The title of “Coolest Gun Nobody Needs” should be retired with the new Fabarm Infinite RS. A dedicated side-by-side target gun, the RS catches every eye on the sporting course and it’s fun to shoot, too. It may be my favorite model from this year’s crop of new shotguns. If only I needed it. From the soft pad and Monte Carlo stock at one end to the extended choke tubes at the other, the gun has all the competition features of a sporting O/U. It just happens to have its barrels on sideways.
Side-by-side target guns used to be popular. Before the Browning Superposed and the Remington Model 32 came along in the early 30s, if you shot a break-action for the then-trendy game of skeet, or for trap doubles, you shot a side-by-side. Over time, the small advantages of the O/U— a thinner, more precise sight plane, straight-line recoil—won out, and O/Us took over target shooting and never looked back. On the sporting course and the skeet field, side-by-sides are a curiosity or a sideshow in special side-by-side-only shoots around the country. Many who participate in the those events use their hunting guns. Some find old Model 21 skeet guns or something similar. There aren’t a lot of modern choices. Until now. So, here's a closer look at the new Infinite RS.
Related: Fabarm Autumn Elite Shotgun Review
Fabarm Infinite RS Specs
Length: 50.25” with 32-inch barrels
Weight: 8.5 pounds with 32-inch barrels
Barrel: 30- or 32-inch raised hand-detachable aluminum rib, white front bead, nickel mid- bead, five Exis HP chokes
Action: Break action side-by-side
Trigger: 4.5 pounds
Capacity: 2
Finish: Satin/matte steel with enamel decoration
Stock: Semi-deluxe Turkish walnut
Chambering: 3-inch 12-gauge
Price: $6,044.50
Fabarm Infinite RS Overview
It's not a criticism of the Infinite RS to say that I’d feel as if I were cheating if I shot one in a side-by-side shoot. When I look down the high, target-style rib and swing the gun’s 32-inch barrels, it doesn’t feel a whole lot different from shooting a target O/U. In fact, I picked the gun up at my FFL holder and took it straight to the sporting course. Even accounting for a brief meltdown, I racked up a good score with the gun shooting over 100 targets even though I’d never held it before.
Like the Autumn Elite, the Infinite RS is built around a sturdy action comprised of four locking lugs (most side-by-sides have two) on the monoblock that fit into recesses in the floor of the frame. The barrels attached to the lugs are bored according to Fabarm’s TriBore method, and they have long, extended Exis HP chokes to improve pattern performance. The barrels come in 30- and 32-inch lengths. My gun, with 32s, balanced about an inch ahead of the hingepin, giving the gun a weight-forward feel that I like. The 30-inch barrels would have a lighter, livelier feel. A 10mm-high rib tops the barrels, giving you a sight picture that’s very similar to that of an O/U or semiauto.
At the butt end of the gun, there’s a soft recoil pad and a Monte Carlo stock with an adjustable comb. The RS has a single selective trigger with the selector in the safety. The trigger adjusts for length. The pistol grip has a palm swell, and the gun has a beavertail forend, as a target gun should.
The wood is semi-deluxe, oil-finished Turkish walnut, and I thought it very nice-looking, as well as perfectly shaped, checkered and inletted. The metal is all a satin black with light-blue and white enamel accents to set off the very minimal engraving. This is clearly a modern side by side, and while its looks may not be traditional, it’s a handsome and very well fit-and-finished gun.
Related: Rizzini BR240 Cole Special Sporting Shotgun Review
Fabarm Infinite RS Range Test
At the range, the Infinite RS printed slightly below point of aim when I shot it from a bench. I hadn’t noticed when I shot at clays, but side-by-sides generally have more downflip to the barrels than O/Us, so it wasn’t a surprise. It would be easy enough to raise the comb a bit if you wanted to raise the point of impact. After shooting this gun at skeet, at sporting clays, and at 5-stand—and watching clay after clay go up in smoke—I wanted it. I had to keep reminding myself that I already have enough target guns.
Final Thoughts of the Infinite RS
Pros
Genuine purpose-built target gun
Raised rib for O/U-like sight picture
Excellent fit and finish
Cons
Styling may not be for everyone
If you are serious about winning a side-by-side shoot, or you want a unique sporting gun that doesn’t give up much to O/Us, the Infinite RS might be the answer you’ve been looking for.
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