Over/Under for Hunting

[elktrout]

OK folks, I need some recommendations. Last year, a neighbor got me into shooting on his trap team. I bought a Browning 725 Trap with 30 inch barrels and had it custom fitted.

I love it. I shoot half decently after only two seasons and plan to continue improving. Now, I want an O/U for hunting that looks, feels, and shoots similarly. What do you recommend? Would the Browning 725 game be a good choice? What about the Citori CXS with 28 inch barrels?

Thanks.

 

[kudu]

I would go with a 20 or 28 gauge in a hunting figuration. No use lugging around a 9 pound target gun that is set up for trap rising target. Some of the smaller gauges with the 30" barrels are a joy to handle and carry. You don't say what you are hunting, if upland game, lighter guns = more walking and less fatigue, waterfowl sitting in a blind or duck boat a heavier gun is fine with 12 gauge being better.

 

[dieselchief]

i use a dedicated trap gun also. for upland and sporting clays i use a csx with one once loads.

 

[Mn Fats]

Browning Citori or Beretta 686 would be ideal. 12 ga is always my preference. Unless you're hunting small, then I like 410.

 

[Weflyfast]

What are you hunting? ....like others have said ducks or geese in a blind command a different gun than quail or grouse.... Pheasants in open county? Hmmm...

How much walking are you gonna do? Flat? Or hills?

I like a light 20 or 28 gauge with 28" barrels for long carries.....but use a 30" heavy 12 with 3 1/2 inch chambers for the goose blind....

All around gun -Citori 12 gauge field with 28" barrels will do a ton for you....but as you hunt more you may want to tailor your weight and gauge to the hunt....

Good luck-

 

[elktrout]

Sorry everyone, I did not say what I hunt. It will be pheasant and quail, maybe some occasional doves. I do not shoot heavy hunting loads. I have had good luck shooting standard velocity 6s and 7.5s.

 

[Lo-Profile]

I shoot different guns for games and field. Only similarity is they're Beretta

12 and 20 guage 686 Onyx Field guns both with 28" tubes.

 

[d2wing]

686 Onyx 12 gauge with 28-inch barrels. You may want to try different guns to see how they fit. Also I would use a 20 gauge. I have a Fausti but I had to have it fitted.

 

[Roverguy]

725 will be an excellent gun for your hunting as described. They are great guns. I shoot one for Sporting and although I use SxSs for upland birds, I have no doubt it would be great in that role.

 

[chiefs-special-guy]

While getting another shotgun is usually a good idea, I will be a heretic and tell you to hunt with your trap gun. I quail hunt with my target gun- sure it is "too heavy" and has 32 inch barrels, but so what? Not missing makes up for the pain of lugging it in the field. The more you shot it, the better you will shoot it. Good Luck!

 

[PapaG]

What little hunting I do these days is with either my Ithaca 100 20 ga (ic/m) or my Beretta 686 Essential (think Express) with suitable choke tubes. The latter is my tutu skeet gun. I prefer light, nimble guns. Ithaca has 25” and Beretta 28” barrels. Fit is all. 7/8 oz in the 100, 1oz in the 686. About all I do now, after spine fusion, total knee replacement, stent, TAVR, and pacemaker, is doves from a blind, squirrel (use a match 10-22) and deer from a blind.
Pick something you like, that “comes up nice and quick” and is light eough to carry all day. I used to carry lead weights, i. e. Auto5, Savage FoxB, etc.

 

[cfullgraf]

I shot competitive skeet in the 1990's with a tubed 28" Browning Citori. I'm not recommending a tubed gun for hunting but just want to set a base.

I recently bought a Browning 725 Skeet model with 30" barrels with the intention of getting tubes for it. The recent pandemic has slowed the process of sending off the gun for having the tubes fitted to the gun.

During this time frame, I have purchased Browning 725 Sporting Clays Citoris chambered in ,410, 28 gauge and 20 gauge with 32:" barrels. For target work, the 32" barrels would work well. For hunting, a 28" would be a good barrel length or 30 " barrel would be might be better.

