12 ga over and under

[andy52]

I was out yesterday and decided to stop by Academy Sports and have a look at their private brand Yildiz shotguns.
I was amazed at the quality and wood in these so I decide I just had to try one.
I got the Yildiz SPZ ME Special 12 ga with 28 inch barrels 588.00 out the door with my veterans discount. They were on sale with a normal price of 679.00 lowered to 599.00.
The wood in this gun is what you might get in a gun costing much more.
I'll take it out next week and see how it shoots.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I purchased a Yildiz o/u shotgun several years ago for my son so he could attend a youth dove hunt. As you mentioned, it's a lot of gun for the money. The one area they cheaped out on, in my opinion, was the recoil pad - the shotgun didn't come with one. I purchased and installed a Limbsaver brand recoil pad and a fiber optic front bead sight (magnetic mount). It's a fine, lightweight shotgun that's proven to be a lot of fun shooting clays and dove. I had one issue with it shortly after purchase - the barrel selector switch wouldn't work as it was supposed to. Quick trip to the warranty station (Academy's took care of all of the shipping and handling), and she's been good to go every since.

Regards,


Dave

 

[andy52]

The model I bought came with a fiber optic sight and a recoil pad, the pad isn't real thick and depending on how bad the recoil is I may get something else. Most of the shooting I'll do with this shotgun will be with target loads so I don't anticipate needing a thicker pad even though the gun is very light.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Many years ago I bought a Yildiz 20 ga under & over. Liked it so well I bought the 12 ga. Then later I bought the 410(FUN gun for skeet and doves). All perform flawlessly. A great gun for the $$$.

 

[Rpg]

These are pretty good guns for the price.

As already mentioned, the barrel selection mechanism is the weak point in these guns, as it often is in single trigger o/u guns.

This isn't a problem unique to this gun: it pops up in even guns costing 4 times as much. It's the nature of single select trigger mechanisms.

 

[andy52]

The only issue I've seen so far is that the action is rather stiff from what I read and seen in reviews it will loosen up after about 200 rounds or so.
Considering I haven't shot it yet I don't know what will happen with the selector.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Never had a problem with the selectors on my 3. When new I removed the stocks and gently lubed everything insde. I lube the trunions and swivel points with white lithium grease. Also use it on the choke tubes. These guns come with oil finished wood. Which doesn't play well in the rain. I stripped mine and refinished with TRU-OIL. This seals the wood pores and REALLY brings out the beauty of the the Turkish walnut.

 

[dsink]

I just bought my daughter and myself one in 20 ga. I own Beretta and Valmet over and unders and always thought there is no greater sin than a cheap O/U.

Well, I got to eat my words. Dang if we both don't like it better than any of the other shotguns I have and I swear we both shoot it better than any of the others.

They are a lot of shotgun for the money.

 

[H Richard]

That is great looking wood on that shotgun. What is the country of origin? Turkish? I've had a couple of Turkish shotguns, (CZ) and they were more than well worth the price.

 

[Linejudgemick]

3 or 4 years ago I bought a Yildiz A 71 20 gauge semi-auto shotgun, mostly because it is pounds lighter than my 870 12 gauge I've hunted with since I was in high school. I liked it so much a year ago I got an SPZ ME/20 over and under. Haven't shot it all that much; only putting a box thru it shooting blue rock. As mentioned, it is stiff, but seems to be gradually loosening up some. I have been pleasantly surprised by both of them and have no issues using them. Are they in the same class as Benelli or others - of course not, but for inexpensive shotguns they have been reliable so far and not all that bad looking. Have fun and be safe with your new "scatter gun".

 

[chiefdave]

I own Beretta and Valmet over and unders and always thought there is no greater sin than a cheap O/U.

I felt much the same about SXS shotguns until I acquired a Mossberg 28 gauge. At a tick over 6# I can carry it all day, choke tubes make it great for all wing shooting short of waterfowl. If your not hung up on brand names there are a lot of inexpensive but well made shotguns coming out of Turkey.

 

[old tanker]

I bought a Yildiz 28 gauge over and under when the local Academy store had it on sale a few years ago. A very attractive gun with with tasteful laser engraving on the receiver, single selective trigger and selective ejector.

She said, "That's a pretty gun."

I personally don't know how it shoots, but she wreaks havoc on starlings around her garden with monotonous regularity. Last time we got invited to shoot some clays she just wanted to know if I had brought enough ammunition for "her" shotgun.

 

[andy52]

That is great looking wood on that shotgun. What is the country of origin? Turkish? I've had a couple of Turkish shotguns, (CZ) and they were more than well worth the price.

Yes they are Turkish made guns. At one time Academy Sports only was the retailer of the Yildiz guns but when I purchased it they told me they had bought the company and are now the owners and sole distributors of all Yildiz firearms.
You are correct the wood is really nice it's the Persian walnut, English walnut, Carpathian walnut, Madeira walnut type, same as S&W used in their pre war stocks.

 

[MCorps0311]

I don't anything about that brand of shotgun,i salute you and congrats!

 

[rkittine]

Just make sure you lube it well and correctly when you are putting it together. The alloy used scores easily.

I know that many people like Academy, but the closest one to me is 553 miles away and they are not real customer oriented when asked to ship guns to another dealer in another state. I finally purchased a Yildiz through a dealer in Canada as Academy is the only game in town in the U.S.

I did not know that Academy supposedly bought them, but I doubt it. Maybe the rights to the U.S. only as when I talked to the guys in Turkey they told me that the reason that they only sold to Academy in the U.S. was because they were concerned about upcoming import issues to the U.S. and could sell out all their production in Europe.

Bob

 

[SJK2]

Very nice........

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Nice! I have a Beretta 686 Onyx O/U and its wood is not nearly as pretty as that! Turkish walnut - very well done!

 

[andy52]

Well I took the Yildiz out and shot about a 100 clay birds today it shoots just as good as it looks.
The fiber optic front sight certainly jumps out when the gun comes up, not bragging here but out of a 100 rounds I only missed one bird.
The only con I can see is the weight being only 6 lbs, it handles very nice but I'm sure if I had been using 3 inch mags the gun would have kicked my butt.
I didn't buy the gun to hunt with so with target loads I should be fine.
I picked up a Promatic super 6 thrower used from a local range and I'm here to tell you having a electric thrower is the cats meow, just load it with 150 birds and start busting.

 

[gregintenn]

The Turks seem to have some good craftsmen among them.

 

[bgrafsr]

Nice! I have a Beretta 686 Onyx O/U and its wood is not nearly as pretty as that! Turkish walnut - very well done!

I too have a Beretta 686 Onyx O/U and used it for Sporting Clays. Excellent shotgun, but as you say the wood is not fancy.
Perhaps the word to use is utilitarian.