I got mine yesterday and it looks like a very solid build. Clean finish, nice components, don't care for the rubber slip on chargung handle, but only because I'll probably lose it. lol. I'm off to the range on sunday and I'll put through some low recoil 00.
Got mine Yesterday too! Very nice! Can't wait to try it out! I'm thinking that the slip on charging handle isn't meant to be used. I think it was on there for more of a Packing spacer so the handle wasn't able to poke through the top of the box during shipping and handling.
I'm thinking of first putting some 2 3/4 slugs and 3" mag. #4 Steel through mine to break it in for the first 100 rounds or so.
REMEMBER to first change out the gas ring for the high power ring that came in the choke tube box before you go pounding magnum loads and slugs through it as it comes with the low power ring installed!!!!!
A couple of first impressions:
Pros:
It Looks awesome and feels solid and well built!
It takes 2 3/4" AND 3" can be used unlike some of the other new versions out there
Internal choke tubes unlike some other versions out there
Nice ALUMINUM front and rear sights unlike other versions out there
The Mags. drop free really well unlike what I have heard about other versions out there and are steel bodied
Extra 5 and 2 round Mags. are available and cheap
The safety is ambi.
The bolt release/Hold open lever is nice and large
Cons:
The safety safety lever is plastic, small and smooth which makes it very difficult to switch. Hopefully someone will address this with an oversized, knurled aluminum upgrade
The mag. release spring is very strong and it is kinda difficult to activate with your index finger. This may change over time as it is used more and breaks in. It may be possible to take out the spring and chop off a coil or so to make it easier.
The field stripping is nice and easy, but to get the upper and lower apart, it seems like a real pain in the butt from the instructions! I like to be able to get right in there to clean out the inside of the receiver and trigger group and this won't be an easy thing to do from reading about it. It would be nice if this was addressed in the future to have the upper and lower pinned together or something simple and easy to undo.
The bolt handle is a little small for what I would like to see on it, but for the amount of times you will actually use it, it seems fine.
There are Two metal gas rings and it says that one is for full powered shot/slugs and one is for light target/skeet/trap shells. This may be a pain for some people if they switch between the two types of shells a lot and you always have to remember to check to see which ring is installed because it says that you can damage the shotgun if you shoot full power shells with the light load ring installed. Hopefully after a good break-in period, the full power ring will allow the use of most of the lighter loads so you never have to change them out, but that is yet to be determined...
Just some of my initial findings so far. I hope to get it out this weekend for some shooting!
I'll try and post some detailed pictures and findings after I have had the chance to shoot her...
Overall, I'm super happy with this shotgun and am excited to try out a red dot or an illuminated 1-4X scope for slugs to see what it will pattern like at about 75 yards.
Cheers,
Ian