Over/Under shotguns

[DJ_Mack]

Well after a weekend dudes trip into the hills and blasting shotguns and rifles all weekend long, I have decided to get an o/u.  But it seems like either you are spending around 500$ or 2000$ plus for one.  What is the difference between the price break in these guns besides the trigger and the scrolling?  Should I save up and get a browning or beretta or stick with a stevens 555 model or something similar?  Your help and input guys would be super appreciated.  Thanks everyone.

[high country]

What's your budget, intended use, gauge of choice and how long do you plan on shooting it?

Those answers will help get you the right gun.

[DJ_Mack]

I plan on hunting grouse and pheasant and shooting clays.  I want it to be 12 gauge.  My budget can be 2000$ if it is worth the money.  But if it is 2000$ it will be a while before purchase.  My cousin just bought a stoeger condor and it looks nice but the break action required two hands to open.  I didn't know if that is how they all are when they are new or if it was just a cheaper shotgun.

[Henrydog]

Browning Citori CX they are $1500 and will last 10x longer than anything made in Turkey

[DJ_Mack]

Browning Citori CX they are $1500 and will last 10x longer than anything made in Turkey

Is this what you have?  How much bird hunting do you do with it?

[jackson7]

used miroku or skb over under. both japan and good guns.

[ghosthunter]

I plan on hunting grouse and pheasant and shooting clays.  I want it to be 12 gauge.  My budget can be 2000$ if it is worth the money.  But if it is 2000$ it will be a while before purchase.  My cousin just bought a stoeger condor and it looks nice but the break action required two hands to open.  I didn't know if that is how they all are when they are new or if it was just a cheaper shotgun.

I have a Stoeger and love it . The action loosen up real quick with use. Mine is a Long fowler. Just have to break it in. And it has a lifetime warranty.

Also Skagit Arms has a good selection of used O/U.

[Miles]

Check out the Winchester Model 101.  I have one and really like it.   They made them for some time, then stopped, then recently started again I believe.  I've got an older model and haven't handled any of the newer ones.

 I've shot Charles Daly, Ruger Red Label, etc... and none felt as good to me as the 101.  I've shot literally thousands of rounds through it on trap and skeet teams and never had any mechanical issues.

 With O/U shotguns first determining factor should be fit IMO (unless you're going to have it professionally fitted to you, then in that case the #1 focus should be on quality).

[aaronoto]

Own and hunt birds with a Browning Citori 12g and Beretta 686 20g.  I find the Citori sitting most of the time, even a 20g gets heavy when carrying it around all day.  As for a $500 gun versus $2,000 the best thing I could suggest is to handle both - to me a cheap O/U handles like a 2x4.

If you're looking for something in-between price wise check out the Franchi Instinct line and CZ.  Both around or just over $1,000.

[jackelope]

You can spend $5k on a gun but if it doesn't fit you, you're flushing $5k down the toilet. You don't aim a shotgun, you point it...and in order for it to point it and work correctly, it needs to fit.

[wadu1]

Browning Citori CX they are $1500 and will last 10x longer than anything made in Turkey

I concur with Henerydog, Browning over any Turkey made gun even some made in Italy or Spain. As noted the Winchester 101's are a good bet or a FNH. Also note that Browning, Winchester and FNH have a common choke system, Invector+ that are easy to find after market same goes for Beretta. Like the loping jack said it's all about fit. My  is to stay away from the lower end O/U's if you have a problem it may take months to get repaired if part can be found. I shoot between 5,000 and 6,000 round a year with a brace of Browning's 12, 20, 28 and 410.   

[fish vacuum]

Also Skagit Arms has a good selection of used O/U.

I was there today. They had a few used O/U's. Their prices were the same as what Cabela's is asking for NEW ones.

[hookr88]

Check out the Franchi Instinct SL. It's around $1300 and has good reviews. That's my next purchase.

[northwesthunter84]

Fit is everything. I really liked a Beretta and almost bought it until I picked up a Browning 625 field. That gun feels like an extension of my arm and does everything I could ever ask it to do. Find something that feels good, if you don't fall in love with it don't buy it. Even the same models may feel different. Take you time.

[high country]

Beretta and browning are always easy to sell if it's not your thing. The skb and miroku are makers of many fine shotguns and made the 101 winchester mentioned as well as some browning guns.

As said fit is everything. I just tripped a 28ga silver pigeon grade 5 and I couldn't do it soon enough because it just didn't fit me well.

The red label is a heavy gun compared to the beretta @ very light. The miroku and skb fit in between. I'd avoid a Turkish gun for skeet, ok to hunt with but not going to take the 20k rounds of the better italian, American and Japanese guns.....and I've got all of those so it's not as if I'm not about owning one.

[Henrydog]

Browning Citori CX they are $1500 and will last 10x longer than anything made in Turkey

Is this what you have?  How much bird hunting do you do with it?

