Cynergy for a novice shooter?

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Peter M. Eick

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I am a handgun and rifle shooter mostly but lately I have been shooting sporting clays with co-workers for fun. My shooting buddy and I are both pump action shooters and we are looking for a better gun to shoot. We shoot about 1000 rounds a year so we are absolute amateurs at shotgun We have been trying out other shooters guns and both of us found the Cynergy to work very well for our style of shooting.

The over/under appeals to my rifle shooting background over a side by side and while I know I could work at mastering the 870 action, the pumping of the action has cost me hits when I could not run the action fast enough on quick birds.

What we both seem to shoot the best was a cynergy field grade 28" 12 gauge. I just got done reading all of the posts on the cynergy and it appears to me that no one really has a problem with the gun, more the aesthetics. I am not really sure about if that matters to me because I can hit with it better then I can do with my 870.

So are we missing something, is there other over and unders we should consider? Any other suggestions to offer to true novices?
 
For the same money, look at a 686 Beretta, or a 525 field Browning. But the best bet, would be a 391 Beretta auto.

Of course if you already have an 870 and like the feel of it, but not the pumping you have to do. Look at a 1100 Remington. Exact same feel as the 870 but in an auto loader.

For the small amount of clays shooting you do in a year, a 1100 or 11-87 would be perfect and cost a lot less.

And if you decide to do any hunting, it is a great hunting gun.

I have owned a Cynergy and thats why I would look at just about anything else instead of buying one of those. If you decide later that you don't like it, you will have a really hard time getting a good price for it.

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=120383071

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=120559946

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=120667645

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=120287549
 
PA4476, would you mind telling us why you wouldn't recommend a Cynergy? I can tell you why I wouldn't recommend a Beretta 391- because it doesn't do anything an 1100 won't do and parts/stocks/add-ons cost a ton more. It's annoying.

If you can, find out the pertinent dimensions of the Cynergy you shoot well (length of pull, cast on or off, that sort of thing) and use that in your search.
 
One of the first things I noticed about the Cynergy line of guns is, every one of them feel totally different.
I bought a 30" sporting 12 ga way back when they first came out.
After 3 months, I had to send it back for a recall, no big deal, things happen.
But I got to seeing that it never set the same on my shoulder from one shoot or even station to the next.
After a couple years of shooting it and adjusting the LOP several times to try and get it to fit, I gave up.
I bought an older 425 Citori and moved from D class to AA in the NSCA in a very smooth progression.
Now, as my dealing will differ from anyone else,
I would also like to point out that during the course of shooting 12,000 to 15,000 clay targets a year at many different sporting clays clubs and big shoots. Out of every 300 to 400 shooters I see, I may see 1 cynergy. At the Turkey Shoot in Macon Ga last year, there were upwords of 600 shooters from all over the country and many from other countries. I spent a lot of time riding around watching others shoot, and guess how many Cynergys I saw......... yep zero. So, I don't think it's just me.
AND, as I said about resale, I listed mine on GunBroker for several months before I was able to sell it. My Cynergy was a 30" Sporting with very very nice wood. I hand picked it from 6 guns at Bargin Barn north of Atlanta. I finially ended up taking $1500 for it just to get rid of it. And thats less than a field model was at the time.
BUT, I have never regreted getting rid of it.
 
Peter,

Perhaps if you like the Cynergy so well, you could pick up a used one at a bargain price. I don't know of anything actually "wrong" with the gun, but as others have stated, they don't hold their resale value real well. Also, some/many people don't care for that stock/recoil pad which is difficult to change/adjust for LOP.

I, too, would suggest that you consider a Browning 525 Sporting Clays gun. These can also be purchased used for a reasonable price and, once the initial depreciation hit has been taken on a new gun, they hold their value VERY WELL. They are almost impossible to wear out and easily worked on if they do need some parts replacement. The 525 is simply a continuation of the 425/325/Citori models which Browning has been selling for about 40 years.

