FAIR Jubilée Prestige: In the wide range of over-and-under that the House offers we have chosen a hunting model set up according to tradition, therefore in the 12/76 gauge and with some aesthetic details that, together with the applied technique, have always influenced the choices of many clients.
Text and photos by Emmanuel Tabasso
A mental tour between the superimposed ones brings to mind the advertising of the Ramazzotti amaro that "It's always good!" as the persuasive message of the Sixties said: it is always good for us to observe what has been and continues to be a sign of an epochal change in arms. The post-war hunt was still conducted with the classic shotguns including everything from the lowest craftsmanship to the great Englishmen that few could afford; alongside, the semiautomatics were beginning to elbow to make room while the numerical growth of the over-and-unders, hitherto very limited among the mass of hunters, went smoothly. Today the situation is quite different, as it naturally is, but the level of use of this type is always high and proof of this is the expansion of the range even in medium calibers such as the 20 or in the small ones such as the 28 and the .410 Mg. The diatribe on the classicism and elegance of the two rods placed side by side with respect to the superimposed ones will never end: everyone has a preference for these or those, but considering the technique, the arrangement of the two rods one on top of the other is the depositary of some advantages which, equal fineness of work, ranging from the longer duration of the locks to the better centering of the shot patterns maintained at the different target engagement distances. Proof of this is the univocal choice of this formula for platform shotguns, real firing machines which are required to the maximum of the two aforementioned requirements. The FAIR of Marcheno has taken this path with seriousness and constancy, becoming the second Italian company in the sector in terms of numbers produced: the examination of one of its rifles clarifies the reasons for this success and for the occasion we have a Jubilee Prestige in the multifaceted 12/76 gauge. We embrace it by aiming it, immediately appreciating its balance and low weight, suitable for the caliber and the port even in difficult areas.
Design tradition
The traditional plant with half-pins and mumps ensures an adequate yield, supported by a large number of cases, keeping costs within limits favorable to a widespread commercial dimension. The barrel joining system by means of the one-piece breech block makes it possible to obtain both the seats of the barrels themselves and the constraints involved with what has been created in the receiver from a solid piece of alloy steel. In the latter we see the half-pins with triangle reinforcements, the blind mortises in the back, the dowel, moved by the key, protruding from the face where a special steel reinforcement is embedded, perforated for the passage of the strikers. In the monobloc we can highlight the earlobes, the sliding seats of the extractors stems with the relative release levers and the guide plates, and the two low tenons side by side which, inserted in the mortises, insist against the median crosspiece, contrasting the advancement of the barrels under fire ; the rotation is instead blocked by the plug inserted in the rear recess. On the bottom of the receiver slide the two rods for mounting the batteries, equipped with lateral extensions to control the automatic ejectors. A spring-loaded pawl allows the key to be returned to the center when the shotgun is removed. The barrels are drilled and ground on a negative pin, taking care of the sectional course and the slopes of the connecting cones to reach the optimal situation of low recoil, therefore limiting the water hammer, maximum acceleration of the charge and very low deformation of the peripheral pellets; the interchangeable chokes are nowadays an advantageous complement to adapt the shot patterns to the different hunting or platform situations. The ventilated and shaded rib, with bridges welded directly to the barrel, leads the eye to the spherical brass front sight; the application of the side ribs is also very accurate, even at the critical point of the muzzle.
Executive seriousness
The procedure of the operating machines makes the work clear and well executed, a sign that every element is under control, including the replacement and re-sharpening times of the tools: it is obvious that such care of the internal components, therefore not very evident to a superficial observation, entails an at least equal care for the exterior where the appearance is the first business card of the shotgun: volumes, lines and style are carefully followed and some choices meet customer requests such as long folders, the application of the crown golden on the key, the engravings correctly executed by laser with manual recovery where Renaissance elements are merged with other purely veiners, with a pleasant result. Even the company wordings prove to be accurate and the 100% Italian Made stands out among these, which, these days, is an added value of appreciated validity. The woods chosen from medium-high quality walnut are processed in a more than adequate way with a careful eye to the setting, to the captivating and functional lines, to the edition of the surfaces and to the realization of the checkering: we would like that in the fixing of the wooden buttplate classic narrow split screws were used and not those with a cross notch that we gladly leave to the well-known Scandinavian furniture maker. The shotgun fully deserves even these small but significant attention because, as the executioner said, testing the cleaver's edge with his thumb, “it's the detail that counts”.