Nice review 2few, I almost feel like I have the gun in my hands reading it. Can't wait to see some of your pictures.

cdb

 

2few, good writeup on a great gun. It's hard not to like the Elite Gold. A few comments.

The single non-selective trigger gets a bad rap from a lot of people, but in a bird hunting gun it is not that big a deal. My 12 ga Browning BSS came that way as did my 16 ga Fox BSE. Hunting over a pointing dog, probably 90% of the time the non-selective trigger will be right. Those times it's not right, I can blow through that first barrel very quickly to get to the tighter choke. A dirty little secret is that on my selective trigger guns such as my 16 ga Ringneck that's my favorite bird gun, I find it quicker and more intuitive to blow through the IC barrel rather than messing with the selector once the bird flushes at longer range. Those who say that double triggers are the answer have never experienced the comedy of errors I can display trying to use double triggers on live birds. Clay targets and double triggers, no problem.

The bottom line is that my non-selective trigger guns are not dedicated clay target guns, although when I first got my S&W, I took it to the skeet range where I shot my average and several other shooters shot a round with it and all shot their average. I guess handling and fit trump chokes on these clay games.

On the stiffness issue, I found that mine opened a LOT easier with the forend removed, so I very gently dressed down the back side of the forend lug on the barrels to make it easier. If you do that, don't go overboard, just ease it a tiny amount.

 

2few,
I wouldn't avoid hunting pheasant with a 20 gauge IC/MOD. I've been doing that for years and I don't feel under gunned at all.

 

2few, good writeup on a great gun. It's hard not to like the Elite Gold. A few comments.

The single non-selective trigger gets a bad rap from a lot of people, but in a bird hunting gun it is not that big a deal. My 12 ga Browning BSS came that way as did my 16 ga Fox BSE. Hunting over a pointing dog, probably 90% of the time the non-selective trigger will be right. Those times it's not right, I can blow through that first barrel very quickly to get to the tighter choke. A dirty little secret is that on my selective trigger guns such as my 16 ga Ringneck that's my favorite bird gun, I find it quicker and more intuitive to blow through the IC barrel rather than messing with the selector once the bird flushes at longer range. Those who say that double triggers are the answer have never experienced the comedy of errors I can display trying to use double triggers on live birds. Clay targets and double triggers, no problem.

The bottom line is that my non-selective trigger guns are not dedicated clay target guns, although when I first got my S&W, I took it to the skeet range where I shot my average and several other shooters shot a round with it and all shot their average. I guess handling and fit trump chokes on these clay games.

On the stiffness issue, I found that mine opened a LOT easier with the forend removed, so I very gently dressed down the back side of the forend lug on the barrels to make it easier. If you do that, don't go overboard, just ease it a tiny amount.

You're right Riflemeister. My annoyance at the non-selective trigger is really just my preference for DT showing through.

Thanks for the tip on the stiffness.

 

2few,
I wouldn't avoid hunting pheasant with a 20 gauge IC/MOD. I've been doing that for years and I don't feel under gunned at all.

The 20 gauge can certainly kill wild pheasants....if the operator does his part! :lol: :lol:

I'm pretty sure I will bring the S&W to the pheasant hunt. Don't know if I will get up the nerve to use it though. Bad shots like me need all the pellets they can get! :lol:

 

2few,
I wouldn't avoid hunting pheasant with a 20 gauge IC/MOD. I've been doing that for years and I don't feel under gunned at all.

The 20 gauge can certainly kill wild pheasants....if the operator does his part! :lol: :lol:

I'm pretty sure I will bring the S&W to the pheasant hunt. Don't know if I will get up the nerve to use it though. Bad shots like me need all the pellets they can get! :lol:

Or all the pattern spread.

 

I need every advantage I can get!

 

Well, Having had the chance to shoot 2Few's S&W, I am sold. It's a beautiful looking gun and ridiculously light. The wood is much better than in any photos I have seen. Not amazing, but way better than in any photos of the gun I have seen. I would hold out and pay for the higher premium on the DT version, but it is a wow gun foor the money.

