I have heard that the Turkish shotguns have softer steel parts and might wear out in as little as 2500 rounds. For me that is about 50 years of upland game hunting. For a trap or skeet shooter it is less than a year.

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Front sight and squeeze

Just grab a Remington 1100 3 inch 20 off the used gun rack. Light and shoots great.

Based on fit, price and features, I think I've narrowed it down to the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I with 28-inch barrels. But I'm not a big fan of the automatic safety, so Citori may still be in the running. I briefly toyed with the idea of getting a Mossberg to save a bunch of money, but the extra weight was enough to put me off.

Can't go wrong with either a Browning or Beretta O/U. Fit is paramount if you want to hit anything.

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213th FBINA

I can't afford most of the beautiful shotguns mentioned above, but I do enjoy hunting Valley quail and Mountain quail (and the occasional bonus cottontail) in southern California.
I agree with Mauser9 and bought a used 20 gauge Remington 1100 Light Weight. I replaced the original barrel with a factory 18" barrel with choke tubes. Handles and swings beautifully.

Auto safety is easy fixed

I’m with Bill Bates on a Beretta BL3, mine has imp. mod. over/ modified and 20 ga.. I’ve had it quite a while and have seen them going for around 500 in VG condition. 20 ga. are a lot easier on the wallet then 28ga rounds. I’m not sure if Weatherby makes a 28 but you may want to check CZ, Franchi instinct for a28 . I used to have a Beretta A400 in 28 and loved the round , and the gauge is showing up more and more in the upland fields . Anyhow you get the gun that fits you and some of the new guns in 28 are coming out with 3” chambers . Happy gun hunting !

^^^^ this

With any long gun - especially a shotgun - the first thing I want to know is “does it come up right on?” A few decades ago I was getting ready to go on a quail hunt. I’d used a 12 gauge the first time … that didn’t work out so well. I went to a store I’d visited more than once before and told Forrest that I was looking for a 20 gauge over and under. He got a sneaky smile, turned around and picked out a gun for me.
“That’s not 20 gauge.”
“Just try it - bring it up to your shoulder.”
…
“You bastid.”
A Beretta 686S Silver Pigeon 28 gauge was not in my budget but the hook was firmly set. I love that gun and hit nearly every bird I shot at on that hunt. I’m not saying that’s the gun for the OP. Just find the one that fits best - it might surprise you. Much more recently I wanted a Browning BLR and assumed that I wanted a pistol grip. Nope - the straight stocked version came up perfectly.

Chip

This is spot on.

I have a 26 inch Lightning 20 I got in 1988 about a year after that model came out. In a perfect world now I wish it was a 28 inch or even 30, but back in the 80s 26 inch guns were IT. No matter, in real hunting situations you give up nothing. And in spite of many more shotguns now roosting in the barn, it is still just a stone dead killer on birds.

I do find Berettas just as appealing though!

The Turks make great guns and have for a long time. I recently bought my first Turkish shotgun, a Hatsan Escort 20 gauge auto. I love that gun! It came with length of pull and drop spacers (it's a youth model so I stacked up all the length of pull spacers) and 5 choke tubes. Runs like a sewing machine with skeet loads on up. Did I mention it was 300.00??

The Turkish guns might be great, then again they might not. Problem is we haven't been shooting them long enough to know yet. The Citori action has been around since I think 1973 (longer really, it's basically a less expensive rendition of the 1920s Superposed) and the basic Beretta 680 series since the late 70s. These are proven, bomb proof actions that will go 10s of 1000s of rounds without problems. We can't say that about the Turkish guns, at least not yet. I personally doubt that a $300 o/u will prove that durable, but I have no evidence to back that up.

Just my 2 cents.

The Browning X25 (etal) series with screw in chokes is my choice.
They fit me well and except for the porting would be my favorite skeet, upland and sporting clays shotty.

Yaktamer, if you really like the Beretta, that auto safety is easily deactivated.

But, the OP isn't going to be shooting 10s of 1000s of rounds shooting upland game birds. The same reason why a used Stoeger Condor 20 ga is enough gun for me.

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Only a cold warrior

Of my little "Turkey Gun", the $300 Turkish made Hatsan Escort 20 gauge autoloader. A flat out amazing bargain at twice the price. Runs all 20 gauge shells interchangeably without adjustment. The all black version can be caught on sale for under $250. We have two of these little camo 20 gauges for wood duck hunting in the swamp behind the house and informal backyard skeet, and they both run great.

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I don't see anything in the original post stating a limit on his quantity of shooting. Many bird hunters will practice in the off season. If not, then sure it really doesn't matter.

I personally shoot maybe 10-15 rounds max at actual feathered birds every year. But I shoot a lot more at clay birds to make those 10-15 count! How do you know the OP won't as well?

One of the best values in my opinion, although older, remains the Beretta Silver Snipe.

