Gun Dog Forum

Just wanted some options for O/U shotgun. I am looking to purchase one and want one that is the best bang for the buck. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I have looked at several and just cant decide.

Browning Citori Lightning.

Doug

Beretta Silver Pigeon

Beretta > Browning

There is so much variety offered in the O/U market, until I believe you first need to determine what your needs are and then determine the amount of money you are willing to spend and go from there. After that, i would recommend going to places where the potential guns are available and hold them to see what feels "right" to you or shoot them if possible. With me, I found the most value in buying a used Browning Citori Upland Special.

It offered the type of stock I wanted (English), was around the weight I wanted (6#), had ejectors and most importantly, was within the price I had acknowledged I would spend.

However, I know guys with lesser expensive guns such as the Baikel o/u as well as the Yildez o/u and also the CZ guns and all are very happy with them.

I also know guys with more expensive guns such as the Beretta Silver Pigeons and they wouldn't consider anything else.

Good luck in your search

All I own are Berettas, but they are getting a little pricey. Check out the Franchi instinct sl for a nice, inexpensive gun.

Nate

I have a Verona LX 503 for sale 28 inch barrels 20 gauge. Made in Italy by F.A.I.R. $650

Miroku O/U's are a decent value.

I looked at the franchi online. If any one has owned one what are your thoughts and how long have you owned it.

whats your price range???

600 area = Imperor Firearms..... LIGHT!!!!!!!... nice wood for price...been great to me so far

800 area = Verona's are a very nice gun... used Citori might sneak in this range

1000 area = Definitely a nice used Citori... just can't beat them IMO

1500+ = lots of nice options here and you could pay a butt load more if you wanted...

Price range $1000 or less

I would think for your $ you should be able to find a ruger red label they are very nice guns.

Quite a few great suggestions so far. I'd check out the Verona at 650$. Miroku is the Japanese company who Browning has make the citoris. I had a 20 guage citori that I liked but I also had a bunch of 12 s that didn't fit me right and were heavy. I still recently bought another to try again. This time it's a lighting sporting clays. It was too pretty to resist.
My favorite out of the probably around 20 o/u's I've owned was a beretta whitewing 20 guage. They also made a black onyx and I think a blackwing. Try gunsamerica.com for a used one of them I think you will be happy with it. I should have never swapped it for a horse.

less than 1000.... I gotta recommend the Veronas.... great gun and you wouldn't have to settle for the base model.

But again I would look around on gunbroker and see if there is a nice used Citori lurking around

Great little gun, extremely light, I shot some VERY, VERY poor sporting clays scores but now that I have learned to slow down, I believe I will be able to shoot this just fine!!
After I shoot another couple of hundred rounds with this I will give a holler again!

onuhunter02 wrote:I looked at the franchi online. If any one has owned one what are your thoughts and how long have you owned it.

Please do I have been shopping around from the shelf it seems like a good mid range gun.

Rod W wrote:Great little gun, extremely light, I shot some VERY, VERY poor sporting clays scores but now that I have learned to slow down, I believe I will be able to shoot this just fine!!
After I shoot another couple of hundred rounds with this I will give a holler again!

onuhunter02 wrote:I looked at the franchi online. If any one has owned one what are your thoughts and how long have you owned it.

The Tri Star O/U's are a very good value. We have had very good luck with them.

I have been liking my Yildiz( about a year in), the CZ Mallard or Ringneck come to mind as well.

Hilltop,
Ft. Madison? My father was from there and my grandparents lived there. Still some cousins around there I think.

Some good recs so far. If you go looking at Brownings, look for 70s to early 90s vintage guns. At some point, they went to investment cast recievers and parts. I just don't have a better feel for the timeframe other than I had a early 90s gun that was a forged frame gun. It's not that the frame is weak enough to worry about, it's just that the quality was better on the earlier guns. I have a 525 (Citori) that's probably 7-8 yrs old, that is really not anywhere near the quality of fit and finish as the earlier Citoris I've had. To help I.D. the vintage, try this link http://www.midwestgunworks.com/page/mgwi/ctgy/C-015-6

I also like the Beretta 68x (682, 686, etc) line. I think they are still made better than the current Brownings. There's bazillions of both makes out there in the used market. Find a closet queen and go for it. I'd much rather have a used, higher quality gun than a new one of lesser quality for the same money.

Take a look on GunsInternational.com

My know of a NIB condition CZ Woodcock for sale for just under $800. It is a nice looking gun. PM me if you would like more info.

