Does A.F. Poli have any US dealer/distributors? I understand that Cole's is no longer carrying them, and I cannot find anything on the Poli website about authorized dealers?

Thanks in advance, Doverham

I just traded for a Poli (Cole import) and was wondering about that myself. I seem to recall an outfit in CA that was handling them after Cole, but I don't remember the name.

I believe that Dale Tate is a dealer/rep for Poli on the west coast. His website is (http://www.angloamericansport.com/site/pages/inventory.cgi) which has a number of guns in stock. In addition, I believe that Deep River Sporting Clays in NC carried them but I don't see anything on their web site now. I have a Poli sporting clays gun which was imported by Coles and it is a wonderful gun.
Good luck in your search.
Z

I live here in N.C. and a member of Deep River Sporting. They have several Poli's in stock and have them listed on their web site.
Bill is a great guy who knows shotguns.
What exactly are you looking for?

Zwego - thanks, I will check out Dale Tate's website. I read your earlier reviews on your Poli, which is helped start me down this path. I came across a few comments about soft internal parts, but it does not sound like you ran into that problem.

Mike - I am looking for a 28 ga sxs in a traditional configuration. I found Deep River Sporting's website and have sent Bill an email requesting some more information on the two 28 ga sxs he has listed.

Thanks, Doverham

Mine is a Lapis, but from Dale Tate's website, it appears to be a dead twin to the last two Upland Extras shown. Mine came from Cabela's, very little used, with a nice Americase. Looks like the price was pretty good in comparison to the new ones.

I know the gun you are describing - I was focused on Spanish sxs at the time and passed over it. Sounds like a sharper eye did not make that mistake.

Dale Tate's website shows two prices - $6995 and $5995. I assume the latter is the more recent mark-down. I am waiting for a quote from Deep River.

I see that my Lapis is now gone from the Cabela's website. (Often, they don't remove them quite that quickly when they're sold.) Original asking price, if I recall correctly, was $3300 including the case.

I had a 16ga previously, which a good friend now owns (and which I still have occasional regrets about). I think they are very nice guns, with particularly good wood for that price range. However, beware the factory finish if it rains! My 16--already sold by that time--had an unfortunate encounter with a downpour while my friend and I were shooting sporting clays and found ourselves a long ways from the clubhouse. The finish virtually disappeared from that Poli. I was shooting a Parker Repro, and it looked the same after I wiped it down with a towel as it did before it got rained on.

I just received an email from Poli which indicated that Kevins of Thomasville is their authorized representative for ordering guns. Interesting - no mention of that on Kevin's website nor do they have any Polis listed for sale.

I sent an email to Deep River.

Thanks - I did, too and after no response, I called Deep River's gunroom yesterday. Apparently, Dale Tate sent them some Upland Extras to sell.

They didn't seem particularly motivated to sell the guns and weren't very helpful - they could not provide any information on the stock dimensions and suggested that I check Poli's website for that information. They quoted me a price that was $1k above what Dale Tate has them listed for.

Moving on . . . .

Ordered a 20 gauge Poli Sporting (32 inch) through Dale Tate (Barbara Nyholm) and received it last January. Wood was far nicer than I had hoped for with only a $100 upgrade. Had a problem with the ejectors and returned the gun for repair. Only took about 10 days turn around including shipping to and return from California. Ejectors have worked well since. Very happy with my experieince with them.

Now that's some beautiful wood, Tim!

If that shoots anywhere near as nice as it looks, you did well.

Polis in general tend to come with very striking wood, even without an upgrade.

OK I found you one at Hill and Rod, used with 29" barrels for $4500.
Sorry Deep River was a bust since I recomended it.
Mike Proctor

Sorry that is Hill Rod and Gun.

All,

I suspect the folks you talked with at Deep River might know much about the guns. You might ask to talk to Bill Kempffer, but he may be scarce for a few days. His father just died, and I suspect he's helping get affairs in order.

Tom

Scott from Deep River did respond today and he was more helpful. However, the gun stock dimensions aren't quite there for the DT SG SFE version I am interested in (plus there is still that issue about the price).

I talked to Charlie at Hill Rod yesterday. Better price but that gun has a bit of wear 'n tear for a $4k+ gun.

