Sitting down with Don and having him explain the "compactness" factor of a gun was an enlightening experience for me. Having been a shooter and a gun-nut for as long as I've been able to read I understood that where weight was distributed in a gun affected the handling characteristics. But, the extent of my understanding was that longer heavier barrels made a gun muzzle heavier and dense wood in the butt would help counteract that. But, I never understood that a gun maker could control these factors as much as they can in the design and execution. I.e., the little Yildiz handles so well, in spite of it's very light weight, because what weight is there is distributed more "toward the ends" as opposed to being in the receiver. The receiver appears to be some type of alloy, and is physically probably about as small as could be made to accommodate two barrels. Good walnut and thicker walled barrels toward the muzzles really make a huge difference.
It is just amazing how well such an inexpensive gun can handle. There is just light years difference between it and something like a Stoeger Uplander .410. I appreciate fine workmanship in English guns as much as anyone, but I also have to give the devil his due. Whether by accident or by design the Turks got it right on this one.
Thanks again, Don.
SRH
