A buddy of mine just got a Sabatti 470 NE.. Attractive rifle, appears to be well made, and nicely appointed.. Barrels are regulated for 75 yd's I believe.

Seems way too tight for me thoug, and in 470 NE, it could be a long time before it losens up!

Anyone else have one? interested in opinions or reviews.

thanks

If you search for them, here, you will get all manner of stories on them, good and bad, and from guys who have never owned them too.
I own and have owned three; two 450s and one 500. The 450s shoot within 2 inches at 50 yards and the 500 shoots into 2.5 inches. Yes the actions are fitted tightly from the factory; better than loose, and they will loosen up with use. They aren't perfect, but they were very good values. Cabelas made the mistake of taking them with ground muzzles so got a bad reputation for that. (I told them very early on not to do that but they had no clue so the importer and Sabatti did it and ultimately, killed them). My first 450 had ground muzzles and it shot very well.
Anyway, if it shoots as you want it to, then fine.

Got a 470, I like it. It's a shooter and I'm a lefty.

I have owned three double rifles. A custom built which did not regulate well despite repeated tries and had several issues that were not addresses properly and was finally returned. Then a Merkel that was well made but did not shoot well as far as regulation went and was sold. A Sabatti that shoots under two inches at 50 yards and very well at 100 yards, it muzzles not ground and very well made. I have witnessed even very high end guns owned by others with issues that should not have been. Many knock the Sabatti but fail to admit that many others have issues with fit, finish and quality.

I believe many of the naysayers have not much if any experience with Sabatti or they play it down for their own personal interests because they own another much more costly rifle. I am sure the rifles with ground muzzles are NOT a good buy and should be avoided but the others are very good rifles and are a value compared to rifles twice the price. Just my opinion, based on experience.

My 470 with a ground muzzle shoots well. After some stock work (comb drop & cheek taken in and a quality pad with proper lop) Also opened the rear sight up & beveled the front sight for more light. Im happy with it

I wish I had bought a Sabatti back when they were abundant. There was a gentleman who used to post here as "Double Rifle Jack," I believe, and he had wonderful luck with the Cabela's guns.

quote:

Originally posted by clayman216:
I believe many of the naysayers have not much if any experience with Sabatti or they play it down for their own personal interests because they own another much more costly rifle. I am sure the rifles with ground muzzles are NOT a good buy and should be avoided but the others are very good rifles and are a value compared to rifles twice the price. Just my opinion, based on experience.

Nonsense. I and many others here, learned a very hard and (somewhat) costly lesson with the Sabbattis. Like everything else, the old adage of trying to put lipstick on a hog applies...

With all due respect, the bad ones were far outnumbered by the good ones; you were unlucky to get a bad one. I got three good ones. And I know the difference in double rifles.
Double Rifle Jack has one of mine now; a 450 with exceptional wood. It's all academic now anyway. Whilst they did make some unfortunate mistakes, I assume all those have been weeded out by now; infant mortality.

All I can tell you is what I experienced and the number of folks here who had issues and not just the dremeled barrels. And just to show you I'm an equal opportunity "basher' there are three other brands I would not consider buying. I'm not going to mention the names, as I've mellowed in my dotage and just don't enjoy internet combat anymore.

Whew, I thought you were going to say Merkel! Then we could carry this thread for 5 more pages :-)

I have a Sabatti .450 NE. Low serial number; muzzles are not ground. I have personally taken cape buffalo, lion, hippo, and elephant and been a backup on eight cape buffalo. No problems whatsoever. It shoots less than 2 inches at 50 yards.

Colonel Dave Nuss

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Whew, I thought you were going to say Merkel! Then we could carry this thread for 5 more pages :-)

Oh, but I did...

I have a VC .500 and it is falling apart from constant use and carry - loose stock and fore end are my main gripes. Yet I have handled 100 year old doubles that are as crisp as the day they were made.

Shame they named the company Sabatti and they would have been much more acceptable if decorated with a more eloquent double barrelled name.

quote:

I have a VC .500 and it is falling apart from constant use and carry

Didn't need to hear that! How many rounds through it do you think?

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I have a VC .500 and it is falling apart from constant use and carry - loose stock and fore end are my main gripes. Yet I have handled 100 year old doubles that are as crisp as the day they were made.

Shame they named the company Sabatti and they would have been much more acceptable if decorated with a more eloquent double barrelled name.

Damn good to know!

I think in modern mass manufactured doubles Heym will get my future business.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

I have a VC .500 and it is falling apart from constant use and carry

Didn't need to hear that! How many rounds through it do you think?

I think most of the wear is from thousands of miles in a bumpy vehicles gun rack.

Thanks. I was wondering, because I know guys who've fired literally thousands of rounds through theirs and they are still as strong as the day the bought them.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I think most of the wear is from thousands of miles in a bumpy vehicles gun rack.

I don't think VC rifles are any more prone to falling apart than any other double rifle subjected to very rough handling like bouncing around in a gun rack for thousands of miles on un-improved back bush roads.

The best type of rack for a double rifle is so the rifle is slipped into a soft gun slip muzzle DOWN on a soft pad. This takes away the strain on the break open type rifles stock/and hinge lock-up. A new Holland & Holland double will come apart if not supported properly!

VCs are very well made rifles, but anything will come apart if abused!

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