New England Arms | Dogs and Doubles

See this week’s 5 doubles you don’t want to miss …

May 8, 2022 by Gregg

Winchester Model 21 Custom Grade 3″ SxS 20Ga. NIB: Winchester model 21 Custom Grade 3″ 20 gauge new and unfired in the original box with hang tag. This gun is one of an estimated 46 20 gauge model 21s with 28″ barrels with 3″ chambers. The barrels are choked modified and full and have a solid rib. The rib is marked “custom built by Winchester” with no name on the rib. The flat side action is engraved in the #1 pattern. The pistol grip stock is nicely figured wood and has a 131/2″LOP over the factory installed ventilated pad. Just like the 12 gauge duck 21s. The gun retains 100% of the original blue and wood finishes. Features include ejectors, single selective trigger, and beavertail forend with ebony tip. The box is in very good condition and retains the original waxed paper, wood dividers, and end label. This is an extremely rare model 21 in this configuration and condition. Price: $15,900

Arrieta – New England Arms – Side Lock Ejector SxS 28ga 28″ IC / M: Ejectors, Double Triggers, English Stock – LOP 14-3/4″, Drop 1-1/2″ to 2-1/14″, Slight Cast Off, Weight – 5 lbs. 15 oz. Made for New England Arms in 2001. Remains in New Condition! Price: $5,450

WEBLEY & SCOTT 720 BOXLOCK SXS 20 GAUGE: English mfg. 26 inch barrels. IC & IM choke. .006 & .024. Double triggers. Ejectors. 14 5/8 LOP checkered butt. 1 3/8 comb 2 inch heel. 5 lbs 13 oz. Action is tight and gun and bores are in excellent condition. In leather hard case with oil bottle, cleaning rod and Webley label. Price: $5,450

Beretta 471 Case Colored SxS 20 gauge 28" Bbls — Beretta 471 Case Colored SxS 20 gauge 28″ Bbls

Beretta 471 Case Colored Double Triggers SxS 20 gauge 28″ Bbls: This is an elegant 20 gauge Beretta 471 side by side with case colored steel and 28″ barrels choked IC/IM. It is a model J471437. The stock has a length of pull of 14-1/2″ to the first trigger from a checkered wood butt plate and the double triggers allow for instant choke selection on the flush. This model also has the unique feature of a switch in the forend that allows the ejectors to be in extractor or ejector mode; see picture 14. The drop at comb is 1-1/2″ and the drop at heel is 2-3/8″. It has tasteful light engraving and gold inlays of a woodcock, a grouse, and a hawk’s head. The gun was made in 2005 and has no wear except one small ding on the top of one of the barrels. The gun weighs 6 pounds 7 ounces. It has the Beretta factory hard plastic blue case, the white flannel Beretta barrel and stock sleeves, the manuals & documents. Price: $4,599

Gil & Cia Fca. De Armas 28 gauge Antonio Gil Sidelock SxS 30-in barrels: Gil & Cia Fca. De Armas, (Eibar, Spain) engraved 28 gauge sxs made by specialty maker Antonio Gil. Full sidelock case hardened receiver with double triggers and 30 inch mod and full barrels with filed rib. Gun has fancy wooded English stock with checkered butt and triangular grip at 14.5 Lop and splinter forearm. Gun weighs 6 lbs 4 oz. Disc set strikers and hand-detachable sidelocks. Extremely high quality gun. Price: $3,700

Good gun alert: 28g FAIR OU, double triggers, 28″ bbls…

May 26, 2019May 25, 2019 by Gregg

A few years after I became obsesses with doubles, I stumbled into a job at gunshop called New England Arms. Located in Kittery Point, ME, New England Arms (NEA) was the finest gunshop in the world back then (we’re talking 1999) and the SxSs and OUs they had on their floor went from Fox Sterlingworths and Parker AH-grades to Purdeys, Bosses and Fabbris.

New England Arms also had these OUs built by for them in Italy by Fabbrica Armi Isidoro Rizzini (FAIR). These guns were built on the classic Brescian triggerplate action and used a Boss/Woodward-inspired lockup. They were solid, reliable guns, great for hunting. The one you see here is special with it’s double triggers, straight stock, and subtly color-case hardened action. At $1,150, I don’t see how it’s not a deal.

