What if we told you the Tikka T3 isn’t the only hunting rifle available on the NZ market? Introducing the Sabatti Rover! Sabatti is a leading European firearms manufacturer largely undiscovered by the NZ shooting community. And yet, in many ways, the Sabbati Rover is a superior choice of hunting rifle, even compared to some more expensive alternatives. Sabatti’s rifles are renowned for their accuracy and precision. And at such a competitive price point, these Italian-designed and produced rifles will undoubtedly make a name for themselves in New Zealand in due time. We are proud to stock Sabatti rifles and have various calibre options to suit your shooting application, including .223 Rem, 7.62x39mm, .243 Win, .308 Win, .270 Win, 30-06 Springfield & 300 Win Mag.
At such a competitive price point, these Italian-designed and produced rifles will undoubtedly make a name for themselves in New Zealand in due time.
The Sabatti Rover’s key features are seldom included in rifles costing just $1350. In the first case, buyers will appreciate a stock pre-fitted Picatinny mount out of the box. Often Picatinny mounts are an additional post-purchase cost, yet Sabatti saves you this extra expense and trouble. Attach your rings and scope, and you’re good to go! Moreover, for backup or if you prefer open iron sights, the Rover has an excellent front sight that can be removed to enable the Rover to be paired with an over-barrel suppresser. The rifle also features the standard and popular 1/2×20 thread size making it compatible with a wide array of suppressor options.
A noteworthy feature of the Rover is its premium cold hammer forged (CHF) barrel construction and unique rifling pattern. CHF is an engineering process whereby material is machine hammer pressed (without being heated) around a barrel blank. This forging process greatly increases barrel strength and rigidity. As to the rifling pattern of the barrel itself, the Rover features Sabatti’s own unique MRR barrel rifling. MRR or Multi Radial Rifling is a rifling pattern pioneered by Sabatti and offers users several advantages over traditional rifling. All Sabatti barrels are guaranteed to achieve sub-MOA groups up to 200 meters, but the objective of their development of the MMR rifling pattern was to bring this level of accuracy to even longer ranges with commercially available ammunition. In traditional rifling patterning, the projectile is engraved/ cut by the rifling as it travels down the barrel, but in an MRR barrel, the bullet is deformed. And not only will Sabatti’s unique design increase accuracy and also barrel life, but the patterning forms a superior projectile seal against the barrel wall, enabling a higher bullet velocity due to increased gas pressures. Furthermore, MMR rifling is also less prone to copper residue build-ups or deposits and is thus easier to clean and more reliable.
Tipping the scales at around 3kg, the Rover is neither light nor heavy when compared to other rifles in its class. The Rover has a robust synthetic build quality capable of enduring whatever elements are asked of it. So should you be in the open rocky alpine environments or slow, dense bush, the Rover is up to the task. As a final notable feature, to aid shooter comfort while looking down the sights, the Sabatti has a raised cheek rest.
