Well-meaning participants in this discussion have been had. Someone who walks out of a gunshop door with what would have to be a single-shot at the stated weight of 4.5 lbs. had no intentions of ever spending $2-3K on a fine double. He who claims that a bucket full of slugs "wags the tail" in influencing a decision of buying a "bird gun", either a Merkel or W&S, has got to be kidding us and/or himself.