Several projects are coming to fruition and that long awaited over under shotgun will soon be "in range". Knowing that most people will recommend what they have and that we are an opinionated bunch. I would be helped by reasons based on features and quality of features with plain old brand loyalty. So the question is: If you could only have one 12 gage over under shotgun for skeet, sporting clays, ducks, geese, and all other hunting would it be:

Currently I own 3 over unders. Two Browning Citori's and one CZ. The CZ is a 12 GA over a 30-06. One Citori is a 20 GA and the other is a 3.5" 12 GA duck gun with Mossyoak camo. I like and shoot all 3 guns but I use the 20 GA most often when I am shooting sporting clay's. I am in the market for another over under and will most likely purchase a Beretta two barrel set in 28 GA and 410 Bore. As I get older and have more surgeries to recover from I am finding that I have become recoil sensitive. As you can guess I do not shoot too many 3.5" 12 GA rounds anymore. If you feel you might want 2 different GA shotguns then you might want to look at the Beretta. The Browning's have removable choke tubes as does the Beretta.

Edited to add I did not see your poll before replying. I do own a CZ Ringneck sideXside and it is made in Turkey. It is a nice gun for the money but some people do not like the fat barrel ends which are there to accommodate the removable choke tubes. I can not speak for their OU shotguns other then the combo gun mentioned above which is made in Czechoslovakia.

does FOX BSE make a over under? their side x side is the best double barrel IMO

Ive been eying Beretta silver pigeons for years,but I'm still shooting my 30 yr old citori.The shiny stock and white line spacer are retro now

Got my 1970's vintage Ruger in 20ga. Love it.

It would not be the traditional over under shotgun, but my grandfather's Stevens that he had (before Savage made them) that was a .410/ .22 Long Rifle over under combo gun. I think that would be the best squirrel rabbit gun going.

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Vaya con Dios

My choice is a Silver Snipe or Golden Snipe made by Beretta in the 60's they fit like a well worn glove and are very quick pointing, you can still see them occsionaly. Jeff

Beretta ASE 90.

Now, back to reality: SKB, but IDK who imports them or if they're even being made. They've been imported by Ithaca, Weatherby. Now I think they're jus SKB USA or something.

My old 500 was imported by Mitsui & Sons

They're basically a working-mans Merkle.

I know the OP stated that the choice was to be in 12 gauge, but as much as I dislike O/U doubles (shouldn't they all be S/S?), I would really like a nice little Red Label 20 gaugh, with a full selection of choke tubes.

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Virtute et armis

I've had 12 ga. Red Labels, Citori's and Winchester 101's. Take the Citori.

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<><

Guns magazine has a review of the Stevens 555. Nice guns coming out of Turkey these days. And not badly priced.

http://www.all4shooters.com/en/hunti...nting-shotgun/

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

I have five O/U shotguns and they are all Beretta. My way down the list second choice would be Browning. Larry

I have both a Beretta silver pigeon S and a citori. The Beretta is a finer gun for upland game and field birds. The citori gets my nod for slaughtering ducks in flooded timber.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

Ithica SKB 20 ga. O/U 26" Imp/Mod 5.4# 2 3/4" & 3", single selective. Great to carry and does anything I ask it to do - when I do my part.

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TOMBECK

Don't have one at the moment but this is the way I would go.CZ is a 12 GA over a 30-06

Turn it sideways.

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Psalm 23:4

I've never had a O/U, only SXS's. I chose other, because if I was to spring for one, it would be a Browning Superposed Lightning, 12 Gauge.

I only have one, and it's a 20 gauge Browning Citori Featherweight.

I'd probably trade it for a nice Browning Superposed, but not much else.

For the most part, I'm a side by side guy.

The short answer in a reasonable price range for most people is the boxlock Berettas or the SKB line.

Anyone who can't afford these guns should stay with a repeating shotgun. Double guns are frankly a luxury for those who can afford good ones. A good pump or auto is a far better buy than a cheap double.

Stay away from anything brought in from Turkey or other obscure areas. Aftermarket service will be iffy at best.

Never liked the O/Us and can't exactly tell you why. I had a beautiful CZ Ringneck side by side 20 gauge with single trigger and I regret selling it more than any gun I have ever gotten rid of.

...and I have owned nearly 100 guns.

I've owned several O/U's. Browning, Beretta, SKB, and Winchester mostly. Never owned a Ruger. For my money Browning and Beretta top the list. Both are well made and have given me good service. Beretta is my favorite. They make the best barrels in the business. Even guns that cost 3X as much don't have better barrels. It comes down to which one fits you better. That's the one you want to buy. Shotguns are not like pistols and rifles. Shotguns have one sight or reference. Pistols and rifles have two. Your eye is the second sight on a shotgun so stock fit is paramount. That's why you see adjustable stocks on target guns.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I have three O/U's: a Marlin Model 90 20 ga., a CZ Redhead 20 ga. and a Beretta 682 Gold E Sporting gun that also has a set of 28 ga. barrels. Forget the Marlin. It's great fun but long out of production and an antique. The CZ is a really nice piece and probably can't be beat for the money. As I recall, I think I paid about $800 for mine. The Beretta is a fairly high end gun with 32" barrels that I use for trap and sporting clays. It will go 250,000 rounds, then you can rebuild it for another million or so. It's meant to handle very high volume shooting, is a joy to handle and shoot, and it cost accordingly. The 28 ga. barrels are fun for skeet and dove shooting. I had a Browning 725 trap gun for a while and it was a little heavier than I like so I sold it. Beautiful gun, though. I think you can't go wrong in the sub-$2000 range with the Berettas or Brownings. Either are well built and will last a lifetime. Try both if you can, then buy the one that works best for you.