The Cynergy is still an unproven and relatively unknown quantity as far as shotguns are concerned. I wouldn't be surprised if Browning discontinues it in the near future in favor of some other "new" O/U. If they do, then that would be the kiss of death for existing Cynergys since they have no collector's value to speak of.
 
Having owned Citoris and shot a couple of Cynergys I couldn't tell much difference in handling between the two. The Cynergy is an intriguing shotgun design in a couple of respects and the guys who own them don't seem to have many complaints. They are also available in a standard stock configuration instead of the more radical original design.

If the Cynergy works best for you and you've tried the other options then it's a good choice. My preference is towards the Italian guns such as Beretta but that is my choice and might not work for you.

The earlier suggestion about the Beretta 391 is also worth considering if you are open to an autoloader. They are the best clay shooting autoloader on the market today followed closely by the Browning Gold but if you don't want an auto I think you'd be well served by the Cynergy.
 
Having owned Citoris and shot a couple of Cynergys I couldn't tell much difference in handling between the two.
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Interesting. Feels like night and day to me.

Maybe that's why I like Berettas, and if I were to get a Browning again, I'd only want a Cynergy.

Probably has to do with individual biomechanics, just like any other sport.:)
 
Peter,

If you like the feel of the 870, and aren't terribly locked into an O/U, take a look at the Remington 1100 "Sporting" in 12 gauge. Steel receiver, polished blue, gas operated, and nice wood for the price.

I'm a casual sporting clay and skeet shooter and own several O/U's, but I always seem to drift back to the 1100. You can get into an 1100 much cheaper than any of the guns that have been mentioned, and if you decide to sell it and get an O/U, they hold their value fairly well.

Good luck...
 
What we both seem to shoot the best was a cynergy field grade 28" 12 gauge. I just got done reading all of the posts on the cynergy and it appears to me that no one really has a problem with the gun, more the aesthetics.
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There are some very few of us that prefer the looks, though we draw the line at Beretta's UGB-25.

Mine doesn't have the milage that I've put on the Beretta 687 as yet but that day may come.

I've been pleasantly surprised by the composite stock on the 28" field model.

Personally, I wouldn't be concerned over the relative scarcity of the thing at registered shoots. My conjecture is that this says less about its competence than its age - the thing was only introduced at the 2004 SHOT show if memory serves and didn't exactly flood shelves immediately thereafter. Most clay shooter's shotguns have dents way older than that and it's not exactly the sort of crowd that immediately embraces something new. In contrast, the Citori has been around since the early '70s and I'd bet a donut they weren't widely represented in competitions 4 years afterward. Thirty years from now Cynergies may be all over competitive fields, or not. Too early to tell but if it fits and you shoot it well, that hardly matters.
 
I don't shoot mine a ton, but I've been happy with it. I always preferred the 686 to the Citori, but it turns out the Cynergy fit me well and I shot well with it, so I picked one up used. To me it feels a lot more like the Beretta line up than the traditional Browning line up.

I've never been very recoil sensitive, but I've had friends shoot it that did seem to think there was less recoil with the big goofy looking pad (I actually like the way it looks, but I understand why many don't).

I would follow the advise given above about resale value. I picked mine up for well below what they were selling for new.
 
Ok, Let me clarify and restate this so I get it straight.

First off on the autoloaders. I am a diehard reloader and I hate chasing brass/hulls around so autoloaders our out. That is part of the appeal of the over-under since I can catch my brass and keep it for reloading.

If we go for the cynergy, go used. Got that.

We should also look at the 686 and the 525 Browning along with the citori's.

I see this is more complex then I thought. It now sounds like what we should do is go to a good dealer and see what feels right and compare it to the cynergy since we know what that can do. We should next see what we can find used. I expect going the used market we both may end up with different guns unless we gunbroker it and find them.

Sounds like a trip to Bass Pro this weekend.

Any other suggestions?
 
Any other suggestions?
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Strictly conjecture on my part but I'd not be surprised that the Cynergy resale pricing has something to do with their turning up in CDNN's catalog (along with everything else Browning kills off at the end of each season).

