A couple of questions. Is V. Bernadelli still in business - I had thought they were closed years ago but a friend says that they are still actively making shotguns @ Val Trompia? Second most of Vincento Bernadelli guns I have seen have been box locks, some with side plates but my friend says that they actually made and continue to makemany sidelocks and that the Hemingway model was in fact a 7 pin sidelock gun? Thanks, Slate
I have seen one of them "Turk-Italo" guns. It was one of those XXV" SLEs with Churchill rib. Man, that thing threw caps 25' and needed Hulks knee to open. Perhaps it was just one fruity example out of good bunch of guns, but no thanks!
Slate,
The Hemingway is not a sidelock. The only Vincenzo Bernardelli sidelock is the V.B. Holland & Holland line. All of the rest are side plated boxlocks. Here is the companies website;
http://www.bernardelli.com/If I remember correctly the Bernardelli family is no longer involved in the company.
They do have some nice looking guns on their web site. I sent an e-mail to find U.S. dealers.
I have seen one of them "Turk-Italo" guns.
Are the current Bernardellis part Turkish? My 20ga. Hemingway Deluxe was made about 1990, and is purely Italian.
The V. Bernardelli hammer guns are sidelocks, including the one I have for sale. The recent "Bernardelli" shotguns I've seen are pretty crummy, IMO, compared to the earlier ones.
I received this reply to my e-mail this AM, this is a link to the importer. Note that they carry European ammo.
Bernadelli importer for U.S.