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Ballshooter

50 Cal.
Joined
Jan 20, 2021
Messages
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Location
Washougal, Wa.
I recently broke my clavicle out in the woods, hiking it still hurts like F@#$%...But my wife decided to give me something early...she said I had this for months under our bed.. :oops: you will not be able to shoot it any time soon but, she wanted to give it to me to ease my pain lol. I can't even hold it hahahah. Anyway here is a picture my wife took its a Antonio Zola Zouave it's marked F.A.R.A the SN# 2080XX with a date code XXV anyone have any info I did a quick search and only found it was made in 1965. What does F.A.R.A stand for? She said she got it at a yard sale and the old guy said he bought it new and never shot it just hung it above the fireplace. Of course I need a new sling, some nipples, and a bayonet hahah. I can't wait to burn some powder. I have several mine ball molds one that comes to mind that should work is a old Lyman. 577 570 grain thick skirt. Damn my shoulder hurts already lol.
 

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If your wife is still in a giving mood , ask her for one of those shooting bench devices for range shooting. My buddy is old and the rifle rest holds the rifle , soaks up the recoil.
 
I recently broke my clavicle out in the woods, hiking it still hurts like F@#$%...But my wife decided to give me something early...she said I had this for months under our bed.. :oops: you will not be able to shoot it any time soon but, she wanted to give it to me to ease my pain lol. I can't even hold it hahahah. Anyway here is a picture my wife took its a Antonio Zola Zouave it's marked F.A.R.A the SN# 2080XX with a date code XXV anyone have any info I did a quick search and only found it was made in 1965. What does F.A.R.A stand for? She said she got it at a yard sale and the old guy said he bought it new and never shot it just hung it above the fireplace. Of course I need a new sling, some nipples, and a bayonet hahah. I can't wait to burn some powder. I have several mine ball molds one that comes to mind that should work is a old Lyman. 577 570 grain thick skirt. Damn my shoulder hurts already lol.
MARRY HER AGAIN!!!!!!!
 
Ballshooter, I have a FARA Zouave within 3 hundred numbers of yours. But sometime someone made it into a musketoon. Way back in June of 2021 someone asked the same question. I did a lot of research on it but all I could find was that FARA was owned by one of the Zoli brothers. If I were to guess, I think the F.A. probably stands for Fabrica Armi. The R.A. is a mystery to me. If you do a search on FARA in this forum search you will get some threads but no answer. Unless we have an Italian member in this forum we may never know for sure. Good luck.
 
I recently broke my clavicle out in the woods, hiking it still hurts like F@#$%...But my wife decided to give me something early...she said I had this for months under our bed.. :oops: you will not be able to shoot it any time soon but, she wanted to give it to me to ease my pain lol. I can't even hold it hahahah. Anyway here is a picture my wife took its a Antonio Zola Zouave it's marked F.A.R.A the SN# 2080XX with a date code XXV anyone have any info I did a quick search and only found it was made in 1965. What does F.A.R.A stand for? She said she got it at a yard sale and the old guy said he bought it new and never shot it just hung it above the fireplace. Of course I need a new sling, some nipples, and a bayonet hahah. I can't wait to burn some powder. I have several mine ball molds one that comes to mind that should work is a old Lyman. 577 570 grain thick skirt. Damn my shoulder hurts already lol.
I have a FARA, also! (On the barrel). Must check it's SN and date code if it has one, I don't recall seeing one. Good luck!
 
My Zouave with a FARA marked bbl. has a Navy Arms-marked lockplate. It seems to be a nice tight assembly; many Zouaves seemed to have been assembled from parts made by the various small shops in the Gardone valley and marketed under various trade names. Some of the stocks I've seen over the years were less than 'best quality', so the one I finally have now is a keeper. If there's a date mark it's under the bbl.; the SN is if I recall correctly.
 
My lock only has an eagle not sure if any markings are under the barrel or lock. Maybe I'll have the wife take a look or my son when he comes over. I surely can't turn a screw driver at the moment lol. I really can't wait to shoot it.
 
I speak and read Italian but my Google search in English turned up this website that gives information regarding FARA: Cap and Ball Revolvers. (Scroll about 1/2 way down to see an image of a FARA marked revolver for more info.) It seems the Zoli business was carried on by three of Antonio’s sons under his name. Basically, FARA is the mark of Antonio Zoli’s son, Giuseppe.
 
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