Hi Sharptail:
Do you think the Turkish factorys will ever be able to put out a dependable side by side?
Bluelynx, Turkey has many firearms manufacturers which produce a variety of SxS's in different qualities. Like everything else in this world, you get what you pay for.
If what you mean by "dependable" is a shotgun that does not break or prematurely wear out then I think that the Turks are already there. My own experience with a CZ / Huglu Bobwhite in 28 gauge is quite positive, with no failures or breakage after a couple of thousand rounds. My hunting partner has a similar gun in 20 gauge and his experience is the same.
Where major issues are concerned, such as barrel regulation or steel quality, machining or hardening, there do not seem to be serious problems among the larger manufacturers. I believe that this is due to the investment these manufacturers have made in modern CNC equipment and their desire to capture a profitable percentage of the market.
Where issues do arise it is where hand labour is involved - wood to metal fit, centering of the bead on the rib, consistency of trigger pull, etc. These issues seem to be directly proportional to the amount of labour time put into each gun (and hence to the price of the gun). The Kimber Valier, for example, is a Turkish sidelock which is not inexpensive. It exhibits good fit and finish, decent trigger feel and a lot of other signs of attention to detail - as a buyer of a gun in this price range has a right to expect.
Less expensive models from Huglu (CZ) or Yildiz have proportionally less time spent on them and are more prone to display finish issues, but none I have seen show any real signs of dependability concerns. I am sure we could dig up a few examples, but then we could with Beretta if we tried.
The lowest end of the Turkish market may give us some real concerns, such as triggers that double or improper heat treating. Buyer beware with the really cheap stuff - just like any other nation.
Reliability, longevity and quality of fit and finish are not all there are in the manufacture of SxS shotguns, though. Handling and balance are of great importance. This is an area in which a SxS should shine.
Unfortunately this is an area in which the Turks need improvement. While the little 28 gauge Bobwhite is a lightweight speedster in the uplands, I have been less impressed as the gauge goes up. Thick walled barrels and heavy choke tubes produce slower handling and less delicate balance than comparable models from, say, a Basque manufacturer like Ugartechea or AyA. While the Spaniard is a little more expensive, you do get better barrels and therefore better handling and balance.
Of course there are American, Spanish, Italian and Belgian examples of SxS's with clubbish barrels, but I have yet to see a Turkish gun with lithe, thin walled tubes. Perhaps as their industry matures they will offer such barrels - but you will pay more for them.
Yildiz, CZ and even Kimber have warranty representation in Canada (not sure about Charles Daly). Should a spring or a firing pin break I am sure you can have it attended to. Is such a problem more likely with a Turkish SxS than with a similar gun from another nation? I really don't know for sure, maybe, but from my own personal experience I don't think it is a major concern.
I hope this answers your question.
Sharptail
