TrickyDick
Member
I had just recently purchased an O/U Huglu 12GA shotgun from cabelas, and man, it is a great shotgun! If anyone has any information or experience with Huglu Shotguns, I would like to hear your input.
New Huglu Shotgun
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oneounceload
member
Opinions seem to run hot and cold with very little in the middle. Some bash ALL Turkish guns, others just some. They had some serious QA/QC issues in the past- hopefully they have them corrected.
Shotgunworld.com has an I love my XXX section WAY down the main forum page. IIRC, they have one for either Turkish or Huglu specific. You may get some decent insight there.
I own a Turkish gun, but it is NOT a Huglu. MY Turkish gun is well built and has been very reliable. Hopefully, yours will turn out as well also.
If you like it and it fits, then go to the trap/skeet/sporting club and start putting lots of lead through it - that will show you the longevity
Enjoy
Shotgunworld.com has an I love my XXX section WAY down the main forum page. IIRC, they have one for either Turkish or Huglu specific. You may get some decent insight there.
I own a Turkish gun, but it is NOT a Huglu. MY Turkish gun is well built and has been very reliable. Hopefully, yours will turn out as well also.
If you like it and it fits, then go to the trap/skeet/sporting club and start putting lots of lead through it - that will show you the longevity
Enjoy
gpb
Member
I bought a new CZ Bobwhite (SXS 12 ga 28 inch barrels) about 3 months ago. It was built by Hugla. So far I have put about 1500 rounds through it shooting skeet. It has performed well and I have had no problems with it. The gun fits me well and handles nicely. I found the gun on sale NIB from CDNN. The total cost with transfer and shipping was about $545.
Overall the fit and finish of the gun are pretty good. The wood is very plain, but is is nicely checkered and fitted pretty well to the metal. The barrels are matte blued and the reciever is color case hardened. I don't know if the case hardening is real or some type of fake finish. More than likely it's fake. I'll see how well it holds up.
However, there are two things about the gun that need improving. The opening lever is very stiff. It has loosened up some, but it still is stiff. The other concern is the trigger pull. The trigger pulls seem to be about 10 pounds. This is an estimate by myself and others. I don't have a gauge. I've located a local gunsmith and will probably have these issues addressed in the coming months.
My long term concern is how will the gun hold up over the years. As stated above I have 1500 rounds on the gun now, but will it last to 15,000 or 30,000 rounds? Only time will tell.
As others have stated Hugla has had quality issues in the past. From the reviews and reports I have seen they seemed to have improved on quality starting some time in 2007. Many people advise that caution is needed when buying a Hugla made before 2007.
I hope this helps.
Overall the fit and finish of the gun are pretty good. The wood is very plain, but is is nicely checkered and fitted pretty well to the metal. The barrels are matte blued and the reciever is color case hardened. I don't know if the case hardening is real or some type of fake finish. More than likely it's fake. I'll see how well it holds up.
However, there are two things about the gun that need improving. The opening lever is very stiff. It has loosened up some, but it still is stiff. The other concern is the trigger pull. The trigger pulls seem to be about 10 pounds. This is an estimate by myself and others. I don't have a gauge. I've located a local gunsmith and will probably have these issues addressed in the coming months.
My long term concern is how will the gun hold up over the years. As stated above I have 1500 rounds on the gun now, but will it last to 15,000 or 30,000 rounds? Only time will tell.
As others have stated Hugla has had quality issues in the past. From the reviews and reports I have seen they seemed to have improved on quality starting some time in 2007. Many people advise that caution is needed when buying a Hugla made before 2007.
I hope this helps.
USAF_Vet
Member
One of my biggest regrets is that I never bought any Turkish shotguns when I was stationed there. QC on some, yes, are hit and miss. But I was honestly more interested in the art and craftsmanship put into the metal and wood. Who cares if it's unreliable if it's goal is to be a wall hanger?
The other shotgun I regret not getting was an 18" stainless mag fed semi-auto, brand new, for $200.
The other shotgun I regret not getting was an 18" stainless mag fed semi-auto, brand new, for $200.
OP
OP
TrickyDick
Member
Bought it, shot it, and it is amazing. definately more accurate than my Browning A-5. No regrets here, in fact I would urge everyone to just try shooting one.
gpb
Member
Congratulations on the purchase of your new Huglu shotgun. I hope you enjoy shooting it as much as I enjoy mine. Out of curiosity what model did you purchase?
oneounceload
member
Where Huglu had been having issues is with gritty, heavy triggers, and poor barrel convergence.
Don't worry about a stiff lever - better too stiff than too loose - it will wear in (or out) with use
Don't worry about a stiff lever - better too stiff than too loose - it will wear in (or out) with use
gpb
Member
In reference to the CZ Bobwhite, I agree that it’s better for the lever to be too tight than too loose. However, the lever currently still seems very tight after 1500 rounds. This is in comparison to an Ithaca NID and a Winchester 101 that I’ve owned in the past. I’ll put another 1000 to 2000 through the gun and see if it loosens up some more before I have a smith look at it.