Fabarm, Verona, CZ.

big_fish wrote:I would think for your $ you should be able to find a ruger red label they are very nice guns.

I second this, fits me great, fit and finish is equivalent to some much higher priced guns, made in the USA. The down side, they are on the heavy side and they were discontinued about a 2 years ago.

I would love nothing more than to find a ruger red label does any one know any for sale which the seller is asking a reasonable price

Take a look at these Beretta's. All under $1000.

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Berett ... =100346215

http://www.gunsinternational.com/Berett ... =100346230

more



http://www.gunsinternational.com/Berett ... =100355741

Hilltop wrote:Just wanted some options for O/U shotgun. I am looking to purchase one and want one that is the best bang for the buck. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I have looked at several and just cant decide.

A bit like ''Who is the best Boxer''?...
Your gonna get the likes and dis - likes, depending on what individual has had or have, or had heard of.
The Manufacturer/make/model is irrelevant, until the 'Tool is fitted' to the operator? ..Even the fancied' engraving, and the best walnut finish has never hit the target.
How much shooting have you done Hilltop?..

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polmaise wrote: ....
The Manufacturer/make/model is irrelevant, until the 'Tool is fitted' to the operator? ...

Agree the gun needs to fit. Still, you gotta have a gun or you can't fit it. For learning about shotgun fit, I found Michael Yardley's little book "Gunfitting ..." to be a simple and informative read.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/094825365 ... -5&pi=SL75

This is my stock bending fixture.

Powered up.

Looks a good bit of kit!

Mossberg silver reserve just bought one and it shoots nice.

The individual plays into it as much as the firearm. Your size as far as height, weight, arm length, body type, etc. play a large role in what type of gun you are going to shoot well. I have a couple of Yildiz shotguns in 12 and 20 gauge as well as a Baikal side by side I shoot well. I am about 6'4" tall and weigh about 300 lbs with long arms and a long upper body compared to leg length and I shoot left handed. The Yildiz with 28" barrels have a long enough stock and length of pull for me and just naturally point well for me. The Baikal I have has the stock bent "cast on" which is the only reason I still own it. The stock is too short, the barrels are 26" which makes the sight plain off as well and I really feel like I am hunkered over the gun when I shoot it, it points and swings like a club and it is a bit heavy but I shoot it really well. I have found that for me an autoloader or pump action with 26" barrels or an O/U or SxS with 28" barrels seems to fit me the best as far a sight plain goes and I put slip on limbsaver pads on my shotguns to increase my length of pull as well as to soak up some of the recoil and that helps me quite a bit as well. I feel more comfortable with a gun that fits me well. My wife on the other hand is a different story. I bought her a 20 gauge Ithaca pump that was light, pointed well, fit her great, and was a dream to point and shoot. That is one of the only guns I regret ever having sold or traded. She didn't like even though it was a perfect fit for her. She found a Winchester 1200 she wanted and we traded that Ithaca for it. My wife is only 5'2" tall and has short arms and a large bust line so this shotgun did not really fit her at all. The stock was too long, the length of pull was too long, the sight plain wasn't really right for her but she absolutely loved the gun the way it was and would not hear of me cutting it down for her. She usually shot 25 of 30 skeet when we went out so I left her alone about it. Point is find what you are comfortable with. You may not like a gun that fits you or if you are like me you may want one that comes as close to possible. You could always but a less expensive gun and spend the extra money on fitting it to yourself like a glove. Good luck.

If you are looking at the $1000 range, take a look at the Winchester 101. The 101 is made and assembled by FN in Belgium. I picked one up back in Jan of 2012 for $800 on sale at Sportsmans Warehouse. It is a great shooter and swings real nice.

I have a CZ something or other (mind just went blank). its as cheap as they come but I haven't had any trouble with it and when I drop it and it gets scratched I'm not too concerned. It also let me spend more money on training birds, equipment, etc. Want to say it was right at $400.
Ross

I have never found a reason to buy a gun not made in The USA. To me, they are the best bang for the buck.
And I'm in agreement with big fish...I would take the dog without the gun long before I would take the gun without the dog!

hettmoe wrote:I have never found a reason to buy a gun not made in The USA. To me, they are the best bang for the buck.
And I'm in agreement with big fish...I would take the dog without the gun long before I would take the gun without the dog!

That really simplifies things since there is only one US maker of O/Us left, prices start at around 4k.

You will get a never ending amount of responses to this question but for me I love my Browning Cynergy Max 4. It has 3 1/2 inch chambers and recoils is very managed. its not 3 grand and Its fully adjustable for the individual shooter.