Everyone knows how fad and fashion influences the choice of guns in our game. Take barrel length for example. It was 30" (shorter even) then 32", then 34", now we’re back to 32" with hints of going back to 30". Even though this is a trend to most of the shooters out there, to the trend-setters there must be some other reason there must be something to be gained. In the late 80′s to mid 90′s the the state of the art was Bidwell with a B25 and Digweed with a 68X B-gun. Trends have come and gone and now the cutting edge arguably rests on the MX-2000 and the DT-10. I would personally put the Blaser F3 as the one to watch next.
These guns and the shooters who shoot them have a huge sway on what the perception of a "winning" gun is. Unless you can afford the best, anyone who purchases a dedicated O/U sporter at some point asks themselves, "Can I really win with this gun?" While you’re asking yourself that question, also ponder this point. No one has won a World FITASC Championship with an auto. At least I’m pretty sure of that, someone can set me straight if they want. Some guy might have won one long ago with an 1100 or something but in the current era? (-Edit- Duncan Lawton won in Andorra with a Full choked Remington 1100.)
So in the current market with a lack of reasonably priced O/U’s (under $2,000) a shooter might want to consider a couple of O/U’s in the under $1,000 range that have features similar to what the big boys shoot. The guns that might fit the bill are the Huglu Europa and the Fausti Classic Sporting. Many opinions of both of these guns can be read on the forums. The specs on the Europa look good, low profile receiver, 32" vent rib barrels, schnabel fore end, nice wood, etc. and the overall impression I get is that the Huglu’s are not that bad of a buy really. The most common complaint is broken firing pins, after that it’s probably doubling. Both are easy fixes and the 5 year warranty offered by the current importer will cover it. Personally I don’t think it even matters because with any competition gun most shooters have these kinds of things fixed by a trusted gunsmith. No one wants to be without their sporter for long and if you send it back to the factory or a warranty center you are in for a long wait no matter how much you paid. The problem I can see with the Huglu is it really needs the kind of custom setup an experienced shooter and his gunsmith can give it. Not really an ‘entry level’ gun for that reason, but I think a shooter who knows what he/she is doing can make a darn good ‘winner’ with the Europa. (-EDIT 8/10- For what the importers are selling these guns for now, forget it. You’re better off going with a Beretta 391 or if you have to have an O/U you might find a Browning Cynergy on sale for around $1,800.)
The Fausti (Traditions) Classic Sporting is another matter. Same kind of setup as the Huglu but with three engraving/trim levels and it’s Italian. Not just made in Italy but in Brescia, Italy. I know all gun makers are not equal, not even in Brescia but this gun I think will need minimal tuning and is of sturdy construction. Good for the ‘entry level’ as well as a seasoned competitor. Both of these guns will probably hold their value because you didn’t pay much to begin with and they are O/U’s after all. I guess there are two schools of thought about competition gun quality. One holds that the expensive, cutting edge, lasts a lifetime gun is where to lay your chips down. The other is all about low cost, maybe it won’t last forever but it has the right features and I don’t have to worry about it getting banged up or stolen. That last bit is a real issue. EDIT-Removed because I like my friends.-EDIT Bottom line…function and fit are the only qualities that really matter at the end of the day.
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