Best O/U for the money?

C

cordesr1

New member
I've been shooting skeet and trap for the last couple years with a Winchester Super X2 sporting. Love the gun but know at the rate i'm shooting it's not going to last forever. I'm Looking for an O/U and don't know where to start.

Like everyone i want the most gun for my money. I would like to keep it under $1500 and want a quality gun. i know i can pick up a used citori in my price range also a few weatherby orions.

Are there other options out there that i can do better than where i'm headed?

Thanks,

RJC
 
The Franchi is a great looking gun for the money. From the one i picked up they handle well. I was not able to shoot it though.

One thing that i did not like is the automatic safety. Once you close the breech the safety is activated. This is an nice feature for a field gun, not so much for a competition gun.
 
The Beretta 686 Sporting is in your price range.
FWIW, it will take alot of rounds to wear out that SX2. It's one of the most underrated gas guns out there.
 
Do not confuse low price with value. For a clay target shooter the Beretta 686 Sporting is the best value but it does not have the lowest price.
 
For target shooting, you will want the target version of whatever gun make you decide on. The reason is simple - weight. Target versions tend to be, on average, a pound heavier than the corresponding field version. Target guns get shot a lot and carried a little, so weight becomes your friend in the recoil department.

Used - Browning Gti, 325, 425, 525 might be in the ballpark figure, as well as some of the Beretta 68X versions - both makers are still in business; every gunsmith who actually is one can fix them easily, parts are available; and their longevity has been proven. I do not think you will find a target version new in your price range.

SKB -I'll categorize SKB as just slightly lower than Beretta and Browning, but not by enough to matter to most. However, SKB in Japan stopped production. The US importer, GU from Omaha, has guns and parts, they say, to last for several decades, and they say they are trying to find someone to resume production. SKB made Weatherby at one point and several others. If it looks like a Merkel but was made in Japan, it most likely was made by SKB.

It really comes down to your volume of shooting. My Gti, now 17 years old, has about 200,000 rounds through it. I have had the main spring, firing pins and firing pin springs replaced once - at about 90,000. As mentioned, one advantage of a mainstream gun is that my smith can not only fix this gun, he keeps all the parts in stock because they are popular and he sees a lot of them over the course of a year - (He lives at a retirement gun club in Fl)

As for the type of gun - IMO, it is easier to shoot trap with a skeet version stock, than the other way around. Trap versions are typically set up to shoot a high POI/POA - around 70/30, whereas skeet guns shoot typically 50/50 or at most, 60/40. Since you have targets that are not all rising as in trap, the skeet version will be better at not having you missing over the top on birds that might be dropping.

Besides, eventually, you'll want to test the waters at the 5-stand, sporting clays, and maybe even the FITASC fields.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
IMHO, you'll be better off if you shoot your Super X2 a few more seasons, save and increase your budget. Typically trap and Skeet are shot with two different guns if you're serious. If you use one gun for both you're making a compromise.

I have a R-1100 Trap (high stock and rib) model with an extra trap barrel shortened for Skeet. Yes, it works for trap and Skeet casual practice but not nearly as well as my dedicated trap and Skeet guns. I've had several buddies who do reasonably well with with one gun for trap and Skeet. They shoot in the high 90s in practice, but never seem to win in competition.

I don't know how many times I've seen an experienced shooter, with an inappropriate gun, have a mystified look on his face after missing a target. Your gun won't tell you, "Hey Buddy, if you had an appropriate gun, you wouldn't have missed those targets: You keep raising your head because your stock is too low (or, you're picking up the targets too late because of a low rib)." If you're missing when you feel like you did everything right, then you might want to look a little more closely at your gun. Competitive shooters don't have dedicated guns because they look comp-cool, they have them to shoot higher scores.
 
I think you might be underestimating how long the Win semi-auto will last ...and even if it breaks or major parts are worn ...rebuilding it is only a few hundred dollars.

To say you like a Citori ...isn't enough info ...the issue is "fit" ...while every Citori in the Browning line of guns is a solid gun / there are about 27 different models of the Citori ...and some of them are more suited to Skeet ..some to Trap...some to field hunting...some to sporting...

If I were to recommend one model of the Citori line of guns ...its the XS Skeet model ..with a parallel comb ..ideally you should buy it with the adj comb in it. In a 12ga or a 20ga ...its one model...that will do most everything pretty well. Its not a great Trap gun ...( compared to the Citori XT ) ...but the XT is not as good a gun for sporting or skeet as the XS Skeet model.

In my opinion - your best value is in Beretta or Browning for an O/U ...but you really need to fine tune your search to a couple of specific models that really "fit" you. See if you can shoot some O/U's ...talk to a lot of guys at your local club ...don't be in too big a hurry to go to an O/U until you really understand the dynamics of Fit ( drop at comb, drop at heel, length of pull, etc ) and keep shooting the semi-auto you have for awhile.

30" O/U's are about same overall length as a semi-auto with a 28" barrel ...and only my opinion but an XS Skeet model in 30" barrels is a good all around gun. If a Citori fits you ...then the Beretta options probably will not ...there is quite a bit of difference in the two mfg's...or vice versa...
 
That $1000 Winchester 101 looks like a very good deal for the money, but I notice the CDNN ad lists it as the "Select Model 101". Is the "select" a lesser model that the field grade 101? Still, pound per dollar, it may be a good deal.
 
I'm not set on new or used. Today i shot the SKB 585 Sporting clays and did not like how it fit. The stock lengths felt good but it seemed like the rib was tilted (asking $850 with factory chokes). I also shot a line with a citory GTI, it felt very comfortable, very close fit to my sx2 plus a few LBS. I do not like the looks of the blued receiver but that's not as important as fit (asking $1000 with leather case and full set of extended chokes). Both used guns.

I Shoot 8-10 lines of skeet or trap a week. I am looking for a skeet gun. My auto will be a designated trap gun.
 
If you want under $1000 I would look at a used Browning Citori or similar. If you were looking for new for a little more, I would recommend the same just new.
 
Agreed about the X2 rebuild being cheaper than a new gun... I just got an SX3 because the gun should outlast me. If not, then I'll spring for a Citori.

I recently read on some forum that a guy was in an elevator with a national skeet team; naturally he asked about guns. He mentioned Ruger Red Labels and got laughed at but most of the guys said they started shooting or did shoot Citoris.
 
I'm not set on new or used. Today i shot the SKB 585 Sporting clays and did not like how it fit. The stock lengths felt good but it seemed like the rib was tilted (asking $850 with factory chokes). I also shot a line with a citory GTI, it felt very comfortable, very close fit to my sx2 plus a few LBS.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're doing it right...handle as many guns as you can. There is a Gander Mountain south of you, that would be a good place to handle quite a few different models. I almost ordered a Citori because evreyone told me it was the cats meow...fortunately I handled one at Bass Pro first, and found it fit me like a landscaping timber!

For me, Beretta's and the Cynergy fit better, but it sounds like the Citori could work for you; again, handle as many differnt models as you can before you purchase.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top