affordable O/U?

[sbarkowski]

Im looking for a nice O/U but dont want to spend a fortune. Im thinking in the $500 - $600 max range or better. My only real qualifaction is it has to have ejectors, supplied chokes and of course must shoot well. I've looked at Stoeger and Baikal but have heard less than adequate reviews on them. I figure if I can narrow it down a few different manufactures it will give me a good place to start when Im checking on how they fit me. If the gun is crap and wont last, then it really doesnt matter how well it fit. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Griff56]

My grandson bought a Mossburg and it looks like a nice gun, but I have not shot it nor seen him shoot it. I can not add to the discussion only to say it was in your price range

 

[wahsben]

I am looking at Dick's Sporting goods flyer and they have a Savage O/U 512 gold wing for $499.98. I do not know if it has ejectors but if you have a Dick's near you, you can check or check online.

 

[PA4476]

When you buy a cheap o/u, thats what you get .... a "cheap" o/u.

Either spend the $500 on an auto, or save up and spend $1000 or $1200 for a Browning, Beretta o/u.

I have owned just about every brand o/u from $500 to $3500. And you get what you pay for.

What are you planning on using it for ? Bird hunting, skeet, trap, sporting clays ?

 

[oneounceload]

Seconding PA's comments.....a nice used Browning or Beretta O/U, or even an SKB will be more in the 1000 range but will last a good time, AND are known by every decent gunsmith if it ever does need repair

 

[sbarkowski]

Ill be using it for birds and clay shooting.

500 for a semi-auto?? I live in Canada, were use to over paying for our guns. For example a good price for a new 870 express is $350.00 to as much as $469.00 depending on where you shop. And thats just for a single barrel not a package with the slug barrel.

But I do believe your right. Save up the coin and get what I really want.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Pete409]

I really wouldn't recommend the Stoeger, Baikal, or Mossberg O/U's to anyone. But, if you were just looking for a gun to shoot on rare occasions and just to say that you had an O/U, then you might consider a $500 O/U.

OTOH, if you plan to actually USE the gun on a somewhat regular basis, then don't even consider the $500 O/U.

I'm sure that someone will come along shortly to tell us how they purchased a $500 O/U and how they have run thousands of rounds through it without a hitch, but for every one like that, there will be 10 times as many who have problems with broken parts, malfunctions, frequent failures to fire, etc.

Try to save up at least $800 to $1000 and then go shopping for a used SKB, Weatherby (Japan made only), Browning, or Beretta. You'll be far happier with your purchase and the gun will likely cost you less in the long run when you consider cost of repairs, resale value, etc. In fact, it's not unusual for a person to buy a good used O/U of the kind I mentioned and use it for a few years (trouble free) and then sell it for more than they paid for it.

 

[PA4476]

Here a few Browning and Beretta o/u that I found just skimming through GunBroker.com. They are all under $1100

Browning:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116787504

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116688678

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116666137

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116901810

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116675120

Beretta:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116785009

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116926381

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=117100246

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116932047

 

[ArmedBear]

Also check CDNN. They had NEW Winchester Selects for $899. Also new Weatherby SKB's for under a grand.

I've known a bunch of people who bought the Mossbergs, which are attractive and well-balanced guns. They all broke, early in their life cycles. They ended up buying other guns, and would have been far better off if they'd have just kept the $500 they initially spent on the nice but failure-prone guns.

Ain't no such thing as a "cheap" O/U worth buying. Sorry. They're not cheap enough to be disposable, and most of them would have to be, to be truly economical. The good news is that you don't have to spend THAT much to get a damn good O/U.

Beretta's White Onyx is a great gun. The wood is nice, but not show-off grade, and the receiver isn't all engraved like the otherwise identical Silver Pigeon series. The price is dramatically lower than the more decorated versions. Love my WO.

A new SKB can be ordered for a bit over a grand, and they're great. I bought a used 20 Gauge Ithaca SKB for $500, and it's a favorite for quail.

Browning's Citori is renowned for durability.

 

[sbarkowski]

You guys rock! I havnt asked a question yet that no one hasnt been able to give a decent answer.

Much appreciated!

 

[mio]

i had a stoeger and i loved it. it never gave me any problems and killed lots of grouse and squirrels. had to sell it when i was laid off and i still miss it.

the coworker i sold it to loved it but had to sell it when he was laid off its now owned by yet another co worker who told me i was crazy to have ever let it go. he claims he will sell his wife first lol.

 

[KINGMAX]

no such thing

good luck: U get what U pay for.

 

[chaseguitar]

There are some decent inexpensive o/u's out there...I had one of the CZ Canvasbacks in 20ga that I had a blast with....but those guns are just not built to shoot a ton...if you're not going to be shooting alot then they might not be a bad option...on the other hand a nice used Remington 1100 might serve you better....

 

[distra]

+1 PA, you are better off getting a O/U from one of the B's for ~$1000. I went the Stoeger route, bought a competition combo 12 & 20ga. Had to send it back to the factory due to light primer strikes. They "fixed" it only to my surprise the first range trip it FTF :banghead:. Fixed it my self by polishing the very rough internal parts and shorting the firing pin return spring. It has functioned flawlessly since I fixed it, but I got fend up and bought a Citori for $1000. Still shoot the Stoeger when it's raining.

 

[steve jackson]

Baretta whitewing was affordable and does double duty at BT's sporting clays as well as killing many Canada geese this season!!!

 

[Ringtail]

I shoot skeet with a couple of guys that shoot a Mossburg and a Stoger Condor. The Mossburg is only a year or so old, but it is so loose it rattles when you pick it up and the top lever is way left of 6:00, indicating a lot of wear in the lock up. The Stoger guy showed up this morning with a very nice Berreta.

The cheap O/Us might do OK if you don't shoot them very much, but then what's the point of owing a gun at all?

 

[ArmedBear]

A guy used a Mossberg SR for skeet for a year?

That's got to be a record. Seriously.

What gauge?

The Stoger guy showed up this morning with a very nice Berreta.

Yeah, that's what happens. Clay shooting is about as addictive as crack...

 

[Ringtail]

The Mossburg is a 12, the guy that shoots it handles it pretty rough. The barrels are loose in the frame and I wouldn't want to shoot it, but he does and he usually outshoots me.

 

[ArmedBear]

I'm amazed the firing pins are intact. Maybe they HAVE improved some of them.

If someone's going to slam it shut every time, not clean and grease it, etc., he might as well not destroy a more expensive gun, I guess.

 

[7Star]

baikal

Don't know much about the Stoeger but I do have a 12G baikal IZ-27M o/u. Just took it out for some trap yesterday. Not as nice as alot of the other guys o/u out there...but I shoot it just as good as they shoot theirs...and the baikal only cost me about 275 about months ago. no complaints here