Over/under discussion

[John T. Chance]

Like the post says I'm curious and would like to know more about o/u shotguns. Maybe there has been a good discussion before but all my searches lead to old threads that seem to drift off topic. I know all the off-topic points that people tend to make in these threads that pumps or semis are cheaper, reliable, easier to fix etc, etc.

What I would like to know are the advantages & disadvatages of an o/u for sporting or hunting. What is out there in the under 2k or so market. What you can expect on purchasing a used gun price break & condition wise. And in general why anyone owns one as their primary type or as a companion for their semis, or pumps. Does it round out the collection so to speak?

 

[wyomingboy]

John,

The main advantages of an O/U over a pump or auto for me would be that they have better triggers (in terms of both crispness and speed), they are better balanced, have the the advantage of having two chokes and they are reliable. O/Us can be built very light, so the combination of light weight and good balance makes them easier to carry for upland hunting. Of less importance to some and great importance to others is that they simply look better and offer a cleaner platform for engraving and nice wood. For target use, the two chokes are important and weight can more easily be built into the gun while maintaining that great "between the hands balance". Other nice features include combination guns for trap, having a set of O/U bbls as well as a single bbl; multiple gauge sets; and tubes guns for Skeet and Sporting, allowing you to shoot all the bores with the same stock, triggers and weight. For handloaders, it's also nice not to have to chase shells thrown from an autoloader.

Distadvantages could be recoil over an auto, but that's really only a factor if the O/U doesn't fit you well. The O/U makes a less than ideal gun for waterfowl due to the loading process in tight quarters of a blind or pit, not to mention not having that third shot. For some, cost is a disadvantage, as an O/U is much more expensive than an auto or pump.

As to the guns on the market, there are many to choose from. There are a flood of cheaper guns from Turkey, Russia and Brazil made to give the budget minded hunter and casual shooter a choice in an O/U. It has not been proven that these guns will hold up to much shooting before starting to have problems. Most target shooters agree that the base guns that will last without giving you any problems begin with the Browning Citori platform and the Beretta 680 series guns. Added to that same general quality would be the B. Rizzini and the Guerini, though Guerinis have been experiencing some problems. Any of these guns in the used gun market can be a good deal and you should be able to save about 25% in a mint low mileage gun. You also must know what you are doing, as target shotguns seem to be altered and customized as much as a 1911 can be. Some add-ons are good and some are not. I always buy used guns if they are unaltered original condition and that way I get no surprises. Like with any used gun, if you know exactly what you want and have the patience to wait for the right gun, you can realize a good value.

You should also know that there's a great void between the decent baseline guns that I mentioned and the very good O'Us like the Perazzi, Kolar or K80s starting in the $10K range.

Like any gun, the O/U is not a do all gun. It shines in some cases and doesn't in others.
Yes, it rounds out the collection so to speak, as does a good quality side by side, which by the way is the shotgun that God wants you to shoot. If God wanted you to shoot pump you would have been a cyclopse. If he wanted you to shoot an O/U your eyes would be one over the other and not side by side! Seriously though, I would buy an O/U specifically for whatever you would use it for the most.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Not that I'm ann O/U fan, but the leading reasons given are : single sighting plane , and the depth of the fore end is similar to that on a semiauto, making it easy to switch between that and a semi.
As to advanntages of of a double generally over a repeater, it is to have the capability of having two different chokes, or two differet loads available for instant selection. And of course if you prefer the fit and balance of (whatever).
The last time I looked the 2K range gave lots of choices. Ruger, Citroi, most upper mid mfgs will have a plain O/u in that price range.
In the under 1K price range I am more partial to the Brazialian guns from Stogers, than most Russian or Turkish in same price rannge. YOMV.

 

[Mud Turtle]

I have 2 O/U trap shotguns. I never shoot doubles so I don't really need 2 barrels. I just like them because they are beautiful guns. I appreciate the grain of the wood, the engraving on the receiver, and the classic design.

 

[shadow116]

I have a Citori, along with several pumps and a semi-auto, and for Upland bird hunting and for skeet/sporting clays, I would rather use the O/U anyday of the week. The abiliy to have widely different chokes and the ability to choose which one is great dependingon the shot needed. Yes it does seem to be a little more heavy then say my other shotguns, but if I wanted a lighter shotgun, I would get a 20 or 28 gauge O/U.

 

[John T. Chance]

Thanks for all the good info. A follow up question is I have heard the PG Co. trap rents Beretta's does this include any of their O/U models?

