I saw a a Eastfield 916 pump 12 gauge at the shop. Looks like new. By SW made in Japan. Did some research and the info that comes up is not that good. Are they really that bad??

The gun looks well made, fit and finish appears good. Dual extractors, heavy frame.

I seems SW wanted to get into supply LE agencies with these but had major problems?

What was wrong with them?

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Still Running Against the Wind

Ahh they're really not that bad. I would call them crude by 870 standards...which really kinda overshadowed the S&W anyway. A lot more accessories parts etc for the 870.

Smith tried to enter a market that was already controlled by designs that had been around for decades.

Had one once about 30 years ago--will not own another. Think of most anything can go wrong with a pump--it likely did. No thanks.

That's what I was afraid of. To bad, as it looks and feels like a decent SD gun. I am afraid the new 870's are not what they used to be either. I kinda like the Mossberg 590A1LE

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Still Running Against the Wind

I had one back in the early 80's that I used when I was in law enforcement in Texas. It had a 20" bbl with extended magazine. I could carry 7-3" or 8-2 3/4" OObuck/slug combos. It kicked like a mule, but being able to put that large amount of lead into a target was great. I had rifle sights put on mine for slug accuracy. On mine, for some reason, if you held the trigger after the first round, the gun would fire as fast as you pumped the action. You could easily go through all 8-2 3/4" rounds, but the 3" REALLY beat you up (even with a Remington shock boot on it!!!).
I used the gun to hunt quail and it would pattern so tight at anything under 50 yards that I usually blew the bird up entirely!!!! For dove, it was ok, but I eventually moved to a Winchester 12ga pump to hunt with and reserved the 916A for my law enforcement activities. It had A LOT more psychological impact over the 870 or the Mossbergs because of the extended mag and large rifle sight. Never had to fire it at anyone, but if I pointed it at a suspect, they immediately surrendered....!!!!

I remember when they came out, I think the biggest strike against them was looks, it looked cheap. It may have worked well but I do't remember anyone jumping up and down screaming it's great. I looked at the 1st one that came into the local LGS, it just looked well, not as pleasing as the other brands the local LE carried. Old M-12's, Ithaca's and 870's seemed to have the local business.

I have one in 12 gauge which I picked up for $70 as a rescue over 10 years ago, and fixed it up. I refinished the stock, sanded off the rust, and went over the metal with cold blue. I think it is a great utilitarian shotgun, and it fits me very well. It's just not very good-looking. I have fired it a lot without incident. I'd say it is equivalent to a Mossberg or Savage pump gun. The design is pure Noble Manufacturing, who made both shotguns and .22 rifles back in the 1950s or thereabouts. No details, but I think S&W bought Noble to get the design and equipment to make that shotgun, then just stamped it with "S&W." I remember a story that a batch of them were made by S&W with a too-short barrel which made them illegal.

"By SW made in Japan."
I have never heard that, I think they were made in the USA.

I remember the gun writers did not like them, probably expected something better from S&W but then that was the Bangor Punta days.

Here is a S&W post from 5 years ago.
S&W Model 916 Shotgun Information

Here is an advertisement by S&W/Bangor Punta from the era.
Smith & Wesson Model 916 Shotgun - Pumps Up The Value

This one gives the reasons it failed, high parts breakage. and says made overseas but the Blue Book says made in Springfield, USA.

Smith & Wesson 916 Shotgun Series - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

S&W's next shotgun series was made in Japan.

I have on I bought in 1975. The original 916s were US made. I've shot hundreds of rounds through it with no issues. From light bird shot to 3" buckshot. Had it cut down and flat blued a couple of years back, now it's my defense shotgun. I have zero worries about this one.