Meet My Other New Friend

Remember that time when I brought my shotgun to Kennedy airport and got treated like the Pope? And then remember how Jet Blue decided not to put it on the plane? Well they did eventually and were very apologetic and gave me vouchers and here I am. With my new best friend.

You’ve probably noticed that my friends tend to be inanimate objects. And they change often. Not to say that I’m disloyal or fickle…

Perhaps it’s just that I like shiny things with gold plated birds on them… for example.

This one is from my friend Craig Johnson in Fredricksberg, Virginia. He gives me gun advice from time to time. He also works for Fausti, an Italian shotgun maker that makes guns on a very artisan level.

Do you want to know the coolest thing about Fausti though? It’s run by three women: Barbara, Giovanna, and Elena, the daughters of Stefano Fausti. They are from the same region of Italy that my family is from.

Let’s take her clothes off, shall we?

I feel like there should be some music cued here… I’ll let you decide which song to play in your head.

That is Turkish walnut.

Oiled and hand polished.

It’s called a Caledon. Craig Johnson named it himself when he started working for Fausti.

It’s tricky to see in this photo, but all of the wood is beautifully carved in precise detail.

And then a sleek barrel.

Here’s a closer look at the wood. This is my second favorite part.

And this is my most favorite part. A gold plated bird and incredible metal work.

Below the trigger too… I could look at this part all day.

This is the little blue manual with instructions in Italian also if you’re feeling bi-lingual.

And chokes. For all of my upland shooting needs.

If you want to know more about the Fausti sisters, you can watch a two part video James Marchington did about them and the craftsmen that work there. That’s what got me hooked. I’m always keen on learning about badass women… Part 1, Part 2.