His friend Fabio goes in search of the latest news as well as historical artifacts that have illustrated the work of the Italian gunsmiths of the past decades: the finding in the Terni area of a fine shotgun with the brand of Umberto Gitti it was a lucky shot. Trying to discover the history of the manufacturer we see on an advertisement the indication relating to the foundation, 1911, but the exemplary photographed is already from the second post-war period, specifically from 1967 bearing the XXIII hallmark of the Banco Nazionale di Prova.
The company built different models from single-barrel to side-by-side to cover the market segments: a specimen called Montecarlo it was at the top of the scale of values. At the time, the shotgun was still the important backbone of sales and the hunters were joined by a conspicuous series of pigeon shooters with an indomitable passion and an activity often bordering on professionalism. At this level it was logical to choose a rifle with the best features, perhaps without spending a fortune as one of the highest caliber brands would have required: we mention the Franchi to which, it is clear, this weapon by Umberto Gitti is very much inspired by close enough to be called, and not surprisingly, Montecarlo.
The technical plant
The alloy steel action frame was machined with a cutter and with the peculiar equipment of the time, such as the slotting machine to obtain mortises, and then a lot of high-class manual skills. Let's start by observing the medium-length table with the two notches mentioned above separated by the integral crosspiece placed flush and sharp edges, not sharp, as in the best tradition, hammer holder grains reported and replaceable with vent groove and fixing screw, rotation pin in case-hardened steel fixed with the two classic side screws with very fine split, hinge with the two levers for setting and controlling the automatic ejectors. The attention now shifts to the rod group where the two tubes have been processed separately, obtaining from each the corresponding half-plane with the internal seat for the coupling of the group of the two tenons: the junction of the three elements was carried out by welding, enclosing inside the stems of the two extractors. The tenons are of reasonable size and from here we start to examine the sealing and closing system: first of all the streaks on the tenons are appreciated not only on the sides, but also in the thick parts, a sure indication of a tilting performed at rule of art, then we consider the depth of the recesses in which the slide controlled by the key is inserted together with the mobile plug placed in the action face with insistence on the tooth protruding from the breech of the barrels, which also has the function of guide for the extractors.
A triple closure is therefore configured, consisting of the double Purdey and a third Purdey of the 2nd type: on the latter we note that the effect of inhibiting the detachment between the barrel breech and the receiver face is not present, as occurs with the third Greener or Westley Richard's toric profile doll head, but the higher point of contrast gains a more favorable lever arm in keeping the table and tops adherent, moreover the recess in which the plug is inserted does not create a solution of continuity in the upper arch of the action head. The locks mounted on side plates subtend a double safety bar mechanism similar to that of Holland & Holland therefore equipped with the hammer interceptor bar that automatically comes into action if the trigger is not pressed, thus preventing a fortuitous shot for a fall or a bump, together with the device, allows a fine adjustment of the trigger weight as it must be, especially for a platform shotgun.
Woods and finish
A walnut with a valuable structure and pleasant appearance was used for the two parts of the stock and the lines show that Italian taste even with the pistol grip, a little in contrast to the essence of a side-by-side, but perfectly suited to the purpose. of the shot for which this rifle was built. The engravings are of appreciable stature as well as other less striking details even if they give the measure of the attention paid by the manufacturer: the rib toilet with the shading obtained by hand with an edge file, the inside of the shaft with the pump mechanism and the protruding hammers for the automatic ejectors, the fine checkering done by hand, the pad varnishing of the woods. The lucky owner often tries his hand at the platforms, only at the clay pigeon of course, and from time to time this Gitti shows what some builders of the 50s and 60s were like also in the register of general balancing as in the adjustment of the pull of the barrels. The company continued its activity until the early 70s and it seems likely, in the absence of precise data, that it ceased operations in '72 or '73.