looking for info on an antonio zoli sxs 20 gauge that has imported by dakin gun company san francisco ca. on left barrel and Antonio Zoli on right barrel.silver receiver with engraving. The letters AR before serial # and the roman numerals XVI on the barrel receiver.

If I did the math correctly, your gun was manufactured in 1962. Dakin was an importer of Italian and Spanish guns, mostly doubles of both sxs and o/u variety. There were several levels of finish and Dakin assigned model numbers to each grade. If you describe the gun in more detail (single or double triggers, extractors or ejectors, straight or semi-pistol grip, beavertail or splinter forearm, solid or ventilated rib), I can probably identify the Dakin model for you. I have a Dakin imported Zoli from about the same time frame.

Antonio Zoli is a fairly well known Italian maker and there are still guns being manufactured under that name. The Dakin marked Zolis seem to be roughly equivalent in quality to the SKBs or the Miroku manufactured guns. If I recall correctly, the bores on mine are chrome lined. The few I've seen for sale suggest a price of $500-750 for the 12 gauge and $650-850 for the 20 gauge, depending on grade, although it has been a while since I've actually seen one at a show or on the internet. Because they aren't particularly common or well known, and because of confusion with Angelo Zoli guns (which seem to generally be of lesser quality but more common than the Antonio Zolis), the prices seem to stay pretty low for what you get in terms of quality. Part of the problem may be that the ones I've seen are not classic sxs game guns. Rather, the single trigger, ventilated rib and semi pistol grip seems to be the sxs version of a post WWII pump gun or semiauto.

The 20s seem to be a little heavy for gauge, or I should say mine is. That could be a product of the beavertail forearm and vent rib, neither of which are light. It's chambered for 2-3/4 inch shells, so the weight wasn't for users of 3 inch magnum 20 gauge shells. I don't use it as much as I should because I like to experiment with a variety of sxs, so the older ones tend to crawl to the back of the safe.

Thanks for the info on the date of manafacture. the zoli I have is a 20 gauge magnum with chrome bores and vent. rib. it has a rel nice turkish walnut stock with a red zoli marked rubber butt pad. double triggers with engraving on the trigger guard and every screwhead on the gun. the silver receiver is nicely engraved along with the barrels around the end where the receiver locks. semi pistol grip stock. an extremely tight fitting gun of what seems to be quality craftsmanship. this model seems to be fairly light and real easy to handle. my dad got it for me when i was a boy to hunt rabbits and birds and i still use it to this day. it is definately the favorite of all my shotguns.