CptCurl,

For once we diverge in opinion in some ways.

I agree that you can't "take hem home and hold them dear" and that
he's not the Modern James Purdey BUT this is where the problem
lies - Comparing Searcy's and Merkles to English guns.

As you know I have a few English DR's which are dear to me, but I also have
2 Merkels and a Sarqueta. I like them but they are not dear to me.

IMHO, I call them my THRASH guns, the ones I would take into a deep
swamp, not too worried if they get a few knocks and dents.

Merkel, Searcy et al should be looked at as good, solid working guns
and not compared AT ALL to English guns.

I think the reason people rave about Searcy is that he just does a damn
good job of putting together a good, solid, reliable DG DR at a price
that people can afford.

If you look at some of the heavyweight shotguns that have been produced in the past
in the US, Hell, for an American what Searcy makes is not bad !!! (in jest guys)

At least he doesn't want to put a traditional English gun name (Rigby) on a
CNC Machined piece of metal out of Europe and expect us to believe
it's in the same league as before.

However a Searcy does satisfy the "Made in America" syndrome.
(for Peterb's benefit !!!)

500 Nitro