I posted here a few months ago about my ongoing troubles with a Zoli O/U double in 7x65r. Received many good suggestions and ideas and tried to implement as many as I could. Thanks for the help, guys.
The bad news...I attained some improvement but was never totally happy with it. The gun is gone.
The good news...it went on a trade for a Fabarm Asper O/U in 9.3x74r. I happened on this gun in my local shop and asked about it. It was quickly shoved into my hot little hands and I started to smile. I through it up to my cheek and found myself looking perfectly down its sights. I began to grin like a lunatic. It handled like a dream, one of the most comfortable guns I've ever fondled. Long story short...I made a deal for them to order one for me. The one in stock had one of the new film-coated/grain-enhancing stocks that just rubbed me the wrong way. It already had a conspicuous blemish on the cheekpiece, and I had no idea how to repair that type of finish. Fabarm listed the same gun with a traditional oil-finished wood stock, same price. That was what I wanted.
The next week the gun came in. Wow! The metalwork was definitely correct, but the stock was a gorgeous piece of highly figured walnut, with an elaborate and beautiful checkering pattern. The Fabarm catalog shows this wood only on the deluxe Prestige version. I am assuming a factory goof-up, and am as happy as a clam.
I put forty rounds through it yesterday (from the cache of 9.3mm ammo that I bought at a gun show years ago because I KNEW that I had to have a gun in that caliber someday!) and the regulation is better than anything I acheived in years of playing with the old Zoli. Two shots from each barrel cluster into a four-hole group about three inches across. With open sights! When the backordered scope mount comes in I will be shocked if that doesn't come down to two inches.
I even sat on a co-workers cornfield last night hoping for a crack at a bear that's causing him some grief. No luck, no bruin sightings, but a great chance to admire a rifle that I already think will be one of main hunting guns in the future. I am one happy camper.
Pics and more happy drooling to follow.
John
