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Marlin L. C. Smith SXS made in Spain and Italy?

14K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  SS 
#1 ·
I'm interested in the Marlin L. C. Smith SXS and have looked at both the 20 and 28 gauges. I noticed that they are different guns, the 28 is made in Spain by Zabala Bros. while the 20 is made in Italy by Fausti. I understand that the Spanish 28 received very high marks from the Editors of Field and Stream in the past and I've also heard good things about Fausti. Does anyone know why Marlin chose to split the manufacturing between Fausti and Zabala? Any opinions on which gun is better made. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
i'm also looking at these. other than the old time elsie snobs, i can't find anything negative written about these shotguns. i may be buying the 28 gauge in a week or 2 pending the sale of one of my o/u's to a friend. i was quoted a price of $1,309 (if i pay cash) out the door for the 28. as long as my bud buys my o/u, it will be in my safe next week.

last year i bought a bsa 12 gauge sxs. they're also made by zabala. i gave it a good work out last year and have no complaints. i took a few pheasants with this and it handles nice and shoots well. i'm taking it out this weekend for smalll game for the first time this season. i can't wait!
 
#3 ·
shooter: You're being a little hypocritical there... You mention "old time Elsie snobs" and then speak of paying an extra $400 or so to have the L C Smith name put on a $900 Fausti.. Now if that's not snobbery, I don't know what is..I think if you want an L C Smith, buy one.. if you want a Fausti, then buy a Fausti..Bushrod
 
#4 ·
bushrod wriote: "shooter: You're being a little hypocritical there... You mention "old time Elsie snobs" and then speak of paying an extra $400 or so to have the L C Smith name put on a $900 Fausti.. Now if that's not snobbery, I don't know what is".

ah, bushrod, that's why i don't post here so much any more after joining in 2005 or so (under a different name). it's so easy to tick someone off. my statement was in reference to a sgw search i did where an opinion was asked about the marlin elsies and a few posters ripped them to shreds, probably yourself included. i certainly meant no offense to the old elsie faithful though i understand it came out that way. is the "new" elsie overpriced as you say? what isn't? is it the same as the original? no way!

lou above is obviously interested in these shotguns as am i. field and stream put out a favorable review of the 28 gauge. so should this gun be damned because it isn't an American made side lock L.C. Smith? could you imagine what it would cost to build this gun in America under the original specs? i certainly don't have that kind of money. i've held one of these 28's at gander mountain. if it shoots as good as it looks and feels it's worth the money in my opinion.

i'm sorry in advance for any thing i've written here in this reply that may have offended anyone :roll:
 
#5 ·
I have never owned either gun but I have seen, handled and shot the Fausti made 20ga and it seemed like a nice cheaper SxS. I do believe that considerable cash could be saved by buying a Fausti without the L.C. Smith name on it.
 
#7 ·
Shooter... I think what gets people upset is that these guns are NOT LC Smith guns, they aren't reproductions of LC Smith guns, they aren't even an updated sidelock gun that bears any resemblance to LC Smith guns.

It's a corporate attempt to regain former glory using a sub-LC Smith quality gun, and stamping the LC Smith moniker on it.

It's not that the Fausti guns are bad... on the contrary, they seem to be a good value for the dollar, but are they worth the almost 50% increase in price to have the LC Smith name roll stamped onto them? Do they really think that the shooting community is stupid enough to think that they are buying a "genuine" LC Smith?
 
#8 ·
drsfmd hit it on the head. The criticism isn't with the guns labeled as Smiths, it's with the fact that they ARE labeled as such.
Now, back to the topic. I have owned a Fausti, and it was a very good gun. However, I overpaid for it because it had "Weatherby Athena D' Italia" on the side. It was a lively, well-made, well-fitted, versatile shooter, although the triggers were a bit heavy at roughly 7 lbs. pull.
I got rid of it because I never fell in love with 20 gauge, try as I might. I traded it for a 12 gauge Browning Citori Super Lightning, which is now my duck gun.
CAVEAT: Faustis, to my knowledge, are NOT proofed for steel, although the choke tubes in my Weatherby model were.
CAVEAT EMPTOR: It's been said before, but no gun rag editor ever met a gun he didn't have heaps of praise for. They are paid touts, pure and simple.
 
#9 ·
thanks for all your input. what you're saying makes sense.

about the 28 though. they're supposedly made by zabala of spain.

is that similar quality as the fausti? like i said, i actually checked one out at gander. it's no elsie, i understand this, but the finish on it was outstanding. i obviously didn't shoot it but it looked like a 28 gauge sized frame and fealt real nice.

i'm looking for something in this price range and don't want to buy anything used. from everything i read about the cz shotguns i don't want to risk my money on anything like that. i haven't seen many bad things written about the zabala (or fausti for that matter) and actually own a zabala. there really isn't much out there in this price range.

any other ideas or comments? thanks!
 
#10 ·
Well, I picked up a 20-ga. Fausti-made "Elsie" SXS a couple of years ago, and have been VERY happy with it. It works as advertised, handles and swings well for me, and breaks birds well, amd clays too. And I put a LOT of rounds through it. I, too, love the old Smiths, as they were "the" gun of my youth. BUT THE @#%$*&^ COMPANY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS!

