About 10 years ago I stopped into the store in Manhattan with a friend who was in the market for a matched pair.
It was easy to see that the lower grade (lower grade, but still pricey) o/u was not done nearly as well as the gun double the price in terms of fit.
Finish I can understand in graded guns. The fit was the issue because regardless of price, I really don’t believe that you should see gaps and rounded edges on the stock of a $2000 gun. And besides, that o/u is not a particularly difficult gun to inlet.
The market was good at the time, the Euro weaker, and we were both under the impression that the quality difference might give the necessary nudge to the buyer who could go in either direction.
He had a pair of bespoke Ariettas built.
Fast forward to last weekend.
Recently I refinished the stock on a Silver Snipe. The fellow who owns the Snipe brought down a 20ga grade V Silver Pigeon.
The metalwork was quality, a beautiful piece of wood with good checkering and good finish, but the buttstock inlet was as bad as the guns that I had seen in 97.
The stock on the snipe (a 60’s or 70’s gun), although a bit more proud of the metal, was fitted perfectly.
I understand that quality costs, but this is silly. I have a CZ mallard (Huglu) that has better wood to metal fit than the gun more than 6 times the price. (I was also told that Beretta owns CZ, and if that is the case wonder why they don’t sub out the stock work to Turkey.)
If I’m off on this let me know. Just expecting better from them.
Cheers.
Tom
