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SKB makes a very very nice gun.

I do not own an O/U shotgun. My son has an American Arms in 3 1/2" 12ga and a Ruger 20ga Red Label. They are both great field guns, but my buddies seem to say that they don't cut it on the trap ranges. Browning and Beretta's seem to rule for them in affordable O/U guns. I have a friend that carries a 26" Browning 3" 12ga Citori in the field and he swears that it is the perfect "only one shotgun" to carry. I have no reason to doubt him. Good luck.

Had a Citori and loved it. Unfortunately, I couldn't hit worth beans with it. Sold it to my brother and bought a Winchester 101. It may not be the best for the money, but it fits me perfectly, and I could not be happier. It has lasted 20+ years, and is still tight. No complaints from me.

What a co-incidence! I had a Citori, liked it very much too, but I could never hit with it worth beans. My eye always seemed to be properly looking down the rib, but any game I pointed it at was generally safe!

I too got a Winchester 101 (mine the trap model) trimmed the stock down slightly to a higher field type stock, and slew hundreds of ducks and geese with it every year for many years.

Looking back now (and having learned a lot), I should have carefully patterned the Citori on big sheets of paper. I suspect its patterns were not in line with the rib or something...

John

I've owned most of them and would say without a doubt that the SKB is the best deal going. You can often pick up an older 500 for less then $500 and I've never found anything that fits or shoots nearly as well.

The older SKB's are great handling and using guns but prone to spring breakage with lots of use. For the same money you can get a Beretta that in my experience will last longer.
I bought a 20 Ga BL2 last year for $500 and paid $325 for an older 12 ga.

I've found that gun fit is mercurial in nature. You can have identical dimensions in lets say O/U vs SxS and the results will not be the same with regards to POI and handling. The same can be said for different shotguns of the same configuration. Michael McIntosh describes how barrel flip differences between an O/U and SxS can require a different set of optimal dimensions.


Seen a few people transfer the dimensions from one shotgun to another and the ending shooter results/success comes out different. Differences in the grip-because they change how you hold the shotgun-can also alter required comb, heel and lop dimensions. What seems to be a minor difference in comb thickness can also change the final result.

For me the optimal dimensions of a field gun are different than one used for target competition. IMO the Parker Repo is a almost the perfect Ruffed Grouse shotgun. The same dimensions on a target gun would not be great. I have a 20ga/16ga two barrel set and the the lighter 16ga barrels make it an altogether better handling gun.

Another reality is that the same off the shelf model of Beretta, Browning, Perazzi, etc can have have significant difference in stock dimensions. Go to a shop and pickup 5-10 examples of the same identical model and it will be easily seen. From DOC, DOH to cast there are usually subtle variances and sometimes not so subtle.

Addition: While fit has its place, I've seen some of our top shooters pick up a shotgun whose dimensions were obviously different than what they normally used and immediately or shortly start to crush everything that was thrown. Experience and ability are one of those unwritten numbers with regards to fit.

I am not shotgun expert but I bought a Beretta 686 White Onyx in 20ga a few years ago and could not be happier. The Browning Citori didn't have the same feel as the Beretta and was only $100 less. In addition to all the usual checking one does before laying down a big pile of cash, I also used the Olympics as a guide for which was best....Beretta has been the gold medal gun since as far back as I looked. No regrets...Beretta rules.

Beretta is a great shotgun no doubt. However, I suggest you read another thread going on re: Beretta service.

Remington 1100s at one time were no stranger to acquiring gold. Certainly a good shotgun, but not a best. When shooters are given a particular shotgun to use along with a few to sell on their own, it goes a long ways in making a decision of what they will use.

Very well said. I would agree that off-the-shelf guns can have a different feel. In my case, the Citori was fitted to me by a Winchester gunsmith in Baton Rouge that used to fit the high-rollers for Model 21's. If you were to look at that gun, you would scoff given its appearance, but its served me well for skeet, sporting clays, pigeon shooting and pheasant hunting. It does have a higher profile and it is heavier than the Zoli, even though the dimensions are the same.

Having said that, I can't hit crap with it on trap. But then again, I never shot trap seriously. Oddly, when I do decide to shoot trap, I can generally run higher scores with an A5!

Lately, I've been hunting with an SKB 785 in 28 ga. This gun has an entirely different feel than the Citori, but I shoot it well enough on wild quail. I have no idea why, but I'm pretty happy with the results.

As for the 1100's, when I started shooting skeet, this was the gun I started with. They take quite a bit more maintenance, but if you keep a variety of gas parts on hand, they will run.

battue, I get the feeling that grouse fear you.

If flying away, with the equivalent of a Grouse smirk is fear, you are correct.

Nice to see you visiting the upland/shotgun threads. Don't be a stranger.

I love upland hunting; I bought my Citori Featherweight just for that. I shot several thousands of rounds at clays (I know that's nuthin' for shotgunners...) with my first Citori and got to where I couldn't hardly miss. But I'm very capable of coming unglued when a grouse flushes <grin>. Since we don't have a lot of grouse here, it always gets me "the look" from my Lab, Lucy.

This is the gun, from last fall. We have a large wetland preserve thingie right near my property with decent pheasant hunting. Can't figure out how to rotate it from my iPhone on Photobucket, sorry...

I bought a Browning Citori Super Light (with straight stock) in 12 guage when they came out (about 30 years ago) and love it. At 6.4 pounds, it does straighten your hair, but is a dream to carry.

I paid abut $600 for it and it's held up well.

Hard to beat a Remington 32. It is a classic and very well designed.

CZ Mallard. You can thank me later.

Well, I have never had a speck of trouble with my Beretta and I doubt 99% or more purchasers never have either. I remember reading an article about a shotgun rental place in Argentina where they hunt doves by the tens of thousands every year. They will only use Beretta shotguns because they don't break. Besides, some say the same thing about service with Remington rifles and I have owned so many of them I lost count. Never had an issue and I don't buy anything else but Rem's anymore. They work and they are superb shooters. Just ask the many millions of hunters that use them every year in the US and Canada. there will always be a few bad apples but for the most part, the quality of Beretta speaks for itself.

You are correct that when you sell that many guns, you will have a few bad apples. However, if you spit on your customers that need help, you're not doing yourself any favors. Since you mentioned Remington, it might do Beretta to at least consider their service model. I've just had to ship a brand new Remington CDL SF back because only one lug contacted the action. Remington was very responsive and it was about as easy as something like this could be.

IIRC, most of the Argentinian operations used to use Benelli's, but since they are now owned by Beretta, I suppose its the same.

Yep. Or, in other words, the original Krieghoff!

For a target shotgun it is hard to argue your thoughts. Add a Miller trigger and you have the foundation for the birthing of the Krieghoff K-32 which evolved into the K-80.