doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com CZ SxS Shotguns

Correct Jimmy.
Hey JL remember her with that 'kiddie stock'?
It's been several years.

The folks behind the recent QC uptick of Turkish-made guns are European engineers and execs from big, long standing firearms companies. As well, the CAD/CAM modern machinery that is being run there is also up to date, with training/supervison supplied by those same companies. Turkey is an extension of the European economy, tourism, real estate, and labor pool.

The little job shop, file-and-fit household out-source workbenches and the factory internal, family-group sub-contactors within the Turk arms companies are fading rapidly, as the Turks and Euros realized that they have a trainable skilled labor pool, and that all that lovely Euro technology and management know-how could be transferred to where costs could be kept low, but quite fair by local standards.

It really shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Czechs and Italians and who knows whom, are in there supervising and training AND getting good value, salable products for the money. They've done did biz with each for all those centuries when this 'ere county was either a howling wilderness or paradise, depending upon your point of view.

Is it perfection yet in Ottoman land? Prolly not; however the assorted DeHaans I owned and sold some years are still ticking, one as a 'club gun' for rent and trapper use. As well, warranty and service are certainly a quantum better, now that better product quality is more the norm, than not. The reports on the CZ's seem to be pretty good overall, and DeHaan is selling more guns than ever.

Just as our beloved Basque escopetas were once readily available at 300.00 or less, for a Model 30 Uggie [and one had to know what one was looking for, to be fair about it], the current Turk stuff will prolly turn out OK in the long run [opinion]. Certainly the steel and machining [as per my VERY skeptical gunsmith], while not always English BLE svelete, appear to be of sustainable material and observable quality.

Well, that's just my own report and viewpoint. As for me this season? A camo'd Mossberg Utilimag, which has alrady sustained a good tumble with me on some river rocks. I just laid there catching my breath and smiling, because all that banging around was just fine. No blue, or fragile SxS bbls, or nice wood: just a shooting fencepost that allows me to concentrate on 'being there' with the dogs, rather than on what fragile object I am 'being there' with.

Upland? Well, I DO like a SxS there, but then I'm not running the Duck Hunter's Rocky River combat course, after those grouse, and woodcock and pheasant, either. ;~`)

Again, just an opinion, FWIW.

Happy Season of Powder Smoke,

John

Yes, I think at present Bernardelli is owned by a Turkish Inc.

My "CZ" says Huglu on it as well...The one I got from Mark Dehaan, said Huglu....Machts Nichts eh, they seem to be a good product for the money......The Kimber Valier is made in Turkey as well..

Robert,

You did not come across wrong. I have a BRNO 12g. O/U, probably from the sixties and I am quite impressed with its quality. The new stuff does not appear to be made by them though.

I also have a couple of circa 1960's sidelock BRNO sxs's and think they are pretty good guns. These are not Turkish guns though like the contemporary CZs, but Czech...Geo

I read an article by well known rifleman/writer who visited Brno factory in 1980s. He got a tour and wrote that ZP-49 SL gun required about 30+ steps where WARM BODY was involved in its making/assembly. They're excellent guns in their price range, but obviously this type of "grunt work" could not continue.

I have to admit, the .410 and 28 bobwhites have been very tempting. If they put nicer wood on them and charged the requisite hundred bucks more, I bet they would fly off the shelves.

Also, no offense meant to those who use this kind of slang, but I wasn't aware that "prolly" was a word. I know "probably" is, but... anyway, that's just a pet peeve of mine. Drives me nuts when people abuse the english language like that. Again, no offense meant.

Certain member used to spell Purdey Purdy. I didn't say anything because he probably uses Purdy brushes to paint with.

Ithica, that's right, right?