FIVE PIOTTIS
Five Matched Piotti Shotguns” are a rarity but with the bore sizes (gauges) 12, 12, 20, 28, and .410 then the set is astonishing. Matched pairs are common and trios are not unusual , but a set of five is an anomaly, especially in descending bore sizes starting with a pair of 12s. For the discriminating sportsman and jet setting shooter, the matched pair of 12 bores for driven shooting or blind pass shooting are a dream. For walk up shooting, the matching “sibling” small bores are a delight for light carry yet fast mount and swing shooting.
This bespoke set of Piottis was commissioned by an American in 1996 with the help of Bill Moore of William, Larkin, Moore and Sons – US dealer and importer for Armi Fratelli Piotti. They were completed in 1997. The American had previously collected from Fred Wranic and then had carefully aged for over 25 years a set of five matching highly figured English walnut rifle blanks. This would insure that the butt stock and fore arm of a shotgun would most assuredly be from the same piece of wood. All guns would be Piotti King I sidelock ejector models with custom engraving. The King I usually comes with the Piotti designed standard rose and scroll, but the set was engraved with wall to wall coin finished small floriate scroll engraving by Oscar Granetti. Also, Piotti usually places a gold crown on the King model fore arm which was deleted. The 12 pair had instead of the usual 1 and 2 to design one 12 bore gun form the other, the Roman numerals I and II. Starting with the .410 and ascending to the 12 bore pair, all serial numbers are sequentially in order (9379, 9380, 9381, 9382, 9383). All guns have double triggers, straight stock grip, and half beavertail fore arms.
“ Matched pairs are common and trios are not unusual , but a set of five is an anomaly, especially in descending bore sizes starting with a pair of 12s. ”
The English claim to possess some of the best gunmakers in the world with many companies in their third century. But, the Italians have many of the oldest families with gunmaking traditon (Baretta now into their fifth century was founded in 1526). Today Gardone Val Trompia is the gunmaker’s capital of Italy with over 200 gun manufacturing firms including the small boutique family owned Armi Fratelli Piotti, which started making fine shotguns over 50 years ago. If design copy and continual improvement in manufacturing is the best form of flattery and compliment to originality then the Italians win hands down for their innovations in continuing the best held traditions of presenting bespoke fine shotguns. Armi Fratelli Piotti is respected the world over as one of the best of Italy’s gunmakers with a limited production of fine forearms. To own a Piotti is to own the “best”!
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