I thought I had BPS willing to cut a good deal on a Siace Superlight - they were willing to move but not enough.

Thanks you all for the assistance.

Have you seen the one Dave Riffle has?

I hadn't seen any weight data on a 28g Poli before, but Dave's listing has it at 6 lbs 2 oz. That's quite a bit more than a Superlight as I recall. Maybe as much as a pound more. It's been a while since I had the SIACE, but I remember it being exceptionally light.

I just did and there is a lot to like about that gun. Too bad - I just committed to something else.

Yes - the SIACE Superlights are more in 5.75 lb range. 6 lb 2oz is more what I would expect from an OU than an sxs 28 ga.

OK Ham, you can't just leave us hangin after all that we've been thru together.

Sorry Chuck - I was talking about this on a couple threads here and elsewhere and forgot you may not have seen that conversation.

After being sorely tempted by several Italian sirens (Poli and SIACE Superlight), I ended up going with the hometown girl - an RBL28. I have an RBL20 and that gun really works for me. Plus it keeps my money stateside, and if I have any problems, it is a 1.5 hr. drive to New Britain CT as opposed to having to send a gun back to Italy for who knows how long.

CSMC is willing to negotiate on their remaining RBLs, and I was able to find one in the right configuration - DT, SG, SFE. I also decided to get two barrels (28" SK/LM and 30" LM/IM), and treated myself to some upgraded wood at a price I couldn't resist. CSMC threw in some add-ons for an attractive price - horn butt plate and leather 2-barrel case. I spent a little more than I intended but got more than I expected, so I think it worked out well. I know 2-barrel sets don't always do well on resale, but this will let me shoot pretty everything I would want to shoot with a 28 without needing adj chokes and hopefully one of my boys will look forward to having it some day.

Thanks for all your help with the "hunt."

It's not all that hard to find a 28ga OU under 6#. My Beretta 687 Silver Pigeon V, with 28" barrels, makes the cut--but just barely. I field tested a Cynergy Feather 28, also 28" barrels, that was dead on at 5/12. And I think the Citori Superlight Feather is about the same; don't recall for sure. Maybe the lightest 28ga I ever handled was an OU: a Zoli-Rizzini with 26" barrels. That one barely made 5#. There are more of the Z-R sxs around than OU's, and the sxs are also quite light in 28ga, but that little OU really does deserve being called a wand. Gave some thought to buying it, but kept telling myself it was too light . . . and I think I was right on that score.

Interesting - are those Zoli-Rizzinis built with alloy receivers like the Browning Feathers?

I thought the round action Rizzini 28g was a steel receiver. My Parker Repro 28g runs around 5lbs 10oz. It feels heavier than it is due to the 28" barrels, I think.

Ham,
That RBL package sounds great. What does a 28g RBL weigh?

This one weighs 5lbs 14 oz. with the 28" barrels - which is what I was looking for, having picked up a few lighter Merkel 280s and feeling like they were almost too light - which probably says more about my caveman gunmount that the Merkels handling.

The RBLs generally seem to weigh a bit more but not dramatically - the RBL28s I have seen were generally 5lb 10oz to 6lb 3oz. My RBL20 is 6lb 3oz and I have seen a few that were over 6.5lb (with PG, BTFE, self opening, exh. wood, recoil pad).

Confusion here on the Z-R's. They're not the current Rizzinis. These are the guns imported by Abercrombie & Fitch back in the 60's and 70's. The Rizzini involved, as I recall, was Guido. Same family, but not the same company as either B. or I. (FAIR) Rizzini. The Z-R guns were not alloy.

Tracking the inter-relationships of Italian makers is even more confusing than trying to understand Italian wines.

That is an impressive weight for a steel receiver gun. I wonder how well they hold up to consistent use, even if with 3/4 oz loads.

Following Greener's "rule of 96" (the gun should weigh at least 96 times the weight of the shot charge fired through it), a 28 gauge firing the standard 3/4 oz load could weigh as little as 4 1/2 pounds.

LB,
I'd hate to have a 28g that light. My repro with std skeet AA loads is sharp enough kicking at 5 1/2 lbs. And I'm pretty sure I couldn't shoot well with a gun that light.

"Too light" is why I passed on it, Chuck.