I bird hunted heavy back in the 90's. Mostly waterfowl. I am use to a 8lb. Mossberg 835.

My Brother is training a very good German shorthaired pointer. Upland will be more of a priority and I am looking into a O/U. I handled a Franchi Instict sl today. Love the weight and the way it comes to my shoulder. My Brother just bought a CZ Uplander Ultralight. Also like this for it's weight and how it comes to my shoulder and almost half the price....also made in Turkey and I have not read the best reveiws on this O/U.

What do you like?

I have used a Ruger for 20 years or so. It is heavy, but we work well together.

I used a Beretta 686L for waterfowl and upland. I am now too old to hunt but I still have the gun. Larry

I've got an older Beretta Silver Snipe in 20. Light and handy, and it swings like a dream!

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Even older, even crankier....

Hooked on my old Ithaca M37 12g pump, but went out with friends last year and a buddy talked me into using his Browning Citori over and under 12 gauge. Loved it - great handling, lightweight and I will be getting one this year after comparing it to the 20 gauge model hard.

Pete

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Don't tread on me

I've used a Wincheter 101 years ago, at one oif their clubs. On skeet, it swung okay, but I averaged better hits with a Remington 1100.

Actually, I've shot the 1100 better than any other shotgun but an acquaintance had a M-101 and loved t. Also had a Bernadelli SXS 20 ga. that he liked.

I fooled around with some Beretta O-U's at their Gallery here, and they swung well, but I bought a M-391.

Have also handled some Purdey, Boss, Merkel, and other high grade doubles, but always feel more comfortable with a pump or auto. They just seem more durable and less expensive to repair if anything goes wrong. And I like a third shot for crippled birds escaping.

But I certainly respect a fine double in the right hands.

One you don't see much is the old Marlin M-90. A friend has one that he's used for years and he's fond of it. I think I'd look for an SKB if I was on a budget and wanted an O-U. I like the Merkel-like crossbolt in the lockup, and the guns seemed especially good values, if the blue was a bit dull.

I have a CZ Redhead in 20 ga. and I love it. They build it on its own frame, it's light, well-finished, and an absolute joy to shoot. I don't hunt waterfowl with it, I use a Beretta 391 for that, but it's a wonderful little gun for chukars and pheasants.

My now fifty-some years old Beretta Silver Snipe in 20 ga. is my favored upland gun, 26" barrels, IC/MOD fixed chokes, was the right tool for Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock in Michigan when I bought it as an adolescent, and its still serves its purpose, or would, if Arizona ever gets enough winter rain to produce a decent crop of Gambel's quail...

+1 for the Browning Citori, I also like doubles.

Beretta gets nods, but my 1961 Browning Superposed (round knob) 12 ga F/M is my go-to. It is a heavier gun, but very balanced and SMOOTH!!

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Go big or stay home

I've sure ran a lot of ammo through a Browning Citori 20 guage Superlight.

My upland gun is an Ruger Red Label in 20ga, all blue. Ducks fall to an 11-87 Special Purpose Magnum. My trap gun is a Superposed Broadway. Skeet are handled by a K-80. (tubed by Briley)

Occasionally interspersed with others.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

I have two Ruger Red Labels; one in 20ga and one in 12ga. Love them both. Many pheasants have fallen to both of these guns.

My hunting partner shoots a Citori in 20ga. As far as weight goes, it falls between my two Rugers. That Ruger 20ga is a light gun and I prefer it when I know the shots will be closer, otherwise the 12ga gets the call.

I've used Browning A-5's my whole life but bought a Ruger Red Label 20 guage 'cause I thought I NEEDED an O/U. Started out using Imp/Mod. Could never remember which barrel was which,so I went IMP/IMP so I wouldn't have to. Screwed my shooting up big time trying to transition. Went back to the A-5 20 guage. All is right with the world.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

I have 6 Citoris:1-12, 2-20's, 2-28's, 1-410; 4 are sporting clays guns abd 2 are Upland Specials. I have hunted 4 of the larger ones. I have Beretta 28 guage 686 Silver Pigion, it is great on upland game. By far the best are my 12 ga./30" 1965 and 20 ga. 28" 1966 Superpose'.
One time I did get 2 rabbits about 6' apart with a SxS 20 ga. Sauer.

