How are the new Sabatti's in .470 and .500?

DaveL

AH senior member
Joined
Mar 17, 2017
Messages
56
Reaction score
125
Location
Zimbabwe / Mozambique
Media
5
Hi Chaps

I had a look at some lovely looking Sabatti's in 470 and 500 at the shows recently. They were going for $5800-$6000. I've heard mixed reports on these Italian guns so would like some more opinions from our valued members? As a practising PH, it looks like that cost is in my price range but not if the weapon is unreliable. Thoughts? Appreciated.

Best
Dave Langerman
 
Richard, a young PH in Botswana, had one in .500NE in 2014. He liked it a lot.

But that doesn’t answer your question about the new ones, sorry. I thought that the major problem had been corrected.
 
Hi Dave,
Glad you joined up here! Looking forward to your input!
I have several friends that own the older model in 470 NE and they really like them! The only bad reports I’ve heard were on the early rifles chambered in the 450/400 where they used a dremel tool to try to regulate the barrels! From my understanding most of these were fixed by Ken Owen.
Good luck in your search and see you in August!
Cheers,
Cody
 
Cbvanb has one in .500. Lovely rifle, extremely accurate. Recoil makes my Lott seem ‘soft’.
 
Hi Dave,
Glad you joined up here! Looking forward to your input!
I have several friends that own the older model in 470 NE and they really like them! The only bad reports I’ve heard were on the early rifles chambered in the 450/400 where they used a dremel tool to try to regulate the barrels! From my understanding most of these were fixed by Ken Owen.
Good luck in your search and see you in August!
Cheers,
Cody

My understanding was that the issues were with the guns they built in a rush for Cabela’s. In fact I almost bought one of the 470s at Cablea’s at a discounted price. I thought it too good to be true so I went home and looked up the rifle on the net and got lots of stuff with concerns. So I went back to my Cabela’s to look at the barrels in that beautiful 470ne. Sure enough one of the barrels had been tooled with something that had the crown looking like a Robin egg. So no purchase at that time. Glad I didn’t act in haste.
 
I’m curious about this too.
 
My understanding was that the issues were with the guns they built in a rush for Cabela’s. In fact I almost bought one of the 470s at Cablea’s at a discounted price. I thought it too good to be true so I went home and looked up the rifle on the net and got lots of stuff with concerns. So I went back to my Cabela’s to look at the barrels in that beautiful 470ne. Sure enough one of the barrels had been tooled with something that had the crown looking like a Robin egg. So no purchase at that time. Glad I didn’t act in haste.
Hadn’t heard about any issues with the 470’s. Those were the first sabati’s that I saw also at cabelas. I was tempted by them also.
 
Hadn’t heard about any issues with the 470’s. Those were the first sabati’s that I saw also at cabelas. I was tempted by them also.

It was sad really. The rifle looked beautiful and it was marked down $1500.
Almost walked out of there with it.
 
"You never have a second chance to create a first impression" they say...

Hello DaveL. Man this is a tough one! No, seriously...

The thought that comes to mind is: did the .458 Win ever recover from its 1960's launch era issues when factually the early ammo under performed its specs, and factually there were genuine cases of compressed charges of Olin Chemical’s early ball powder causing erratic ignition. To this day, almost 60 years later, one continues to read about the .458 Win being an unreliable round, which is hogwash with current loads, although it is, naturally, less powerful than the full length Lott...

Will Sabatti ever recover from their attempt at "regulating" doubles by intentionally butchering the barrels crown to create sideways jetting of propellant gases? What do such short cuts by manufacturers tell us about their core business philosophy? Was this an individual judgment error or the symptom of systemic issues? Were there, are there, other short cuts in the Sabatti doubles manufacturing process? Your, my, or any poster's answer all have the same value: we would all be speculating...

For what it is worth, my Beretta Black Onyx shotgun has proved indestructible; my Zanardini kipplauf (single barrel break open rifle) in 7x65R had steel so soft that the cocking bar inside the action was bent out of function after less than 100 rounds, and the silver solder joint holding the barrel in the action monoblock broke when I shot it one day in negative temperature; and my Zoli over/under double 9.3x74R went off the face and lost any semblance of accuracy in less than 200 rounds.

Are Italian smaller companies or artisan shops more susceptible to manufacturing issues than Italian international corporations (Beretta, Benelli, etc.)? I do not know... Were Italian steels softer in the 80's? I do not know... Are these considerations relevant to Sabatti? I do not know... but there it is, based on my own first impressions and personal experience with smaller Italian firms break open rifles, my own .470 NE double is ... a Kreighoff.

If I were a PH and my double was a daily-use tool that I must rely on to keep my clients, trackers, and myself alive when everything has gone wrong, there are darn few modern manufacture doubles I would consider. Heym, Kreighoff and Blaser would be at the top of my list; followed by Chapuis; followed by a big gap as these four really dominate; followed by Verney Carron; followed by Merkel (although I had a sidelock hammer break - brittle steel ! - on a 20 gauge sxs, which considerably reduced my trust in the brand).

This post is sure to create a firestorm, but you asked for opinions, right? So, this is just mine...
 
Last edited:
Hi Chaps

I had a look at some lovely looking Sabatti's in 470 and 500 at the shows recently. They were going for $5800-$6000. I've heard mixed reports on these Italian guns so would like some more opinions from our valued members? As a practising PH, it looks like that cost is in my price range but not if the weapon is unreliable. Thoughts? Appreciated.

Best
Dave Langerman

Hi Dave.

