You don't have to be a king to find an over-and-under that is suitable for hunting what is called the queen of the woods, namely the woodcock. In fact, at a price that is as competitive as ever, F.A.I.R. offers a specialized over-and-under – the De Luxe Beccaccia. Light and handy, it is fitted with barrels designed to achieve dense patterns at the short and medium ranges typical of walked-up hunting with pointing dogs.

Before we get to the gun, it is good to remember that hunting – especially woodcock hunting – requires not only passion, that is a predisposition to sacrifice and walk, but also experience and dogs that can put ourselves in a position to experience the thrill of encountering wild game. Starting from these premises that are never taken for granted, most of the time the gun will not be a burden to carry, but really a valuable ally in trying to make one's own those emotions that will often remain indelible in our hunter's memories.

So, is it important for a shotgun to be purpose-designed and specific to hunting in the woods? The answer is yes, because we move in very diverse and often inaccessible environments in which practicality, speed of aiming, as well as lightness and safety are non-negligible aspects. In addition, precisely because we are faced with environments that are almost never easy, it is important to have in our souls that peace of mind that allows us to lean, swing, and swipe against brambles and vegetation a gun that can also be beautiful and valuable – but we must never forget that it is still a hunting tool, designed to serve us and accompany us in our adventures, not just an object to look at and preserve.

F.A.I.R. seems to have kept these elements well in mind in conceiving the De Luxe Beccaccia over-and-under, which is undoubtedly a shotgun that is aesthetically pleasing, but also meets all those requirements that are functional to the hunter. Available in 12- and 20-gauge, the over-and-under makes weight and balance its main qualities, thanks to the nickel-plated and laser-engraved light alloy receiver with gold inlays. In the larger gauge it does not exceed 2.6 kg – down to 2.3 kg in the 20-gauge. The engravings made with the deep laser technique are well made and depict woodcocks in flight to which the rifle owes its name (“Beccaccia” means woodcock in Italian), in different positions on both sides and on the receiver bottom.

Contributing to the gun's elegance is the oil-finished European walnut wood stock with patented FX Wood finish. The pistol grip allows for a wide and easy hold, the classic and streamlined Schnabel forend provides a good grip thanks to the fine-pitch laser-made checkering. The trigger is single selective – the trigger blade is dark blued, like the pierced opening lever. The slide safety slide is located on the tang with the barrel selector. The barrels deserve some mention: they are 62 cm long and fitted with a set of internal and interchangeable chokes. The length is to be considered appropriate hunting with a pointing dog in general, and for hunting in the woods in particular, where effective and homogeneous shot patterns are needed at short ranges before woodcocks hide invisible in the vegetation in just a few moments.

We first tested the F.A.I.R. De Luxe Beccaccia over-and-under on the sporting course with standard 24- and 28-g cartridges loaded with No. 7.5 lead shot. From the first shooting impressions the gun although light does not produce excessive vibrations when firing but for effective follow-up shots it is clearly advisable to use cartridges suited to a gun designed for woodcock hunting – that is, light or at least not very heavy loadings. Lightnweight and stability are always hard to combine, therefore the hunter's awareness and experience in the proper choice of loadings will always make the difference. In order to ensure greater strength to the receiver and a longer life to the gun, F.A.I.R. has adopted an additional measure, inserting a hardened steel reinforcing plate in the firing pins area. As for the swing, the De Luxe Beccaccia over-and-under is very compact, quick to the shoulder and when pointing. The 6-mm flat ventilated rib features an anti-glare checkering and a fiber optic front sight that is highly visible and certainly useful in the woods. On the whole, shooting at the different ranges of the sporting course, with clear and neat clay pigeon hits the De Luxe Beccaccia over-and-under proved to be a gun suitable for the instinctive and fast shooting style that hunting in the woods requires. 

With a retail price of about 1,300 euros, this shotgun allows even young hunters to experience the pleasure of hunting and adventure with the confidence and serenity needed along the way. Good luck!

For more information on the De Luxe Beccaccia over-and-under please visit the F.A.I.R. website.

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