With some money burning a hole in my pocket, I spent some time researching and shouldering various O/U in the 2-3k USD range. I was thinking I would end up with some form of new/used Browning or Beretta with outside possibility of a used Caesar Guerini if I saved/budgeted a bit more. However, I ended up buying a new Fabarm Elos N2 Sporting 12 gauge.
I spent time researching/reading advice on how to pick a new gun with most advice being to pick the gun that fits. It's hard to judge that when you don't know what you don't know but something about shouldering the N2 seemed to be speaking to me. I liked the palm swell and how it seemed to want to track into my cheek/shoulder on mount. Hard to explain, but I took a flier on it without reading up about the brand/model (until after I purchased!) Leap of faith so to speak.
I figured I'd give back to the community a bit and add some more feedback to what's currently out there in case others are researching in the future.
Some background:
Relatively new to sporting clays, with less than 10 rounds total. I've hunted wild quail once or twice a year the past few years with no practice and usually around a dozen shots taken (mostly misses.)
1st range report:
150 rounds total on Sporting Clays course (scored 100 targets with 50 additional shots practicing.)
Recorded 58/100 on the score sheet.
I didn't shoot it any better than either of my other guns. I do think it has less recoil, but I'm not overly recoil sensitive and I did not side by side it with anything else today. I have not done much volume shooting in the past and wanted a gun I felt I could grow with as I practice and learn. I didn't expect to magically shoot better but feel confident this will be a good gun to learn with.
So far, I like it. No buyers remorse in the honeymoon phase yet.
