Intersted in O/U shotgun

[gcerrone]

I am interested in buying a 20 ga. O/U that will be for occasional sporting use. I don't want to spend more than about $500. Have any of the members had any experience with the Remington SPR310 or the Stoeger Condor?

Thanks
Garry

 

[Babalooie]

Are you looking for a new gun or used one? There are some nice Ithica/SKB O/U shotguns on Gunbroker. Just a thought.

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

My wife has the Rem 210 SxS. It is a fine little gun for what we paid for it. I believe in buying the best that you can afford, but still we bought this gun, and haven't had any trouble yet, nor has my brother-in-law with the one he bought used. They tend to have a rather short length of pull, which suits my wife fine, and works well with cold weather clothing. They have interchangeable chokes, and ours seems to hit right where you are pointing. A lot of more expensive guns don't do that always. The Rem., and Condor are both good guns for what they cost, but their overall lines are rather crude. They do make great guns for a utility gun though, since their finish is less refined.

I generally prefer O/U guns, but I have a beautiful SxS 28 gauge as well.

 

[TheKySharpshooter]

My mom has a 20 gauge Browning Citori Skeet that she bought back in the early '90s. Fantastic gun, and still very beautiful. Everyone that has shot it has loved it. I don't know what used ones go for, but if you do find one in your price range, I don't think you'd have any complaints. Well, other than not wanting to take it out into the woods and scratch it up.

 

[Steave]

Tough to buy much of an O/U for $500. Personally, I would try to find a used Browning Citori or Beretta 68X series gun, if you keep your eyes open your *should* be able to find one of these for under $1K. The biggest issue you will find with the less expensive O/U's is often the barrel regulation is off, I would consider buying one of these no more than throwing money away.

If you want a nice 20 ga. that can be used for occasional sporting clays, field use, etc, I would look for a used Remington 1100 or Beretta 390. You should be able to buy either one for $500, give or take, and have a quality shotgun that will last a lifetime.

 

[JOliver]

I have a Biakal(sp?) that is an older O/U I've had it for about 6 years and love it ....I gave 300 for it out the door at the time I had a 686 Beretta and it was a tad nicer but for the money this one is great.

Now I have seen them more recently under the Remington name and the quality isnt the same..I'm not a OU or SxS expert so I'm sure some woudl turn their nose up the Biakal but you should check one out for under the 500 price range.

Jason

 

[Hofstet]

I agree with Steave and would add to your list a used Weatherby, or SKS (they manufactured for Weatherby for many years).
Both are high quality O/U shotguns and can be found for a reasonable price. Check out Gunbroker.com
If the gun is to be used in the field alot, my chice would be 26" barrels. If for Clays more than field, go with a minimum of 28" barrels IMO.
Also, look for a gun that is designed for removable choke tubes (the Browning,Beretta, Weatherby and SKS all will be)

 

[bigcatonhd]

Don't overlook used Ruger Red Labels. I shoot clays with a 12 ga w/ 30"
tubes. Older Berettas are fantastic as well. I bird hunt with an older field grade 685.

 

[H Richard]

At close to your price range CZ has a line of O/U and S/S shotguns that are excellent value's.

I bought a Canvasback model (matte black hard chrome receiver and extractor only not ejectors) in 20 Ga. a couple years ago, and have used it for sporting Clays, Skeet, and a few doves. It fits nearly as well as my Browning Citori Sporting Clays 12 ga.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Another vote for a Red Label. I have a 20 gauge sporting clays model with the 30" bbls that is absolutely deadly on decoying ducks with sk/sk tubes and #3 shot

 

[VAdoublegunner]

^^^^^^^^^^^
What Caj said.
It may be hard to find one for $500, even a used beater, but a Red Label 20ga with longer tubes is one great O/U 20!

I'm not much on those out-of-phase barrels, preferring them spooned rather than missionary, but a Win 101 skeet in 20 and a Red Label 20 hold honored places in my shotgun battery.

