I'm considering getting an O/U shotgun which would be dedicated to dove, quail and maybe pheasant. Leaning toward 20 gauge (or maybe 28?) with price under $2k. I've read good reviews of the Weatherby Orion and Browning Hunter (grade I) Citori. If it comes down to a choice between these two, is the Browning worth it at double the price of the Weatherby? Other suggestions welcome.

Maybe a Browning Superposed?

Looking for current production, not used.

I have a Weatherby Orion, but it was made in the 1990's. It is basically an SKB. It is a fine shotgun. I don't know if the current production ones are as good.

Miroku makes some nice stuff. I have a couple BSS Brownings and the new-manufacture 1873 Winchesters.

I always liked the Brownings but that is based on my experiences shooting them in the 1970s.

I had a Weatherby in 12 gauge that I got in the 1980s in a trade and I later traded it. Not as nice as the Browning JMHO.

Today I am using a Remington 870 for birds, ducks and pheasants. Good luck

If you can get a Beretta 20ga O/U for your price point that is the way I would go.

Actually, I would look used first, but it might be hard to find. Owners typically do not want to part with them...

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

I use a Beretta 686 Onyx field grade in 12 Guage for the birds mentioned in the question. I am not sure what they run now but I like the matte finish wood and metal. I can take it out and hunt with it then a good rub down with very light gun oil and she looks brand new. The action is still tight as a drum after a lot of use, meaning I still have to give it a push to break it open. I got mine with 26" barrels not optimal for pass shooting doves but works well on rising pheasants.

I have a Citori and the few times I have used it the highly finished stock and light bluing just started to really show carry wear quickly, so now I only shoot clays with it.

No experience with the Weatherby.

The Browning O/Us have always been my favorites, particularly the Belgian Superposed but the Citoris I've had are fine guns too. The Brownings were the best fitting from a being "on" when pulled to the shoulder and just naturally pointed to the target. I'd be looking based on the fit and comfort and balance rather than any other factors. Lots of very nice used O/Us out there, some barely used. That said, these days I shoot most everything with my Benelli 20 gauge auto. Good luck.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I have 9 Browning O/U's, and I would recommend a 20 gauge with correct shot size for the game you are after that day. I have a Citori 425 28", a Citori Upland Special 26", and a 1966 Superpose Lightning 28". Of the 3, I would take the Superpose every time! But to stay in your budget I would go with one of the hunting models at 28" barrels. Current trends are for changeable choke tubes, however fixed chokes will serve you fine if you find a much old gun.

I believe a Citori Lightning model will have the best response to swinging through the birds. (If you are a stab and point shooter, you may be better served with a semi-auto 22 RF rifle.) The Lightnings are a few ounces heavier and the balance is "Forward" of the hinge pin, this yields a much better flow to your swing.

I was looking a shotguns this week, You also might consider a Beretta A300 in 20 gauge. My wife's shotgun is a 391 Sporting 20 gauge (that's about 2 generations back). These guns come with spacers to change the up/down and left/right and thicker/thinner shoulder pads for length adjustment. My wife is left-handed and I made the gun fit her perfectly! I shot (adjusted to her) and set a new personal best in a 10 week league a few years ago, I came in 3rd highest shooter but was the only 20 gauge in the league.

Ivan

I prefer 20 gauge. and my gun of choice for Pheasant is a Browning Special skeet, That was a Hand me down from my uncle.(thank you uncle Roy) I shoot it ithe best so that is the one i choose.
May i suggest if it is feasible to go hang out with friends @ the Clays range and hope they leave you try their guns.

A browning or Beretta 20 gauge with short barrels should work just fine.

I think sticking with one of the "B" guns (Browning or Beretta) is great advice. Both make a quality gun and will out last most of us if well maintained.

Okay, here is the real answer...BUY WHAT FITS.

As to gauge. I love my 28 gauge but boy it is getting outrageous to feed. 20 gauge shells run one third to half the price of 28 gauge loads. If nontoxic becomes mediatory a 28 gauge payload makes very little sense and again the 20 gauge wins out.

And just because a photo makes a post more interesting. Here is my old early 1970s Beretta BL-3 20 gauge I bought new a very long time ago. I have now handed it down to my son. It is still going strong after thousands of rounds through it.

