I finally received my RBL #279, PIF 9/27/2005. Straight 14 3/4" stock in exhibition black walnut, splinter forend, assisted opening, and case colored. So that's about every upgrade available. Overall it is a very nice gun.
Wood to metal fit is excellent with no gaps and the wood is only slightly proud in areas it should be. The figure in the wood is nice though not as good as I would have expected, having seen samples at the last two Vegas shows. Finish is excellent though a bit gossy. Checkering is sharp and dark. However the laser burning of the checkering has left a lot of fuzz and residue in the grooves. I might consider having it lightly recut by hand.
The case coloring is well done. Mine is very dark with little color contrast. Polishing of action is good. Engraving is well cut and just about the right depth. I think the color really gives the engraving nice depth contrast. Most of the sample I've seen were fairly light toned but I think I prefer this darker color--it'll wear well. I did have the engraving on the barrels omitted and am glad I did. In my opinion it just looks better.
The gun is actioned very well and the fit of barrel/lug to the action is excellent. On closing there is a solid sound to it--no clanging. The safety functions perfectly and smooth.
The barrels are neatly joined and ring beautifully. Smooth top rib is swamped and well laid. Polishing is excellent and the outside of the tubes is smooth and even, with no polishing ripples. Bore and chamber work look good. The choke tubes, though a bit hard to remove, fit well and are flush with the muzzle. And there is no apparent enlarging of the tubes at the muzzle for the chokes. The choke wrench supplied is a bit awkward. Per a previous post on this BBS I had already ordered a better choke wrench from Cablelas which works fine. I recommend this (Carlson's Choke Tube Wrench, $18.99).
The double triggers are very crisp and have no creep. Haven't measured pull weights but they're not heavy. The rear trigger is positioned just right for a quick and smooth second shot.
The assisted opener is a lot of fun to play with. It does throw the barrels open with authority and the shells go flying. Closing it takes a bit more effort since the assisted opener and the ejectors are both being compressed. I doubt I'll be using this feature much and have already removed it, which only takes a minute.
The Southgate ejectors are stong and work flawlessly though they're not timed very well. Sometimes they work in unison and other times the right barrel kicks first. Not a big deal.
The case and accesories are nice and make a darned pretty presentation.
Overall, I think the RBL was a very good value. Certainly the basic gun sans the upgrades would be a great bargain. Fit and finish are better than anything in this price range I've seen. I don't think the wood upgrade was worth it. I'll have little use for the assisted opener and consider it an expensive toy. The checkering is a bit of a disappointment when closely scrutinized though in the real world I'll never notice it. I'm glad I added the case color though I doubt it was worth the extra charge.
For those of you still waiting for yours I say don't fret and worry. You'll get a very nice gun that'll go the distance. Just don't be expecting to win the lottery by having a $20,000 gun for $3,000. I can't think of any other gun that comes close to being the same value.