Browning Superposed Rules

I only have ONE O/U and it's a 1957 vintage Browning Grade ll Superposed with 26" barrels, choked Imp Cyl & Mod. Bought it 15 years ago brand new and unfired in its original luggage case even though it was made in 1957.

I've since shot thousands and thousands of shells through it. I use it for Upland Bird Hunting, Sporting Clays and Skeet and would never give it up!

Winchester 101 (old, Japanese made) or Browning Superposed ....... Have had really good luck with both, and if cared for you will see your money again if you sell it (assuming you bought reasonably).

When I shot Registered Skeet, I tried several different makes/models and ended up using various Beretta 682 combinations (4-barrel sets, tube sets, etc). It would be my first choice if going back, especially if I could choose only one. I guess an alternative for an all around bird gun would be a nice Belgian made Superposed.

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Been up since before breakfast

I've owned many brands, but the ones I like best, Beretta and in 686, did all that you asked , plus, quail, rabbits, ducks, geese. I traded it in on a Browning Sporting Clays and my scores went down.

I'm partial to my 1961 Browning Superposed 12 ga. full/modified. It is a fine piece of workmanship that an average fella can work towards. I also have a Sig Aurora TR30 in 20 ga. What a piece of functional art. The Color-case hardening is beautiful. I've heard rumor that Rizzini is responsible for the fine workmanship of the Sig Aurora TR30. My Superposed feels like part of me and has a "soul" of it's own. It feels like meeting an old friend again as I pull it out of the safe.....BTW.....I had two Beretta's and will have another in the future.

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Go big or stay home

i got a stogger we dont shoot that much skeet but its fun and it was cheap i figure if i had i could cut it down to put behind the seat of my pick up but for now i still use it for fun

I like the way Berettas fit me. I first got one of the Golden Snipes in 20 gauge mentioned and then their entry level White Wing in 12 gauge.
The only other O/U I tried that I could hit with was a Winchester 101. I looked for one locally for years with no luck though except for one with full/full chokes.

I had a 20 Gauge Beretta BL3 for years and have now passed it down to my son. It has had thousands of rounds through it without a single issue. It is still a tight and sold gun.

At some point I made the switch to two barrel guns one beside the other and won't likely go back to stacked barrel shotguns.

Bill Jr. on his first trip out with the Beretta BL-3 that is a little older than he.

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Bill Bates

I have no problem with Turkish O/U's.

My 3" magnum 20 ga. Yildiz SPZ ME20 came with some pretty well figured wood.

And at under 6 lbs. is a joy to use for upland game.

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NULLI SECUNDUS

70s era Browning Superposed.
Had one out on loan from a gunshop in Denver to tryout shooting trap. Ran 25 straight first time at the 16 yd line. Biggest mistake I ever made NOT buying a gun. to this day, I don't know why I let them have it back

After having a pump 12 ga, and then a SKB O/U, and then a Remington Peerless 12 O/U, I bought a browning Citori Special Sporting Clays. It is 28", and with interchangeable chokes. I have used this for several years fo rTrap, but it is best at skeet ans Sporting Clays, and have also used it on dove hunts. The reason I like the Browning best is it "fits" me, and I shoot it well. I do believe in what Browning claims, "They don't shoot loose, the shoot "IN". Meaning they stay tight. I bought this when I retired 10 years ago, and it has pretty close to 20,000 rounds through it, and it is still as tight as the day I bought it. I now do use a BT99 for trap because it is better suited for that game, but the Citori does all the rest.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I loved my Beretta but the safety selector got so worn that it
would move to the side with very little pressure.
While shooting trap at night, it would go to the other barrel
which was not a good thing.

I traded it in for a Citori and have not had any problems in the
eight years of shooting, so far, but these are with the lower
priced O?U shotguns at $1,600 or less.

Most can't afford the upper crust O/U but they are well worth
extra money if you have it...........however I do not take my
silver/gold inlayed units into the duck fields. Maybe a day out
for pheasant or dove but I prefer that they do not get bumps,
dings or scratches to their finish if possible.
I do not cry if the Browning gets a few dings or nicks but that
is just me. I do have a Win. pump and a A-5 that are ugly but
they are meat getters but that's another story.

Every person is a little different, as is each brand/model of over under shotgun. I recommend you borrow several from friends and see which one you shoot best. I currently have Beretta 20/28 silver pigeon, Win 101 12 ga, Miroku 28 ga, and Remington Peerless. I like the Remington the best, because I shoot it better.

