioned it. I know all shotguns fit different people differently but if some one orders this particular gun on line they better like this unusual feature.
Another gun he had now resides in my safe. It too does not match factory specs as it is a bit shorter LOP. I like just below 14 inches LOP and this one fits me like a glove. The factory standard I believe is 14 1/2.
Anyway, I would think that anyone that deals in fine guns to a point they call their business "Fine Guns" would have a full understanding of shotgun fit. They would not only know but be forth coming with any information that would ensure a good fit. They would also stand by their product and keep their word. I do not think this is the case here as he clearly states that all sales are final and either doesn't understand or doesn't bother holding the manufacturer to task on orders.
I do love my FAIRs and don't mind dealing with the guy, but it is face to face only with no expectation beyond the transaction.
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The other thing that bothers me, is that there can be issues with any shotgun, and I would not want to depend on this kind of person for warranty issues. I sold my FAIR within a couple of months, to avoid any future issues.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've had a FAIR in my collection for many years, I enjoy it very much and I think they're a good quality gun. To clarify when I said "see", I did mean to handle the firearm and I thought that most people would read it that way but evidently not and your comments about fit and stock dimensions is why I said so. I won't partake in publicly bashing the guy but your other comments are spot on!
I thought that was what you meant but often we are a long way away like the OP and if we handle one gun we can most often assume the same make and model will be reasonably close. Every stock Beretta Silver Pigeon I have handled for example is just slightly too long and has just a touch more cast than I like. I still shoot them well but need to be conscious of these slight variances. The skinny pad that comes on some of the older models is perfect. I have ordered a few on line and they are exactly as expected.
In the case of the FAIRs stocked by this individual, the specs are all over the map. And again, I don't mind the guy but it would be nice if he would become aware (if he is not) and make customers aware (which he does not). An inch deviation from standard LOP, a half inch of cast or a couple of inches of barrel are more than an "Oops my bad, I never noticed" moment, especially if "all sales are final" you proclaim yourself an expert and items are shipped across the country.
Have two Fabarm Classis 12ga and an Iside Vintage 20ga. Fabarms are 5 yrs old, used for waterfowling, no issues with them that were their fault, crushing peas and barley in them tends to gum things up once in a while, but that is it. FAIR and Fabarm are the best value for dollar of the Italian guns. The Shooting Edge has some Fabarms there last time I was over there, 20 ga w/ pistol grips. Mine are English stocks. Fella at CSC is not afraid of SXS's servicewise, had to fix an ejector due to crushing peas.. They are a stocking Rigby dealer, have Chapuis and Merkel and Krieghoff and Blaser as well. Ellwood Epps stocks the Beretta 486.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
True that!
I'm made uneasy when a shotgun seller brags about 'tight patterns.' I do not want my shotgun to be a rifle, I have rifles for that.
Anyway, my best suggestion for routinely finding on the shelf quality doubles reluctantly has to be chain stores like Sail and the occasional CTC that are official Browning dealerships. The Sail here almost always has some of their nicer OUs.
The OP is looking for a SxS, not an O/U.
