CZ Shotguns and Barrel Length

P

Panoply

New member
Hello Everyone,

Thank for the great help in narrowing my shotgun search and for generally educating me on shotguns!

I am pretty familiar with pistols, revolvers and autos, and rifles. Don't know much about shotguns. I think I'll only be needing one shotgun for my purposes. Those purposes being home D and perhaps some skeet & trap shooting - maybe even fowling. I think the hunting would be much less likely to be waterfowl than the more active (and dry) hunting of dove, quail etc. I'm also fairly set on a double barrel, but not set in stone. Pretty set, though.

I need info on barrel length. I LOVE CZ and had first thought to get a Bobwhite. They only come in 26" barrels and one guy (just 1 so far) suggested that 26" is too short. What is the consensus on that? If it's too short, it'll have to be an over/under due to my budget. This leaves me with a choice between CZ's Mallard and their Redhead Premier. Both are in 28" Why not the Canvasback? I won't own a gun with gold ducks on it. This may seem silly, but there it is.

So PLEASE give me some information regarding barrel length as well as any solid information y'all may have on those 3 types of CZ shotguns.

Thanks,
Pan

EDIT: I'd also like some input on gauges. Whatever input you think I need to know, lay it on me. I've fired both 12g and 20g (even 16g and 410's). I find the recoil of a 12g a bit excessive (lol) and it affects my second shot. I'm remembering this from the last time I shot skeet - in my early 20's (I'm 38yo now). The 20g I had was far better and was, of course, just as effective on clay pigeons. It's been suggested to me that a 12g could accept lower recoil shells, but it's occurred to me that this may make it basically a 20g. INPUT INPUT INPUT! Lay all that combined (and considerable) experience and knowledge on me.
Oh, a 16g, the natural solution, is out for a few reasons. The price is generally higher and the shells much less available.

Thanks Again,
Panoply
 
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I don't see many CZ shotguns around on clay target fields...

CZ is making an entry level shotgun / but I have no idea how the steel is or how well the internals are made...or whether they will hold up to a typical 5,000 - 10,000 shell season for clay targets/let alone over 20 yrs.../ and only time will tell. It is my opinion that Browning and Beretta have set the standard for Over Unders - as solid workhorse shotguns ...that will easily run 10,000 shells a yr ...for 2 or 3 generations. In the entry level, Browning and Beretta's are not fancy guns...they're just solid workhorses. Ruger, Weatherby, CZ, etc...are all aspiring to be considered comparable to a Browning or Beretta O/U...but I don't think they are there yet / yet CZ may be a decent contender - but you can't tell by looking at them either....time will tell.

In terms of barrel length - there are a couple of factors..../ the longer barrel gives you a little longer sight plane..and in lighter guns that is an advantage. 28" barrels on Over Unders makes the gun about the same overall length with a semi-auto or pump gun with a 26" barrel. ( 26" O/U will be about the same as a 24" pump )..../ so for many of us, a 26" Over Under is too short - and too short tends to mean its "whippy" vs smooth on follow thru/with "whippy" guns many of us tend to "slap" at targets vs making a smooth shot with a smooth follow thru ....but its a question of what suits you / not me.

Personally, for general use(Skeet, sporting clays, 5 Stand and upland birds) - I like an O/U at around 8 lbs...and with 30" barrels ( in all 4 gagues - 12, 20, 28 and .410)...because that feels right to me. But 28" barrels on an O/U are way more common than 26" barrels over the last 20 yrs ...so between the two, I'd certainly go to the 28".

I looked at CZ's website...the Mallard has Extractors ( not ejectors ) so with extractors the shell will pop up slightly out of the chamber as you open the gun ...but it will not eject them over your shoulder. The RedHead has ejectors. Personally I like the ejectors ( some mfg's like Browning - let you set the ejectors on most models to act as ejectors or as extractors - and change as you see fit ).

