Smith & Wesson Elite Series

Smith & Wesson Elite Series
Type	Break-open shotgun
Place of origin	Turkey
Production history
Manufacturer	Smith & Wesson
Unit cost	$2,350 (MSRP)
Produced	c. 2007–2010
No. built	~3,000 (Gold)[1]
Variants	Elite Gold (20 ga. side-by-side) Elite Silver (12 ga. over-and-under)
Specifications
Mass	6.5 or 6.7 lb (2.9 or 3.0 kg) (Gold) 7.6 to 7.8 lb (3.4 to 3.5 kg) (Silver)
Length	43.5 or 45.5 in (110 or 116 cm) (Gold) 44 to 48 in (110 to 120 cm) (Silver)
Barrel length	26 or 28 in (66 or 71 cm) (Gold) 26 to 30 in (66 to 76 cm) (Silver)
Cartridge	12 and 20 gauge
Action	Break action
Sights	Front- and mid-beads
References	[2]

The Smith & Wesson Elite Series are break-open shotguns offered by Smith & Wesson circa 2007 to 2010. The shotguns were manufactured at a Smith & Wesson facility in Turkey.

History

In November 2006, Smith & Wesson announced that it would re-enter the shotgun market with two new lines of shotguns, the Elite Series and the semi-automatic 1000 Series, unveiled at the 2007 SHOT Show.^[3] Both series were manufactured in Turkey.^[3]

The Elite Series was offered in two variants:^[2]

• Elite Gold – 20-gauge, side-by-side, barrel lengths 26 or 28 in (66 or 71 cm)
• Elite Silver – 12-gauge, over-and-under, barrel lengths 26, 28, or 30 in (66, 71, or 76 cm)

Smith & Wesson offered the Elite Series with an "Heirloom Warranty" program, a first of its kind in the firearms industry. The warranty provides both the original buyer and the buyer's chosen heir with a lifetime warranty on all Elite Series shotguns.^[3]

The 26-inch Silver offering was discontinued in 2008.^[4] The entire Elite Series was discontinued by mid-2010.^{[5][better source needed]}

References

1. Buck, Bruce (2011). Shotguns on Review: 38 Guns Tried & Tested. Down East Books. p. 447. ISBN 978-1608930029. Retrieved June 29, 2020 – via Google Books.
2. "2007 Product Guide" (PDF). Smith & Wesson. pp. 3–7. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via specialgunshop.com.
3. "Smith & Wesson Enters Shotgun Market" (Press release). Smith & Wesson. November 16, 2006. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
4. Dvorchak Jr., George (September 23, 2010). "Testfire: S&W Elite Gold, Elite Silver & 1000 Series". Gun Digest. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
5. "Smith & Wesson Elite Gold S X S ?". trapshooters.com. June 15, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2020.

Further reading

• "Safety & Instruction Manual: Elite Gold Shotguns" (PDF). Smith & Wesson. February 1, 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2020 – via azureedge.net.
• "Safety & Instruction Manual: Elite Silver Shotguns" (PDF). Smith & Wesson. December 30, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2020 – via azureedge.net.
• "Smith & Wesson Elite Gold Side-by-Side Voted Best Hunting Shotgun by Field & Stream Magazine" (PDF) (Press release). Smith & Wesson. September 11, 2008. Retrieved June 28, 2020 – via azureedge.net.
• Guthrie, J. (September 23, 2010). "Smith & Wesson Elite Gold 20 Gauge". shootingtimes.com. Retrieved June 28, 2020.

External links

• Smith & Wesson Elite Gold from Carolina Sporting Arms via YouTube