When it comes to upland hunting, aside from a great dog, you want a shotgun that’s predictable and reliable: it instinctively snaps to your shoulder, has a clear sight picture and always goes bang. And better yet, it possess a classic aesthetic that compliments the tradition and art of wingshooting to make you feel a bit prouder about that downed bird.

Here in the Red Hills Region of South Georgia and Northern Florida, where King Bob prospers, you’d be hard pressed to find a better side-by-side companion than the 28-gauge Fausti DEA SLX. It’s a natural fit for the plantation stands of longleaf pines that echo the bobwhite hunting tradition of nearly 200 years.

Refined over the years, the DEA SLX is a straightforward, honest piece of engineering that contributes to its dependability. The shotgun relies on the proven Anson & Deeley boxlock action. The receiver is machined from a single billet of steel. Lockup is simple, comprising of an underbolt that engages a lug on the lower monobloc. The barrels hinge on a sturdy cross pin with a second pair of lugs inside the monobloc providing more of a mating surface compared to trunnions. Our model had a single non-selective inertia trigger that pulled at about four pounds, but for the more traditional minded double triggers are available.