I bought a CX last June they pattern 60/40 so they shoot a little high for a raising target.  The are 3" invector plus and come with 3 or 4 chokes, I can't remember because I also bought some aftermarket ones.  Last fall he shot 14 pheasants 3 huns and a dozen quail with it.  We also shoot ATA trap, he is hold a 93% avg in singles and 89% with Handicap even though it is not a trap gun.  To date he had 6300 shells down the tube and not a single issue.  Best $1500 I think I have ever spent

[AWS]

Highcountry,   Mirkou made Charles Daley and Browning Citories.  The 101 was built as a joint venture between Olin and Kendosha Manufacturing the same company that made Nikko shotguns.

As others have said, if you plan to shoot a lot, spend the money for an O/U that is built to shoot a lot.  If your a casual shooter, maybe a flat a year just about anything will work.

I still have my first Win 101 and it was my competition gun for many years and later rechoked into a bird gun and ha a quarter million shells plus through it and you still can't close it on a piece paper although it is on it's second stock.  Another I have also circa 1966 has been my skeet gun and upland gun for 50+ years and is still going strong.

[Dhoey07]

I've hunted with my Stoeger Condor for probably 5  years now.  No issues and shoots fine for me, but I'm easy to please. 

[follow maggie]

I've been hunting with a Weatherby Orion for about 14 years now. They'e about $1,000 I love that gun. The break action on it is still stiff & it fits me really nice. There are a lot of times it seems like I can't miss with that thing. I love that gun.

[singleshot12]

I have a CZ Mallard 12ga. It has burned 20+ cases of shells with no issues. Clays or live birds it crunches what it's pointed at. 400 dollar gun and would not trade it for any Browning Citori or anything else. IMO the only difference in a high dollar gun and a CZ is the wood and finish.

[singleshot12]

Browning Citori CX they are $1500 and will last 10x longer than anything made in Turkey

 Don't agree. Do you have any long term experience with either?

[Henrydog]

Browning Citori CX they are $1500 and will last 10x longer than anything made in Turkey

 Don't agree. Do you have any long term experience with either?

Yup I sure do, and no I am not a Kreghoff or Kolar snob.  I personally shoot 10k 12 Ga a year, my teenager shoots 6500 a year.  We use our guns, and we use them a lot.  I own Japanese Brownings, Belgium Brownings, 870's, Benelli's, Ithaca 37, and the only shotgun that I have any problems with is the Turkish stuff.   A Citori is not a high dollar shotgun, yes it is $400-500 more than a Tristar or Bicaial, CZ but he could give it in shooting condition to his grandkids.  Sometimes there is value in not being "cheap"

[singleshot12]

Hmm What Turkish stuff? And what problems did you have if you recall?

And I would say most folks would consider @1500$ a high dollar gun

[Henrydog]

I had a "Weatherby" 870 clone S0-8 I think was the model number after 400 rounds it would not feed from the magazine.  Funny thing was it would only not feed with factory shells.  It was eat my rattiest reloads but not a new Winchester or Remington shell.

A family friend who kids is on the same trap team as my kid had a TriStar that after 1200 rounds the lever was bottomed out and looser than my 1972 BT99 that has had 1/4 million rounds down it. 

And finally last month at the NW Grand @ the Spokane Gun club a kid from Montana with a brand new Turkish SKB single barrel trap had his firing pin break.  It was April and he said he got in February.  He was shooting Federal GM factory loads so it was not a ammo issue.

[high country]

Highcountry,   Mirkou made Charles Daley and Browning Citories.  The 101 was built as a joint venture between Olin and Kendosha Manufacturing the same company that made Nikko shotguns.

As others have said, if you plan to shoot a lot, spend the money for an O/U that is built to shoot a lot.  If your a casual shooter, maybe a flat a year just about anything will work.

I still have my first Win 101 and it was my competition gun for many years and later rechoked into a bird gun and ha a quarter million shells plus through it and you still can't close it on a piece paper although it is on it's second stock.  Another I have also circa 1966 has been my skeet gun and upland gun for 50+ years and is still going strong.

You're correct.  It was Weatherby they made them for, still a fine gun for the money.

[high country]

There's a history of the Turkish firing pins going down. That's the Achilles heel.

[DJ_Mack]

You guys have helped me a ton.  I went and put my hands on a lot of over unders today.  The winchester 101 that was used that I saw for 699$ really impressed me.  But after handling cz, beretta, tristar, and a charles daly, I came to love the browning 725 field.  It fit perfectly and the first time I held it up I didn't even realize there were two beads on it until I started to exam it closer.  The other thing that I learned is that I don't like guns that have auto safety every time you close the action. Which beretta and stoeger both do. 

[Henrydog]

No matter what you get, the most important thing with a shotgun is fit.  If it does not feel right to you, put it down and walk away.