Fabarm XLR Columba Palumbus

Over the past year, I have grown fond of semi-automatics; there’s something deeply satisfying about loading, shooting, and, for me, often having that third shot! I have found them to be a handy tool in the pigeon/crow hide, because when using an over-and-under, you must either stand up over the netting to reload, potentially revealing your position, or risk scratching the gun while reloading discreetly in the hide. In contrast, a semi-auto allows for easy reloading while seated in the hide, offering a significant advantage. In use, a lighter-weight semi-auto allows me to get over the netting effortlessly to take those quick shots. Yes, controlling a lighter shotgun has taken quite some getting used to, but I am now seeing some great results.
A while back, I was very kindly sent a Fabarm XLR Columba Palumbus on a long-term loan. After using this gun numerous times out in the field, I now feel very confident in sharing my findings.
Fabarm was founded in 1900 and has been making over-and-under shotguns in Italy ever since. Their older shotguns were very basic, made to a budget, and at the time were not a well-known name compared with other shotgun manufacturers. However, in 2011, Caesar Guerini bought a majority share in the company and made some major improvements. Fabarm has really made a name for itself over the past few years, introducing a number of great sporting and game guns, including a selection of semi-automatics. I would now say its name sits equal to some of the best value-for-money shotguns on the market.

In the box
I tried a Fabarm semi-automatic a few years ago, and I felt the recoil was quite fierce, so I was very sceptical when I received this one to have a go with. Without even altering the shims to get the perfect fit, I took the Columba Palumbus out to have a shot at some clays. If the recoil was excessive, it would be no use to me. I was very pleased that it was incredibly smooth to shoot and knew I was going to have a lot of fun with it.
Before I went on my next outing, I did change the shim to one of the others provided, as I like a high point of impact. This was very easy to do, and I think it is great to have this option because achieving a good gun fit is so important.
I had a thorough rummage through the contents of the canvas case and found a selection of three internal chokes and one external. The most important one for me was the half choke, which I installed right away. All the chokes have been overpressure tested to 1630bar and are suitable for high-performance steel shot. The extended choke that was provided with the gun had been specifically tuned for the use of steel shot loads. The similarly steel-proofed barrel has a 3” chamber.
I then picked up a little black box that contained two quick-release sling swivels, which are a great addition. I fitted a sling to the swivels and have used it every time I have been out rough shooting or wildfowling. The brilliance of this design is that I can use the sling to carry the gun on my shoulder, but if I want to take it off, it is simply removed by pressing two buttons.
A great selection of high-visibility fibre optic front sights was also provided, so I swapped to a smaller red sight that gave me a clearer focus on the target and not the end of the gun.
Mechanically, the Columba Palumbus is very well built. It is fitted with the revolutionary Pulse Piston System, which is simple and very effective at reducing felt recoil by progressively slowing the action with heavy loads. It contains fewer parts and is easy to clean, which in turn makes it a highly reliable action. The bronze-coloured receiver has a great futuristic look, and the synthetic stock is coated with a soft-touch camo finish to create a rubberised feel.

The field test
The first time I shot the gun in the field was on a very windy day while decoying wood pigeons over a field of laid wheat. I struggled with the handling of the gun at the start of the day because the birds were extremely fast and therefore not the easiest targets. The gun weighs 7lbs 3oz, making it very light and fast handling. However, I quickly realised that I could never shoot it in the same way as my usual over-and-under, so I began to handle it with the same technique that I adopted when shooting smaller gauges. It was quick and effortless to mount over the netting, and it has become a great companion for my hide shooting.
I have also been lucky enough to take it out wildfowling this season, creating some wonderful memories while shooting geese, ducks, and snipe. On all these trips, the rain and mud were relentless. I haven’t been precious over the Columba Palumbus, and it has been used as a tool. But no matter how wet or dirty it got, it never failed. I haven’t had a single malfunction. As a result, I now honestly believe and trust in the reliability of this gun.
Although I was initially worried about recoil, I have not found it to be a concern. The main cartridge I used included a 30g load of No.6 lead shot with a fibre wad, which cycled without fail. The recoil is smooth, and the second and third shots can be taken as quickly as you can pull the trigger. For geese, I used 3” high-performance steel cartridges (34g | No.3). These loads are known to have excessive recoil, but I found them smooth enough to fire through the Fabarm. I would happily recommend this gun to anyone who is recoil-sensitive like myself.
The one cartridge I hadn’t tried was a 21g load, so I put them to the test. I loaded three cartridges into the gun, and it cycled them perfectly. Fabarm has done a brilliant job with whatever makes this gun cycle as well as it does.
It is great that this shotgun is offered with a left-hand port option, as there are a lot of left-handed shooters, but very few semi-automatic options. I have shot several right-hand ported semi-automatics in the past, and the empty cartridge cases eject straight in front of your face, which can be distracting. However, the biggest issue has been that debris from the ejected cartridge occasionally blew back into my eyes, which is not only uncomfortable but dangerous as well.
My only criticism of the Columba Palumbus concerns the high-visibility filament at the back of the receiver. Not only do I feel it is absolutely unnecessary, but I found when wildfowling in low light that it was hard to ignore. The last thing I want to do is have my focus on the back of the receiver and not the target. A black marker pen soon eliminated the problem.

Verdict
Fabarm has put a lot of thought into this model, and I think that will give people confidence when considering buying one. It is slightly heavier and has a chunkier profile than most other semi-automatics, which is a great advantage to me as I find it easier to control. It is also nice to be able to change the stock shims for a perfect fit.
I’m really pleased with how this shotgun has performed, as it has been reliable and comfortable to shoot. Plus, it looks great, is very competitively priced, and is backed with a three-year mechanical warranty. Pick one up the next time you visit a Fabarm stockist and then try to put it down!