Home Forums Birds & Dogs Shotguns Best all around over/under?

Looking for something versatile as I travel for work and many different bird hunting and clay range opportunities present themselves. Grew up shooting pump guns but finally ready to pick up a double gun. Nothing fancy is necessary, let's say $800-$1,000 cap. Preferably in the $5-800 range. Has to be relatively durable, snipe and waterfowl are on the menu so it'll see some time in a boat and or blind. Thanks ahead of time for any input.

At that price point you could check out the Stevens 555

https://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/Stevens555

Bought one in 20 Gauge for the wife and love it. Fits her and she shoots it well.

I'm of the opinion that in that price range you would get better quality in a semi auto. A Franchi Affinity would be a good quality gun in your price range. A new semi will also come with shims to adjust the fit to you.

If you are set on an O/U you should be able to find a used SKB in your price range. I would want an older Japanese made gun rather than the newly branded SKB guns made in Turkey. Other than that I would suggest saving and buying either a Beretta or Browning. Some guys like them but I am simply not interested in the hit or miss quality of the cheap made in Turkey guns flooding the market.

The Stevens has definitely crossed my mind. Handled a couple and they feel pretty good. Anybody messed with the CZ Upland? Specifically the Ultralight?

I shot a few rounds of sporting clays with one and I liked it, but the recoil was more than I want for clays or trap these days.

The Stevens 555 seems to get much higher reviews over time than the CZ Ultralight for durability/problems.

But you'd be better served with a used Japan SKB, or save some more dollars for a used Beretta 686.

Or, if it fits you and you don't mind the weight, a used Browning Citori.

The various O/Us from Turkey have become more reliable over the years but they still have a long way to go. I have seen enough of them on the range and in the field to decide that I would be very leery of buying one. Those who haven't had problems with their's is larger than in the past but those with problems seem to have the problem persist through repeated "fixes".

This would also apply to the "budget" guns from Spain and Italy as they were built to meet a price rather than quality level. What is worse is parts for any of the guns mentioned so far can be impossible to find as that does not seem to be part of the importer's specification. From past experience with low priced imports, any parts breakage leads one on a treasure hunt with little likelihood of finding the desired part. Having the part made can be a significant cost.

My recommendation is to spend some time looking for a used Browning Citori, Beretta whatever, Japanese made SKB or a Weatherby badged SKB. If patient one can find a used gun in the upper portion of your price range and less if a fixed choke gun.

The o/u in that price range will not be overly reliable or dependable. And will probly fit like crap
I would add another 3-400 and find a used Citori Crossover or CX

That's like asking: What's the best all around motorcycle - - - for under $2,000. For the price you are willing to pay, you should be looking for a decent used O/U. No one can seriously recommend a new O/U in that price range. For quality at a reasonable price, new shooters should be looking at the entry level models from Browning or Beretta and if you can't afford new, look for them used. Those cheap Turkish O/Us are hit or miss; mostly miss. If you want something good and new, start saving your money.

Woodmaster, Passport and Cooper have told you.

Browning or Beretta for the win and if you have a problem you can get it corrected. The cheap O/U's from Turkey, or anywhere for that matter, are the Ford Edsel's of the shotgun world. Only worse.

Who was the guy on here that had a NIB 28 bore Citori CX for 1300 bucks?

Or I should say that was the general conses of value as he wanted to sell the gun. That is a very good example of an O/U you can buy right, shoot for a while, and get most of your coin back for an upgrade at some point down the road if you want.

The stuff made in Turkey will loose value faster than rebuilt title on a car.

Or, get an 1100 for your 5-800 and go shoot stuff.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...with-info-on-pricing-citori#Post12514269

This guy

Here's some resources other than gunbroker for used guns,also check classifieds at shotgunworld and check Guns America used and Cabela's gun library. Cabela's will deal as prices are initially a bit high.
http://gun.home.cyberverse.com/

http://www.gunsinternational.com/shotguns-for-sale.cfm?gid=6

http://www.doublegunshop.com/gunrack.htm

If you insist on buying a cheap o/u go with CZ.
At least they have excellent customer service.

Any of you first hand have problems with a CZ? I'd love a Citori, just not sure I'm willing to spend so much on a shotgun that I know I'm going to put through hell.

If your going to "put the gun through hell" all the more reason to not get a CZ..

Had one at the club last summer that would not open after 1st barrel was shot, thats all I know about em. That and my buddy use to shoot for them and was not very impressed.

If it's going to be put through hell ,I will again urge you to take a good look at the Franchi Affinity camo version. It would be basically weatherproof and however the barrel and action is camo treated holds up really well. This gun is made on the same assembly line as the Benelli M2 and is just as high quality. It is not a Turkish shotgun like the Stoegars. Only difference between it and the Benelli except the price is that the recoil spring is under the fore end and it doesn't have a comfort tech stock.

It is harder to make a 2 barreled gun correctly which is why it costs more to get a quality one. If that's what you really want though,you would be well served to save and not get in a hurry for a good deal. I've seen the Citori sell for $800 with fixed chokes. You can usually find a good Beretta 686 for around $1200 if you look a while.

