Welcome CptCurl,

I think the Merkel 500NE will be a big seller in the US. It only has recently become available, but I'm seeing them advertised on gunsamerica.com at good prices. I have the 140-2 also and the scroll work is tastefull. Once that varnish wears off the action, the metal (which is steel not stainless or nickel) mellows into a grayish hue and is not shiny. What kind of problems have you had? Mine has performed flawlessly.