BSS, the "black chrome" finish was used on the other popular Japanese sxs of the same period, the SKB imported by Ithaca. Or at least it was early on. Later ones were blued.
Chuck, re BSS weight . . . when you say 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 for a 20ga, that sounds light to me for the standard PG/BT model, but about right for the Sporter with its straight grip and slimmed down forend.
I think all the Japanese sxs are good buys on the used market. The SKB's are lighter, as are the Miroku-made Charles Dalys, in comparison to the BSS. (And most of the Dalys are double trigger guns, which some people prefer.) Hard to go wrong with any of them, as long as they haven't been badly abused.