 

[RetNavyHD]

The only advantage in my opinion is reliability, having 2 chokes is over rated the more time you spend worrying about chokes the less time you are focusing on the clay. Less recoil with the semi is a plus when your doing a 3-4 day shoot.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[wyomingboy]

John,

Yes, you can rent O/Us and singles at PG.

 

[Mega]

Pintail Point in Queenstown also rents O/U's and autoloaders.
Beretta and Benelli I believe.

I shoot a Mossberg Silver Reserve O/U and it breaks sporting clays just fine.

 

[trapture]

I shoot a Mossberg Silver Reserve O/U and it breaks sporting clays just fine.

Nothing wrong with that, I think they are great looking guns for a decent price.

 

[John T. Chance]

So I ended up shooting some skeet this past week with a Browning O/U and I believe all my questions in my original post were answered for me. Compared to my 1100 I still can't get over the lighter weight, maybe it was just balance differently, I don't know. And for me I didn't notice any difference in recoil. I liked it.

 

[Mega]

The Browning Citori has been around for a long time and has proven itself time and again.
My dad shoots one and loves it.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/family.asp?webflag_=008b

 

[Old Salty Dog]

Interesting thread. I'm considering a gun to shoot skeet, and the $350 Stoeger/Benelli cheapie in the Dick's ad has caught my eye.

Anyone know how long one of these things would last? Given the price of the Browning over/unders, I can't imagine that you could use something this cheap for long before it fell apart.

 

[august1410]

I use an old Stevens 5100 to shoot trap. 12ga side by side that is about as trusty as it can get. And I didn't spend thousands on it.

 

[Mikey]

I started shooting Skeet about 2 years ago with a Beretta Urika II, which is a nice autoloader. I thought I was an autoloader guy untill...A nice guy at our club (sanner's) offered me a great deal on a Citori XS Skeet. Not only is the gun a piece of art and really well made it took me from shooting an average of 17 to 22 in skeet. I kept the Urika to use in fowl weather (synthetic gun) and last time I went to use it I couldn't stand it. The big thing I noticed was the "gas" guns seem to move around alot in my hands, where the O/U stays where it should be. I also made a quick list of reasons to own an O/U particulary for sporting clays/trap/skeet or 5 stand.

-You don't have to pick up your shells
-Easier to Clean
-Two different chokes can be used at the same time
-Less moving parts, more reliable IMO/experience
-Hold their value extremely well
-Easier to reload

This being said there are still alot of people who love their gas guns and wouldn't shoot anything else. The best thing to do would be to try out as many as possible, and then do what feels right.

 

[teratos]

For under $2000 you can get a Belgian made Browning. The guns are well built and will never lose value (unless you leave it out in the rain). I shoot a Browning Broadway for trap. It is the first, and only, trap gun I think I will ever buy.

 

[BigCity]

I shoot a Weatherby Orion for sporting clays. Good gun.

 

[Mickey the Dragon]

I shot my dad's 20 gauge Beretta Urika all through high school and for graduation my dad got me a 12 gauge Beretta Silver Pigeon that I found at a pawn shop for 950 bucks. I noticed that the O/U seemed to be better balanced and provide a faster, smoother follow-up shot than the autoloader. I use the O/U for pheasants, trap, skeet, and sporting-clays and I couldn't be happier.

Anyone want to go out to PG Trap and Skeet one of these evenings before it gets too nasty?

 

[John T. Chance]

Anyone want to go out to PG Trap and Skeet one of these evenings before it gets too nasty?

I wouldn't mind heading out sometime. Been thinking about going out there on a week night.

And to follow up on my original posts. I ended up finding a good deal locally on the Shotgun World classified ads for a very lightly used 20 ga Beretta 686 white onyx. I shoot skeet and I like the O/U way more than my semi-auto which leads to a more enjoyable time for me.

A guy at work bought an under 1K Winchester O/U at Bass Pro over the weekend. Haven't seen it in action yet though.

 

[Bucephalus]

I have an old Ruger Red Label used for skeet. Very reliable. The only drawback I see with an O/U, if it is a drawback, is that it only holds 2 rounds before the need to reload. Some pumps hold from 5 to 9 rounds. I also have a Browning BPS used for hunting. Also very reliable used for goose and turkey hunting.

The best shotgun is one that you feel comfortable with and that you will use no matter the gauge or the design.