Following the tests, the Sabatti owner took it back to Cabela's to have Sabatti repair the rifle. This is his story.:

Posted 19 April 2011 19:02 19 April 2011 19:02

Here is the response I received minutes ago:

"I just heard back this morning on your gun. He says the Italians have it as a priority job. They tell him it should done before the end of the month and will express ship it back. Then they are going to test fire it once back in the states to make sure everything is good. That is everything I've got back from him for now.

I responded to that email with the information and experience shared by LionHunter as background for him and his associates. Whether anything is done with that information I do not know.

Hopefully my experience will be different but we'll see when I have my Sabatti 450/400 back in my own hands.

As always, the truth is what it is and I will post the results "good, bad or indifferent" as my father would say.

Posted 09 June 2011 02:48 09 June 2011 02:48

As of a few minutes ago, my Sabatti is on route to the Cabelas from which I bought it after re-barreling and proper re-regulating.

We'll see when back in their hands. If those issues weren't addressed as promised, I won't accept it and will decide about a refund vs. a properly built replacement.

Should know by end of the week.

Posted 11 June 2011 04:18 11 June 2011 04:18

Delivered sometime yesterday, found it leaning against the wall in my living room when I got home after midnight.

Sabatti green hard case packed well in cardboard box.

Barrels with for-end attached liberally coated with oil in a clear plastic sleeve sealed on both ends. Same with receiver/stock.

Work order: "Replaced and fit new barrel. Test fired OK"

No test target ...

The work order had my address and that of EAA in Rockledge, Florida and none other.

Took both out and assembled them then examined the barrels.

Proper round crowns, lands sharp to the end.

Barrel length 23 9/16"

Hmmmm ...

Would those of you with Sabatti doubles do me a favor and measure them for me? I thought they were 24" and I'm pretty sure mine had 24" barrels ...

Ramp for front sight looks to be a bit shorter now than when it left my hands ...

Looked again at the lands on the left barrel, 1:00 - 3:00 position if looking from the muzzle ...

Not so sure they are as sharp as the rest ...

Now someone had mentioned that it should be re-proofed if it was re-barreled. I don't know a damn about proof marks but there are two side by side on each barrel - remind me of "King and Queen" in a chess set. I printed out the proof mark pages posted elsewhere but frankly, I'm too tired to start deciphering.

Upon measuring, re measuring, taking photos of the barrels, looking at photos I took before shipping it out - I then called the Gun Library manager at the Cabelas I bought it from and politely told him of my findings.

It seems to me that they shortened and re-crowned the barrels, not replaced them ...

I should mention that he and higher-up leadership in Cabelas have been extremely supportive throughout and have many times offered to give me a new Sabatti which met my approval (and pay all of the shipping registering etc. fees that getting a new one would mean in NJ) or to refund my money. I got the sense that they REALLY wanted this to work out and for me to be happy. BTW, I have never "threatened" posting anything on any site regardless of the outcome so I don't think it was a show to protect them from bad press on my part.

In any event, I was asked to hold onto it until Monday. The Manager would like to speak with the corporate bosses and ask if I should send it to the Cabelas of purchase or directly to Corporate for their inspection. The choice of replacement or refund is mine and either way I would be compensated for all of the shenanigans and shipping, just a matter of where it should be sent.

So there you have it,

The Truth is What It Is.

As promised and as much as I hate to say it, it's been a frustrating and very disappointing experience but I have to post this for all who are considering a Sabatti DR.

I really do like these Sabattis for everything but this one problem and am honestly considering the offer of a replacement ONLY IF the bores and crowns are perfect and it shoots excellently.

So let me ask those of you with Sabatti DR in DG calibers:

What is the actual length of the barrels on your double - just in case I am wrong...

Posted 12 June 2011 01:17 12 June 2011 01:17

Several points:
1) I was told the double went back to Sabatti in Italy. Both the Cabelas Gun Room Manager as well as his boss believed the same;
2) I was told the barrels would be replaced and the double properly re-regulated. Cabelas folk believed the same;
3) The 2+ months it has been out of my hands lead us all to believe 1 & 2 were true;
4) Finally, there is absolutely no evidence that this double was regulated at all after "fixing" the barrels.

I would have been fine if I had been told they were going to lop off the ends, re-crown and re-regulate the double. In fact I tried to hire J.J. Perodeau to do just that but he chose not to do such work on Sabattis given prior experiences.

So, after being mislead on the very issues promised to be addressed would you trust this particular double on an elephant hunt in Africa?

As I mentioned, I'm not completely put off of Sabattis, I may accept another as replacement, so long as the barrels are right and of is properly regulated.

Posted 12 June 2011 01:23 12 June 2011 01:23

Let me also say that it was the inability to get this double to regulate with any of a variety of bullets that started this endeavor.
AND
Had this Sabattis been supplied with a test target demonstrating adequate regulation, I might have kept it ...

But it didn't ...

Posted 14 June 2011 01:24 14 June 2011 01:24

You may be right but I have asked for evidence that it had been regulated and test fired. I can't even get a "Yes it was" regarding my question no less the evidence.

I am envious of those of you who can walk out back or drive a few miles to do some shooting - if I could I would certainly do so. Like many of you, I average over 100 hours a week and for me to spend 2 hours driving to my county place just to find out it had not been regulated and drive another two back home is 4+ hours of time I'd rather spend with my family.

Again, we (Cabelas folk and I) were told a couple of things that, as it turns out, are not true. Why would I believe it was regulated particularly since no one can even tell me if it was or was not?

More to follow.: