It's so much fun watching the folks post strong opinios on topics they know nothing about.
These are not guns being made for anyone else. They are new guns, made in brand new plant designed and built expressly, and exclusively for Smith & Wesson. You have not seen, and will not see, these guns with anyone else's name on them.
This afternoon I shot the doubles, the O/U, and the autos.
In a nutshell, pretty darn nice. There are some cosmetics I'd change, and I offered my thoughts. I think they will accept some of my suggestions.
Trigger plate actions. The bluing will be better on the production guns, they tell me. They are going to bone charcoal color case hardening. Wood will be grade 3 walnut on the first models. Better wood coming soon.
I'll have photos (and maybe video) on my web site in a day or so.
http://www.guntalk.com I'm typing this in the Hartford airport, on the way back to Louisiana.
Anyone who thinks these are just renamed Turkish guns is out of the loop. Figure around $2100 for the double guns (20 gauge the first year). Street price may be a bit less. Rounded body (not really a Dickson-type round body, but nice). Non-automatic safety. Single trigger for now, but I'm pushing for double triggers in year 2. That would not be a problem.
The ones I shot had fixed chokes, but I suggested weeks ago that the production guns come with thin-wall choke tubes, and that's going to happen.
I think these guns will stand up well to anything in the market (new) at this price point.
The fact that the built a brand new plant to make these shows a level of commitment worth watching.
Not as nice as my Grulla. Certainly not as sweet as the Lebeau. Easily as nice as the Ruger. Think Winchester Model 23 or therebouts (in 2007 prices). Nah. Better than the 23.