I much prefer side by side doubles.

I got rid of my last o/u's several years ago: no regrets.

I've no interest in another, so I wouldn't buy any of the listed guns.

What Rpg said. I feel no need for an eight-shot shotgun in riot configuration. I have an old, battered Stevens side-by-side twelve that I bought well used and had sawed to twenty inches. It took tons of rabbits and doves for me, and I have a stash of #4 buck for the unlikely excrement hitting the fan.

Guess I'm half old throwback and half optimist. I also don't carry a gun on my person inside my apartment, but one is in reach. I'm old and live alone, so I don't have to defend anyone here but myself.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Weatherby Athena, tubed of course.

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I'm Proud To Be An American!

I'm partial to the Franchi's. Feels Right | Franchi Shotguns

I have a Beretta 687EELL Diamond Pidgeon grade 20/28ga combo that is truly a sight to behold. I have a 687L Silver Pidgeon 12ga that I really like too. I have a Browning Superposed 20ga that is a nice gun...that's the one that John Browning said was an advantage over a side by side because it has a "single sighting plane." I have yet to see a double gun with two ribs!!
All that said, the Beretta O/U is a very thin frame gun and that makes it feel good and wispy in your hands. I don't know if it is still the narrowest frame O/U, but at one time it was. I guess you can tell by now...I'd go with a Beretta.

If by numbers, the old Remington 3200. They get the use on clays. Also have a Citori that sees use in the field.

I like the idea of owning a ASE 90, I don't like the idea of paying for it. But while I'm there SO 5 sporting is a Dream.

But in the reality of affordability, I have had 1-Beretta 686 Silver Pidgin, 8-Browning Citoris (and still have 6), and 2-Browning Superpose Lightnings, I still have both, a 20 with 28" M&F chokes, and a 12 with 3 inch, 30" F&F chokes. I sporting clays I can make shots with this gun That I can't make with the other. Tight chokes are not a problem if you reload, and on long shots are a blessing. This is the last O/U I will sell! Ivan

Yep, those BL series guns are tops. Really starting to show that in the used gun market. Bought one for 6 and change a few years ago and man what a jewel. One of Berettas better efforts.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I haven't owned a lot of o/u guns. A winchester 101 that was shot loose. An Ithaca SKB 20 ga. that hurt me worse than any 12 ga I've owned. My Remington 3200 trap gun was a cheek smasher, especially the upper barrel. The bottom barrel was little better. When younger I liked the uppity factor when owning over under shotguns and Rolex watches. I have since learned that a good semi automatic will do almost anything I want it to and a nice Seiko serves me well as a time keeper.

I have to admit that I would love to own a nice pair of matched Purdy's, 12 and 20 gauge.

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Regards, Ron
USASA 1965/69

I have a Silver Snipe 20 single select trigger version. It's a superb upland game gun. I don't need anything more.

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Even older, even crankier....

I was fortunate enough to buy a Browning 20 Ga Superposed Superlight which is no longer made.It has killed doves,quail,ducks and one deer.It is a work of art ,so slender ,light and the barrel,receiver and wood to metal fit is unbelievable...and it has quadrupled in value.

Oooohhh, now you're in my wheel house. I've owned many. From Browning Citori to Perazzi, I've owned several.

This is an outstanding suggestion:Alas, they quit making them too soon. Not to worry, Beretta still makes the DT-10 (though it's on the way out) and the DT-11. You can spend more money, but you won't get a better gun. I owned a DT-10 and hands down it had the best triggers of any shotgun I've ever shot and I've shot a lot of them.

This is not a good idea unless you really know your shotguns:
The late 60's to early 70's were when the "salt" guns were made. There was a shortage of Walnut for stocks. So, to speed drying time, Browning used salt to draw the moisture out of the wood. This left salt behind in the wood and many of the Superposed guns were horribly rusted because of it. What's worse is they can look perfectly fine on the outside, but be completely ruined on the inside. So, steer clear of these guns.


Having said all that, I sold the DT-10, but kept this one:


This is a Browning Cynergy Sporting. I had a custom left-hand stock made for it. I've shot more 25 straights with this than any other gun I've owned or used, even the DT-10. In my opinion, it's one of the best values on the market today. So, my vote would be for one of these or a 725 Sporting.

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Freedom isn't free.

Truth is, any quality OU will work for you. With a shotgun, more than any other type of gun, what fits you, and feels good in you hands matters.

I like my old 60's Ithaca SKB import, for the reasons listed above. 28 inch, IMP CYL / MOD chokes. Great pheasant gun.

Larry

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Wouldn't own one seeing as I have always felt them to be the Politician's firearms, vs the Everyday man's SxS. That being said, I wouldn't get anything less than a Browning..

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Still just a kid at heart

I don't have an o/u, so I woun't recommend you buy that one. OP mentioned trap as one of the uses for the gun. As we know, that's a different game from the others, with consistently rising targets. What ever o/u the OP selcts, it should fit him. If it does not come with an adjustable comb, he should have one proseffionally installed. That way, the fit can be modified to acommodate whichever clays game is being played.

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