Anybody had any experience with Zoli shotguns, more specifically the Zoli Pernice?
No experience, I didn't even know about them until you posted this. I looked them up and it is a beautiful shotgun, I really like the solid rib, real classy not flashy, I'd be proud to carry one. I wonder if they have a two trigger option?
Friends have them. Proceed with caution, they have had some stock and rib issues. To their credit, CS has been good.
Good looks aside, I would look elsewhere.
What stock and rib problems have you heard. My understanding was they had a very good reputation for their barrels.
Friends stock has cracked a couple times-where it mates to the receiver-and the rib recently came loose. Barrels are monoblock, nothing new there.
They have had erratic import issues in the past. Will it work this time? You take your chances. They are making progress on the clay target circuits, but are far from an established name.
They have copied a theme from some of the other newcomers. Good wood and CNC engraving sells.
For those who have handled them, how do they feel relative to Beretta 680s and Caesar Guerini?
I've never used either of the shotguns you mentioned, but have uses an Antonio Zoli Silver Snipe for close to 40 years. Mine is 12 ga. O/U, choked IC/Mod. 26 in. bbl. Mine has 3 in. chambers and I have fired a few 3 in. rounds through it. I no longer fire anything heavier than 2 3/4 in. 1 1/4 oz
due to lightweight of the gun. My gun has it's faults, mostly extractors rather than ejectors, fixed chokes (not really much of an issue). But it points where I'm looking, is easy to carry, and has never failed me. I used to live in Wisconsin and used it on woodcock, ruffed grouse, ducks and
pheasants and geese. Took it to Montana several times and South Dakota several more. Used it with steel shot and various loads of lead. It's the only one I've ever seen, so can't say if I got lucky or if they're all like mine. I do know that at 70 yrs. old I won't be getting rid of it.
Keep in mind that there are MANY members of the Zoli clan, and not all are of the same quality. I have had 12 and 20 magnum versions of the ANTONIO Zoli "Silver Hawk" that tjk mentions above and have had excellent service from all of them for many years. The 12 IS just too light for 3" magnum loads as he says, and I traded mine for an engine rebuild many years ago. I still have one of the 20s and I only shoot 2 3/4" shells in that except for late season pheasant hunting when I put a 3" steel #4 in the top (modified) barrel for the longer shots.
The extractors and fixed chokes aren't flaws, just matters of taste. For me, twin triggers are the fastest method of barrel selection and I don't mind fixed chokes--they never get rusted in place or frozen by a ding on the front of the barrel. One limitation of the Silver Hawk and many Italian doubles is that they have chromed bores. That only becomes an issue if you decide to have the chokes opened--most gunsmiths charge more for that because the chrome is tougher than woodpecker lips. And some 'smiths don't know how to work with it and screw the barrel up....
Antonio Zolis, at least the older ones, are "sleepers"-- usually undervalued IMO.