FAIR Rizzini NEA 500 OU 28 Gauge

FAIR Rizzini NEA 500 OU 28 Gauge: With Imp & Mod Choke Tubes. It is in good shape with normal wear from shooting sporting clays. Straight English syle stock with double triggers and automatic ejectors. Excellent price for this shotgun. Chambers: 2 3/4″, Ejectors: Yes, Condition: Good , Barrels: 28″, Triggers: Double, LOP: 14.5″, Chokes: Imp / Mod Price: $1,150

Auction Alert: A 16g FAIR – I. Rizzini O/U shotgun…

April 8, 2015April 8, 2015 by Gregg

FAIR I. Rizzini 16 gauge 28" barrels — FAIR I. Rizzini 16 gauge 28″ barrels

Back when I first got into doubles, I visited a shop called New England Arms in Kittery Point, ME. At the time, New England Arms was the best gunshop in the world, and sitting in its racks were hundreds of shotguns: Purdeys, Holland & Hollands, Fox XEs, Francottes and on and on. I was impressed — blown away, really — so much so that four months later I quit a great job in the corporate world to go work there.

This was back in 1999, and at that time New England Arms was introducing a new line of over-under shotguns to the American market. These O/Us were made in Italy for NEA by Fabbrica Armi Isidoro Rizzini (F.A.I.R) and the 16 gauge you see here is one of those guns. It’s on Gunbroker.com now and the online auctions end 4/13/2015 @ 12:42:41 PM ET.

The NEA/FAIR O/Us are solid, reliable doubles. The sixteens were built on true 16-gauge frames, and that’s why they’re pretty lightweight. This one comes in at 6lbs, 3oz, – pretty trim for an O/U with 28″ bbls and a 14 1/2″ LOP.

FAIR I. Rizzini 16 gauge 28″ barrels: Excellent condition 16 gauge O/U. 28″ barrels. 14.5″ LOP. 6 pounds 3 ounces. Comes with Briley Chokes: SK, IC, LM, LM, M, IM. The gun has been fired less than 1000 times.

Good gun alert: a 20 gauge FAIR/NEA Model 500 O/U…

May 12, 2014 by Gregg

If you’re looking for a decent upland gun, you should take a look at this FAIR/NEA Model 500 O/U. It appears to be in excellent, original condition, and at $1,429.99 , it’s a good deal.

FAIR is an acronym for Fabbrica Armi Isidoro Rizzini, an Italian maker who has been around since 1971. NEA was the notorious New England Arms, the high-end gun dealer known as “The Finest Gunshop in the World” and “The Most Dangerous Place to Buy a Double.” NEA worked with FAIR in the late 1990s to develop a line of O/U shotguns for the US market. The Model 500 started out as the least expensive model in that line, but it was replaced a couple years later by the Model 400. There were also a couple upper-grade models – the Model 700 and the Model 900. Each model came in 12 gauge, 16 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, and .410.

All the FAIR/NEA over-unders were built on the reliable trigger-plate style actions featured on many modern Italian O/Us, and their single triggers were sound and dependable.

FAIR NEA 500 20 gauge Over-Under Shotgun

Another nice bird gun: a FAIR 702 O/U in 20 gauge…

September 25, 2013 by Gregg

New England Arms (NEA) FAIR RIzzini 20g 702 O/U Shotgun

New England Arms in Kittery Point, ME, used to be the finest gunshop in the world. At their peak, the shop usually had a couple hundred used guns on hand — everything from high-grade Lefevers and Parkers shotguns to Boss O/Us and Holland & Holland double rifles. They were also North America’s largest importer of Arrieta shotguns, and they also brought in new doubles by Italian makers Bosis, Bertuzzi, Flli Rizzini, and Fabbri.

Starting in 1999, they also brought in a line of O/Us made by F.A.I.R (Fabrrica Armi Di Isidoro Rizzini). These were solid, well made guns designed by NEA and built on a time-tested Italian triggerplate action. The one below was one of the fancier grades offered. It’s probably a decade old, and it looks to me like a heck of deal.

New England Arms (NEA) FAIR 702 20 gauge in the perfect configuration: 28″ over-under barrels are in excellent condition with clean, smooth bores, choked IC/M and bluing in great original condition. The straight English stock is an extremely well figured walnut with strong marbling. The case is blued with inset gold wire engraving scroll and lettering details. This gun only has the expected normal wear – some micros cratches. No gouges, chips, cracks, large scratches, etc. Schnabel forend. I have had this gun for a few years but only been able to shoot it twice. It fits and moves well (LOP is about 14″). Price: $2,200