Sabatti 450NE opinion

[double rifle newbie]

No the one I picked was not a Dremel one....I passed on it ! Acually I posted on several web sites about the gun that had Dremal marks on the muzzle. Those guns turned into a very big pain for Cabelas. What was great that they made it right to people that bought them. I really don't think that the same thing would happen with the new owners of Cabelas.

It would be nice to know what happen to the gun that I returned ! With how bad the chamber were, the scrap pile would be a good place for it.

Years ago I saw several of the Sabatti doubles for sale at some very low priced It looks like enough time has passed and a new crowd that really doesn't know there history is in the market place.

from what I’ve read people have spent about $1200 and had the muzzles redone, shaving down the barrels to eliminate the Dremel, then re-regulating. A giant pain in the ass for people that had to do it and shame on Cabela’s and sabatti for trying to pull this off, but the Dremel ones if u got an undremeled one that shoots that poorly then thats bad luck and hopefully the company would make it right

 

[Rare Breed]

Ive got very limited experience with Sabatti.. Ive only shot a couple, and have never owned one..

I do think they get a pretty bad rap overall because of the old Cabelas run (they earned it).. but.. that appears to be a one off sort of situation.. outside of the cabelas run that went bad, I havent heard of any systemic problems with them with any of their other doubles..

$7K seems to be a fair price depending on the amount of use and condition the gun is in... Ive definitely seen them go cheaper (in the high $5000's and low to mid $6000's).. but Ive also seen guys try to get higher prices out of them (seen them listed on GB and other places in the $8-$9K range for used)..

Youre definitely not buying an "investment" gun like would would be with some german or british guns.. but youre also not paying german or british prices..

The RMR and the associated work done to mount it properly bring a little bit of additional value I think (again, youre not buying an investment gun.. youre buying a hunting/shooter.. and a lot of people hunting with doubles are moving to red dots these days).. I paid about $500 for JJ to create a mount for my wifes Chapuis double so that it would take an RMR.. and you figure a 1 MOA Type 2 RMR is about $800 these days (new in the box)..

I think a lot of guys dip their toe in the water with doubles by buying something like a Sabatti first.. its not cheap.. but its definitely among the most affordable ways to test things out and see if youre going to like a double or not.. and.. assuming you want to upgrade to something else later, my guess is you'd probably get most of your money (maybe all?) back out of the sabatti if you chose to sell it...

Were I in the market for a low cost, entry level double... I'd probably at least consider a $7K sabatti..

and.. who knows how motivated the seller is to let it go... I'd probably offer him $6500 and see if he'd take it if I really liked the rifle and I thought it was in decent shape, etc..

I would definitely recommend getting the serial number and confirming that it is either NOT one of the bad cabelas guns.. or if it is, that its one of the cabelas guns that Ken Owen worked on prior to passing... if Ken worked on the gun, its honestly probably a better shooter than anything coming off the sabatti assembly line right now..

if you ever want or need to sell the gun, being able to confirm its not a cabelas gun, or is a Ken Owen "fixed" gun will make things much, much easier for you..

Excellent opinion. I have owned one and it was absolutely fine regulated by Ken Owen. New ones are $8500. I too would offer $6500 for the package

 

[coyote wacker]

from what I’ve read people have spent about $1200 and had the muzzles redone, shaving down the barrels to eliminate the Dremel, then re-regulating. A giant pain in the ass for people that had to do it and shame on Cabela’s and sabatti for trying to pull this off, but the Dremel ones can be fixed.

I really don't think Cabelas the owners at the time had any knowledge when it was first brought to light. I had no idea and did a lot of research about the guns, it was bought not to long after they were offered. I know I was one of the first to show the problem to Cabelas I only had the gun for 2 weeks. The problem on how some of the guns were regulated by grinding the the muzzle was diffrent than what I had. Mine was a hole diffrent problem the chambers were over size I was lucky that a case didn't split upon fireing the rifle.

 

[sureshot375]

In that price range I would look at a used O/U in .450/.400 from VC or Zoli.

That’s also creeping up into the price range for a used Krieghoff.

 

[deewayne2003]

If thats the gun... Its probably a pretty solid deal at $7K IMO

its been beat up a bit.. the stock and the steel both show a good bit of use..

but... it also comes with $1500 in ammo... Hornady 450-400 DGS and DGX are about $150 a box these days..

So youre really paying about $5500 for the gun (about what I would guess it is worth based on condition), paying $1500 for the ammo.. and getting the gunsmithing and the RMR for "free" at the $7K price tag..

