Every technical detail of F.A.I.R.'s Xlight Snipe over-and-under has been studied to optimise balance and weight reduction. A shotgun available in 12 gauge and 20 gauge that, thanks to its lightness, is particularly suited to even the most demanding walked-up hunt in the mountains and quick shots in the woods. Pleasing to the eye, with attention to color combinations and laser engravings, the F.A.I.R. over-and-under that we tested on the sporting course also demonstrated a technical quality and barrel ballistic performance that can satisfy a general use in hunting on the move with a dog.
The receiver in Ergal 55 is the fundamental starting point for the lightness, to which is added the general compactness of the gun, the selection of wood with a low specific weight and the lack of a central rib to achieve the result of perfect balance and a weight that does not reach 2.6 kg for the 12 gauge and 2.4 kg for the 20 gauge versions. The receiver with nickel-plated finish features gold-inlaid engravings with game in flight, a pheasant and partridge on the sides and a woodcock on the bottom. The lightness of the shotgun should not cast doubts on robustness, since the over-and-under, like all F.A.I.R. Ergal guns, has an internal steel reinforcement plate near the firing pins.
The locks have coil springs and half-cock hammer safety. The hinge pins, as in all F.A.I.R. firearms, are interchangeable.
The stock is an oil-finished pistol grip type with a wide grip to facilitate a quick and stable hold, the fore-end is in the classic Schnabel design. The deep laser-cut checkering also contributes to swing precision. The stock ends in a rubber recoil pad that helps to dampen the negative effects of felt recoil, even though the characteristics of the gun and possible hunting use do not recommend the use of heavy loads. Still on the subject of ammunition that is well matched to the characteristics of the over-and-under, given the design the first Paradox rifled barrel to optimise the distribution of shot patterns in close-range shots, cartridges with bior wad or container are advisable for an excellent terminal performance, avoiding dispersants that would create useless voids or dangerous peripheral hits. The Paradox barrel has been designed by F.A.I.R. to facilitate the first shot in the woods, in dense environments with poor visibility and wild animals such as woodcock that give the hunter few moments and often no chance for follow-up shots before making themselves invisible. The barrels of the Xlight Snipe over-and-under come with 61-cm and 76-mm magnum chambers, with the possibility for the second barrel to have interchangeable Technichoke Hunting XP50 internal chokes.
F.A.I.R. Xlight Snipe on the sporting course
Using normal 28-gram Trap cartridges, the Snipe over-and-under proved to be soft on the shoulder and stable for quick follow-up shots.
The hits on clay pigeons were clearly visible at medium distances even beyond 25 meters, thus above the usual ranges in walked-up hunting with pointing dogs, especially when shooting in the woods.
The number and rate of shots fired during our test was obviously higher than in any hunting situation, but we wanted to see whether the fast and repeated firing of a very light shotgun created stressful conditions for the hunter's shoulder or any difficulties for the gun, which did not prove to be the case, confirming the positive feelings that the Xlight Snipe over-and-under had already conveyed.
For more information on the Xlight Snipe, visit the F.A.I.R. website.