Here is a Citori that just hit the classifieds for 850

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...12533116/winchester-express#Post12533116

It appeals to me for snipe hunting public land at home. Lots of walk in only areas, dragging a big pump gun along makes for a long day. I can imagine it may be no fun with waterfowl loads though....

SKB 500... I like it better than my Citori....

I learned my lessons regarding O/Us long ago on Spanish and Italian guns. Those experiences allowed me to let others try the new kids in the block while I observed. I have saved a lot of money and even more frustration this way.

What I have most closely observed has been the CZs owned by members of my sporting clays team over them last few years. 5 of them own 8 CZs of which 3 of them have had problems. All three had issues with at least one barrel not firing. Two had extractors or ejectors break with little use. Two of the guns were sold shortly after return from the manufacturer. The third has been sent back to CZ four times for the right barrel not firing without the problem being corrected. Twice it has been sent to Pat Laib but he hasn't been able to fix it either. The gun has not gotten him through a full 10 week sporting clays season nor a hunting season without problem. He would get rid of the gun but it was a gift from his wife and he doesn't want to make her feel bad.

Three of the five guns left were sold/traded before they were used enough to determine reliability. The other two have not shown to have any issues but none have been shot even a moderate amount (>1000 rounds) with the one probably having not much over 100 rounds through it.

As has been said already, you will be looking at a used O/U in your price range if you want one that is reliable. If you insist on new, then you will be better off with a semiauto or pump gun for quality.

In an O/U that says Beretta. Now if you are really going to do that, then it says pump. Old Rem 870, Win Mod12 or Ithaca 37.

No where will it say CZ O/U.

Woodmaster, those are the kind of first hand facts I was looking for. Thank you for the information. Battue, I'll look into Beretta O/U guns. I believe I shot a round of sporting clays with a rented on years ago. I currently have a family hand me down Remington model 11 20 gauge that sees most of my shotgunning use. After a few trips to the range my wife and oldest boy have taken a shine to it. Picked up a used Mossberg 500 and it just doesn't fit well. I just have the feeling I'm done with pump guns, that little model 11 has culled many big heavy pumps for me!

I like the old model 11. Never owned one, but they look and feel pretty dang solid.

Kid0917 I love ours, three generations of my family have owned it and it's never failed to feed or go bang to my knowledge.

Few 12gauge O/U’s will go under 7pounds. A Remington 870 will go around 7 and a Ithaca ultralight 6.5 pounds. That extra barrel on a O/U doesn’t come as free weight.

true, dat. My go to gun was a Citori in 12 ga for decades, but I am at the point where less weight is desirable. Killed a lot with that old gun. Now I usually go with a 20ga 870 in the LW Mag setup. I have a full and a modified barrel for it.

Battue the Ithaca featherweight is about the only pump that appeals to me. I'd like to handle one.

Not sure if this is regional, but the local Dick's Sporting Goods has Franchi Instinct O/Os on sale for $800. That is a lot of shotgun for the scratch if you're set on an O/U.

Check out SKBs.... Here's a couple inexpensive items: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/736971816 and https://www.gunbroker.com/item/736872124


One thing about SKBs - they have excellent quality internal parts and they function very well.. I've shot SKBs since 1968.. Other than a couple mainsprings and maybe a firing pin - I've had zero issues otherwise..

SKB has long been a sleeper for deals on a great quality firearm. An even better deal has been the Weatherby Orion which was made by SKB. Weatherby has not been recognized as a shotgun company and resale of its shotguns has reflected that. I have bought several Orions over the years as gifts to relatives who really wanted an O/U. They tend to run 25-30% less than a comparable Browning or Beretta gun. Parts can be difficult as SKB has had some difficulty keeping distributors but the Internet has made finding the replacement for the rare broken part much easier.

The Beretta Ultra-lite is a nice carrying gun but one can get a bit punch drunk if shooting a fair volume of shells through it. The Essential by the same company is a little heavier and is a very good field gun. I've bought two and wish I would have kept at least one.

Browning has/had the Citori Featherlight which had a steel breach face with alloy receiver. It was about the weight of the Essential so was a decent field gun and could do a good job on the range with lighter loads. I used one for most of two upland seasons and a bit of skeet the summer between. It is another one I should have kept rather than give back.

The Browning Cynergy is a shallower receiver much like the Beretta. It feels lighter to me than a Citori but that is probably more subjective than actual. I've used them in 12, 20, and 28 ga and kept the 28. The other two were very nice handling guns but they were made for the European market and had fixed chokes. The 12 ga was also recalled for a problem with the safety which made it easier to give up.

I have not used a Franchi O/U in decades so can't really comment on them first hand. A couple people who's opinions I trust somewhat think the current guns are a decent value for the price. If I found one cheap enough I might give one a try but it is unlikely I'll find one that cheap. The same guys thought the same of the Verona 900 and even 800 series of a few years back so it might behoove one's self to keep an eye open for them. The Verona name isn't well known and most think of "cheap" when recognized so a deal might be found.