Browning Citori is my favorite in 12 ga. Mine is the Special Sporting Clays model which I also use for skeet and birds. 28" it "fits". I also use a CZ Redhead (flat black hard chrome receiver) in 20 ga. It is a well made gun, but has a little too much cast off for me to shoot well. I recently picked up a 1970's SKB Mod 500 20 ga. in Imp/Mod with 26" barrels. Light, quick, solid and really fun to shoot. This will be my bird gun this yr and does well on skeet also.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I'm in the market myself, I think I need one to go with the new setter pup

I shoot a SKB 585 20ga made in Japan.

Me too. Had it since I was 16. Made in the USA!

I have a Savage 430DX 16ga , made in 1937 or so. Beautiful gun , not too heavy , nicely balanced. And ya don't see many O/U's in 16ga.

Shame I can't hit a darn thing with it!

I have a Beretta Whitewing in 12 gauge and a Beretta Golden Snipe in 20 gauge I use on upland birds. Neither are in production anymore but can still be found used at times.
I found Berettas fit me well and I can hit better with them than other makes. I did shoot a Winchester 101 well once and have been looking for one since at a reasonable price. They're getting hard to find now here.

I'va had a shot quite a few different O/U shotguns. Currently I favor Italian O/Us due to lighter weight and more slender stocks. They feel a lot more nimble and less clubby than Citoris, Winchesters, Rugers etc. Look at some of the less known brands or older models of the name brand guns. I have found some really good deals for myself and others by avoiding the newer latest and greatest guns. Recently I got my best friend a Beretta BL4 20 ga in 95% condition with a flat of shells for $650. Guy that had it told my friend no one was interested in it as its an older gun and not a well known model.

Browning Citori O/U since 1984 or so.

The best hunting shotgun I ever owned. Mine was one of the first batch that had 3-inch chambers, the dull finish on the stock, and fixed chokes. In a moment of total stupidity, I sold it to buy a newer model that had screw-in chokes. It also felt different, had 2-3/4" chambers, and had the shiny urethane finished wood. It turned out to be nothing like the old gun.

I have kicked myself at least a hundred times for selling the old Browning, but since I don't hunt any longer, it doesn't matter, I guess. It was one of my bigger blunders in my gun buying-selling career. If I ever do start bird hunting again, I am sure the kicking will start up again.

I bought an Italian OU 20 marked FIAS back in the early 1980s. It has been my favorite grouse gun since then. It weighs about six and a half pounds with a couple of six shot in the chambers, carries easily and kills
grouse and varying hares well. On top of that all the woodcock I've killed have been taken with that gun. (I no longer shoot woodcock as I can't find a recipe for them that I like).

Also have a 16 gauge Marlin 90 that I have hunted with a little.
Just heavier enough than the 20 that it makes a difference.
Nice gun but seems to kick a lot more than my Winchester Model 12 in
16 gauge. Field loads only with the Model 90.

Is there a good recipe for woodcock?

I have a friend who uses them to stuff mushrooms. He brought a tray of them out to us one day while we were shooting skeet. I gagged one down (no fan of haute cuisine here) but several of the guys thought they were excellent. For my purposes, the result in no way justified what must have been a good deal of work, but I was in the minority view. Of course those in the majority did not hunt the woodcock or prepare the dish, either.

The Beretta BL series is the sleeper on the market. There's really no gun that compares with them for the same money. That's a great deal on a 20, which are usually more than the 12.

The biggest difference between them and the new Berettas is that they do not have replaceable trunnion pins. But if you keep those lightly greased on the BL series guns they should last several lifetimes of normal use.

And woodcock have to be cooked rare, like a duck.

I have hunted on many occasions with my "old" Browning Superposed