Also, I purchased a Browning CSX with a 32": barrel barrel chambered for 12 ga. It is wokming well for skeet but a shorter barrel would provide more advantages for hunting.

If one reloads, there are the options available.

The Beretta Model 686 provides advantages for clay target shooting. The main difference is fitting with the shotgun.

If you are serious about shooting a shotgun for hunting or target, i'd still recommend getting an appropriate fitting for the gun.

So far, my Browning CXS has performed well for skeet shooting but so has my 20 gauge Citori 725 .

My recommendation would be to shoot the Browning model that your are interested. Get the stock fitted for you.

 

[gila_dog1]

I would say whatever you like, can shoot well, and feel like carrying around all day. Full and Modified barrels. I have a beautiful BC Miroku (Charles Daly) 20 ga O/U that's a great dove, quail, and rabbit gun. But I would never use it for duck hunting. It's too pretty to get all slobbered with mud and ice. That's what my 870 is for.

 

[redneck2]

See the above post^^

What I like may not be what fits you well. And, as previous mentioned gauge choice would depend upon application

 

[X-Maker]

CSX 20 with 28" barrels, 30" perhaps if you are over 6'-1". 1 oz. loads of 5's for pheasants, but those will work for quail, too.

12-ga only if you get into some really big ones.

 

[Barnfixer]

I use a CXS with 32” barrels for sporting clays, but I don’t think I’d want to carry it all day hunting. I’ve been looking for a 20 gauge CXS for hunting but can’t find one to shoulder. I tried a Beretta in 20 ga and it was real nice and worth a look. The Weatherby in 20 ga was nice too but I will probably stick with a Browning or Beretta.

 

[doubleh]

I carried a Winchester Model 24 12 guage side by side with 30" barrels for blue quail and dove for years. You need to run to be an effective blue quail hunter. I finally bought a very nice 20 guage O/U. The difference was amazing. Much faster to get on the birds and much easier to run with. By the way, our best quail hunting is in the sandhill under the cap so add running in sand to the difficulty. I sold the Winchester and have never missed that heavy rascal. Now I can't run 20 feet on hard ground and the O/U just sits.

 

[Seedy Character]

Citori is a super fine choice.

Gauge would be your preference.

 

[Wis-Harpo]

I hunted in South Dakota for 3 years with my 12 gauge Beretta Silver Pigeon Sporting. I didn't know how much it weighed till I bought a digital postal scale, it's 8 pounds 3 ounces. BUT after having total knee replacement in 2018, a spinal operation in Jan of this year, and either a pulled muscle or a torn ACL in my shoulder ( I don't know which yet) I thought that shotgun was a bit too heavy. So 3 months ago I bought a Beretta 20 gauge Silver Pigeon. It started out as 6 pounds 8 ounces, which I thought too light. I put a 1/2 inch plastic water pipe filled with #8 shot and capped off with plastic chair glides into the hole in the stock which added 8 ounces. I bought a Graco barrel weight set and added 4 ounces to the barrel. So with both the weights (and the barrel attachment added weight) the shotgun now weighs 7 pounds 6 ounces. I shoot Sporting Clays with the 20 gauge, and It helps my back and shooting shoulder. I look forward to pheasant hunting this fall.

 

[KahrDriving]

OK folks, I need some recommendations. Last year, a neighbor got me into shooting on his trap team. I bought a Browning 725 Trap with 30 inch barrels and had it custom fitted.

I love it. I shoot half decently after only two seasons and plan to continue improving. Now, I want an O/U for hunting that looks, feels, and shoots similarly. What do you recommend? Would the Browning 725 game be a good choice? What about the Citori CXS with 28 inch barrels?

Thanks.

This is my second Citori, imho a beautiful gun, Citoris have always fit me better than most other O/U’s, and the fit and finish is great. Of course you always here ‘but if we’re only Belgium made’ all the time. I would put the Miroku made Citori up against any ‘Belgian made’ gun on fit and finish anyday. u