RBL #3X arrived today. It was ordered and paid in full on the first day of offering.
Specifications were:
Assisted Opening
Exhibition Black Walnut with feather crotch like Win 21 with best feather on right side of stock
Color Case Hardening
Single Trigger
St Grip
14&1/4" LOP
Splinter forearm and st grip were ordered to obtain the lightest weight possible.
Don't even comment about the single trigger/double trigger controversecy.
RBL arrived impeccably packed. Only Ted's wooden box for Bruchet/ Darne's is more substantial.
Fit and finish are almost perfect and you really would have to nit pick and look with a magnifier to find anything.
Wood is a bargain for the price.
Gun weighs 6# 4.5oz on my digital calibrated scale.
Comparing the RBL to my SKB 200, you can certainly see the family resemblance in the action but the RBL is finished on a different plane. I like SKB's and in fact my first double was an Ithaca SKB 100 I purchased in 1973 for $188.50. I shot a lot of ducks, pheseants, squirrels and rabbits with that gun.
Of the four bespoke/special order shotguns i have ordered, the RBL is one of two that met or exceeded my expectations.
To those of you that whined, deflated CSMC and Tony Galazan or otherwise just blew hot disparging air, it's crow season in Wisconsin and the line forms to the left. You know who you are and its time for you to own up and eat crow.-Dick
