Honestly, (this is based on opinion. And please note I've never really studied one of these guns before nor do I know small details about it) I think the texture is dropping in quality the farther you progress with it. The first example you showed looked very efficient. Now it just looks like you're adding unnecessary things to it while it was already perfectly usable in the first example.
As for instance, I notice all of these small brown and green smudges lightly added onto the new texture. I don't really see why they are there. If I had a gun like that, I'd keep it polished and free of dirt the best I could. Unless this gun is 20+ years old, I don't see how it could get that dirty. The first texture was nice and clean. The basic look it had gave it a separate look from all of the other guns made on this forum. Everyone tries too hard to make it look tattered and grunged up, while you already have a perfectly good gun in the base texture.
Asteric, I love all of your work and I check this thread every time there's a new update, and I'm not trying to down your work here, but I'm just trying to get my 2 cents in there to make this model stand-out. And don't think the basic texture is done (the one I believe was better than the one now). It still needs a few tweeks, but please lay off the grunge and stick to finer details. Grunge, I believe, is sloppy. Add a great grip, leather, and clip (though, that's already a fantastic one you have at the moment) texture and you'll have definite pro-grade material.
*crawls back into lurking*
