Entry level O/U

R

rugerdude

New member
I'm doing some research in order to find a buddy an entry level O/U for shooting skeet, trap and five stand. I got him hooked a few weeks ago and he's really picked up shotgun shooting well, and want's an O/U, and even though I like pumps, I know the games are dominated by O/U's so I won't dissuade him.

I know the mossberg silver reserve guns have had their firing pin problems (are they fixed yet?) and my father had a stoeger condor that I simply can't recommend (maybe a condor supreme).

I also don't know much about the spartans being imported by remington.

Are there any other lower prices O/U's out there? I doubt he'll be able to spend much over 600 dollars.

And I'd love to hear from the owners of any shotgun that would fit this category.

(please note, he and I are not competetive shooters. We shoot on the weekends and he's going to need a car soon as well, so please do not respond with "those inexpensive guns are crap, get a beretta or a browning because they will last 6 quadrillion rounds")
 
best looking one I have seen is one I just ran across- A Stevens Gold Wing. It was listed a s a savage and on sale for under $500 at Sports Authority of all places. I like that it has a recoil pad, mulitple chokes, ejectors (not extractors) and rather nice wood with good checkering.
 
I don't have an answer to your question other than I would not recommend a Stoeger Condor as well. A friend of my father-in-law gave him a new one last year for taking him hunting on his property. My father-in-law has about 6 Browning Citori's and 1 Beretta O/U, so he gave me the gun. I know you can't complain much with a free gun and I'm not. I'm just saying I wouldn't recommend them. There not expensive, but still not worth the money they cost. Better options out there for around the same price.
 
The issues with cheap O/U's are that they rarely are. There is, (or should be), a lot of labor involved in assembling the barrels so that they converge properly. Threading barrels for chokes is also another area where lesser quality usually disappoints as the chokes do not shoot to POA well and they pattern even worse. If you'll be happy with that for an occasional foray into some clays or a bird now and again, that is one thing. Also to remember - higher quality guns hold their value better, so when/if you decide to upgrade down the road, that works to your advantage.
 
+1 on what OneOunce said ...

I wish there was a gun that was durable - and would hold up to even marginal use under $1,000 - but in my opinion there just isn't - at least in a new gun. I understand he's your friend - but you're doing him a favor not recommending a gun that you know he'll have trouble with.

The entry level Browning and Berettas - in Brownings case its the lightning series - can be found used - for around $ 600 - $ 750 / but it will probably not have screw in chokes in it, on the lower end of that price. As such, I think that gun is a waste of money - unless you find one with the old invector chokes in it / maybe one that needs some TLC on the stock....

In his budget range - a Browning BPS pump is a solid gun / or he should look at some of the lesser expensive semi-autos like a Beretta 390 or 391, or a Remington 1100 ( lots of good used guns out there ).

It doesn't matter if you're a competitive shooter or not / Browning and Beretta didn't earn their reputation just on nice wood - its also an issue of the quality of the steel, etc - the Lightning series is not a great gun / its a serviceable O/U ... I still have the one I bought new in 1987 ..... for about $ 750 / even though I've moved into higher quality Brownings now like the XS Skeet models ( with an adj comb, I think is one of the most versatile guns Browning makes these days ). The XS Skeet models ( I have them in12, 20, 28ga and .410 ) are my work horse guns - for Skeet, Sporting and bird hunting ........ I know you said you didn't want to hear it - but I'm not going to lie to you either ..
 
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