 

[straightshooter1]

It depends on what you plan to do with the gun.

The less expensive ones mentioned here are, IMO, fine for quail or a round or two of skeet.

BUT, if you plan on any serious shooting, i.e., a hundred or so rounds at a time, they don't seem to hold up.

A used Citori, on the other hand, will work and work and work.

And, you can find them for just a but more than your price, around $7-800.00.

The Winchester 101s hold up well, too, but sometimes the felt recoil seems more and, again IMO, you want a gun that doesn't beat you up if you shoot a lot in one day.

If you look at what the serious skeet or trap shooters use, since they shoot their guns a lot, you won't see many (if any) of the less expensive ones mentioned.

But for once in a while use, they are fine.

Bob

 

[Farmer17]

I always wanted a SXS 20 gauge and after much looking bought a CZ
Ringneck with 28" barrels. It has the single trigger, which cost quite a bit more, but I love the gun and it will be the very last one to go, if need be. It is an absolutely beautiful gun with great wood, engraving, and color case finish and has great handling and I nearly got my limit on Dove last weekend with it. I have shot a couple thousand rounds of skeet and it is still as tight as when it was brand new, and was about $850, but I think you can get the double trigger gun for about $650ish or around $500 used. My best friend has a Yildiz 20 gauge O/U that he bought from Academy sports for a little over $400 it seems like a nice gun for the money and I think he is pretty happy with it.

 

[straightshooter1]

I think Farmer17 is right about the CZs. A bit more money than you'd mentioned, but they seem to hold up. Some of the casual skeet shooters have them and use them for skeet and 5stand and I have not heard any of them complaining about reliability.

Where I shoot, the Silver Dollar, we have two gunsmiths who live on the grounds and a third one was recently hired by the Club. So, if a gun goes down, firing pin sticks or breaks, trigger leaf spring breaks, etc., we can get it fixed pretty quickly.

Other places I have shot at have no one to service broken guns and it can be inconvenient to send it to the manufacturer's gunsmith for service or try to find a local guy who knows shotguns. When I shoot at these places, I take a spare gun just "in case."

That's why I recommend one of the guns that rarely fail.

Bob

 

[jrm53]

20 o/u

If you want a fine 20 o/u that you may be able to pick up in your price range look for a Beretta Silver Snipe they were last made in 1967 they will fit you like a glove and are very light and fast handling, they have extractors and are single non selective trigger. I have a 12 and a 20 and will have them when they plant me. Jeff

 

[Steave]

There have been some other good suggestions here, older Winchester 101's, Ruger Red Label, Beretta Silver Snipe, etc. I don't know enough about the CZ's to comment, but the other CZ products I've handled have been nice.

The bottom line, to use round numbers, is there is a WORLD of difference between a $500 O/U and a $1,000 O/U. Assuming proper fit, 99% of a time a Beretta 68X series gun will do everything a Perazzi gun will do, however, other than being O/U shotguns, there is no comparison between a Beretta 68X series and ANY of the new sub-$500 O/U's.

 

[bummer]

My o/u is a red label fixed chokes and blued receiver

 

[gcerrone]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I now have my shopping list.

 

[Greg D]

I have a Stoeger Condor that I bought at Dick's about five years ago and I got it with a set of 20ga and a set of 12 ga barrells. I basicly got 2 guns for under $400.00. Is it pretty: no. Is it rugged and reliable: yes. Is it a tad on the heavy side: yes. Does it shoot where I point and kill birds or clays: yes. I have had Citoris, Berettas and a bunch of side by sides. That Stoeger is workhorse and if you don't mind a little weight (which may actually be an advantage if you shoot clays) they are the best for the money.
And it will be a brand new gun.

 

[n4zov]

I agree with a lot of other posters. Look for a quality used double rather than an inexpensive new gun. Charles Daly has imported some very nice Japanese Miroku-made guns in years past, and they were of a very high quality. I think if you handle some of the used guns and compare them to the newer cheap guns, you will notice quite a difference.