In The News
Wow! Smith & Wesson Shotguns.
EXCLUSIVE -- WORLD PREMIER REPORT! Okay. The news is out. Smith & Wesson will make shotguns. For the third time. The first was a century ago. Then there was a period when they imported shotguns some two decades ago. Well, this is different...and the same. Smith is making these guns, or it is importing them? Depends on your perspective, how much you love to hate gun companies (which some goofballs on the gun chat areas seem to), or if you just have a "thing" about Turkey.
Yes, Turkey. The new S&W autoloaders, over/unders, and side-by-sides (double guns) will be made in Turkey, but with an important difference. More about that in a minute.
I was fortunate to see these guns weeks ago, but I couldn't talk about it. Now I can. And...right here you have the world premier test report. I have shot the guns. You'll be seeing a lot in magazines in a month or two, but you can get the scoop right here, and live on Gun Talk Radio.
Click Here to see the photos I shot at the Smith & Wesson factory, along with closeups of the new shotguns.
Last week I traveled to Springfield, MA, toured the Smith factory, saw some of the truly impressive changes in the facility there, talked with designers, engineers, and top management, and then shot the new scatterguns.
Cut to the chase, Tom! Very nice. The autoloaders are lightweight, have light recoil, point well, and have some nifty features. Think Beretta 304 at a Remington price. They eliminated the troublesome O-ring. There is a 12-gauge 3 ½-inch model, a standard 12, and a wonderfully lively 20 gauge (plus a youth-ladies model of the 20). Sweet. Wood and synthetic stocks.
The over/under is a 12 gauge, for now. Not as slim as a Beretta, but not clunky, either. Nice color case hardened receiver. Barrels are 26 and 28 inch for now. Standard field model first. Sporting clays version in year two.
The double gun really got my attention. It's a 20 gauge, trigger-plate action (a type of box lock), rounded body (feels great in the hand), with non-automatic safety (YEAH!), no barrel selector, single trigger, straight or Prince of Wales grip, grade 3 Turkish walnut, 26 and 28-inch barrels. The first ones will come with fixed chokes. Later models will have thin-wall choke tubes, they say.
The internals of the O/U and double guns are beautiful. Just really well finished. Trigger pulls on the ones I shot were heavy, but the Smith & Wesson folks said they know that, and will get it corrected on the production guns. I hope they get a consistent four-pound pull. They also said they have the option of offering two-trigger guns.
Now, this issue of Turkey. Yes, there is some junk coming in from Turkey. There also are some very nice guns (Kimber Valier). The big news here is that these are not existing models being renamed for S&W. These are new guns, being made in a brand-new factory designed and built specifically for S&W. You will not see these shotguns with anyone else's name on them. The Smith people are excited, and they brag a lot on the engineers and workers at the Turkey factory. Is S&W importing, or is it just shipping guns made in another Smith factory? Who cares?
How do they shoot?
Very well. The autos are just fine. Good balance, light recoil. Basically, a Beretta at a Remington price.
The O/U had the solid feel you want when shooting a round of sporting clays. I tend to like lightweight guns for field use, but I want weight for competition.
The double guns are just plain fun. At 6 ½ pounds, they balance well, have slim wrists (the grip area), look good, point well...I like 'em. They do need to fix the trigger pulls. Other items I'd like to see changed from the pre-production models. Get rid of the shiny finish on the stocks. Go with straight oil finish. That's all the protection the wood needs. Get a little weight out of the barrels. Offer 30-inch barrels. Have some left-handed stocks available for swap (a reasonable fee would be okay). Get rid of the recoil pad on the double. Either go with checkered wood or use a pad that looks like leather. The field-style recoil pad may be okay on an auto, but it looks wrong on the side-by-side. In year two, bring out the Grade II (this year will be the Grade I) with really upgraded wood, coin finish receiver with light (but good) engraving, two triggers, and 29-inch barrels (I'm funny that way). As long as I'm wishing, how about a waterfowl model, with 12-gauge, 7 ½ pound weight, and a recoil reducer in the stock?
Word is that they will (in coming years) offer different gauges in GAUGE-SPECIFIC SIZE FRAMES! That is, the 28-gauge will have a smaller frame than the 20, and the .410 will have a smaller frame than the 28.
Prices. Still not locked down. Figure $700 to $800 retail (meaningless) on the auto. About two grand for the O/U and double guns. Those who are into the fine details of double guns will find things to complain about -- they always do. These are not $10,000 doubles. Everyone else will love the guns. Some will complain that they are not made in the good ole U.S. of A. Uh huh. But then they will buy a Glock, Citori, or Weatherby. Welcome to the world economy. Check to see how much of your "American" car is made overseas.
Tune in to Gun Talk radio for more on the new S&W Shotguns.
