philpot 4,929 Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 I was in the RFD the other day looking for a cheap semi auto 12 guage for using in the hide. My first thought was a Hatsan, tough and cheap and saves me taking an expensive clay gun in the field. I looked at a couple of Hatsans, one being new for £400 including a slab of cartridges and a gun slip so very good value but then one caught my eye called a Mistral by Filli Pietta. Now I am the first to admit that I had never heard of them but it did feel very nice in the shoulder in as much as an auto can feel good because to me they are always a compromise when you are an o/u user nevertheless I liked it and certainly more so than the Hatsan. The Dealer, a pal of mine, said they had a very strong presence in fully working replica pistols and rifles and looking at their website, wow they produce some things of beauty but along with these they also manufacture rhe Mistral semi autos handled in the UK by Henry Krank in Pudsey selling at £1045 so this example at £250 in the shop was worth a punt. I have taken it to try out this weekend and if all goes well when I take the clay trap on the farm (handy it has not sold yet) we will decide if it is staying in my cabinet and I will sell my little Sabatti pigeon gun. I would be interested to know if anyone else has come across these guns. Phil 1 Quote Link to post
philpot 4,929 Posted November 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 Here is the website for Pietta if you are interested. https://www.pietta.it/home-pietta-eng Phil Quote Link to post
si brown 8,486 Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 just had a look at that site, the nickel synthetic semi looks well smart 1 Quote Link to post
Baldcoot 2,352 Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 I would say and its not an insult of it ,it looks like a mk 1 Hatsan but with far nicer details and finish and for £250 its a baargin atb 1 Quote Link to post
Sausagedog 7,381 Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 Pietta have been going for ages. Sell a lot of stuff in the states. It'll be fine at that money. Have fun. 2 Quote Link to post
philpot 4,929 Posted November 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 Just been playing around with it and have to say it appears to be very well made, the parts are beefed up compared to many others so depending on how it performs, it is looking good. A different ejection cartridge 'grabber' which certainly looks fit for purpose, hoping you can see it in the photo's. I will spend some time cleaning the action parts if I buy it. I am going to push my luck when testing as I am going to test some lighter shells as well so my youngest daughter can shoot it at clays as my 32" Beretta DT10 is far too heavy for her. Phil 1 Quote Link to post
Stavross 13,782 Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 I would definitely give £250 for that as a hide gun, I read a couple of reviews and they say well built and reliable, so for that price I don’t think you could go wrong 2 Quote Link to post
Sausagedog 7,381 Posted November 16, 2019 Report Share Posted November 16, 2019 Looks like a short recoiler. Akin to the benneli action. If so Uber reliable 1 Quote Link to post
philpot 4,929 Posted November 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2019 Due to weather issues this weekend, I didn't bother taking the gun out to test but today, Monday, I popped out with my pal for a walk around one of the perms. Well luck was not on my side with the birds breaking cover from the woods on my pal's side so he picked up a few pigeon and a pheasant but as I really wanted to try different cartridges as the main exorcise, I was still able to sort that out. I tried 30gr, 28gr, 24gr and 21gr and I can tell you that all cycled perfectly well which pleases me greatly as the lighter shells can be used by my daughter on clays. The other aspect was that in the test, there were both 65mm and 70mm cases and again the Pietta seemed to quite happy with both. This can be an issue with a few semi autos but it seems not with this one. I popped into the RFD and paid the man............ Phil 5 Quote Link to post
Sausagedog 7,381 Posted November 19, 2019 Report Share Posted November 19, 2019 Bargain. 2 Quote Link to post
ianm 2,594 Posted November 19, 2019 Report Share Posted November 19, 2019 17 hours ago, Sausagedog said: Bargain. Absolutely! 1 Quote Link to post
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