Stoeger Uplander opinions and comments.

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SeR_Cyclops

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I have been thinking of getting this gun because of its price. 299 at a local store, I have a Remington 1100 and a S&W 438 for CCW and HD. I'm just looking for something fun to take out on the farm and maybe shoot a some clays with. What do you all think of this gun? I will not be getting one with the single enursha trigger because I have read about problems with it re setting. I have read something about the cross pattern between the barrels being a little off but that was only one guy out of probably 20-25 reviews/threads/videos I have watched or read. So what is your all's opinion on this gun, keep in mind its only 300 bucks but I'm also just looking for something fun to shoot.
 
i have one in 20ga. and one in 12 ga.

i like them both,,the 20 is a nice little gun,,i really like it in the dove fields

they are not as refined as the higher dollar guns but they function fine and seem to point good for me anyway

both of mine have choke tubes

for the money i don't see how you will go wrong,,,i have pulled some long shots out with the 20 on doves

i like them,, been thinkin on one they call the,,outback,,it's an over and under,,20" barrels and choke tubes with rifle sights on it:D

that's my take,,,YMMV

ocharry
 
Don't have the uplander. Owned a Stoeger 2000 for a couple of years and it was a great gun for the money. Never gave me a single trouble and seemed well built, although the finish was not a beautiful blue.
 
I shoot a Condor Competition in trap. Works just fine if I do my part. No, it's not a Browning but it works well for the price. Be sure to give the action a good flushing out with CLP or such. I found a lot of filings and gunk in mine.
 
I must say that this forum has the most civil discussions of any forum I've read when someone asks about an inexpensive gun. Too often I read "...if it isn't a B gun, it must be crap."
My feeling is that it is not always necessary to spend $2000+ on an occasional shooter or a "fun gun". I have a Mossberg 20 gauge O/U (which I have modified) which I use exclusively for skeet and I like it a lot. I also have more expensive guns, but this one does fine, feels good, and was easy to justify for the occasional skeet game.
The argument you will get is that these guns are not as durable as higher end guns. So what? If, after 2000 rounds a firing pin spring ($5) or the pin ($20) fails, or some other part malfunctions, fix it! You can do this many times with your Stoeger before you will have spent $2500 that a Browning or Benelli would have cost.
As always, you must try it to see how it fits you. It can be modified for a small amount of money. Combs can be raised with "convert-a-stock" http://www.meadowindustries.com/gunstocks.html#quick for 1/30 the price of an adjustable comb. Same applies to LOP.
 
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i am sure there are many expensive weapons out there that i would love to own. unfortunatly (for me anyway) they are not something i can buy on impulse and often i don't have the patience to save for them. instead i opt for the more affordable models and i have seldom been disappointed. i have 2 stoeger shotguns that work just fine for me.
 
Browning and Beretta have set the standard - on relatively affordable - Over Unders for a long time. Today - that threshhold is around $ 1,500 or so...

When you are looking at less expensive O/U's --- you need to understand they are going to cut corners on something. But there are a lot of options out there in the $ 500 - $1,000 price range - even Cabelas is selling one with a 5 yr warranty ...so any number of them might be worth a chance.

The only problem I see on some of these guns - is the barrels are not regulated properly - where one barrel hits high right / and one hits low left ...and there is no way to really fix that. I don't think the Mossberg, Stoeger, etc are bad guns ....they probably aren't 20,000 shell guns ...and the resale value won't be there ...but they are what they are.

I would be careful of guns made in Turkey or China or the Soviet Union - but I think Stoeger and Mossberg and others are making some serviceable guns.

As always with shotguns - you need a gun that "fits" ...so it hits where you look - but that's more about stock dimensions than anything else - length of pull, drop at comb, drop at heel - and that can all be modified.

Only as a comparison - a Browning Lightning - that was purchased new in 1988 for $ 700 - with many thousands of shells thru it - is selling, used now for between $ 1,000 - $ 1,250 with a few scratches on it. So that gun in 1988 was a pretty good buy.... Will the Stoeger, Mossberg, etc do that ...maybe, I don't know...

As long as both barrels hit with the same point of impact - and you won't know until you shoot it ...firing pins, springs, etc can all be changed - you should be fine. But look at the other options too - Tristar, Mossberg, etc as well ...and compare them to the entry level Brownings like the Lightning ...

Its not a simple - yes, buy it ...or no don't ... you have to educate yourself on the differences - and its not just fancy wood.
 
I bought a 20 ga. several yrs. ago for a foul weather gun. They are a bit heavy as are most economy priced doubles, but pretty robust. The old Baikals are a good choice in that catagory as well, not much to look at but built like tanks, if used is in consideration.

YB
 
Personally, I like and shoot a variety of the Browning Citori's - for bird hunting, Skeet and Sporting Clays - I shoot a Citori XS Skeet model, 30" barrels - in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 .... For Trap I like the Citori XT with 32" barrels ....

If those guns were not in my budget ....I would probably look for an SKB or a Ruger Red label ...( SKB's are out of production now - but there are still some around). I think I would also look at Cabelas TriStar O/U especially since it has a 5 yr warranty. On these less expensive O/U's - I think a good warranty is a pretty big deal - especially if you have a barrel "regulation" issue where they are not hitting at the same point of impact.

Sometimes I see a few used guns around / especially where the stock is scratched up pretty good - but mechanically sound ...especiaally a Browning or Beretta - and a little sanding, some stain, some varnish ....and you can end up with a very nice gun.

The guns I would definitely stay away from are Huglu and Baikal ...both have a lot of issues. But Stoeger or Mossberg may be worth a look as well.

I would certainly make sure the gun has screw in changeable chokes - to make it more versatile ---and remember weight is a good thing when it comes to reducing recoil / stay away from real light guns ( say under 7 lbs ) especially in a 12ga. You need to be a cautious consumer when it comes to O/U's under $ 1,500 or so ....and just go with your instincts.
 
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Weve had alot of problem with our kids (sporting clays team) who are shooting Stoegers. Broken firing pins and failure to extract are common. This is a big problem in a match. The lower priced shotguns are not made for high volume shooting. If youre an occasional shooter they may be fine. If not, you would be better off in the long run with a used Browning or Beretta.
 
I was going to get a Spartan SxS 20ga but found a new-in-the-box Steven 612 on gunbroker for $400 so I got that instead. The Stevens in lighter and seems to be a lot tighter... but I cannot compare how the 2 shoot as I've not shot both of them!
 
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