I just pick up my Sabatti 470 about 3 weeks ago so I can’t speak to reliability yet. But it does function and shoot well. The problems Sabatti had in the past isn’t applicable to the new rifles. They appear to be properly regulated. I’m very happy with mine. That being said, I would have preferred a Heym 89b, or a VC, but for my first double, it’s priced right.
 
I have owned two different sabatti's 45/70 and 450NE. Neither one was one of the ground muzzle rifles that gave them a black eye. Both were very well regulated and shot great. Used the 450NE on warthog, Zebra, and cape Buff. I sold them to friends and they are enjoying them. I can't speak to the new rifles as I haven't had a opportunity to shoot one.
 
Hi Dave,

I cannot comment on the new Sabattis, but if I was you I would contact Ken Owens in the U.S.A.. He worked on and repaired many early Sabattis. Then he and one other person bought all of the Sabattis that Cabellas still had and made them into excellent shooters and as far as I know dependable firearms. He will tell you just about anything that you want to know about Sabatti double rifles. Ken has re regulated several double rifles for me and I have always been 101% happy especially with his turn around time. When needed once it was less than a week door to door!

Depending on what you can afford I would take a close look at the Heym 88B. I think you will find them a great company and I do know that they offer a great discount for Professional Hunters.

Cheers
 
Hi Dave,
Glad you joined up here! Looking forward to your input!
I have several friends that own the older model in 470 NE and they really like them! The only bad reports I’ve heard were on the early rifles chambered in the 450/400 where they used a dremel tool to try to regulate the barrels! From my understanding most of these were fixed by Ken Owen.
Good luck in your search and see you in August!
Cheers,
Cody

Hi Cody!

I've heard the same thing about the 450/400's. However I'm glad there is a solution! I think a .500 is on the cards for me in the not too distant future!

Looking forward to August! Its going to be a good one!

Best
Dave
 
"You never have a second chance to create a first impression" they say...

Hello DaveL. Man this is a tough one! No, seriously...

The thought that comes to mind is: did the .458 Win ever recover from its 1960's launch era issues when factually the early ammo under performed its specs, and factually there were genuine cases of compressed charges of Olin Chemical’s early ball powder causing erratic ignition. To this day, almost 60 years later, one continues to read about the .458 Win being an unreliable round, which is hogwash with current loads, although it is, naturally, less powerful than the full length Lott...

Will Sabatti ever recover from their attempt at "regulating" doubles by intentionally butchering the barrels crown to create sideways jetting of propellant gases? What do such short cuts by manufacturers tell us about their core business philosophy? Was this an individual judgment error or the symptom of systemic issues? Were there, are there, other short cuts in the Sabatti doubles manufacturing process? Your, my, or any poster's answer all have the same value: we would all be speculating...

For what it is worth, my Beretta Black Onyx shotgun has proved indestructible; my Zanardini kipplauf (single barrel break open rifle) in 7x65R had steel so soft that the cocking bar inside the action was bent out of function after less than 100 rounds, and the silver solder joint holding the barrel in the action monoblock broke when I shot it one day in negative temperature; and my Zoli over/under double 9.3x74R went off the face and lost any semblance of accuracy in less than 200 rounds.

Are Italian smaller companies or artisan shops more susceptible to manufacturing issues than Italian international corporations (Beretta, Benelli, etc.)? I do not know... Were Italian steels softer in the 80's? I do not know... Are these considerations relevant to Sabatti? I do not know... but there it is, based on my own first impressions and personal experience with smaller Italian firms break open rifles, my own .470 NE double is ... a Kreighoff.

If I were a PH and my double was a daily-use tool that I must rely on to keep my clients, trackers, and myself alive when everything has gone wrong, there are darn few modern manufacture doubles I would consider. Heym, Kreighoff and Blaser would be at the top of my list; followed by Chapuis; followed by a big gap as these four really dominate; followed by Verney Carron; followed by Merkel (although I had a sidelock hammer break - brittle steel ! - on a 20 gauge sxs, which considerably reduced my trust in the brand).

This post is sure to create a firestorm, but you asked for opinions, right? So, this is just mine...

This is why I enjoy this forum! The wealth of knowledge out there circulating amongst the members is top drawer.

I appreciate your input here, as I do the other members.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
57,525
Messages
1,233,005
Members
101,243
Latest member
ShelbyIsove
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Grz63 wrote on Doug Hamilton's profile.
Hello Doug,
I am Philippe from France and plan to go hunting Caprivi in 2026, Oct.
I have read on AH you had some time in Vic Falls after hunting. May I ask you with whom you have planned / organized the Chobe NP tour and the different visits. (with my GF we will have 4 days and 3 nights there)
Thank in advance, I will appreciate your response.
Merci
Philippe
Grz63 wrote on Moe324's profile.
Hello Moe324
I am Philippe from France and plan to go hunting Caprivi in 2026, Oct.
I have read on AH you had some time in Vic Falls after hunting. May I ask you with whom you have planned / organized the Chobe NP tour and the different visits. (with my GF we will have 4 days and 3 nights there)
Thank in advance, I will appreciate your response.
Merci
Philippe
rafter3 wrote on Manny R's profile.
Hey there could I have that jewelers email you mentioned in the thread?
VIGILAIRE wrote on wesheltonj's profile.
Hi Walden. Good morning from England, Chris here (The Englishman!) from Croatia. Firstly it was a pleasure to meet you and Michelle - a fellow Sanderson! I have finally joined AH as I enjoy it very much. Glad you enjoyed the hunt and your write up which I read on AR was very good indeed. I am sending on WhatsApp pics from Bojan of some of the animals hunted recently. Take care and best regards. CS.
 
Top