Were I interested in the gun, I'd give him the opening bid value.. but not give anything more than that..

you probably wont find another one any cheaper than that (again, using $5500 as the real price being paid for the gun)... and if you did, youre still going to pay the $1500 for the ammo so that you can both practice and hunt with the gun... so even if you did find another $5500 sabbatti, youre still going to be $7K invested in the other one.. and not have the RMR or the machining done to the other one...

That particular RMR is a bit less expensive than the type 2 I quoted earlier.. new in the box the Dual Illuminated RMR is about $600... but between the optic and the required gunsmithing, even if you were to buy the RMR used, youre looking at about $800-$900 in value total I think..

I agree with what @mdwest says.....

The ammo is $150 per box + tax & shipping, you get the mount and the RMR with it also.

 

[double rifle newbie]

I really don't think Cabelas the owners at the time had any knowledge when it was first brought to light. I had no idea and did a lot of research about the guns, it was bought not to long after they were offered. I know I was one of the first to show the problem to Cabelas I only had the gun for 2 weeks. The problem on how some of the guns were regulated by grinding the the muzzle was diffrent than what I had. Mine was a hole diffrent problem the chambers were over size I was lucky that a case didn't split upon fireing the rifle.

 

[tomahawker]

I picked up a 470 Sabbati for $3500 circa 10 yrs ago. Non dremel. Shot it a handful of times, have other double guns. Seems just fine. Imho $6500 seems a bit steep, even with the ammo, but I’ve not been paying attention to the market for a few years.

 

[tomahawker]

Also, always suspicious of “auctions”, no matter what. Not with item being as advertised but the “auction”. I’d slip an email in there at 5k and see what shakes out. Been buying selling used farm equipment over 20 yrs. I can toe dirt with the best of em.

 

[LimbNoMo]

With show season coming up and everyone prepping for next summer, they’ll get at least $7000.

 

[matt85]

I owned a Sabatti in 450-400 NE... It was a waste of money.

Everyone tries to cheap out on double rifles. Some people get lucky but most don't. Fact of the matter is that a good double rifle starts around $11k and anything that costs less is a roll of the dice.

 

[jcs271]

Brand new 2011 Cabelas Sabatti .450NE, Zim, Hornady factory solids, only used once.....

Now 14yrs later and (many years ago) fitted with a custom rear aperture sight made by Sam Rose, carried hundreds of miles till the barrel blueing has worn bare. Lots of small dings in the wood. I trust it.

DEFINITELY NOT FOR SALE

 

[AZDAVE]

I owned one that wasn't dremled. Shot very well with hornaday factory and my hand loads.

Is the ammo factory loadsed ammo? or is it handloads? If handloads better be from someone you trust.

 

[Safari Dave]

I think you are much better off with a quality bolt-action, than an questionable double.


Good DR's are simply going to be fairly expensive because of the market and the time/effort that is required to build and regulate a high quality DR.

Before I finally bought a Heym, I wanted a DR so much that I considered several less expensive options. (Merkel, Chapius, Searcy, etc., but I always ended up talking to someone who told me to reconsider)


IME, there was no newly manufactured (2001), somewhat affordable, DR that PH's trusted at the time other than Heym & Kreighoff.


I recommend biding your time, until a deal comes along...


One, eventually, will.

 

[Mountaineer]

I was in your shoes a few years ago. I found a gun shop with a Sabatti and a Krieghoff. The quality of the Krieghoff was very obvious, but the feel and point-ability of it being an O/U was much better for me. The iceing on the cake is that O/U cost is a little less. You can get a good quality O/U for $7000 that you will enjoy.

 

[Aiden204]

for what it's worth, I picked up a 450-400 sabatti earlier this year.

I posted asking about what everyone thought of Sabattis (You can find the thread on my profile) & was promptly told a large amount of bad things. It wasn't great feeling as I'd already purchased the rifle. I think doubles are somewhat gate kept by the old rich dudes. Many normal working class/younger guys DM'ed me to say theirs worked fine. Mine was the same. shoots 2ish inches off a rest with Hornady DGX at 50 metres. Then I decided to hand load for it. (there's a huge book on the topic, it's described as this incredibly difficult task) which took all of a single afternoon - I believe 12 shots total? and shot even better than factory Hornady lol.


edit: It's worth mentioning the triggers on mine are absolutely terrible. I'd wager they were originally 10lbs. I got them worked on by a local smith & they're a lot better. I had my LOP shortened at the same time & all is well.