(BTW...These old Beretta BL series shotguns are one of the best buys on the used market)

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Bill Bates

I have a Citori hunter Gr1 in 20 ga....been using it since 1985 when I bought it new...still love it. only thing I did was had browning add a recoil pad and new beads on the rib

The current production Weatherby over-unders are not really in the same class with a Citori, though they may be serviceable. If money is tight, I’d suggest you look for a used Citori, preferably a Lightning model with the Prince of Wales stock, and in 20 gauge.

Choke tubes are nice to have, but I wouldn’t pass a good deal on a fixed-chokes gun. Likewise, the older Invector tubes are perfectly fine. Invector Plus models are great, but I doubt you would ever see any difference. I’d definitely want a 20 gauge with 28- or 30-inch barrels for pheasants. 26-inch barrels are no great handicap, so if a 26 comes along at a nice price, and I was happy with the gun otherwise, I wouldn’t be too upset. A 28 gauge might do - again, if the price is right, especially if you handload, and if you can hunt with lead shot.

I’m six-feet tall, average build, and wear a 35-inch sleeve. The Beretta 686/687s are beautiful guns, but don’t fit me as well as the Brownings. They generally are a bit lighter, seem to have more felt recoil, and can be a bit more pricey.

If you have shooting club near you, some of them rent guns. Try them out on a round of clays. I really like my CZ bobwhite SxS in 28ga but feeding cost is higher and for me it's a little light for pheasant. Happy shooting!

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PTLAPTA!

The current Orion is a Turkish made shotgun. In my opinion the Browning is a much better gun. I think you'll find that the Browning is a much better made gun than the lower and medium priced Turkish guns.

Forgive the brand leap, but I would at least look at the Beretta Silver Pigeon.

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I’ve never done very well with O/U guns. My Remington 3200 is pretty much a dedicated trap gun. It’s too heavy and bulky for chasing pheasant.I’ve tried it. It isn’t very quick.

The Winchester 101 in 20ga was delightful to carry but I couldn’t hit anything with it. Those 26” barrels taught me I needed longer barrels.

A little more advice - I prefer a field gun that weighs between 6.5-7 lb. You'll be carrying it all day and it can get heavy. My field gun is usually one of my 12 ga Beretta 685s, which were economy guns only made a few years. My 26" Imp Cyl/Mod gun only weighs 6lb 12oz and fits me very well. I also have a 28" Mof/Full gun that weighs just under 7 lb.

Brownings tend to be heavier than Berettas, great for shooting, but not for carrying. The Superposed Lightning is an exception, but I don't think they are in current production.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

Browning or Beretta.
Well worth the cost.

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

Personally I would go with 12ga, possibly 20ga but never a 28. There is no advantage to a 28, and the shells cost more. Also, if you want to sell the gun, you are limited to a smaller group of buyers.

A shotgun will be your most personal firearm, so I suggest you make a careful decision on selection and if at all possible not be too dollar driven.

I had a Weatherby Athena years ago. It was OK. Nothing special beyond being flashy. The Orion was a lower grade offering. Both were SKB Japanese made.

As for the Browning Citori, I never liked them. They have what I consider to be a less than acceptable trigger group. I shot one once, and the point of impact was off by a foot.

To stay within a reasonable cost, I would look to Beretta. They make a good boxlock gun, with good triggers. I would go with 28" barrels, and no choke tubes if possible ( just my preference ).
Without going nuts on the English guns that few can afford, IMO the Italians and Germans make the best shotguns. Beretta also makes many competition guns using the same action as the hunting guns. They are meant to take a lot of use.

IMHO...Browning BPS, all-day-long.

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Death? Smile back...

Since you are talking upland game shooting, my take is a little different.

This type of shooting is going to be more taxing on the cosmetics than the internals. Sure, my suggestion wouldn't hold up to a steady diet of any type of clay bird shooting, but it will do for that type of hunting, and you won't cry when you drag it through the brush or scratch it on a fence.

I have had a Stoeger Condor 20 ga for this role for a number of years. I think that I paid ~$300 for it on the used gun rack. It is tight but smooth, and more importantly it fits me, which is strange for an off the rack gun. Not the prettiest girl at the dance, but she can dance.

