There are several grades of Stoeger O/U's. I bought the least expensive one five or six years back when I was invited to go skeet shooting. I'm anal about not borrowing other people's stuff and I didn't want to blow any serious money until I found out if I was going to shoot sheet regularly.
First, let me say, if you haven't shot any skeet, trap or sporting clays...do it...it's a blast.
Second, the low end Stoeger isn't much on fit and finish, and mine was very stiff as well, but I didn't shoot it enough to loosen it up before I upgraded. Not all of them are that stiff as a buddy of mine bought one new that wasn't. It always went boom and it's built like a tank. My local gunsmith, who has no problem being critical about inexpensive firearms, went through it and said it would be virtually impossible to break based on it's construction.
They're a lot of gun for what they get for them.
Brian~