Any Experience with a F.A.I.R 500 Safari series Over/Under?

[The35Whelen]

Hello! I'm looking for anyone with experience handling, shooting, or owning a F.A.I.R. 500 Safari series O/U rifle in any caliber listed. I've scoured the internet for reviews and found little information. Any info from members with personal experience would be greatly appreciated! I've attached a link to the manufacture's website for reference. Thank you!

SAFARI - Fair

www.fair.it

 

[frog stealer]

I tried to order a few of their combination and side by side models earlier this year with no luck. The dealers I tried working with in the US were either not responsive or couldn’t (didn’t want to?) place an order for the model/caliber I wanted. If you have better luck, please share who you went through!

 

[AZDAVE]

If my memory serves me the Italian arms group out of el paso handle the imports for FAIR, Sabbati and others you might contact them directly and see if they can help. https://www.italianfirearmsgroup.com/

 

[cagkt3]

If my memory serves me the Italian arms group out of el paso handle the imports for FAIR, Sabbati and others you might contact them directly and see if they can help. https://www.italianfirearmsgroup.com/

Believe they’re in Amarillo? @gizmo knows them pretty well I think

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Why FAIR? Is there somethinh special or unique about them that makes them worth buying over a Heym O/U or other?

 

[gizmo]

Believe they’re in Amarillo? @gizmo knows them pretty well I think

Yessir the National Importer for the IFG companies (Sabatti, Fair, tangfolio, and Pederisali) is here in Amarillo. The owner was a sponsor of my son when he shot sporting clays throughout high school.
I have shot and own a lot of these companies guns with the exception of Tangfolio. Shotguns, rifles, and bp. I own a FAIR Iside Prestige double rifle in 9.3x74r. I have and do shoot it a lot and it is my go to for a backup rifle for our bison and Waterbuffalo hunts. I have shot hundreds of rounds through mine and developed a very effective hunting load with Barnes bullets. I love love this rifle. While I’ve never shot the O/U rifle I have shot a lot with my SxS. All of the FAIR’s are built very very well and are of very high quality. My son when he was competing would shoot at minimum and entire pallet of shotgun shells every year. We played hell finding an affordable quality gun that didn’t fall apart. A friend of mine went to work for IFG and my son started shooting Sabatti and FAIR with his favorite being the FAIR racing. He has several custom Racings that between IGF and some custom stock companies we built. He’s still shooting them today.
I probably gave TMI but my point is in transparency. I know Dodd pretty well and yes my son was (he doesn’t compete anymore as his mechanical engineering program demands the majority of his time) sponsored by IFG thanks to James and Dodd but…. I don’t sell or receive anything from IFG. I just truly love their guns and every one of them I own and have shot over the years has been wonderful. Extremely well built and I have confidence in all of the IFG companies.
The O/U configuration has never caught my eye much from any company but if that’s your thing I can promise you that you will love that gun.

 

[The35Whelen]

Why FAIR? Is there somethinh special or unique about them that makes them worth buying over a Heym O/U or other?

I stumbled across an 8x57 that I think would make a fantastic plains game rifle for my wife.

 

[The35Whelen]

Yessir the National Importer for the IFG companies (Sabatti, Fair, tangfolio, and Pederisali) is here in Amarillo. The owner was a sponsor of my son when he shot sporting clays throughout high school.
I have shot and own a lot of these companies guns with the exception of Tangfolio. Shotguns, rifles, and bp. I own a FAIR Iside Prestige double rifle in 9.3x74r. I have and do shoot it a lot and it is my go to for a backup rifle for our bison and Waterbuffalo hunts. I have shot hundreds of rounds through mine and developed a very effective hunting load with Barnes bullets. I love love this rifle. While I’ve never shot the O/U rifle I have shot a lot with my SxS. All of the FAIR’s are built very very well and are of very high quality. My son when he was competing would shoot at minimum and entire pallet of shotgun shells every year. We played hell finding an affordable quality gun that didn’t fall apart. A friend of mine went to work for IFG and my son started shooting Sabatti and FAIR with his favorite being the FAIR racing. He has several custom Racings that between IGF and some custom stock companies we built. He’s still shooting them today.
I probably gave TMI but my point is in transparency. I know Dodd pretty well and yes my son was (he doesn’t compete anymore as his mechanical engineering program demands the majority of his time) sponsored by IFG thanks to James and Dodd but…. I don’t sell or receive anything from IFG. I just truly love their guns and every one of them I own and have shot over the years has been wonderful. Extremely well built and I have confidence in all of the IFG companies.
The O/U configuration has never caught my eye much from any company but if that’s your thing I can promise you that you will love that gun.