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Only a cold warrior

You need two guns.A heavier longer gun for the days where you get a lot of shots and a lighter one for those long treks through the fields with just a few rounds fired. Browning and Beretta would be my choices . 20 gauge is a good compromise

I hear that CZ is making some nice shotguns. My experience is limited to their rifles which have proven to be "great" guns... fit, finish and accuracy

Don't overlook Stoeger's Condor O/U shotguns! They are very well made shotguns (made mostly in Brazil; owned by Benelli/Beretta) with quite a few different models and grades. The prices are very reasonable for the quality that you get, and if it gets scratched up in the field you won't care much. You can find field and compact models in .410, 28, 20, and 12 ga. 28 ga or .410 shotguns are outstanding for dove/quail, but you might need more punch for pheasant. I've owned a .410 Condor for years and have been extremely happy with it. However, with a $2K budget you could buy 4 Condors! Good luck with your search!

Between the two, I would go with the Browning. However, I would highly recommend looking at the Franchi Instinct before you make a final decision.

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Ain't This Fun Though?

Unlike their rifles, many of the CZ shotguns aren't actually built by CZ. They're built by Turkish companies for CZ

Unless things have changed in the last year since I retired, the CZ-USA O/U and SxS shotguns were all produced in Turkey by Huglu. I sold a whole bunch of them over the years, and they always served their owners well. I liked that they fell into a price/quality point above entry level guns like Stoeger, yet below Franchi/Browning/Beretta. At somewhat under $1000, the Redhead Premier is a great value.

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Ain't This Fun Though?

A shotgun is a shotgun is a shotgun. People buy them for what they look like. I used my brother's 20ga Savage/Steven over and under on the skeet range and it was hard to miss. I now use my fathers Citori and the same ability to shoot well is the same but, about $1000 more. I ended up getting another Savage/Stevens O/U in 12ga for about $700.

If you want a good looking shotgun you will spend about $2k. If you want a functional inexpensive shotgun buy something like a Savage/Stevens and spend much less. The gauge you want will depend on what you hunt. Can't go wrong with a 12 but, if you want less kick then a 20 is good. Towards then end my dad was using a 28ga. For me it is either a 12 or 20.

I have shot a lot of quail with the Citori 20 but the Beretta 626 Onyx (SxS) is my favorite. I don't think they make them any more.

I think shotguns, when bought new, should be a personal decision. I realize you are asking for which ones to look at. Go to the clays on base, and most people have proud shotguns, over and unders. Finest shotgun I ever bought new for around 2K was a 12 gauge semi-auto Super Black Eagle II. Use it shooting clays, too. Have a strap on it for keeping the barrel pointed straight up while shooting clays. I can even kill a bird if it is strapped on my shoulder.

Used to shoot quail, on the wild, and three shots were great when I used a Light Twelve Browning my Father gave me that he used. I'd shoot a lot of triples. After all that walking, it would come down to ready position low post when the dogs froze and when chasing singles. That is what I was brought up with and still hunt the semi-auto 12 gauge. Like to carry laminate stock and forearm and just one barrel.
Sorry for being outside the box. Good luck with your hunting. You didn't mention ducks, so a 20 might work if behind dogs. Enjoy it while you can. There will be one gun that makes you smile.

Citori all the way for me, but I know guys who shoot the Beretta O/Us and are perfectly happy. IMHO Benelli semiautos are the only upgrade possible from quality O/Us. That gives you an additional shot, but costs you the advantages of 2 different chokes and the simplicity/strength/balance of the break action.

Fit is most important. Quick dirty gun fit test you can do in the gun shop: With the stock in your armpit, muzzle down, close your eyes and mount the gun. Let the butt slide straight up the crease between your shoulder and chest into the "pocket", bring the comb tight to your cheek, don't drop your head to meet the gun. Open your eyes. Are you looking straight down the rib? You shouldn't have to move your head.

When I was 18, a coworker let me shoot a round of trap with his Belgian Superposed. It was an "I gotta get me one of these" moment. I couldn't afford an O/U Browning until I was 40, and it was a Citori. Now I have 4 and still shoot them all.

