Ted, you beat the "roll pin" issue to death . . . all the while talking up the Western Long Range. Which, as we know, had a frame made of malleable iron. Since in neither case those features seem to have caused any particular problems--and both guns have been "time tested"--why focus on them rather than on the gun's positive qualities, performance, durability, etc? And on those issues, I certainly don't think that the BSS takes a back seat to either the Nitro or the Western Long Range. (Although I don't import French shotguns, I have owned several examples of all 3.) And it certainly handles better than a 311.
Back when Browning brought out the Cynergy, I was one of a group of outdoor writers given the opportunity to put the new gun through its paces. In our conversations with the engineers and executives from Browning, we asked why they did not bring back the BSS. We suggested that, at a price point of $2,000 or so--this was a few years ago--they'd almost certainly have a winner. That's from a bunch of guys who've handled quite a few different shotguns. The answer: All the Miroku employees who made sxs had retired, and the company would have to retool. Perhaps a good decision not to do it, because as Ruger learned with the Gold Label, there are some unique problems associated with building sxs.
The standard BSS 12, IMO, doesn't sell well for the simple reason that it's not the right gun for the current sxs market. It's more a traditional American sxs, similar to a Model 21: PG, BT, heavy. It's certainly not a Brummie boxlock, which is typically light, straight, splinter, DT--which are the features most sxs buyers seem drawn to these days. On the other hand, I sure wish I'd bought a bunch of BSS Sporters in 20ga. Or, perhaps better yet, BSS Grade II's or Sidelocks in 20ga. Talk about hot items on the market, compared to their original price . . .