Other than the Berettas, they can all be found in 20 ga along with 12 ga. The 20s are generally built on a smaller frame which will be lighter than the 12. Most will have 3" chambers too so one can rocked good if desired. I liked the longer chamber as it allowed me to load up decent 12 ga steel loads when chasing roosters on Federal wetlands. For the handful of shells shot in a day the recoil was not too onerous. In the 20 I liked the other types of nontoxic 3" shells as they were the more effective option. I also felt 3" lead was a better choice day in/ day out for wild pheasants too.

The only SKB I've ever seen was an Ithaca 500 I handled today in a local shop. Pointed and swung great, not crazy about fixed choke guns but the price was pretty good on it. I'm definitely keeping my eye open for used Browning's after perusing a half dozen shops and fondling as many Browning's.

Find an good used Beretta S56E

I bought a Franchi Alcione in the late 90s. I had been shooting Browning Citori based target shotguns and found them heavy for all day upland hunting. I went to a LGS that had a good selection and told them to just hand me O/U field guns. After lifting several the Alcione felt the best to me and so I bought it. Price new was about $1K. I used it for pheasants, ducks and geese. It saw lots of hard use and bears the scars. I knew it was not a high volume gun, but it never failed and I killed a lot of birds with it. Can't say anything about any other Franchi models, but the Alcione was a worthwhile purchase.

Any parts needed for SKBs can be obtained from Ron Sharp in Ontario, Canada.. And the man knows his SKBs - he was the shop's manager when they closed, and bought their entire inventory...

The M500 does indeed have fixed chokes, but the M505 has tubes.. I would not be afraid of fixed chokes in these guns - I've won a LOT of turkey shoots with a few of 'em, notably a M700, M800, M880 Crown Grade and last, my M85TSS Trap Combo....the latter is the only one with choke tubes..

Being choked Modified and Full doesn't frighten me at all. I seem to kill more birds and clays both with modified in my single barrel guns anyhow. The gun was well used but priced Right, I am going to go back and give it another look.

That's a good one.

Be sure to handle some Beretta 686 series before you purchase. They have a different "feel" due to a shallower receiver and lighter weight. You'll either like them better, or you won't.

I haven't found any used Berettas here locally yet. Going to hit Cabela's before too much longer and fondle some new guns also.

I would suggest saving your clams a bit longer and buying a gun for $2k. That’s really the bottom of the good guns. I’d suggest the 686 Beretta, but others like Brownings. The Turkish guns are great value for money, but are not known for endurance. If all you are going to do is shooting a few game birds a year, they will likely serve you well.

https://www.joeletchenguns.com/berettan.htm

I highly doubt I ever own a $2,000 firearm. That's a lot of hunting or fishing trips!

You can get a used Beretta 686 Essential for $999 or less most days on Gunbroker.

For the right gun that's much more reasonable DakotaDeer.

My 12 ga. SKB weatherby orion sat on the consignment rack for 2 months last summer/early fall. It only had about a dozen rounds thru it, still stiff breaking open. I finally decided to just bring it back home. The LGS explained 12 ga. guns were hard to move as quail preserves were only allowing 20 ga. or lighter. I'm glad to have it back.

Pick your color, black or silver. $1000 Berettas

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/738208716
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/737804056

The Cabela's store in Rogers, MN had three Weatherby Orions in the used rack for $840 this morning. They were 12 ga, 28" with choke tubes in like new condition. I was very tempted to buy one but I was pressed for time and too often they take forever to get through the paperwork. I am still thinking about it.

Browning Citori.

SKB o/u 5xx, or 6xx series. Love the Greener crossbolt solid lock up on the SKB

Contemplating a Beretta 690 field 1 in 20 gauge this week. General hunting ,dove,quail and ditch chickens. Looking for a best price.

What most everyone is saying, a "B" gun or SKB O/U, used is OK if it is reasonabally tight. Also, fixed chokes is not to be overlooked. I would prefer IC/M, but a good shotgun barrel guy could open it up with a hone or perhaps you could choke it. I carried a pretty nice Browning Superposed 12 M/F, in for chokes a few years ago. My dealer said that for just a little more money, that I could trade for a new Beretta 687 SP IV already choked and drop some weight in the process. After some fifteen years, I'm glad I took his suggestion, although my favorite all time shotgun is a '63 issue Browning Superposed Pigeon Gd 20, choked IC/M. I don't aim it, I just point it and it is there.

My only complaint about Citori is that they are a bit heavy. When I was a young strong man, heavy was no problem. As the years rolled by, somehow heavy hunting guns for upland game became an issue. On the other hand, Citoris are bank vault solid.

Money tight? A good used pump is not to be sneezed at. I'm eighty and my 870, M12, and surely my M42 are not for sale. All were purchased used and serve me well. I'm also fond of the Benelli Montefeltro 20. If a gun doesn't please me, I an not against selling it.

Best,

Jack