Thanks to the kind availability of Sabatti, we continue to have one of the recent rifles of the large Nuova Rover series, the state of the art of the specific product of the House of Gardone VT (BS): the Hunter set-up of our specimen is aimed at an devoted primarily to hunting. As experienced on more than one occasion, this shotgun fully fulfills its role and equally amuses and satisfies even in a shooting range where the prerogatives of the design and mechanical construction are enhanced. Pragmatism is the main road followed in Sabatti: the basic prerogatives for the long rifled weapon have been identified by applying them in good order so as to offer customers what is already inherent in their mind. A rifle today must first of all be light, therefore the receiver is milled on numerical control machines from a billet of Ergal 7075, the aeronautical aluminum alloy, which combines strength and low weight.
In the process, the two sections of Picatinny-type slide are obtained on the ring and bridge, which ensure the correct fixing of the scope. The resistance in the critical point is ensured by the insertion inside the ring of a perforated steel cylinder, fixed with two allen screws that pass through the lower double extension which also acts as a force discharge prism. The system allows the barrel to be changed without the need to adjust the already predetermined headspace.
The combination of Ergal and steel is a delicate material, as is the tempering of the latter material: very specific knowledge has been developed in the company over time and the cylinder has a considerable external hardness to counteract the force of the shot, while inside it is tough to ensure the right elasticity for energy absorption.
Safety is top of mind and this system proves to be a guarantee shield in the event of careless reloading: the hardness alone would end up making the piece fragile with imaginable consequences while the double treatment absorbs the hammer, deforming itself, but without breaking. In short, a clear alarm signal that stops there, avoiding the predictable, disastrous consequences.
The second fixed point for a rifle is undoubtedly accuracy: the times are gone when groups at 300 meters were wider than the palm of the hand and today a good gun holds at this distance just over half a moa, i.e. 50 mm. Sabatti believed in the expansion of ball hunting and, together, of long-range shooting by taking care of the production of the barrels on his own: several decades have passed since the purchase of the first used rotohammer which was followed by much more with the latest innovations on the market of machine tools.
Speed of production and intrinsic precision ensured for each piece made have become the constants of the specific work of the company: as we have had the opportunity to experience on several occasions, the shooting barrels are at the top of the best productions and together even the hunting ones fully satisfy for the concentration of their patterns. It goes without saying that a barrel with a muzzle section between 22 and 30 mm ensures very tight and repetitive patterns for the entire duration of a competition, but equally those for hunting, where the lightness that we have seen prevail over other factors imposes a section on the muzzle around 15 mm, they manage to concentrate the three shots in respectable millimeter areas.
Then inevitably thermal expansion plays its role, but when hunting it is the first shot that counts, sometimes with the right support of the second; the third remains as a vague hypothesis of patching up something that has gone wrong so let's keep the first pair good and the close pattern that can still be read after the third shot is an extra that further ennobles the work expressed in the construction of the rifle. Two metric data to complete: the barrel is 610 mm long and the pitch, with traditional rifling, is equal to 1:12”.
Other prerogatives
Together with the two basic characteristics we observe other factors in line with the expectations of a clientele that has become more connoisseur by carefully evaluating the proposals. The New Rover bases the action on the receiver just described above and on the cylinder bolt with three lugs at the head machined downwards from the main section and with a rounded external profile: greater speed in machining together with excellent precision of execution.
Below are the handle with handlebar movement of only 60°, the very recessed face supporting the cartridge bottom, the ground firing pin hole, the extraction nail with orthogonal movement mounted in one of the fins, the elastic pawl of the ejector . On the left side of the castle protrudes the rocker arm for extracting the bolt to the end of its stroke, while on the right is the two-position safety lever: inserted, trigger lock, firing pin and handlebar.
The Type Match three-lever direct trigger is another prerogative of Sabatti rifles: set at around 8/900 g it does not make you regret the stecher, even if offered to satisfy every need, with prompt intervention and absence of those defects such as spinning and scratching so annoying for a correct execution of the shot. The constancy of reaction is a very appreciable guarantee. Together we evaluate another quality associated with the stock, here in synthetic, where the adjustable cheekpiece with the minimum work of an Allen key sets the exact height to align the eye and the optical axis of the telescope. Often disregarded this posture is the basis for a correct shot. Likewise, the spacers to be subjected to the butt plate allow you to find the right measure between shoulder support and finger position on the trigger.
We will not go further, emphasizing how the choice of available calibers is congruous and up-to-date with the solid historical monuments and other more recent discoveries already of very solid fame: .223 Rem. – .243 Win. – .270 wins. – 6,5×47 Lapua – 6,5×55 SE – 6,5 Creedmoor, .30-06 Sprg. – .308 Win. – 7 Rem. Mag. – .300 Win. Mag. Others are in preparation and probably a reduced action will follow for shorter cartridges: we really like this because we find it impractical to put a .223 Rem. or the exquisite 6,5×47 Lapua in the size to fit a .300 Win. Mag. And then the thing also clashes a little with the aesthetics… Such a choice would complete the already large commercial offer of Sabatti.
You May Also Like ..