For doves, pheasants and clays I shoot a 26" 12 ga 80s Lightning and a field grade 28" early 90s 3" 20. They swing and point very similarly. In retirement I shoot Sporting or Skeet weekly with one or the other. My Citoris get shot far more than most field guns. They have never given me a problem. I've been running the Lightning hard for 24 years, the 20 ga for 15. Doves and pheasants at home, quail and grouse on trips.

As stated by someone earlier, the finish on both wood and metal may suffer under hard use but I didn't buy them to look at. Used field grade guns don't hold their value as well as Trap, Skeet or Clays guns. I was able to buy my 3" duck gun reasonably from a gentleman who said "It's such a beautiful gun I can't bring myself to take it to the blind." I managed to keep a straight face. He'd been trying to sell it for 5 years. It had 100 rounds of trap loads through it. I bought my 3.5" goose gun on line. It had been shot very little but finish on the frame showed cold blue touch up in the form of a hand in the "trail carry".

I hunt with the 12 ga these days, because my knees are shot and my dog is 12. All day upland hunts are long past for both of us. I want to put birds down close to maximize a short hunt for him. A 3" 20 is a great choice though.

Good luck and good hunting.

I'll second this!

Jeff
SWCA #1457

I know they are not on the list you ask about but i have two 20 gauge ruger red labels that i bought 25 years ago that have been excellent for dove and clays. With good shells its hard to miss even for me.

I like the old Beretta silver snipes the first one I ever shot was in 1966 a 20 ga. that fit a glove I have a 12 S Snipe with exhibition wood and a 20 ga SS they are fine but have out of production for many years. They are light and fast. The golden snipes have a vent rib. Jeff

I'm still shooting my dad's old fixed choke Citori he bought in 1981 or 82. It's still tight. They are worth more than their asking price.

I see this question quite often PN the various shooting forums. The answer is always the same. No one can give you the answer, you must find it yourself. Go to a sporting clays range that rents guns or is having a range day where you can shoot various shotguns. Get to know the people around and what guns they shoot. Try them all out and buy the gun that fits you the best and you shoot the best.
Try out Beretta, Browning, Franchi, Fabarm, Benelli 828, CZ, Blazer, Ceaser Guerini, Weatherbug, SKB, etc. I would avoid the Stoeger as I personally know of manufacturing problems that resulted in injury to a shooter.
Sometimes you have a difficult fit and may need some stock work to shoot the best. Do not be afraid of a used quality gun.

I would get a Browning or Beretta O/U but I love my Beretta A-400 20 gauge auto.

Was raised on 12s and do have a 20.
But a 28? I don’t think so!
Use to hunt with Buddies who had a Bolt 410.
I hated those before I got to High School!
Pretty boy at the Bernardo State Wildlife Refuge.
Probably from a nearby Hunting Club.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Franchi Instinct. In o/u always go Italian.

There's a Sophia Loren joke to be had here, but I'll refrain so as to avoid the ding.

I shoot a lot of clays, since the mid 80’s. For your price point the Browning- Beretta are substantially a better choice than the Weatherby. I have seen Brownings and Berreta’s with over 150,000 rounds through them. Make sure whatever you get fits properly, because fit is what keeps you on the target.

The answer to your original question is NO.

Ruger Red Label 20ga is my go to, for everything....

This. I have a 20 ga Ruger Red label sporting clays model with 30 inch barrels and I love it. Fits like a glove and something about those 30" barrels for the follow through.

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Forum consigliere

I think that removable choke tubes are better than fixed. Changing choke tubes made a big difference in my patterns. English straight stocks look cool, but I prefer a pistol grip.

If you aren't open to used shotguns, and are open to a side by side, I'd say look into the Dickinson Estate. They are Turkish imports, but beautifully made guns. IMHO much better than the current Weatherby Orion. I'm fairly certain they made the most recent Smith and Wesson sxs and o/u models.

If you change your mind on used guns, I'd vote a Red Label or Citori.

I have always avoided Browning's because of the inertia trigger system. The SxS and O/U's coming out of Turkey are well made, light weight in sub gauges and relatively inexpensive. My go to upland gun is an ugly as sin Mossberg Silver Reserve II 28 gauge SxS.