Smith & Wesson Elite Gold
Smith's first shotgun in years is a handsome Turkish-made double with gorgeous wood and a true bone charcoal case-hardened receiver. It will sell for just over $2000 and if it shoots as good as it looks, it will be worth every penny. Available in straight or Prince of Wales grip models in 20-gauge only. Jaime Santa
Smith's first shotgun in years is a handsome Turkish-made double with gorgeous wood and a true bone charcoal case-hardened receiver. It will sell for just over $2000 and if it shoots as good as it looks, it will be worth every penny. Available in straight or Prince of Wales grip models in 20-gauge only. Jaime Santa
This year’s best retro gun is the Winchester 101, which is Winchester’s low-profile receivered, Belgian-made Supreme dressed up to look just like the classic 101 O/U. It comes complete with a 70s-vintage white line spacer on the recoil pad. The 101s are 12 gauges, with 26 or 28 inch barrels and Invector-Plus chokes. Jaime Santa
Tactical turkey stocks are as functional as they are ugly. This one stock not only adjusts for length of pull, but features an effective built-in recoil reducer that eases the pain of firing 3.5 inch turkey loads. The Max Gobbler comes drilled and tapped for scope mounts and has a 23-inch barrel. Jaime Santa
Guerini’s first trap gun combines a state-of-the-art, super-high, point-of-impact adjustable rib with classic good looks. The coin-steel receiver is decorated with deep-cut Gothic scroll while the Turkish circassian walnut stock has nice figure, 26 line per inch engraving and a fully adjustable comb. Jaime Santa
Antonio Zoli has been making guns for 200 years but they are just now making a name for themselves in the US among upscale shooters. The Expedition 20-gauge is weighted and balanced specifically to meet the demands of high volume dove shooting, although it would work just fine in a sunflower field in the U.S., too. Jaime Santa
Here’s a gun for backyard safaris and general pest control. The Viper shoots both .22 pellets and tiny shotshells holding about 20 number 9 pellets. Gamo promises the Viper will put the entire shot charge into a 12-inch circle at 10 yards. Jaime Santa
That’s not a typo–this is a 3.5-inch 20 gauge slug that weighs 410 grains and has a muzzle velocity of 2000 fps. It shoots flat and retains deer killing energy to 175 yards and beyond. Hastings will rechamber H&R; single-shot 20 gauge slug guns for the new round. Jaime Santa
Federal’s newest steel load combines 60 percent round and 40 percent ringed pellets in their FliteControl wad. The rings increase the pellet’s cutting surface on game. I had a chance to shoot a couple of geese with Black Cloud BBs right before SHOT and they seemed to work as advertised. 12 gauge only, for now. Jaime Santa
The Franchi Highlander is a trim 20-gauge double that should appeal to grouse and quail hunters everywhere. I shot one of the first Highlanders in Minnesota last fall and found it good-looking, easy-carrying, and quick-pointing. Jaime Santa
Weatherby has switched up its O/U line, replacing the Japanese SKB Orions and Athenas with Orions and Athenas made in Italy. The result is a sleeker, lighter, racier line of guns. The new O/Us come in three grades of Orion and two of Athena with decorated sideplates. Shown here is the bare-bones Orion I. Jaime Santa
