Best Shotgun as a Family Airlume

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CC8919

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Best Shotgun as a Family Heirloom

I used to bird hunt a lot several years ago but have gotten away from it since my son was born. Now that my son is old enough to go with me, I want to start again. I will need to purchase a new shotgun form myself. But I want to purchase a gun that I can turn into a family heirloom. One I can pass on to my son and he can pass on to his son, etc. I know practically any shotgun will work for this if its properly cared for but I want something that is special now and will be later. I asked a friend about it and he said the Benelli Cordoba would be great. Just wanted to check to see if anyone else may have some thoughts on this.
 
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Ive gotta Berretta Silver Pigeon Over/Under, with a two BBL set one bbl for 28 ga. and one for 20 ga. It has my Last name initial in the silver on the stock. I definately plan on passin down to my son. along with a bird hunitn journal Ive kept for every bird hunt Ive been on. The gun gets few little dings every now and then but that just gives character I think. Its a quality gun that'll be worth somethin down the road. And it should last through him and maybe his son as well. Thats the plan anyway..........
 
Browning is an American shell corporation. With the exception of a .22 pistol or two, all guns are made elsewhere.

As far as an heirloom, something that will will last and be around for quite some time could also mean a Browning O/U, Beretta O/U. Depends on your budget and type of action you're looking for.
 
Airlume: A super-light gun that can be handed down to future generations.

[SIZE=-2]Sorry, I couldn't resist.[/SIZE]
 
Airlume: A super-light gun that can be handed down to future generations.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.
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Zippy -

Sad part is, if you google "airlume" there are others out there spelling heirloom the same way.

I guess hooked on phonics works!.....

Thing is, the spell checker puts a red line under it, indicating a misspelling.......

Oh well, maybe the OP will give us a budget for ideas........
 
My sincere apologies for the misspelling of Heirloom. I had my doubts about the spelling before the post and should have researched a little more.

I would like to purchase an american made shotgun but quality, resilience and aesthetics are the major factors. The price range can vary but I would like to stay around $2500. Also, I would prefer a semi automatic.
 
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For an American made semi, Remington is about your best bet. If you want the one that, as of this point in time, is the best from a target-shooting perspective, the Beretta 39X series gets the nod - those are made in Italy. Benelli's are made by a Beretta-owned company and are lighter than the 39X series, which for upland hunting with lots of walking, is a nice feature. One thing to remember, a lighter gun shooting heavier field loads will result in more recoil. And depending on how the gun fits, it might also have more felt, or perceived, recoil.

The best thing I can suggest is to go a local shotgun club (not an indoor range), and see if they rent guns, or possibly you can borrow some that you are interested in. Try as many as you can before you plunk down your hard-earned money to get one that fits you and you like. Once done, shoot it a lot with your son. THAT will make it a family heirloom worthy of keeping.

Sorry about the ribbing on your spelling.......;)
 
There are a lot of good semi-autos on the market ...but American made is going to be a problem ....

OneOunce or Zippy probably know ....but I'm not sure even Remington is American made anymore ... Browning and Winchester are part of the same corp now ( all part of FN )... Beretta / Benelli ...are Italian mfg's ... The current crop of offerings from Browning, Winchester, Beretta, Benelli, etc are all getting pretty good reviews...

My personal choice in a semi-auto is a non gas operated gun / an inertia gun - the Benelli. For upland birds / some Trap and Skeet - etc I like the Benelli Super Sport model ( synthetic carbon fibre stock, comfort tech system in it, available in both 12 and 20ga ). They're light guns /easy to carry / perform very well ... I like the 12ga in a 30" barrel ( longer sight plane is a plus on a light gun ...helps smooth out the swing a little ).

In terms of an heirloom - I think an O/U - from Browning or Beretta / with screw in chokes / 28" or 30" barrels will be a gun that will live for many generations in the family. One of the most versatile Browning Citori O/U's is the XS Special or the XS Skeet models. I like the XS Skeet model, with the adj comb / as an all around gun for bird hunting, skeet, sporting clays... Mine are 30" barrels ( but a good 12 or 20ga or even a 28ga are great guns ). I really like the 28ga for quail, etc over good dogs ...
 
