I recall looking at a new Zabala a few years back. I could see daylight between the receiver and the head of the stock. Can't get that with a W&S 700 either. And we're still in search of the elusive 7 pin 578, and Spanish guns over a century old still in regular use.
Ted, we can go back and forth on tales of repair, how long they took, etc. I also told you about a Sauer I had repaired--same deal as a W&S 700, hammer and striker all one piece--and I got it back in like 2 months, not 2 years. More complicated? Yes . . . but gunsmiths charge by the hour, so it's just a question of how much time they have to devote to the project. They're going to make as much money per hour, no matter the job. I've heard of repairs like that taking a couple years, but have never experienced anything close to it myself.