I solved it by buying my second one from CDNN. It's a little "cleaner" than used for us olde fashioned sorts. The CDNN offerings are the original "Luke Skywalker" design (which I prefer) while the "neo-Classic" seem to be going for full price.

'Course you're in Texas so you'll get stuck for sales tax and transfer much as I did. It doesn't need to be complicated. If you drive to DFW, I'll buy you a burger at Highland Park near the Beretta Gallery and your life will thereafter be well and truly complicated (once you step foot inside the gallery).
;)
 
First off on the autoloaders. I am a diehard reloader and I hate chasing brass/hulls around so autoloaders our out. That is part of the appeal of the over-under since I can catch my brass and keep it for reloading.
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Your assumption is incorrect! A spent hull has not hit the ground from my 1100 in years while shooting trap singles anyway. I successfully use a shell catcher on my 1100 all the time. Not a scratch on my 100 Classic Trap so far.

I do understand the catcher does not work for doubles. Gives me an excuse to own and use another gun. :)
 
So are we missing something
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Your not "missing" anything.

In that price range you can buy reliable, durable O/U's.

Easy choices are the Browning/Beretta variations. It's difficult to choose because there are so many models and without shooting them, it can be hard.
But...you do it. ;)

For sporting clays, the 30" barrel would be common by the way. Popular in skeet now also. Barrels have generally gotten longer in todays shotgun "world".
Try some of those also.
 
You hit the nail on the head. Yesterday my shooting buddy and I must have handled 75 O/U's from Winchester, Ruger, Beretta and Browning.

Wow, what a difference. I was really surprised how differently each one felt.

My summary is that the Rugers are heavier, but seem real clunky and not well assembled. Roughly fitted on opening, rails loose but practical.

Winchesters did not feel very good overall. Just did not fit.

Remingtons (baikal) were just too russian like. Reminded me of an AK.

Stoger just felt rough. They were not well made and fitted. I guess this is what you get for 1500$ less then a browning.

Beretta seemed very nice but everything was over 2000$. Well made and some nice workmanship, but expensive. I did not shoulder the berettas as well as the brownings. It has a slighly different hang then I expected.

Browning was very nice also. Several fit perfectly and when you shouldered them your eye was right down the rail in line with the beads. I did not see much difference in handleing of the cynergys vs. the citoris. The difference seemed to be cosmetic overall.

So far I like the cynergy classic field and the citori sport but I am doing that from memory. I wrote it down and we are going to another store to try out different stock.
 
I did not shoulder the Beretta's as well as the Browning's. It has a slighly different hang then I expected.
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Beretta's often have "cast" in their stocks. Not an easy fix if you don't require it.

I think it's smart to narrow down your selection. Once you have done that, look at barrel length, balance, etc.

Be advised, Browning has different stock dimensions between models that look alike..kinda! Especially if you look at used. Meaning, the 425, XS Browning is very different in stock dimension than the 525, 625, Cynergy, etc. Or skeet models which have higher ribs, straight stocks, etc.

If it can't "shoot them", it's like buying a "1911". :eek: Too many choices.

But, fun. ;)
 
We have honed it down to the cynergy satin classic field. I don't like engraving and the plain gun just fits will. This is what we shot and I did well with it. I will call my local dealers monday and start trying to chase one up. CDNN has them as a fall back, but I bet if I find one locally I can get a decent deal on it or maybe even used.

I will also watch the used market for a citori if I found a nice one.

Thanks and I will let you know what pops up.
 
To close the loop on this, I bought the Cynergy and tried it out today.

Shot 200 rnds of sporting clays and did far better then I ever did with my pumps.

Boy is the gun stiff though!

Thanks for the advice.
 
I successfully use a shell catcher on my 1100 all the time.
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That makes one of us.:)

Autoloaders and trap singles are usually a frustrating combination for everyone, including the shooter and whoever stands to his right.

I have a shell catcher for my 1100. Sometimes if works, sometiems it doesn't work worth a hill of ****. I haven't seen anyone who has never had any trouble with one.

Peter, good deal. Whatever hits targets is the best gun for you, not whatever the old Citori-is-the-only-gun-ever-made guys like.
 
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