Fausti Stefano S.L.R. Reviews

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Good Points: Inexpensive for an Italian made O/U sporting clays shotgun.

Bad Points: This gun kills on both ends (figuratively speaking). If your shooting heavy target loads (3 drams 1 1/8 oz), this gun will wear your shoulder and cheek out on long events. On the older models, 1st year imports (my gun), the barrel/trigger selector is located in a bad spot, right above the trigger arch. This could result in inadvertant barrel selection/accidentally bumping the switch to change from bottom to top barrel. The newer guns may have relocated this switch to the top of the pistol grip behind the reciever (where most manufactures put them).

General comments: When I first started shooting the Fausti Stefano gun...I had high hopes. I was thinking that this may be the same quality guns we learned to love from Brescia, Italy (Barreta, Benneli, or Parrazi). Was I wrong. This gun comes nothing close to the other three. To its credit, However, it is by far less expensive. I paid $918.00 out the door...thats including tax and background check. Now, the MSRP is $1299.00. This gun reminds me of a field grade gun...it functions well, but lacks the smoothness of a good sporting clays or trap gun. If you want a O/U for hunting...this gun would be fine. But for any sort of competative shooting (over 100 targets), use 1oz 2 3/4 dram light target loads. Anything more than 2 3/4 drams becomes work. I shot handicap with 1 1/8 oz 3 dram loads and noticed that my shoulder was bruising and my left upper cheek was getting a bruise/abbrasion. I thought I was holding the gun wrong. When I shot light target loads (1 oz 2 3/4 dram) the gun performed well. it was nice to shoot. On another note, this gun feels a little on the bulky side. I had some friends try the gun out and felt that this gun would make a better post for a mailbox than a trap gun. Thats a little unfair to say since their guns cost 3 times as much a my Fausti. The gun comes with extended choke tubes. They seem ok but there was no improved modified choke. I ordered through Traditions 2 flush improved modified chokes. I tried both barrels and got different results. I switched the choke tubes around (even though they were both the same) and again results differed. One of the chokes seems to have a flat pattern regardless on which barrel its in. Initially I thought the top barrel was shooting flat. However, it seems more like the choke tube may be the problem. This has not been substantiated yet but any other means except feel. My friends felt the same as I did after shooting the gun and switching the chokes around. The big test came when I shot a 2 day ATA shoot in California. Everything went as expected (including getting beat up by this gun), until I took this gun apart...the forend stock cracked at the fastening pin. It split at ths bottom and a piece of the wood fell out. This reminded me on what my friends said about this gun being a good mail box post. I send the gun back to Traditons in Saybrook, CT. The replaced the forend stock at no addtional cost except shipping. It took them about a month to turn the gun around. The gun appeared to be as good as new. When I took the forend off...some of the repair work appeared crude. The wood was fine but where the fastener (probably called something else) had some below adverage work. it appears that the gunsmith tried to oblong a hole to where the fastner goes using a drill bit. The repair was effective...it just appeared unfinished (like backyard mechanic type work). Fortunately...this is not a visable area (unless you break the gun down and look inside the forend). From what I understand, there was a problem with the first series of guns with the forends splitting...at least that was what the dealer told me. In conclussion...as I look at this gun...For what I paid, its not a bad O/U. However, for the same price, I could have purchased a Trap Grade Remington 1100 or a Barreta AL391 and been much happier. At that time I preferred an Over/Under shotgun. I use an SKB O/U now. The Fausti has been put on the bench as back up gun to the SKB...The SKB has never failed and is much more forgiving on targets (breaking them when should've missed) and more forgiving on my body and patience. As for the Fausti...I don't dislike the gun...I wouldn't buy another one. I'd trade this one in for a better one if the gun dealer would be fair and give me a better price on trade (I'd like to get back a little better than half of what I paid...$500). But thats unlikely. So I have to make friends with this gun. Its not ugly and if using light target loads, it shoots good. Its the SKB's back up.