Having been asked to test this new gun, I was a little surprised to open the case and find a 20-bore and not a 12-bore as expected. However, it was a delight to handle — a fine example of what the Italian gun makers do so well; a slim, elegant and very classy new model. This gun blends tradition with new technology to produce a fabulous new game gun.
Weighing in at 6.3lb, it has the balance and “feel” that give the impression of a much lighter gun. It would suit a woman, young person, or someone wanting a great gun for walked-up shooting. The RDX is clearly a shotgun of unparalleled quality and elegance. Unique looks combined with Italian breeding and class makes the RDX something a little bit special.
Strength and reliability
Its new, slim and low-profile round body action has been totally redesigned in lines and dimensions by Fausti to give this model not only the line of a “best” shotgun, but also strength and reliability that is second to none.
The new round body action is machined from a solid piece of forged steel, hardened and tempered and features the patented “Four Lock” mechanism. The stock is select walnut and comes with a classic round pistol grip, rubber recoil pad and an innovative chequering pattern with a deep ornamental scroll pattern laser engraved at Atelier Cellini.
When I received the email from Tony Laughton from Stag Country Sports, importers of Fausti guns here in the UK,…
£12,000.00
Our rating: 92%
Shooting impressions
Shooting it was a joy. Being used to a somewhat larger and heavier 12-bore, I found it to be very fast handling and lively, which took a bit getting used to. That’s to be expected with this calibre and type.
In terms of functionality, it worked flawlessly with beautiful clean, crisp trigger pulls and cartridge ejection to die for. So many guns can have “lazy” and tired ejectors even when new. I once owned a high-value Italian 20-bore that suffered with this and I never did like it. With 24g Hull Pro 20s the recoil wasn’t at all noticeable; however, using a 28g load the recoil was a little sharper.
In its class it is indisputably a beautiful gun and would hold its own when compared with many others of the same type and quality. The Prince of Wales grip and round body action really appealed to me. Its clean, smooth and top-quality functionality straight out of the box — when many guns are so tight and stiff — will assure anyone who buys this model that it has been engineered with care.
What I didn’t care for
Not much really, but as a self-confessed “timber tart” I found the straight grain nature of the woodwork not to my taste because I have always favoured the rather more figured type. But that said, it is, of course, a subjective criticism and a straight grain stock is arguably stronger.
Dedicated
The RDX is available in all standard calibres from 12 to 20, 16, 28 and .410 bore.
Every gun is built on a dedicated frame scaled to the calibre, with the exception of the .410 built on a 28-bore action.
The RDX comes standard with traditional colour case hardening or ‘coin’ finish, single selective trigger, ejectors and a set of 5 interchangeable choke tubes.
The Scottish Government has delayed its muirburn licensing scheme until autumn 2026 following record wildfires near Carrbridge and Dava
By ShootingUK
Get the latest news delivered direct to your door
Subscribe to Shooting Times & Country
Discover the ultimate companion for field sports enthusiasts with Shooting Times & Country Magazine, the UK’s leading weekly publication that has been at the forefront of shooting culture since 1882. Subscribers gain access to expert tips, comprehensive gear reviews, seasonal advice and a vibrant community of like-minded shooters.
Save on shop price when you subscribe with weekly issues featuring in-depth articles on gundog training, exclusive member offers and access to the digital back issue library. A Shooting Times & Country subscription is more than a magazine, don’t just read about the countryside; immerse yourself in its most authoritative and engaging publication.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.