One of the advantages of a show like the Yorkton Gun and Hobby Show is the ability to see things that you might not be able to see every day, whether it's rare collectibles or premium firearms. Will Bilozer of Bilozer Fine Guns brought fine guns out of Italy and Spain to the show, to represent the premium segment at the show.
Bilozer's display featured Italian over-unders as well as Spanish side-by-side shotguns to the show. He says that the guns he brought represent high quality craftsmanship and are a cut above most shotguns on the market.
"Italians have been making guns for five centuries, so they're getting pretty good at it," Bilozer jokes.
In fact, some of the shotguns on display are completely hand-made, Bilozer says, and he notes that the pride in the craftmanship comes through on the product, which is impeccably finished inside and out.
These are guns that are not found in big box stores, he says, and are not commonly sold overall. He recalls having to make frequent trips to the factories in Italy and Spain to convince the owners that he was the right person to sell their products, because they are very selective about who they choose to do business with.
While Bilozir says that less expensive guns have merit, the product he sells are truly a cut above the rest.
"Mechanically, they're really well designed and very well machined, so they will last for 40,000 shots or more. Another thing is they're very big on selecting very beautiful wood, nice engraving, the fit and finish on them is excellent. If you take them apart, they're as well finished on the inside as they are on the outside. One of our Italian manufacturers joked about it. He said that the Germans make good guns, the Americans make good guns, but nobody dresses like an Italian."
That quality is reflected in the price, and Bilozer's shotguns are frequently priced in the thousands of dollars. The most expensive gun on display cost $12,800, for example, and many of more basic guns on display were hitting the equivalent of the high end American models.
The guns are naturally used for hunting and target shooting, but Bilozir says many are also used as an investment, as they don't depreciate. He notes that due to the design, they can be appreciated by people who aren't into shooting.
"These are really fine guns to take hunting, they're beautifully balanced and fitted and they shoot really well. Anyone who is a hunter who wants to carry a really nice gun, that's part of the attraction. I had a Russian grandpa who said life's too short to carry an ugly gun.
The show went well overall for Bilozir, but he says the true impact won't be known for a few months. He notes that the Yorkton market tends to take their time making a decision on a high end product, so he finds that people who look at the guns at the show will often call him much later to finally make a purchase.
