Jack O'Connor wrote that he wouldn't have an upland shotgun that weighed over 7 pounds. The basic platform of the highly desirable upland hunting shotgun hasn't changed in my lifetime. It has to be blued and authentic walnut, it cannot weigh more than 7 pounds, it has to be effortless to shoulder, of course it has to be dependable, and it cannot possibly be ugly. Fabarm is unusual in that they offer exceptional upland hunting guns in three action types (semi-auto, SxS, O/U) that, despite the different platforms, have several things in common.

They are all 100% Made in Italy with no cheap sourced parts, they all have Tri-Bore barrels that are precision-drilled (no hammer-forge induced stress), they are proofed to a higher standard than any other commercially available shotguns (1630 BAR), and all of their factory choke tubes are steel and tungsten rated though the 9/10 “Xtreme” Full choke.

I've carried a 6-3/4 lb. 26 inch barrel Fabarm L4S 12 gauge semi-auto more miles, and taken more wild pheasants with it than any other shotgun over the last seven years. Well all have our preferences as far as aesthetics and action type.

The Fabarm Autumn 20 gauge SxS, shown above, was originally developed as a competition shotgun. The beefy four-lug action was designed to be tough enough to handle heavy loads and competition shooting for the long haul. As a matter of fact, Tanya Faulds decided to enter a British SxS competition with a Fabarm SxS she received just a few days prior... and she promptly won the event. The triggers on my 28 inch barreled Autumn as tested are superb, breaking crisply at 3-1/4 – 3-1/2 pounds as measured by calibrated digital gauge. The gun itself is a pistol grip / semi-beavertail model, and weighs 6-3/4 pounds. I would expect the English Stock versions to be lighter. This shotgun has gorgeous hand-oiled high grade walnut, as is the case with all Fabarm USA Autumn models.

Fabarm Elos 2 Elite, 20 gauge

The Fabarm Elos D2 20 gauge O/U also weighs 6-3/4 lbs. There is the Orvis version, available only from the Orvis Gun Room, and the most recent Fabarm USA, the Elos 2 Elite. In 20 gauge, my example weighed 6 lbs., 6.8 ounces with a 28 inch barrel set. Finally, there is the super-light Fabarm Elos D2 with an alloy receiver (Ergal 55) that weighs just 5.75 pounds as tested in 20 gauge.

As far as gauge offerings:

Fabarm L4S Hunter semi-auto, 12 gauge only, 26 or 28 inch barrels, right hand or left hand.

Fabarm Autumn SxS, 20 gauge only, 28 inch or 30 inch barrel sets, pistol grip or straight stock, left hand version available.

Fabarm Elos 2 Elite O/U, 12 or 20 gauge, 28 inch or 30 inch barrel sets, left hand stock option available.

Fabarm Elos D2 alloy O/U, 12, 20, 28 gauge, 28 barrels, left hand stock option available.

Orvis Exclusive Orvis Fabarm D2 steel receiver, 12, 20, 28 gauge, 28 inch barrels, left hand stock option available.

That covers a great deal of ground. Fabarm is working on a very large backlog of these guns, so check with your local Fabarm dealer as far as availability. The Orvis Fabarm models are available only from Orvis, it is a waiting list situation, and your contact is Greg Carpiniello, Orvis Gun Department Manager, [email protected] . A further note: Orvis offers a few extremely limited special editions from time to time. I'm advised that two are imminent: there is an "Orvis Heritage" Fabarm SxS and also an "Orvis Mays Pond Edition" Fabarm O/U. Please contact Greg Carpiniello directly on those.

If you don't have a local Fabarm dealer, check with Kelly Field at Cole Gunsmithing [email protected] . I have reviewed all of these models, in detail, elsewhere on this site. To check out the basic specs, that info is all at https://fabarmusa.com/ .

There have been questions about Fabarm choke designations, and some may find actual constrictions as a better guide, so here they are. Again, all constrictions up to the .035 inch Xtreme are steel and tungsten rated. 

This year, highly desirable shotguns are in short supply, so if you're in the market for a new upland hunting shotgun for this fall, the time to make a decision is just about right now. Fabarm / Caesar Guerini is one of only two Italian shotgun manufacturers that make their own barrels, their doubles have the best barrel regulation in the industry, Fabarm USA's customer service and factory-trained gunsmithing staff is industry-leading, and they are the only manufacturer of the full suite of desirable, attainable, and in the case of the Autumn, the Orvis, and the Elos 2 Elite: truly beautiful and supremely well-finished upland hunting shotguns you be well-satisfied to own, and proud to carry.