After a six or so week hiatus from the area I finally ran out to I-55 and Rte 30 southwest of Chicago which is the Plainfield-Joliet area.
Gander Mountain (Joliet jurisdiction right off that junction) had Federal 12 ga. at $3.99 in #9 shot size - forgot if it was 1 1/8 oz. They also had 7.5 shot in same specs and price. Estate ammo was $17.95/100 likely in 7.5 shot or 8. I got 25 lbs of no. 9 shot for $22 or $23. As I got two boxes of 12 ga. I figure it will be a while before I get around to reloading as the $3.99 price is quite reasonable. Win 209 primers are
$2.99/100. I got my last 1000 box of Fiocchi primers for $17 and will see if I can more at that price, but that's another shop.
The Gun Shop (on the web as .GUNSHOP INC. As the sales receipt indicates) also had an LC Smith for around $900 plus (I forgot the price) but for anything around that money I would just as soon get a bunch of Baikals to bang and chop on performing mad scientist mechanical mods to fit my fiendishments.
I checked the display cases to see what they had and there was the glass box full of Cynergy's and Berettas. As site members said, the Berettas do not have inspired looking stocks for the price. That applies to anything up to $3000 though there were two relatively figured (sorta-kinda) stocks.
At Gander Mountain I found a used Cynergy in their racks and noted the low sheen chrome (?) receiver had a flying skeet bird on it. Didn't a Russian gun have something like that on it as described in the NRA magazine? The new cynergys had the same decoration. Surprised me as it is crap and artless and makes the gun look like a motivational child's toy. Someone described this design (and a few others) as being Euro-trash. They got that right.
The regular Brownings have very cobby looking stocks which have less style than my ol' crotch stocks on 30's - 40's era puymps and mechanical semi8-autos. I am speakking of grip shape and the waisted line which is typically behind it. Without forming of the stock under-radius up to the grip with a proper line of demarcation cut in (like the flute on the comb) it all looks like crap. It might fit well but I never handled one.
The finish on new Brownings (most of them except for a glossy BT-99 I saw) are rather more like non-finishes. Dull and flat and needing some further work. They should sell these as customizeable stocks or raw material which must be finished to the buyer's taste. The wood doesn't have the fine grain of earlier Browning stocks and which is typical of Belgian or even prior Japanese Brownings which used Australian walnut. I am beginning to like the old Browning somewhat glossy finish as my guns look good with it (now) and look like they are easy to modify to a lower gloss - or can have the gloss restored.
The Gun Shop, about five blocks away on rte 30, (west Lincoln highway) had lower prices on Unique and one of the Clays powders than Gander Mountain. I got two cans of whatever and will go back for some FFG Pyrodex for blackpowder shotshell loads.
Gander had two of my ol' crotch shotgun barrels.
A win 1911 whose polychoke was pulled and a 1911 Remington semi-auto which would be back bored, perhaps re-coned, and fitted with the same poly choke. Though they pulled the choke the other work is apparently going to a Kenosha Wisconsin shop to have the final work done. I note the gunsmith is open every day with someone, if not the smith, behind the counter.
I should run out to the range and do some impromptu shooting at I-55 and exit 240 or so (Wilmington exit) and see if I can throw with my right hand and still managing to get the gun up to fire in time. Usually works but if sick or the arm is sore I can wind up smacking my gun with a lame plastic-thrower launch of the bird. I do have a cheap launcher but that is like setting up a ballista to attack the castle walls. The release is an issue as I try to use a loop around my foot. The launcher, of course, wrenches itself out of position and is a pain to reset. Fortunately the people up there throw for each other and in my case I loan my gun and ammo to people who never shot a double.
