Fausti Class Express: an over-and-under double rifle for driven hunting

Getting to know a new gun and having full control over it is essential for the safety and accuracy that is needed during the hunt. It is for this reason that, before each hunting season, in our tests we at all4hunters.com check the firearms that will accompany us in the woods and with which we will tell you about our hunting experiences. On this occasion the Fausti sisters decided to give me and let me try the Class over-and-under in the Express version, that is featuring rifled barrels and designed for wild boar and large ungulates hunting.

Video: test firing the Fausti Class Express

Fausti Class Express double rifle details

A classic gun for an innovative and different approach to hunting. Hunting with just two rounds is often a factor that could seem limiting in some circumstances, but reflecting on the majority of hunting and shooting situations, especially in the woods, the limited time available for instinctive shooting makes us re-evaluate the speed of over-and-unders and break-action guns in general. The Fausti Class is a compact gun, quick on the shoulder when aiming, mild and stable when firing, as we will see later when we tell you about our experience on the shooting range. The receiver, machined from solid forged steel, is reinforced in its thicknesses and features two lugs through which the locking bolt is inserted.

This build feature is essential to ensure stability and robustness to a gun designed to shoot high performance ammo. The receiver size is the same as the 20 gauge, in order to provide a solid gun but with a streamlined appearance. Elegance is in fact one of the distinctive features of this Fausti double rifle whose old silver-finished surfaces on the receiver are embellished by engraved floral motifs and deep laser-made Renaissance themes. At the hunter's choice  the single-triggers can be replaced by the more classic double-trigger. The gloss blued trigger guard on which the Fausti logo stands out is large and well rounded, allowing a smooth and precise operation even in winter when wearing gloves. A fine detail that stands out to the eye is the pierced opening lever. 

The safety is located in the classic position on the tang, easy to reach during the action. The stock pistol grip is wide and the grip is firm thanks to the fine pitch checkering that can be also found on the surface of the Schnabel fore-end. The wood of the Fausti Class Express is select oil-finished European walnut, with a Bavarian-type stock that is comfortable on the shoulder and when aiming. To increase shooting comfort there is also a rubber recoil pad. The over-and-under double rifle for our test came in 30.06, one of the most performing and appreciated calibers by wild boar and ungulates hunters, but the gun is available in 12 different calibers: 8×57 JRS, 9.3x74R, .30R Blaser, .30-06 Springfield, .444 Marlin, .45-70 US Government, .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, 6.5×55, .243 Winchester, 7x57R, 6.5x57R. The barrels of the Fausti Class Express are 60 cm long and are made from special nickel-chrome steel; then individually adjusted and manually checked by Fausti technicians in the company's shooting gallery. Like all Fausti guns, the express rifles are sold only after a range test carried out at a distance of 50 meters. A detail that should not be overlooked in the case of the Express over-and-under is the fact that the rifled barrels can also be replaced with smooth bore 20 gauge barrels. The weight of the Class Express over-and-under is around 6.6 lb/3 kg, very well distributed along the length of the gun, and consequently neither tiring nor cumbersome when swinging, as we saw.

Fausti Class Express: the field test

Testing a gun to share impressions with our readers is undoubtedly a pleasure that also entails a responsibility with the risk that some impressions during the tests may be partly subjective, even if technically evaluated. The best opportunities arise when, during the tests, we have the opportunity to share our impressions with hunters or shooters who can contribute their own point of view to our expertise. The range test of the Fausti Class Express over-and-under was one of those fortunate occasions in which my point of view was combined with that of an expert shooter, Marco Marrazzini, who on the day of our test was at the range training with his guns. 

I took advantage of the availability and experience of Marco to get his opinion on what had been my clearly positive impressions after the first shots fired at the running boar target. As we alternated on the shooting stand, the quick shots string saw us more and more convinced of the gun's easy handling. Despite being chambered in 30.06, recoil on the shoulder was mild and stability excellent when firing follow-up shots. After the first few shots to become familiar with the new gun and with the iron sights, the shots on the boar target left little room for doubt and the growing awareness that the Class Express is a gun definitely suited to instinctive shooting. It is a compact and pleasant double rifle that does not cause the hunter any of the often unconscious stress when firing powerful cartridges that can cause stiffness and consequently milking errors when pulling the trigger. 

The trigger itself is smooth and precise, the automatic ejection of the cartridge cases is positive, so much so that in Marco's eyes the rifle is not only suitable for its primary hunting use, but it is also fun and interesting in different contexts such as shooting at the running wild boar. During the Fausti Class test we used the iron sights with the rear notch featuring two optical fiber inserts and the adjustable high visibility, red optical fiber front sight. Along the rib of the rifle there are tapped holes for rails and attachments for optics and red dots. 

In conclusion, we can say that it took very little time to get the right confidence with the Fausti Class, hitting the boar's target accurately after the first shots. The most surprising aspect was certainly the comfort and the softness on the shoulder, unusual for a break-action gun, given by a construction that is rugged and well-balanced, with an overall weight around 3 kg. This is a double rifle that will undoubtedly give unexpected satisfactions and emotions to hunters who love classic style and elegance – they will not be disappointed by its practicality and performances either. 

Fausti Class Express specs

For more information on the Class Express double rifle please visit the Fausti website.