I decided to go for the matte-nickel version & it arrived at my LGS within a week after ordering it online.
The grand total: $219.00 for the gun, $9.00 for shipping.
I was already liking it before even picking it up.
First things first --- this gun comes from the Philippines, so expect to do clean-up on the packing grease it comes slathered in.
Now, bear in mind, this isn't Cosmoline we're talking about here, just a light grease coating & not a whole lot of it at that.
So put away the heat gun, hair dryer & solvents --- this isn't ANYWHERE near as difficult to clean up as, say, a Mosin-Nagant.
Far from it.
We pulled it out of it's plastic sleeve at the gun shop, tossed that in the trash can & wiped that sweet little puppy down just to get a good look at it & a feel for what might be possible.
Jeff Quinn was ABSOLUTELY correct in comparing the silkiness of it's action to the old High Standard Flite King --- if you ever had the pleasure of firing one you'll know what I'm talking about, if not...well, you're in for one hell of a pleasant surprise.
Everyone at the LGS was surprised at how slick the action was, even after just an exterior wipe-down.
In my opinion, it's comparable to a well-used Mossberg 500.
And even though it's a SOLID gun built "for social work", as Mr. Quinn so adequately states, it swings easily & handles like something with a much shorter barrel than it's 20-incher would indicate.
Back home, I broke out the brake parts cleaner to hose down every unpainted surface.
I spritzed some down the chamber & into the barrel, but got no glops of grease on the newspapers I'd laid down.
Same thing for the action & magazine tube.
Afterwards, I broke out a can of Safariland's Break-Free to lubricate everywhere I had hit with the brake parts cleaner --- that stuff tends to dry quickly & I expected to find some residual grit.
Not a drop.
The gun already comes with extras that will save you some of that hard-earned $$$ --- stuff like the rubber recoil pad & heat shield on the barrel.
Some guys don't like heat shields but I do & my other HD shotgun sports one as well.
The one thing you're going to absolutely HATE about this shotgun is the button-actuated crossbolt safety mounted on the trigger guard.
Fellow forum member Revision & I have PM'd at length about this --- there is so little button travel to it that it's often difficult to tell whether the safety is even engaged or not!
I must admit a bias for the Mossberg-style safety lever, even both of my Winchester field guns use buttons --- although with that pair there is a crisp feel & a distinct "snick" when the safety is engaged or disengaged.
I decided to try the simple stuff first: I sprayed down the button, worked it a dozen times or so & then lubricated it.
There was a palpable difference in the manner in which it functioned, so I guess the old adage "Keep It Simple, Stupid" (K.I.S.S.) applies here, at least for me.
My other point of contention was the holder cut-out for two extra shells on the right side of the stock.
The first time I tried it, using Sellior & Bellot 2-3/4" shotshells which tend to be a bit on the short side, one stuck down in the holder & the other wouldn't fit in after the first.
I removed the recoil pad to access the shell-holder spring...BIG MISTAKE!!!
That spring flew out with the force one would expect from being fully compressed & to paraphrase Forrest Gump, hit me "directly in the forehead".
I'm still explaining to my neighbors that, no, I am not converting to Hinduism.
So watch that sucker.
The same clean & lube routine also took care of that little problem.
Being in the recovery phase from a recent triple-bypass procedure (I spent New Year's Eve on the O.R. table...yay!), I haven't been able to field-test the gun yet, but if it functions anywhere near as nice as it cycles shells at home it should be a blast to shoot.
Just pressing the slide release latch & having the slide handle come down like a guillotine is motivation enough to heal quickly!
So, all in all, I really like this shotgun.
It's got everything I want or need for HD & I'm learning to live with the things I initially disliked, once I worked out the kinks.
As a matter of fact, I'm seriously considering picking up another --- you just can't beat the value & quality.
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Armscor/Rock Island Armory M5 Update
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