And as for 2Few's false modesty, I want to point out that he picked up my Cynergy Sporting 12 ga having never handled one in his life and proceeded directly to break two birds and a pair on a reasonably hard station (I hit one of four on the same station with hiss S&W - and it wasn't the gun). He is a much better shot than he gives himself credit for and if he were ever to break down and get an O/U 12 ga target gun, I think he would be surprised at his skeet and sporting scores!!!

 

You are FAR too kind RPRNY!!! And you were GREAT company to shoot with. I look forward to doing it again soon!

and if he were ever to break down and get an O/U 12 ga target gun, I think he would be surprised at his skeet and sporting scores!!!

I have to be honest with you....your Cynergy Sporting was one REALLY NICE GUN!!! I've been promising myself to buy a proper "target gun" for more than a year now but I honestly never liked the "feel" of the ones I've had the chance to try. Your Cynergy Sporting was a whole different ballgame! That was one nice gun!!! The fact that I was able to hit something with it was nice too!

I have some hunting trips I have to pay for between now and January, so my gun budget is pretty much shot for a while, but once 2012 hits a Cynergy Sporting is going to be coming my way! It's taken a year, but I finally found a "target gun" that I am excited about buying!

 

Me thinks 2few has been sandbagging us {P {P {P I'll wager he is a pretty good shot ^77 ^77 strings you along thenWHAMMMMMMMMMMM drops the hammer on you {RO {RO {RO

cdb

 

Now if that were the case I'd be "hustling" at the clubs around here instead of occassionaly pretending to work. Besides....Riflemeister, Jugchoke, HiFli, BPGuy, drsfmd and several others have all seen me shoot. They will all attest to my MISERABLE shooting prowess!

 

Well, 2Few, I guess I have to chime in here with my two cents, also. First, you left off the fact (unless I missed it and my old eyes are missing more and more lately...) that the case coloring is REAL charcoal case coloring like my Connecticutt Shotgun Mfg. Co. RBL's,......that, to me, is a BIG deal on overall desirability. No, won't break a single more clay nor drop a single more dove, but.... and second, there was some sort of big deal about it being a true round body - it carries much easier than my Bobwhite, for instance. And third, what was that about the trigger group being able to be removed easily for cleaning....? Seems like I remembered something about that.

When you are down here for doves we will have to take out the Gold Elites and see how many feathers we can puff out!! By the way, based on how many whitewings are feeding on my bird feeder this summer there is NO SHORTAGE this year!!! I still need to go out and check out the crops on the lease - I expect to do that in late July or August.

Regarding the 20 and pheasant - of course it is fine for pheasant - IF you can center the bird and get at least four #5s or 6's in the body of the bird...just easier when you have more pellets flying out of the barrel for a mediocre shot like me.. Speaking of shots: I can definitely attest to 2Few being a much better shot on doves and pheasants than he makes himself out to be!!!!

Hard to believe how time is flying by...we will be in the field soon!

 

2few, Congrats!! I'm so glad I was able to hook you guys up so that you could get one of these awesome guns. I dearly love mine and honestly it is the last gun that I would ever sell. I noticed in your review the exact feeling that I experienced when trying to explain how great these guns really are and you just can't, people have to handle one in person. Again Congrats!! These S&W guns are the main reason that made me suggest that we open up the forum to accept other Turkish guns, I really wanted to create a home for them and their owners on your terrific Huglu Gun forum. I too wish that Mark DeHaan or TRI even could get set up to import these wonderful guns. Enjoy your new gun.
Strat

 

Thanks Strat!

 

Well 2few, RPRNY, and HiFli are proving my suspicions!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have 7 months to sharpen my skills so I will not be embarrassed in January :lol: :lol: :lol: I will definitely be bringing the 912 as I am becoming pretty good with it.

cdb

 

No worries cdb! HiFli spoke of "puffing out some feathers". Well....that is exactly what is going on. HiFli and RPRNY are trying to pufff my feathers a little bit! Thanks Guys!!!

Truth is, on the Huglu Forum Pheasant Hunt we have shooters of all abilities. You've got BPGuy who brings down pheasants at 35 yards with a 28 gauge :shock: and then you have people like me who miss some stupidly easy shots but like the proverbial blind dog still manage to find a few bones here and there!

Most importantly.....Its a whole lot of FUN with some of the best guys you'll ever meet!

