Fausti Stefano Field Hunter by Traditions

I own a Traditions Field Hunter by Fausti. I love the gun. I use it primarily for trap and sporting clays. For my use, I replaced the front bead with a white bead and added a brass midsight. What an accuracy differance that has made. The fit and finish are great, it has not loosened up excessively considering it sees about 2000 rounds a year. It patterns evenly, but a little broad. All I do is choke it down a bit. The only problem I have had are broken firing pins. The lower firing pin sheared last summer at about 1000 rounds, and tonight during my league shoot, the upper firing pin failed. By my estimates, I have about 2000-2500 rounds through it. My gun smith has commented that he has had more than four of these guns through his shop for firing pin replacement in the last year or so. This seems to be the only fault in these guns that I have discovered. When I contact Fausti tomorrow for another firing pin, I am going to request that they send me four of them so that my gun is not down for more than a couple of days at the gun smith. For the price, I have not found an o/u that can beat it. I believe that the firing pin problem can be tolerated. However, my next purchase will probably be a Browning Citori. I just wish that the Citori's had selectible extractor/ejectors.

Ben

I bought a fausti traditions field hunter as well.
I heard a lot of good things about this OU but after I bought it I took it to my gunsmith to have it fitted.
He told me that this gun comes in all the time to get repaired.
I was informed and explained as to the problems in detail.
The forearm is rather weak at the stress point right near the front of the forearm near the action.
It commonly breaks at this area.
The cocking mechanism located on the forearm is also thin and weak and also breaks occasionally. This is due to the stress point not being thick enough to handle the constant pushing and pulling of the piece which causes the piece to bend a small amount and eventually weaken and break off.
The firing pins are made in a weak way meaning they are not fitted well to each gun. This breaks but can be replaced with a custom pin made and fitted for this gun by most competent gunsmith. Some fit well by chance and others do not and break eventually.
The gun I have came with a 5 year guarantee and I am confident that I will be using it but after that I think I will have some custome work done to it and then the price will be near a berelli anyway.
There are no cheap over and unders I suppose.
LOL