O/U Buying Help

S

Shed

Inactive
Hey Guys:

I've been a handgun guy for most of my life, but I fell in love with shotguns while shooting an old Wingmaster a few months ago. I was thinking of getting a good, dependable o/u field gun for trap and upland bird. I'm the kind of guy who likes tough guns that can take a beating so I don't get pissed off if they have cosmetic damage. I'd prefer to keep the cost down, yet still have it be something I could pass down, if possible.

I know threads like this pop up all the time, but thanks in advance for your help.
 
What kind of costs do you want to keep down? It's been my experience that you won't find many o/u shotguns that will "take a beating" and be worth "passing down" much under a grand-and that's for a used gun.
 
My advice is to avoid the "entry level" O/U shotguns, most will not last nor perform well enough to keep you happy. Bite the bullet and buy a Browning or a Beretta. I have owned a Citori for 40 years, and it is a great gun. You will never shoot one loose, and they are heavy enough to absorb all the recoil you don't want to take, yet balance nicely. Berettas are lighter and point nicely, but that light weight will punish you if you do more shooting than walking.
 
Firstly, ask yourself why you want an O/U instead of a semi; up to a certain point, for X dollars you spend on a shotgun, you can buy a nicer semi than an O/U. So there's that. As far as semi's go I'd look at a Montifeltro, or an A300 or something.

Secondly, if you still want an O/U, I'd recomend Franchi's Instinct model. I shoot the SL version 26" 12 gauge at clay games and in the field, and I love it. CZ also makes budget SXS and O/U, but they are made in Turkey and are either a hit or miss.
 
dgludwig said:
What kind of costs do you want to keep down? It's been my experience that you won't find many o/u shotguns that will "take a beating" and be worth "passing down" much under a grand-and that's for a used gun.
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Good question. I'm pretty realistic that it can be difficult to find something of quality under 1k. Over 1k is fine, but I'd prefer to not have to go over $1,500.
 
For what you described, look at any of the offerings from Browning and Beretta and pick the one that FITS you the best. Remember, shotguns are pointed, NOT aimed, so your stance will be different, and the way you shoot it will be different. Browning has two major O/U lines, the Citori and the Cynergy. Different dimensions and feel. Cheap O/Us do not last and typically have poor barrel regulation, clunky 2x4 handling feel, and tend to have Mr. Murphy appear at the wrong time.
 
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FITASC is right. First things first. And, "fit" is first. I was a longtime fan of side by sides and Browning Auto-5s. But, I wanted to get into O/Us. The Browning Superposed was a model I had read about and lusted for and had "set my sights on." I really wanted to love the Superposed, but after, trying a used one for fit in a LGS, it did not shoulder, feel, point, or swing right for me. The Citori and Weatherby Athena however fit me very well. Since then, every time I run across a Superposed I have to shoulder it then put it back in the rack, lamenting that these fine old guns just don't work for me. Of course, I could spend some "Ben Franklins" having one restocked but that's something I am not going to do.

Take your time and try out different models until you discover those that feel good to you, then narrow them down and make your choice based on your other criteria.

Good hunting! :)
 
Agree with those who say to bite the bullet and get a Beretta or a Browning. You do get what you pay for. If a new one is out of your price range go on Gunbroker to see what's available in a good clean used one.
 
Or, if you prefer closer to home, go to your local trap/skeet/sporting clubs in the area and put a WTB ad on the bulletin board. Personally, I would do that AFTER I brought a flat of GOOD ammo (like Win AA's or Rem STS) to the club and asked folks to try a round of trap or skeet with their gun and give them a box as a thank you. Even if their particular gun isn't for sale, you'll get a good idea of what will and won't work for YOU. That $80 investment for ammo isn't much when considering dropping $1800-$2000+ on a gun.
 
go with a Browning or Beretta ....Unless you intend to do a lot of Goose /turkey hunting a 20ga will carry better and will have plenty punch for upland game and jump/decoying ducks.....
 
If possible where you are at, ask around about a competent instructor, take some lessons and get his advice on what fits you. Sometimes they will have a few guns you can try and, if not, their buddies won't mind you trying their shooters.

I don't know about using a 20 for trap, but its a good choice for skeet.

I shoot a 12 gauge Citori SX Skeet, as do a lot of folk, and while it is a skeet gun, I used it for trap for three years before I got hooked on skeet. The group I shoot with mostly shoot Brownings and Berretas, with a Kolar or a Perrazi here and there, but it seems that a lot still pull out an auto loader. Especially when getting warmed up for some dove hunting.

And there is nothing wrong with used. A new guy to the group, who is not new to shotguns, does quite well with a Browning A5 20 gauge that he bought used 15 years ago.

Also consider your health. Some of us are not as young as others and some have shoulder or other orthopedic problems, in which case you may want a gas operated auto loader. Especially if you will be burning through a flat or two a week.
 
I've seen several used SKB guns in your price range at my local dealer. Keep in mind that the current SKB (USA) is not the same company as the previous SKB (Japan). The current guns are made in Turkey, by reputable manufacturers but still Turkey. The Japanese produced SKB gun were high quality. They also manufactured for Weatherby and Ithaca. The main reason they closed up shop was the amount of hand fitting they used to maintain quality. Don't be afraid of the discontinued SKB models. I just contacted the new USA office, who promptly replied that they have a big stock of parts for the older models and will service them too. I was quoted $190 to disassemble, inspect, ultrasonic clean, reassemble with all new springs, lube and adjust my 2005 TSS85 trap gun, including return shipping! Same service for the Weatherby and Ithaca guns they produced.
 
The reason SKB (Japan) stopped was because they got contract to make a few bazillion auto parts for the likes of Toyota, Nissan, etc......
 
The OP clearly mentioned he wants to keep costs down for and O/U, but most responses are trying to talk him into high end brands or even semi-autos.

Shed, take a look at the CZ Redhead Premier or CZ Redhead Premier Target. They are both within your price range.

Are CZ/Huglu shotguns so bad that Browning, Beretta, & Benelli shotguns are worth 2x or 3x the price?
 
when you can shoot your browning or bretta tens of thousands of rounds, the cost of ammo will be more that the cost of a good shotgun. i shoot trap and skeet quite a bit and for every low end shotgun their are 40-50 good shotguns on the line. i have a little over 40,000 shells thru my trap gun, a browning BT-100 with out any problems or parts braking. and i could sell it for 70-75 percent of what i paid for it. eastbank.
 
Are CZ/Huglu shotguns so bad that Browning, Beretta, & Benelli shotguns are worth 2x or 3x the price?
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For the guy who shoots maybe a flat a year at some dove? No. For the guy who shoots 1-2 flats a week at targets, yes.

The cost of ammo and targets will FAR exceed the cost of the gun. Buy once, cry once. A cheap gun that needs repairs constantly so you don't have it to shoot when needed is no bargain.

I have one Browning I shot for 20 years. At ~90,000, it needed new springs and firing pins. Closer now to about 250,000, it might need them again. Paid $1K for that gun, now over 20 years ago. 250,000 rounds, at an average cost of $.20/each PLUS 250,000 targets at an average cost of $.25/each comes out to over $112,000. The cost of the gun is nothing compared to the cost of the shooting
 
Agree

The B guns are hard to beat. You need durability.

The older SKB guns can be a real bargain. Nice to know the new SKB has repair parts. The older Winchester 101's are also great guns, but have a reputation as being hard kickers.
 
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