 

No worries cdb! HiFli spoke of "puffing out some feathers". Well....that is exactly what is going on. HiFli and RPRNY are trying to pufff my feathers a little bit! Thanks Guys!!!

Truth is, on the Huglu Forum Pheasant Hunt we have shooters of all abilities. You've got BPGuy who brings down pheasants at 35 yards with a 28 gauge :shock: and then you have people like me who miss some stupidly easy shots but like the proverbial blind dog still manage to find a few bones here and there!

Most importantly.....Its a whole lot of FUN with some of the best guys you'll ever meet!

I can hardly wait, it will be great to match voices with the names here, anxiously awaiting January.

cdb

 

Well, 2Few, I guess I have to chime in here with my two cents, also. First, you left off the fact (unless I missed it and my old eyes are missing more and more lately...) that the case coloring is REAL charcoal case coloring like my Connecticutt Shotgun Mfg. Co. RBL's,......that, to me, is a BIG deal on overall desirability. No, won't break a single more clay nor drop a single more dove, but.... and second, there was some sort of big deal about it being a true round body - it carries much easier than my Bobwhite, for instance. And third, what was that about the trigger group being able to be removed easily for cleaning....? Seems like I remembered something about that.

All quite so! But you know me, I'm not much of one for writing "technical reviews". Don't know enough to do it. I have to settle for trying to give a "feel" for the gun. And I gotta say...The S&W Gold Elite "feels" GREAT!

When you are down here for doves we will have to take out the Gold Elites and see how many feathers we can puff out!! By the way, based on how many whitewings are feeding on my bird feeder this summer there is NO SHORTAGE this year!!! I still need to go out and check out the crops on the lease - I expect to do that in late July or August.

Can't wait man!!!! Last year was an absolute BLAST! The fact that I hit a higher percentage of the birds I shot at than I ever have before didn't hurt a bit either! I just LOVE a good Dove field with a good friend or two! Doves flying...shots from other hunters.....constantly on the alert for that bird or flock that is sneaking into range....it doesn't get too much better than that!

And the Whitewings.....they surely are cool!!!!!

Regarding the 20 and pheasant - of course it is fine for pheasant - IF you can center the bird and get at least four #5s or 6's in the body of the bird...just easier when you have more pellets flying out of the barrel for a mediocre shot like me..

Tell me about it! The S&W 20 gauge will certainly come with me to Oklahoma in January. Whether I can actually summon the courage to use it for those wiley late-season longtail roosters is another matter altogether! I suspect I will bring both the S&W and the DeHaan 16 gauge and not actually make the decision until we are ready to walk the first field!

Hard to believe how time is flying by...we will be in the field soon!

Soon, but never really soon enough! I wish there was a bird season open year round in the states my Huglu Forum buddies live in. If there was I would spend a whole lot less on new guns and a whole lot more on plane tickets!

Best....2few

 

Thanks Strat!

Hey 2few, get your self some 3" nickel plated Fiocchi "Golden Pheasant" ammo in #5's and #6's and the pheasant won't stand a chance. My S&W patterns these loads beautifully, even the #4's pattern well out of my S&W but the pellet count is down a little on the #4 loads.

 

Thanks Strat!!!

I was actually sniffing around that idea myself yesterday. Checking out the 20 gauge Fiocchi "Golden Pheasant" offerings. I really would like to carry this gun at least one day on the Huglu Forum Pheasant Hunt, but I am not real comfortable with the 2 3/4" 1 oz loads (I really feel that with my skills I need to be throwing at least the 1 1/8 oz that I have used in my DeHaan 16 gauge). The 1 1/4 oz 3" "Golden Pheasant" loads seem ideal but I have 2 concerns.....

First, I have heard all kinds of stuff about shot stringing with 3" loads out of a 20 gauge.

And I'm wondering what the recoil will be like in a 6.5 lbs gun with those 3" shells.

If you have shot the 3" "Golden Pheasants" out of a 6.5 lbs 20 gauge double I'd really like to here more of your thoughts on the subject.

Anybody else that has shot 3" 20 gauge shells out of a double please speak up. Never shot a 3" shell out of a lightweight 20 gauge and would like to hear from people that have.

Best....2few

 

Thanks Strat!!!

