quote:

Originally posted by doubleriflejack:
I have been through gunsmithing school, including taking class from W. Ellis Brown, converting double shotguns to double rifles, prior to his writing his book on same subject (now in its 2nd edition), and I have used his methods for converting a number of guns to double rifles, up to and including .577 full nitro on big Spanish 10 ga. mag. actions, all successfully. Further, through the years, I have worked on a great many double rifles from various worldwide makers, and have a large collection of doubler rifles, British and German mostly. Thus, I think that I have learned a thing or two about double rifles through the years. I also now own 3 (yes, three) Sabatti double rifles, a .470, a .500, and a .450/.400 (Jeffery .400), because, for the price, they can't be beat, and I think highly of them. I have done quite a bit of custom work on my Sabattis, upgrading them---they are good double rifles, but with some custom work they are even better. I have found the steel in the actions to be of a top quality alloy steel, with outstanding hardness and toughness, strength for purpose, comparable, as good or better than similar alloy steels used by the other worldwide modern top double rifle makers (such as the German and French makers). The Sabatti receivers are also electroplated inside and out for outstanding protection against corrosion. Too, the overall design, build strength, and fabrication of these Sabatti receivers is simply outstanding, which should come as no surprise, coming from the Italians, who now make the best over/unders in the world. Sabatti uses almost all V springs, well polished and made, except for only one coil spring, for the top lever, unlike a lot of other modern makers, including one well liked American maker, that uses mostly coil springs. Coil springs are ok, but I am a traditionalist, and prefer V springs, as used in the great classic British doubles, and most other early classic doubles from Germany. The Sabatti southgate pattern (Holland & Holland type) V spring ejectors are very well made, using excellent steel. Sabatti "Engraving" is from a design developed by an Italian engraver, and is cut with CNC guided cutters or lasers, and is the best of machine engraving that I have ever seen, not looking at all "tacky," and machine cut looking, as similar type engraving I have seen on many other guns. I WOULD FULLY AGREE WITH ASSESSMENT BY YOUR GUNSMITH.
Please, don't allow a cape buffalo to damage your Sabatti, LOL!
My .470 Sabatti shoots as accurately as my Westley Richards .375 flanged mag., which are the two most accurate double rifles I own..