Tips for buying a used O/U shotgun
I'm looking at buying an O/U shotgun primarily for upland game price range $1000 -$2000. I'm swinging toward a 20 ga. however there are a lot more 12 ga. around. there is a lot of option choices manual or automatic ejectors, single or double triggers fixed chokes or removable. Anybody have any suggestions what do you prefer?
I've looked at few I know to check for bulges and dents, some of the ones I have looked at have light what looks like pellet marks just forward of the chambers is this a concern? |
First off, do you shoot right or left?? Friend of mine is a lefty who bought a right hand shotgun. He was not at all happy with it. Something about the butststock being angled slightly the wrong way for him... Kept bashing his cheekbone.
Check out the CZ line of double barrel shotguns. Good value for the money. They have several different models. There's a target and range gun. The ejectors make a loud crack when they fire the shells out of the gun when you open it. Then there's a field model where they just lift the shells up to be removed. I prefer removable chokes. Just check once in a while to make sure that the chokes are in tightly. A friend of mine let his chokes get loose, and did a lot of shooting. It was not fun cleaning that mess up... I've shot both single and double triggers. Makes no difference to me. I'd like a double trigger model, but that's because I have 2 single trigger models... |
First of all , does the gun fit you? If it doesn't, and you aren't prepared to have it fitted, keep looking. Secondly, when you close the action, is the release lever to the right of center? Usually on new guns, the lever is far right, and as wear occurs, the lever moves toward center. Is the action tight or is there any slop? Replaceable chokes is a non issue on an upland gun, as long as the chokes are IC/MOD or close to that. I prefer two triggers on an English stocked SxS, but it isn't a huge deal, and my O/U guns are all single trigger. I don't really care about ejectors, as I catch them as I open the gun, but ejectors can make for faster reloading if you find yourself in a covey of Hungarian Partridges of sharptails. Personally , I would be looking at a used Browning or Beretta in that price range.
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Browning Citori, or Beretta both quality guns that will last a lifetime if properly cared for. The lower grade (field guns) by Browning might be in your price range as a new gun.
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Day and day out you will find a 12 ga outperforms a 20 ga for hunting upland birds on the prairies. There will be too many times that you will pass up shots with a 20 or risk wounding birds at the longer ranges often encountered on less than ideal days. For the number of shells you will shoot, the cost of ammo is irrelevant. Good pointing and balance means 28" or 30" barrels and 3" chambers are a nice option but not essential unless you want it also for waterfowl. Interchangeable chokes are useful but not essential and Full/Modified will cover most of the shooting but you could get by with IMP Cyl/Modified ( a good combo for steel shot) too especially with heavier loads on the days when birds get up long. If you shoot Sporting Clays, skeet or trap you could adapt to one of those styles of guns but they will usually exceed 8 lb and that is heavy to carry all day so look for a field gun closer to 7 lb. All the other features are just bells and whistles to suit your fancy and wallet. Do your best to TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Good luck.
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fit + fit + fit then get aftermarket muller choke tubes
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If I were you, I would go down to Prophet River and check out their line of Yildiz shotguns. A friend of mine had one, I tried it out and it fit me, I went and bought one and I love it. The action fit was very good, single trigger and extractors. I think ejectors were available but that was an option.
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Lots of good information in this thread thanks guys |
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Used Beretta 686 would be my choice followed by a citori or better yet suprposed. Ruger red labels are also very nice guns and the gold label if you find one snap it up. I would also go with a 12 gauge esp if your planning on doing a lot of shooting. If not 20 gauge would be my choice.
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I would be mostly using for Hun's and grouse, I have a Dbl .410 for ruffies and bush partridge. When I lived by Estevan I used a 12 ga. pump (modified choke)for pheasants with good success. The only type of shotgun I've never owned is a O/U and the only clays I've ever shot was in the pasture with spring type thrower, just kind of an itch I need to scratch. I was thinking of a 20 being lighter to carry with less recoil I would be shooting light loads with a 12 or 20. |
Get to as many stores as possible and try different guns.
