ORIGINAL: TSR6
While I hate to hear someone had such problems with a gun I love, let me provide the exact opposite review:
I've had my DeerSlayer gun for several years now. Probably since around 2004-ish? I sight in at 150yards with around 2" groups. I have had absolutely no problems with the gun at all. The trigger is smooth & predictable. Mine has the Realtree camo pattern dip on it.
I have a second Ithaca bird gun.
Both have had no problems, and if I needed a shotgun, I would definately look into a Deerslayer III.
TSR6,Your gun came from king ferry factory,they were good guns made right, from the old Ithaca factory milling machines, the new guns made after 06 are made in a completely new factory, under a few different owners and management. Although they are the same design they are very differnt company and product I believe. The new co. is just too unstable and "shady" and the product just isnt the sameIMO. I dont know about now, but 2 years ago they were struggling to fill orders which were only taken after guns were paid for, in otherwords there wasnt a distributer , they took orders and whenever the gun was ready, it was shipped to buyers FFL holder of choice. I got lucky,but alot of people on SGW forum said they were getting jerked around.
If you really want one, have you considered buying an used, older production DSII like TSR6 has? I know the new ones look good on the site, but the only real difference, as far as design goes, is the slightly longer bull barrel on the DSIII, youll save alot of $ and the kings ferry dsII has the free floated, fixed barrel just like the new ones.