My Rock Island Armory M-5 arrived last Wednesday, less than a day and a half after I ordered it. The gun comes pretty well soaked in rust inhibiting oil. No doubt applied to insure it's journey from the Philippines, (one of the wettest and most humid places on Earth), would be rust free. The gun is very well built. I chose the Nickel finish, and it seems to be very evenly applied. The action is no different than all of the rest of these guns I've handled in the past, butter smooth and slick as can be. With the gun vertical resting on the recoil pad, a simple press of the bolt release allows the forearm and bolt to drop without any assistance. Lockup is bank vault tight.
I spent about an hour wiping, cleaning and giving it a wash in clean Kerosene, after which I gave it a good blow drying with compressed air, but I've got it ready to go. I went out back just to cycle some ammo through it, and it accepted everything I ran through it. My dealer said he sells a ton of them, and has never gotten one back. One guy called him telling of an ejection problem. He told him to box it up and bring it in, but the guy never brought it back.
I'm anxious to crank this thing up. Being as it's all steel the gun is heavy, (a bit over 7-1/2 pounds empty). I'm not seeing that as a minus because it's not a gun I'll be carrying in the field. It's strictly a range gun and a house self defense weapon. I'm thinking the extra weight will help absorb some recoil when shooting the big Magnum 3" slug and buckshot loads. The design is based on the old High Standard Flight King, with 2 slide bars instead of just one. This gun design was also manufactured under the J.C. Higgins name, as well as by Western Field back in the 60's and early 70's.
One thing I like about this pump gun that you don't see on others, is the fact the barrel screws directly into the receiver, and is not held in place by a retaining cap or nut like most other pump guns are. Some will not like this because it requires a little more effort to clean the weapon. It also does not allow for any magazine extensions to be added. But I feel the added strength and rigidity it provides by having threaded steel screw directly into steel is well worth it.
Pump shotguns are pretty wide open when the action is opened, and because of this are quite easy to clean regardless. I just hold the butt stock high, and using a short bristled paint brush and clean Kerosene, simply wash it out, allowing the dirt and crap to run out the muzzle of the barrel. I then blow it dry with compressed air, run a clean dry patch down the length of the barrel, and relubricate. The gun comes out spotless.
If anyone is looking for a well made, reasonably priced fighting shotgun, give this Rock Island Armory M-5 a good look. You won't be disappointed at the quality for the money. I doubt you could find a better deal on a new combat shotgun anywhere. They also come with a lifetime warranty. Pretty hard deal to beat all the way around.