Some good advice here, midst the teasing about spelling.

Best was,IMO, One Oz's suggestion about trying out different guns.

A polite, well spoken newbie can often get to try out a lot of good shotguns.

I've been handed shotguns by near strangers to have a few shots with that included.....

A couple Kolars.

Half a dozen Purdeys.

The same with Parkers, including an A-1 Special SBT so pretty it almost hid the fact it was a clay crunching death ray on trap targets.

A Woodward O/U.

Some Churchills, including a pair of their XXVs.

A handful of Perazzis, including some inlaid by Mr Bee in his prime.

Beretta and Browning Competition guns ad infinitum.

And Heaven only knows how many 870s, 12s, 1100s, 390 and 391s, X1s,2S and 3s, and so on.

And besides the kindness of strangers, some ranges rent out good quality guns. My home range has a mess of 391s and Beretta O/Us for a pittance.

So get to the range and find out what works for you.....
 
CC8919,

Sorry 'bout the airloom teasing. My spell checker didn't didn't send up a flare over your spelling.

Have you considered a factory upgraded Remington 1100? It's an American made auto-loader, and you may find a higher grade or commemorative issue that suits your fancy (Perhaps something issued the year of your son's birth). From the custom shop there were the standard (cataloged) fancier models with nicer wood and factory engraving. Or, with your budget, you might be able to make a father-and-son 2-gun set in 12 and 20-ga.
 
That's a good idea Zippy / I like you're thinking .....

But are the 1100's really made in the US ( or parts come in from overseas / and just assembled here ?? )...
 
I like my Remington 1100 that my parents bought me when I was old enough to hunt. I have an old Sears & Roebuck 16 gauge that was my grandfathers that was passed down on to me after he died.
 
Don't sweat the teasing about the spelling. It's deserved.

I take pride in being a "Made in America" kind of guy. But I have been told it may be ambitious to expect to get what I want made in America. Y'all seem to agree. I have tested 3 Benelli models (Super Black Eagle, Cordoba, & Ultra Light) at the suggestion of a friend (a Benelli fan). Of those, I liked the Cordoba best and was leaning that direction. However, Zippy's suggestion of a possible "father and son 2 gun set" and BigJim's suggestion about the SuperSport have inspired me to do more due diligence.

By the way, if anyone knows how to edit the Thread Title let me know and I'll fix it.

CC
 
CC8919 said:
By the way, if anyone knows how to edit the Thread Title let me know and I'll fix it.
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I see the title has been changed, I've never had any luck in that department. Did you make a discovery, or have a staffer intervene? Never mind.
 
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I'll submit the old Winchester model 12
I may inherit one in 16ga someday, which once belonged to my great-grandfather
 
How about a nice LS Smith Ideal grade 12 or 16 guage with mod/imp chokes. Will set you back about $1200-$1500 and since they haven't been made for about 60 years or so, you would have a nice headstart on the neirloom thing. TD
 
I'll submit the old Winchester model 12
I may inherit one in 16ga someday, which once belonged to my great-grandfather
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I just bought a 12 gauge model 12 recently, all original, plate and finish 95%. Wood nice. I don't think theres too many better shotguns for the money. Mine is 1460XXX I think which puts it around 1955. Its awesome. I didn't shoot it yet but its a quality piece through and through. It just looks like a gun that will never wear out. I'm so glad I have one cause I wanted an original gently worn plain one for a while now. Eventhough I don't yet have a son, I wanted a model 12 to have as a shooter in my collection in case the son comes along and even if he doesn't, its a great gun. Mine is just a standard grade no rib, mod choke but I love it. A friend of mine has a 20 gauge model 12 made in 1937. Most of the bluing gone and it sports a polychoke but the gun was used by 3 generations of his family. Probably 1000s of rounds easy through his and still works fine. I think a gun thats older/classic when you get it, makes for a better heirloom. But of course any gun can be a heirloom. With care, a model 12 could practically last forever.
 
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I have a hard time believing a person who has 2500 dollars to spend on a shotgun cannot spell heirloom.
 
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