Popular online auctions have them for $800.00-$1,400.00 and I have and continue to have successful hunts with them over the years. Best regards, TH

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Rather be outdoors

Realizing that the OP specifically called out the O/U configuration, I suggest that side-by-sides should still be on the table. They predate O/Us and are arguably the truest shotgun variant. The Browning BSS is a great option and I love both of mine.
On the other hand, they do seem to be getting a bit spendy. I have had both for about 40 years.

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True! I like the BSS, but they seem just a bit heavy for the gauge to be a real bird gun.

I'm partial to my Ithaca SKB 20 gauge. It's just 6 lbs, even with 28 " barrels. Very nimble and quick, and you can literally carry it all day. I have named mine the Death Stick. It is death on birds!

I just didn't bother mentioning it because, as you said, the OP seems to want an OU.

I will be the (slightly off topic) old codger that has been shooting pheasants, trap, ducks, geese, ruffies, sharptails, etc with 12 gauges since about 1972 when I blew a few of my first truly big paycheques on two Brownings: a barely used O/U Superposed and a new Browning 2000 auto with three barrels of different lengths and chokes. Used both for trap and skeet when I took it up about the same time. The Superposed was sold to my brother when he begged me for it and replaced with a much, much nicer Gran Lightening back around 1992'ish. The Browning 2000 still plugs along, doing everything I want it to do (I do have nightmares that one day it will need some small part repaired and it won't be available 50+ years later).

The glossy stocks that many find objectionable disappeared soon after I bought them at the hands of a can of rottenstone purchased from Brownell's.

Don't shoot the shotgun sports very often anymore, even though there's a large trap club well within hearing distance of our home here in Montana. But still walk many, many miles every year chasing the local cacklebirds, sharpies and quail and our newest luxury: a trip to Arizona each year before Christmas to camp and walk down the three species of quail in the area in and around Empire Ranch/Nogales. I recommend that trip around that time of the year to anyone with bird dogs.

I understand the allure of the 20 gauge hunting upland birds, and I won't tell anyone (including my wife) that they're wrong to go with a 20 gauge. But there is a reason very few competitive trap, skeet, and sporting clays shooters elect to shoot 20 gauges rather than 12 gauge. Other than weight, I'm open to anyone trying to change my mind that anything a 20 gauge can do, so can a 12 gauge (and probably better) - but the reverse is true. And a 28 gauge unless in the hands of a shotgun sniper? Forget about it; my dogs have spent too much of our day's hunting time over the years hunting down birds crippled by people hunting with us who were using 28 gauges.

My wife has a truly beautiful Browning Upland Special 20 gauge; 24" barrels and English style grip. But it is NOT the best gun here in Montana when we get to the point that the roosters are flushing wild out there, even for people who like us have very well trained pointers (wirehaired pointing griffons in our case).

Many of the hunting loads out of my 12 gauges for any and all upland birds (and recreational clay shooting) are 7/8 oz. loads... a 20 gauge can also do that. But once the birds get smarter and they're less likely to hold for the dogs, and the ranges get a lot longer, we step up the shot size, all the way up to 1 3/8 oz. loads as the second barrel out of an O/U. Along with that, the weight of shot charge to have the same pattern density with the larger sized/weight shot charges at those larger distances. This is where the 20 gauge (and even worse the 28 gauge) start falling behind in terminal ballistic performance in any given choke size.

The day will probably come when I don't want to walk those miles with even the light weight of my Browning 2000 autoloader. If so, I'll take a different route than 20 gauge: I'll put a sling on my shotgun as the Europeans seem to prefer to do and carry it slung over my shoulder rather than in my hands all day.

If I can't carry my shotgun on my shoulder, that means I probably can't carry my hunting rifle as well the same way, and I'm probably out of the business of hunting anything if I've become that frail. Unfortunately, if we live and hunt long enough, that day will come for all of us.

I'll echo what others have probably already said (and which you probably already know): whatever you choose, ensure it fits you. If you like the shotgun and it doesn't fit, a shotgun plumber who knows how to bend and modify stocks to fit can make it fit. Close to here down in Polson, the guy (or one of the guys) who does that for Browning offers stock fitting for those who want to improve their wingshooting.

My favorite is my SKB 20 Ga. Light, fast, fits me well, can carry it all day easily. And, about half the price of a Browning or Beretta.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I think it’s Very Important that the gun fits you whatever brand it may be.
That’s why some shooters are deadly with a less expensive shotgun, that’s because that gun fits them. One test you can do is to close you eyes and bring the gun up to you shoulder and head ( gun to the head not your head down to the gun) . Then open your eyes . You should be looking down the rib with the two beads in a figure 8. If you are seeing too much rib the stock comb is too high . If you are looking into the back of the receiver it’s too low. Do that multiple, multiple times and you will be able to see if the stock fits you.. . Browning, Beretta, ect there are quite a few well made O/U s but if you are to shoot it consistently well it has to fit you .
Just my two cents worth ..

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Respectfully
JoeDice

Oh boy, that's a tough question.

