Not sure how serious I am. But I've got a hankering for a 28 O/U. I'm not really wanting to go the Turkish route. But my pockets aren't deep, either. Been looking at the "entry level" Italians.

Franchi Instinct
Fausti Caledon
Rizzini BR110 Light Luxe

Does one of these companies or even, specifically, models, represent better "bang for the buck" than the others ?? I have absolutely zero experience with any of them and it's a 100 mile drive to get my hands on all 3 in the same place.

If you tire of the 28….most do….none of the three will be a resale bargain.

Beretta, Browning for the win.

I did a little looking and learned two things. Both the B guns are more similarly priced to the three I asked about than I would have thought. And both the B guns outweigh the other three by about a pound...........apparently alloy vs steel receivers (?) Most of the allure of the 28, in my mind, is the super-light weight. Have to do some head scratching on it.

6.5 pounds isn't all that bad and something like this is a looker....I see the Fausti for $2200. Most likely sold, but there are others.

https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/browning-citori-grade-vi-28ga-superlight-w-box.226240/

I'd suck up the extra pound on THAT one. That gun appears to hit WAY above that price tag............. That number can't be right ??

My 28 is a 28" Beretta 686 White Onyx

Best grouse/woodcock/rabbit gun I have ever owned.

The 686 Silver Pigeon I looks like a fine gun. Picky a point as it may be.......... I could never warm up to a schnabel forend on a shotgun. I'm also kinda partial to the round knob on a POW grip....... But until I'd get the various guns in my hand, I'd not let that be a deal-breaker.

As a matter of comparison...........how MUCH better are the entry level Italian guns like I'm thinking about than the "better" Turkish guns like CZ or Dickinson ??

Speaking of Rizzini, you can find it on the internet maybe their website I don't remember where I've seen it. If you've got the time and money you can actually make an appointment at the factory go get fitted for custom wood and have it the same day you get fitted can be shooting it on there field later that afternoon. Don't know the cost involved but I found that quite impressive.

I can speak to the Fausti....nice well built shotgun and I believe very similar to the Rizzini you mention. My Fausti .410 (they are built on the steel 20 ga receiver) is very comparable to a Beretta 686 (20 barrel set, 20 and 28 ga) in terms of quality....Fausti wood is a bit better. Find what fits you well. My Fausti is stocked fairly straight and a higher shooter than the Beretta.

Just a heads up, older Beretta 28ga 686 guns were built on 20ga frames, but that changed a few years ago and they are now built on a true 28ga frame. These guns should weigh a little less than 6 pounds and have really nice balance. Another good option I would suggest is the FAIR SLX600 Deluxe. They're good guns that are built on a 28ga frames and you can get a new one for around $1,500.00. The rumor is that FAIR builds the 28ga and 16ga Franchi Instincts, but I'm not sure if that has been 100% confirmed. I love lightweight guns, but a 5.5lb barrel heavy O/U is not the easiest gun to shoot. If you can find one that's a little under 6lbs that is built on a 28ga frame then it will balance much better that the alloy frame guns that I've picked up.

Yoder409,

Not exactly what you asked, but perhaps related enough to help: Had a somewhat more expensive Franchi 28-gauge O/U for a while, and neither Franchi/Beretta or a very good and experienced local gunsmith could ever cure it of occasionally failing to fire on the second shot with the single trigger. Eventually got a chance to really try out a Fausti S/S 28-gauge, also with a single trigger, and could NOT get it to fail to fire the second shot, so bought it. That was 11 years ago, and the trigger has still never malfunctioned.

The Fausti also weighs only a couple ounces over five pounds, with 28" barrels, yet it swings very well for me. I had some trouble in the past getting an AyA SxS with 26" barrels to swing well on crossing shots.

Franchi , mechanical or inertia triggers? I had a citori CX with inertia triggers and put 410 tubes in it and had to send it back to Browning to work on the triggers because it wouldn't always reset for the second shot because of like a recoil .. is why my curiosity asked the question of mechanical or inertia trigger.

Brownings can be converted to mechanical.

Many go to Briley to have it done.

All good info, fellers. Appreciate it !!

. . . . .fine, fine guns and you can sometimes find them used for $1,400.00 to $1,500.00 or so

ldholton,

Inertia trigger on the Franchi--and on the Fausti....

Generally prefer two triggers on doubles, as started shooting them at age 13 and am pretty familiar with them. In fact the Fausti SxS is one of only two doubles out of the 10 I own right now with one trigger. The other is one of the original Ruger Red Label 20-gauges, which also has a set of .30-40 Krag barrels--and mostly shoot it as a double rifle.