The Mallard has double triggers.../ so you may or may not like that feature. If you were to put a Mod choke in one barrel and a Cyclinder choke in 2nd barrel...you have to remember which barrel has which choke...and fire the barrel you want first. Sometimes double triggers can be an issue...if you choose to wear gloves. RedHead has a single selective trigger. In this day and age...I'd always go with a single selective trigger ( you select which barrel to fire first - usually by moving the safety selector ). 99.9% of the time, I will fire the Under barrel first...its more in line with the axis of the gun..less recoil.../ and fire the Over barrel 2nd...

Weight is your friend on a target shotgun...each pound of weight you add to the gun ( comparing a 7 lb gun to an 8 lb gun )...that extra pound will give you about 20% less recoil. At some point its too heavy and becomes clumsy ...or its too light and becomes whippy. ( for me 30" Over Under at around 8 - 8.5 lbs is just right for general purposes ).

12 vs 20ga ....shells cost about the same retail / but there will be a lot more variety in shells for the 12ga. A lot of us these days will shoot 1 oz or 7/8 oz of shot in 12ga shells ( the old standard for 20ga was 7/8 oz of shot / 1 oz used to be the 16ga standard ). So with a variety of shells - and changeable screw in chokes....a 12ga has replaced a lot of 16ga and 20ga shotguns...where one gun will do everything. I'd say stay with the 12ga - and the Redhead Premier in the guns you're looking at.

More important...is what stock dimensions fit you ....drop at comb, drop at heel and length of pull are all critical issues on a shotgun. I see the 2 models are a little different in terms of stock specs.

Even if you don't want to spend the money to move up to a Beretta or Browning O/U ...at least compare the feel of the CZ's to guns like the Browning Citori field grade - like the Lightning series.


http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=008B&cid=013&tid=461

This Citori is an entry level gun ....and it sells new for around $ 1,700...but you might find a used one in the $ 1,250 price range ( in 1988 - this gun sold new for $ 750 / and even one in good shape made in 1988 with 250,000 shells thru it is still worth about $ 1,250 )...that is the definition of a solid O/U !

I hope the CZ's hold up - just as well ...but I don't know. ( and while I think they make decent handguns / I don't know who is making their shotguns ).
 
Strictly for clays with maybe some Bobwhite thrown in? I mean if ya gonna go for the name, might as well go for the bird, right?

29 minimum, 30 is better. 12, 20 or 28 - your choice in that regard - all will do nicely on the skeet field.
 
CZ is making an entry level shotgun
Click to expand...

Actually, I don't think CZ even makes them - they are marketing them (the same as they do with the 1911 .22LR with the CZ name). These shotguns are indeed entry level firearms.
 
Correct, they are made in Turkey with their name put on them.

Many folks familiar with the Czech made rifles and pistols may not realize that and they are expecting the same quality. They aren't BAD shotguns, but there are much better ones out there.
 
25" or 26" on a 20 or 28 gauge SxS is great for Bobwhite quail. For anything much else, not so much in my opinion. I do not shoot O/Us, but if I ever got one it would be a scaled frame 28 gauge with 28" barrels.
For your intended purposes I'd go with the 12 gauge with 28" barrels. You can shoot light loads, and to reduce recoil it is not that difficult to add weight to a gun, at all, and remove it if you don't want to lug it around in the field.
 
They are made in turkey by Huglo. I have the Bobwhite. It is a SXS with double triggers. I have had it 8 years with no problems. I wouldn't worry about it taking 10000 rounds a year if you don't plan to shoot it often.( I see people put down cheaper shotguns all the time but they do not realize that not every does or can afford to shoot that much a lot of people only shoot a few hundred times a year) I would say if you believe the recoil to be a bit heavy you might want to look at a semi auto as they reduce the recoil a fair amount.
 
Agh!

I posted a long response and my computer froze up and I lost it.

In essence, it thanked you all because this is the 1st thread in a variety of forums that gave me the answers I needed. Thanks especially to BigJim.

Thanks,
Pan
 
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