Concerning the barrel convergence and point of impact I have not patterned the gun to determine if it’s good or bad, and as they say one test is worth a thousand expert options. Given that, in my less than expert opinion the gun seems to shot where it’s pointed. For what it’s worth, when shooting skeet if I point the gun where it’s supposed to be pointed the target breaks, if I don’t it don’t.
As stated before the triggers are very heavy on this gun, estimated at 10 pounds. At least they are not too gritty and don’t have a lot of creep. They are just very heavy. I was allowed to shoot a Huglu 20 ga. SXS single trigger that had its trigger cleaned up by de Haan. The owner stated that before the trigger was cleaned up that it was similar my triggers. The trigger on that gun was at a measured 4 pounds and was very crisp and had very little creep. So it seems that Huglu triggers can be made decent, just don’t count on getting them from Huglu that way,
Concerning the barrel convergence and point of impact I have not patterned the gun to determine if it’s good or bad, and as they say one test is worth a thousand expert options. Given that, in my less than expert opinion the gun seems to shot where it’s pointed. For what it’s worth, when shooting skeet if I point the gun where it’s supposed to be pointed the target breaks, if I don’t it don’t.
As stated before the triggers are very heavy on this gun, estimated at 10 pounds. At least they are not too gritty and don’t have a lot of creep. They are just very heavy. I was allowed to shoot a Huglu 20 ga. SXS single trigger that had its trigger cleaned up by de Haan. The owner stated that before the trigger was cleaned up that it was similar my triggers. The trigger on that gun was at a measured 4 pounds and was very crisp and had very little creep. So it seems that Huglu triggers can be made decent, just don’t count on getting them from Huglu that way,
tactikel
Member
I have a Huglu 20 ga OU with the casehardened sideplates. it is my favorite Grouse/Woodcock gun. I have taken it afield for over 6 years and have had zero problems. I have about 2k rounds thru her at everything from sporting clays to pheasants and is has never let me down. The gun has been soaked in rain, dragged thru cedar swamps, shot in below zero temps, left uncleaned for 3 months-and the black chromed barrels dont have a speck of rust inside or out. Is it a Beretta Onyx? NO, but I got mine for $600 less. It is a great field gun for the money.
Grayrock
Member
I had a DeHaan S-2 for about 5 years before it got stolen. I replaced it with a CZ Ringneck. Same basic gun internally- just different finish and embellishments. My DeHaan had the trigger worked on by Mark (DeHaan) and was great. The CZ is a bit stiffer. I use my shotgun in CAS and like them alot. For the money, I think they are the best deal out there.
oletymer
Member
I think you will be humbled when you finally get a good gun. A lot of us started out with cheap guns and were amazed at the difference with better guns.
Answering the OP's question, I own a DeHaan which is in simple terms a tuned-up, dolled up Huglu, 16 ga. SxS IC/M. My lone criticism is that like a lot of more recent guns it is as much 12 as 16, not as obvious as the Russian guns where 28 barrels are simply screwed into a 20 ga. monobloc, but not a truly proportional 16 either.
My CZ 28 ga. mini is I suppose 28's mated to a 410 system. Its a feather.
Both pattern well and the triggers do not impress me as gritty or requiring un-natural effort.
I own a hodge podge of doubles, the Huglus strike me as value relative to price. And for the time being in current manufacture with a service apparatus in place.
My CZ 28 ga. mini is I suppose 28's mated to a 410 system. Its a feather.
Both pattern well and the triggers do not impress me as gritty or requiring un-natural effort.
I own a hodge podge of doubles, the Huglus strike me as value relative to price. And for the time being in current manufacture with a service apparatus in place.
GigaBuist
Member
I picked up a Huglu SxS 20 gauge a number of years ago. Used, but the shop said it only had less than a box of shells through it. The previous owner bought it from the shop for his young son, he couldn't handle the recoil, so they took it back and put it up used. Given that I didn't find diddly worth the carbon deposits in it I gather they were being honest with me.
I might have put 200 rounds through it on the trap field and took it skeet shooting once.
Pulled out a year or so later and gave it to a woman for sporting clays and the damned thing started doubling. Pull the trigger once and both barrels went off.
Spotty QC indeed. I need to get off my butt and send it to DeHaan for a tune up one of these days.
I might have put 200 rounds through it on the trap field and took it skeet shooting once.
Pulled out a year or so later and gave it to a woman for sporting clays and the damned thing started doubling. Pull the trigger once and both barrels went off.
Spotty QC indeed. I need to get off my butt and send it to DeHaan for a tune up one of these days.
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