So recently, I was looking for a "midprice" SXS that I could count on without breaking the bank.

And I haven't been disappointed!

Let's face it - Fausti makes guns to a price point. An expensive Fausti (and sold exclusively under their name) even gives the Brits a run for quality and a "best" gun!

But a CHEAPER Fausti was made to a lower price point, so don't put too much faith in that argument.

For a vote of confidence, how's this: I'm thinking seriously about one of those Spanish-made "Elsie" 28 SXSs if I can locate one locally to handle and check out!!

BobK
 
#11 ·
natty bumpo said:
shooter: You're being a little hypocritical there... You mention "old time Elsie snobs" and then speak of paying an extra $400 or so to have the L C Smith name put on a $900 Fausti.. Now if that's not snobbery, I don't know what is..I think if you want an L C Smith, buy one.. if you want a Fausti, then buy a Fausti..Bushrod
Where can I get a 900.00 dollar Fausti? I really think they are elegant SXSs and that includes the LC Smith. As y'all know, Marlin made the last sidelock LCs and they own the name and evreything else about them. Sooo, I believe in 2000 something LC Smith went to a boxlock design and to Fausti for a limited run of 12 and 20ga guns (Iknow of the nice small bore spanish ones, but I believe they predate the 12 and 20). I'll give y'all this; the sidelocks are probably all that they are cracked up to be, but the lineup of Fausti SXSs start at around 4K and go up from there. Their sidelocks are Wayyy up there. There are some Fausti O/Us badged for various other makers that can be had for less than a grand used, one being, get this, a Marlin LC Smith O/U. My wife bought my Marlin LC Smith Fausti SXS from Cabelas Gun Library, used, for 999 and it's a beauty. I contacted Fausti US and was told that they could service the gun if needed and supply chokes also (mine only came with what was in the barrels and I got three more).
Dave
 
#12 ·
mandude said:
Where can I get a 900.00 dollar Fausti?
You dredged up a 4 year old thread... there were plenty of $900 (and under!) Fausti's out there 4 years ago. I recall many selling brand new for less than $700.

mandude said:
As y'all know, Marlin made the last sidelock LCs and they own the name and evreything else about them. Sooo, I believe in 2000 something LC Smith went to a boxlock design
There has never been a "real" boxlock Elsie. In fact, there hasn't been a "real" Elsie made since the end of WWII! Even the 1945-50 and 1969-71 "L.C. Smith" guns are hardly acknowledged by the L.C. Smith collectors associations...

Simple ownership of the name may give you the right to issue something with that name, but it doesn't mean that it's legitimate.
 
#13 ·
drsfmd said:
.......Even the 1945-50 and 1969-71 "L.C. Smith" guns are hardly acknowledged by the L.C. Smith collectors associations...
I don't recall handling one of 1945-50 Smiths to compare to the pre-war models, however, a dealer friend had a pre-war Premier Grade which was an outright work of art! FWIW, the 1968-72 Marlin made "L.C. Smiths" had an investment cast frame and, IIRC, the base model had an aluminum vent rib supplied by Polychoke (a Deluxe version offered from 1971 to 1972 had a Simmons vent rib). While the guns shared the same profile and name as the classic Elsie's there were noticeable differences in quality and finish. This included the resurrected "Elsie" having a cheaper cyanide process for color case in place of the original's bone charcoal color case process. The 60's-70's era guns were simply not built to the same standard as the classic Elsie.

DF

Montani Semper Liberi
 
#14 ·
If the sidelock action and the original rotary bolt of the Smith do not mean anything, then why not just stamp L.C. Smith on any old gun you already own? Why pay money for different action simply for a "gunmaker" to do the stamping? The name will not fool those that know, and those that do not know will not recognise the name anyway. Such a puzzling thread this one.
 
#15 ·
I honestly never disputed the lack of authenticity of the new marlin "LC Smith". My statement about LC going to boxlok was actually tongue in cheek since I own one. The old thread caught my eye, again, because I own one and the OP was asking about them. Yes there were some inexpensive "Traditions by Fausti" marketed by Wal mart but no side by side sticker-ed for less than 1000 and most were 1495.00, and yes they can now be found used well under 1K. the O/Us were a lot less. These were built to a price point and were not the quality of the Marlin. The bluing (Marlin) is top notch and the fit and finish are excellent. Also the gun is real pretty. There is no embellishment on the receiver and there are a ton of boxlocks with faux sideplates and the marlin's is very nice. This is a strong solid field gun with some features you'll find on higher end guns; notably selective ejectors. If you have one of these, it'll be around as long as some of the old favorites.
I'm not unfamiliar with shotguns or their value. As for the Marlin LC sidelocks, they are recognized by LCSCA, and as with many collectibles, the older the better, so you may have to put an asterisk by your Marlin sidelocks.
Yes I do know a little something about shotguns, shooting, and whats out there and what's desirable. I'm 58 yrs old and have been shooting/ hunting all my life. Any good quality Fausti is desirable.
Thanks for the warm welcome, I guess this is to be expected when a bunch of smart..., myself included, get together on the web.
 
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