Smith & Wesson Elite Gold SXS

[Uncle Buck]

I think you are more than ok with #4 steel ic and mod. Most of my sxs are ic and mod which is what I would have in there for pheasants anyway. I have a 12 Uggie with the odd combo of ic and full per the barrel stamps. Some say you should measure or pattern some of the Euro guns to see what you really have. My Grulla is mod and full and I sure shot a lot of birds before I retired it.
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[double gun nut]

Smith and Wesson Elite Gold

I own an Elite Gold 20 gauge with double triggers and 28 inch barrels. I bought it as an interim 20 gauge SXS because I was unable to find a nice graded 20 gauge Ansley Fox with 28 inch barrels.

The gun has better fit and finish than most new $3,000 plus SXSs--only noted flaws are several checkering tool nicks into checkering panel edges. My only concern is whether the metallurgy is such that the gun wears slowly and remains tight after several years use.

The gun weighs 6 pounds 7 ounces.

The gun did not fit me: comb was too high and length was 15.1 inch. I lowered the comb to 1 and 9/16 and the heel to 2 and 1/8. The stock was then shaped to flow into the comb such that the comb was indented on each side so my thumb laid into the indent when resting against the comb--like most English stocked SXSs. I also put on a 0.6 inch decelerator pad ending up with stock length, from the front trigger, of 14 5/16 inch. The "wrist" is certainly not thick--if anything it is now thin and just right. I can now mount the gun and it is on target with no adjustment.

I took the gun to the gun club and shot 21/25 which was better than I did with my 12 gauge CE Ansley Fox. In mid October I took the S and W to South Dakota for a pheasant shoot and the gun proved to be deadly--few misses.

double gun nut

 

[onpoint]

IMO, they are one of the best buys in a SxS that you can get right now. They were meant to be a $2500 gun when they came out. They are selling for around $1200 on Gunbroker. Available with single trigger and auto ejectors and with the quality of wood and fit and finish. They are a steal.

I wouldn't wore about early ware. If there was a wore, they wouldn't have put a heirloom warranty on them. For those of you who don't know what kind of warranty that is. It's for longer then a for lifetime warranty. I would say they are willing to stand behind the gun. They are built in a S&W plant in Turkey from what I understand. Smith over see's every move in the manufacturing process.

I would buy one.

 

[airmedic1]

The wrist is considerably thicker than either my AYA 4/53 in 16ga or my Merkel 1620. But if the Merkel's wrist was thicker maybe it wouldn't have broken and I wouldn't have it being restocked right now either.