I used to hunt upland a lot and two things always got my attention. Can you shoot it and how much does it weigh? Hunting on the Snake R. we had a saying. It's 3 miles between birds. So when you look at it in that light, one needs a light gun and one needs to shoot it well when the opportunity presents itself. If you can't shoot 20/25 from 16 yds on a trap field you need to change something.

I always beat the hell out of my bird guns and so did everyone I hunted with. Fall down one time on some scree and your prized shotgun is going to get dinged up. At the end of the day it goes into a zippered canvas case and thrown into the back of an SUV or PU. It's like a good tool while building a house. Buy one that fits the intended purpose. Nobody is looking at your shotgun while you're shooting birds. Well maybe if you have to dress for the occasion while shooting high pheasants in the UK. What impresses most hunters is how well you can bag birds. Lots of guys I hunted with used autoloaders and pumps. I always took my 870 for a back up on a 4 day hunt 300 miles from home. I shot a lot of quail and doves with that one in AZ.

New O/U shotguns don't have any cast off for RH shooters. They used to. No cast off is just there to sell more guns to the unsuspecting right and left handed shooters, IMO. Shooters just learn to more or less shoot a gun that doesn't fit well when they buy one.

So a new 2K plus Browning or Beretta O/U that doesn't fit and is going into the field just isn't my idea of a bird gun.

The shotgun that I used the most was a sxs Beretta 426E that fit like glove and weighed 6.8 lbs. Way too expensive for a sxs Beretta these days though. So ~6.5 lbs is ideal. I wasn't hung up on sxs but they can be light. I like O/U's just as much.

So to dial this in, any light O/U or sxs should work, even a 20 ga Turkish gun....if you can shoot it.

Now if I were buying a bird gun today for upland it would be a 20ga. Benelli M2. You can adjust the stock somewhat to fit you. It isn't an O/U but it's a light bird killing machine.

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That's just somebody talkin.

I see most comments are for the 20 Gauge. FWIW, and I know they're Turkish, the Dickinson branded in 28 Gauge is light as a feather and comes in around $1,700.00 in a side by side. The Bristol branded is about $900.00 and each comes with a straight comb.

I have a few Franchi shotguns, worth considering.

The Browning Superposed is still in production but the cost will knock your socks off because it's still a Hand Made shotgun. IIRC the starting price for a B25 is about 20,000 USD and it goes up rapidly from that point.

For a Field gun in your price range I would suggest you look at the CZ USA offerings and INCLUDE their Side x Sides in your seaching. Because Side X Side shotguns were built mainly for Field use and tend to be lighter than a comparable O/U.

For example the CZ Bobwhite 20 gauge weighs in at 6.5 lbs. so it's a rather light 20. List price is 699.00 and the reason for this low prices is that it's double trigger non ejector model. Because of this basic simplicity the lockwork is extremely simple which reduces manufacturing cost but increases reliability by a huge amount. I will also note that many hunters prefer extractors because it make it so easy to retain shell for reloading or just keeping the hunting grounds free of litter.

There is also the Bobwhite 28 gauge which is a bit more expensive at 749.00 USD that weighs in at a wonderful 5.5 lbs.

If you insist on an O/U you should look at the All Terrain series, which were designed specifically for Field use. Note, these all feature a selectable single trigger action. As a result these are Extractor guns with lighter weights and feature magnets in the extractors to retain the shell when the gun is open. Basically you can turn the gun upside down and the shells will stay in the chambers. The one I think you would find very useful is the Upland Ultralight All Terrain 20 gauge. At 5.9 lbs. it will be an easy to carry gun but you may want to put a Limbsaver on it because that light the recoil of the 30 will get your notice. Cost for this model is 899.00. If you want to go a bit heavier The CZ Drake All Terrain weighs in at 6.5 lbs and price is 799.00.

As for the quality of the CZ Shotguns I have three at present and all function perfectly and the O/U and SxS both came with some very good looking wood. I shoot with one of Michigan's top tier Skeet shooters and last year he went 2 x 100 at the State Shoot using a CZ Redhead Premier Target that had about 45,000 rounds on it at the time. The lockup is still good and tight and function has been flawless. I will also note that CZ has a free parts for Life policy and they are not kidding about that Free bit, they don't even charge for shipping. All you have to do is call and ask for the parts you need and they will be sent out and it doesn't matter if you are the first owner of the fifth owner, if CZ sold the gun parts for it are free to anyone who owns one. These are also very easy actions to work on because they are laid out to make repairs like firing pin, or mainsprings very simple to change.

Note, if you want to spend more with CZ that is certainly possible because they off a very wide range of prices and options. The All American series are all top rank gun made in Turkey by Akhar a super high quality gun manufacturer. The mid and lower price models are made by Huglu who also build fine guns but don't do fancy engraving and the like so they are a bit plain in appearance. If you want a basic O/U that is as tough as a Beretta or Browning the Redhead Premier is the ticket and it is an excellent cost per value gun. BTW, I've been around Beretta's enough to know quite well that their current assembly quality is rather poor and that CZ actually builds new guns with fewer issues than Beretta.