I was actually sniffing around that idea myself yesterday. Checking out the 20 gauge Fiocchi "Golden Pheasant" offerings. I really would like to carry this gun at least one day on the Huglu Forum Pheasant Hunt, but I am not real comfortable with the 2 3/4" 1 oz loads (I really feel that with my skills I need to be throwing at least the 1 1/8 oz that I have used in my DeHaan 16 gauge). The 1 1/4 oz 3" "Golden Pheasant" loads seem ideal but I have 2 concerns.....

First, I have heard all kinds of stuff about shot stringing with 3" loads out of a 20 gauge.

And I'm wondering what the recoil will be like in a 6.5 lbs gun with those 3" shells.

If you have shot the 3" "Golden Pheasants" out of a 6.5 lbs 20 gauge double I'd really like to here more of your thoughts on the subject.

Anybody else that has shot 3" 20 gauge shells out of a double please speak up. Never shot a 3" shell out of a lightweight 20 gauge and would like to hear from people that have.

Best....2few

Sometimes extended shot strings aren't such a bad thing on birds as big as those big ol' roosters and really the difference in shot string length between a 20 and a 16 is pretty minor. As far as recoil goes, I have some neck issues and still the 3" 20 gauge stuff really isn't even a concern for pheasant hunting for me any way, I think that it would be an entirely different story if I was pounding away at Doves all day long in a T-shirt and a vest but the few shots that a guy takes pheasant hunting shouldn't be a problem especially with those big ol' colorful noisy birds flushing in your face, I doubt that you'll even feel it at least until dinner time maybe, LOL!! Even then a couple shots of Scotch will take the edge off of the pain. Works for me. Get some of the 3" loads and go do some patterning and see how she does. I have also had great success in years past with hot 2 3/4" 1 oz. and 1 1/8 oz. loads of copper plated (luballoy) #5's and #6's, I had 1 shot kiills out to 50+ yards many, many times with hot #5's.

 

I shoot 3 inch, 1 and 1/4 oz loads of number 5's for pheasants. Both golden pheasant and wincherster super X. Out of a 5 and 1/4 lb SxS the recoil is stout, but under the excitement of the hunt not all that noticeable. I shoot the same gun for about 75 shots each year at sporting clays to get ready for hunting season. Those shots are noticeable and the the fun is GONE by the time I finish.
A friend of mine was an engineer and the inventor of the windjammer wad. He did calculations concerning the speed of loads, drop and shot string. After hearing his theories I stopped even thinking about shot string and my target loads are at about 1150 fps.

 

Thanks for the excellent advice guys!!! I hear you loud and clear on not feeling recoil when actually shooting at live game. The adrenaline rush takes care of that! If I burn enough shells that I feel it at dinner, well...I'm sure I can figure out a way to handle that! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I think I am going to have to pay a visit to Cabelas and pick up a box of both the 3" 5s and 6s...see how they pattern at different ranges.

 

Thanks for the excellent advice guys!!! I hear you loud and clear on not feeling recoil when actually shooting at live game. The adrenaline rush takes care of that! If I burn enough shells that I feel it at dinner, well...I'm sure I can figure out a way to handle that! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I think I am going to have to pay a visit to Cabelas and pick up a box of both the 3" 5s and 6s...see how they pattern at different ranges.

2few,
Please keep us posted, I'm real curious to see how your S&W patterns with the larger payloads of bigger shot. I'll tell you what, this Smith is one of the very best all around double guns that I've ever owned, I've owned fancier guns but none of them handled, fit or performed any better, this Smith has become my favorite SxS overall. I don't beat it up but I'm not afraid to use it either. I really want one more shotgun and that would be another one just like mine but with the 28" barrels. My 26" S&W couldn't be any better but the 28" barrels gives me an excuse to buy another one. LOL!!

 

2few,
A couple of years ago on the Kansas pheasant opener, I used my 20 ga Ringneck and 2 3/4" Golden Pheasant #6's and it did a great job on those wild roosters. I had the IC/Mod chokes installed and I think my longest shot was about 35 yards, but I was outshooting all the guys with 12 ga's and really had a great day. We didn't have dogs and lost a couple that I knocked down, but didn't hit cleanly, but the guys shooting the 12 ga's did the same. I'd use the 2 3/4 and consider it sufficient.