I saw earlier that Berreta, Browning,Ruger, CZ, Yildiz, etc., were mentioned. Be aware that all of these guns fit differently from make to make. Even within the brands they can fit differently , an older BL# Berreta for example is nowhere near the same gun as a 686 Onyx even though both may be field guns. Check prices online as well, some stores have better deals than others at times. The very best help you can get is to get with a buddy or meat someone at a club who knows shotguns and pick their brain , and get them to help you to figure out just what you need and want in a gun.:) 20's are generally built on a lighter frame than 12's so carry better, but with some heavier field loads they can recoil more than many people like. I prefer light guns and light loads , personally. Cat |
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Just for a frame of reference my son's steel framed Franchi 20 ga is about the same weight as my aluminum framed Yildz 12 both are nice field guns. But I would say the Franchi is easier to carry.
I do regret not going 20 gauge because, I hunt over a pointer and 12 gauge is just too much gun at least with factory loads, it’s too easy to jump on a bird and obliterate the meat. Though at the time of purchase 12 gauge fit better in the gun cabinet. I find sourcing field loads for both 12 or 20 problematic at the best of times. It’s easy to find 1 1/8 oz #7 ½, but change the number to 6 and you can be looking at 20$+ a box, and that is if they have stock. So when the reasonably priced stuff is around I buy a case or 2. If my Lee Load all could to 1oz loads I would start up reloading again a 1oz 1300fps #6 would be a nice over the dog 12 gauge load. |
Hi #11
Patterned a lot of shells and choke tubes, and although they cost a premium, I can't find any holes on the patterning board with them (12ga invector for a Browning and a Winnie)... that said the Briley's in my 28ga are almost as good but not quite as good as the muller's ... no sense throwing lead at clays with a crappy pattern from average chokes you will just defeat yourself - that is why the after market choke's got legs |
For upland I have shot a lot of Browning and Beretta and there price is justified if you plan on keeping the gun a long time. Also if you go with some type of synthetic stock the prices come down noticeably. Citori's are nice and the field versions are in your price range. Get the right fit and what you are comfortable with swing weight as that has a huge factor on accuracy for upland I find. Don't buy anything without a removable choke system for an O/U its nice to have the flexability for sure.
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The debate always see saws between 12 and 20 gauge. The answer is 16 gauge. I would love to own one, but very difficult to find.
Elkhunter, fix that would you? :) |
Hi #11 2.0
Look, friend ... I am not missing the "fact" nor are you. I have shot a ton of clays and loads of wild pheasant in CA and NZ ... mostly wild birds ... guns used vary from Purdy, Boss down to a cooey single shots and depending who brought what, and it all boils down to fit-fit-fit ... currently run a red label 28 with brileys that is a delight to carry, ugly as sin, but will knock anything down anything out 40yds with a load oz#5's 1oz Winchester's ... I routinely use a 20ga cooey ss imp-mod ( I have to use imperial #6's for best patterns with this gun) that I have shot since a kid that puts more birds down than those around me with their doubles and repeaters ... you will improve your shooting with a perfectly fitted gun and chokes that work as advertised ... currently for me those are the muller's ... never had such brilliant patterns consistently ... just like golf you can improve your score only so much with technology, but using the right ball with fitted clubs helps too! |
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And if you doubt the effectiveness of the 16 gauge, ask densa44 how far out a 16 gauge killed chukars during the NAVHDA testing last summer. :) Quote:
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Gauge has so very little to do with killing power and is so misunderstood it is crazy!:budo:
I have some factory 12 gauge 2 and 2 1/2" 6's and 7's that kill pheasants just fine with a 28 gram load of shot. I also have some old factory 2 3/4" 16 gauge ammo that is loaded heavy with a 1 1/4 oz of lead 6's and 7 1/2's at 1,200 FPS and some 20 gauge factory that us loaded with 1 1/8 load of 4's the same speed My 28's are loaded at 7/8oz of lead at over 1,300FPS and some 20's that run closer to 1,400FPS. My 12 gauge vintage gun runs about 1,175-1,200 FPS with a 1oz load of shot and my Lafaucheaux 16 shoots a 2 1/2" shell with 7/8 oz of shot at about 1,150 FPS. all of these shells have killed pheasants and partridge cleanly wild pheasants as well as released birds. Chokes? Meh- my partner did wonderful this year with a 20 gauge full choked A5, it FITS him better than any shotgun he has ever shot including a 725 browning with screw in's, a CZ O/U, and a fine little Belgian Guild SxS in 20 gauge. My main gun is 12 gauge CYL/CYL but every now and then I shoot a 20 with screw in chokes or a 28 with fixed IC/MOD barrels. A fixed choke IC/MOD gun will do just fine as long as it fits regardless of gauge. Has fit been mentioned yet?:scared0018: Cat |
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