Gizmo, thanks for the fantastic response! I really appreciate it. I found an 8x57 O/U I’m considering buying as a plains game rifle for my wife. I haven’t had any luck on an MSRP list for any of the rifles. Any idea where I might find one?

 

[Beck]

yea, I'd love to know what these cost

 

[gizmo]

Gizmo, thanks for the fantastic response! I really appreciate it. I found an 8x57 O/U I’m considering buying as a plains game rifle for my wife. I haven’t had any luck on an MSRP list for any of the rifles. Any idea where I might find one?

Sure shoot me a pm with your best contact info and a phone number and lemme see what I can do.

 

[frog stealer]

Why FAIR? Is there somethinh special or unique about them that makes them worth buying over a Heym O/U or other?

Kevin,

Heym doesn’t make the 26b O/U rifles any longer. I managed to snag one of three remaining in Germany from Heym USA.

I’ve held a FAIR O/U rifle, and they seemed to be high quality, hence why I tried to buy one. That being said, they are not in the same league as my Heym (at least fit and finish-wise) but then again the Heym costs about 3x more.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Kevin,

Heym doesn’t make the 26b O/U rifles any longer. I managed to snag one of three remaining in Germany from Heym USA.

I’ve held a FAIR O/U rifle, and they seemed to be high quality, hence why I tried to buy one. That being said, they are not in the same league as my Heym (at least fit and finish-wise) but then again the Heym costs about 3x more.

Ok frog stealer, that is a big incentive to go for FAIR. What were the calibres of the 26b's you bought?

 

[frog stealer]

Ok frog stealer, that is a big incentive to go for FAIR. What were the calibres of the 26b's you bought?

Kevin, mine is chambered for 8x57 IRS. It’s a very fun gun to shoot, and a great short to mid range hunting rifle.

 

[Marc Ret]

I tried to order a few of their combination and side by side models earlier this year with no luck. The dealers I tried working with in the US were either not responsive or couldn’t (didn’t want to?) place an order for the model/caliber I wanted. If you have better luck, please share who you went through!

Which dealers did you try ordering through, frog stealer?

I've had several friends who've ordered multiple guns through Lion Country Supply and/or Iron Cowboy, both PA based shops, with positive experiences. Granted, these were custom ordered F.A.I.R. shotguns and not F.A.I.R. double rifles. Doesn't seem as though there should be a difference with shotgun vs. rifle but who knows. Too bad John Boyd retired as he would have almost certainly gotten your gun sorted out.

 

[frog stealer]

Which dealers did you try ordering through, frog stealer?

I've had several friends who've ordered multiple guns through Lion Country Supply and/or Iron Cowboy, both PA based shops, with positive experiences. Granted, these were custom ordered F.A.I.R. shotguns and not F.A.I.R. double rifles. Doesn't seem as though there should be a difference with shotgun vs. rifle but who knows. Too bad John Boyd retired as he would have almost certainly gotten your gun sorted out.

Marc,

Iron Cowboy was the first one I tried, can’t remember the others at the moment. I explained which model I wanted, and was told they (Iron Cowboy) would have to contact there distributor (IFG) to see if they could order the guns I wanted. Communication stopped after that, even after a follow up email confirming they hadn’t forgotten about me.

I believe the other dealers I tried ended up with similar outcomes. Maybe I’ll try Lion County Supply to see what they can do.

 

[frog stealer]

Marc,

Iron Cowboy was the first one I tried, can’t remember the others at the moment. I explained which model I wanted, and was told they (Iron Cowboy) would have to contact there distributor (IFG) to see if they could order the guns I wanted. Communication stopped after that, even after a follow up email confirming they hadn’t forgotten about me.

I believe the other dealers I tried ended up with similar outcomes. Maybe I’ll try Lion County Supply to see what they can do.

After checking my records, Lion County Supply was the other dealer I reached out to with no response. I think there may be additional hoops to jump through when importing a rifle compared to a shotgun…that may be why dealers are unresponsive. That being said, a simple email stating that would be common courtesy.