Help finding a new Over Under

For O/U, Beretta and Browning are the entry level guns of quality and they are very different in feel and fit - my advice, besides shouldering them, is to go to your local gun club and actually find a way to shoot them - pick the one that fits best and be prepared, if necessary, to make the gun fit.

A step up from there and you get into Cesar Geurini, Zoli, Blaser, etc......from there you start to get into the Kreighoff and Perazzi realm. Try them all and buy once, cry once and get what you want

I don't know where you live but I would seriously consider a trip to the Grand American before plunking down serious cash. (I am talking 3-4000) Not only will there be reps from most gun companies there that will let you shoot a practice round with their guns there will be thousands of shotguns for sale from various dealers. You will have a chance to talk to people who are very knowledgeable in the shotgun field. You can make do with an inexpensive 1100 that you can probably get you money back out of till then.

So much depends on just how serious into the game you want to get.

Besides the Grand, go online and find various major shoots, whether trap, skeet or sporting - there will usually be vendors. I have a friend borrowing a $15,000 K-80 for free for a month from a vendor..........damn thing sure does shoulder nice

I have no idea if you are just wanting to shoot for sheer fun or if you want to get serious about clay shooting. If it is the former, then just about any shotgun that feels good to you and reasonably fits will do. If it is the latter, there is no one shotgun in the world that will perform to your maximum capability for skeet, trap and sporting clays. Depending on which game you are shooting, the stock dimensions of a shotgun that is appropriate to that particular game are different than the dimensions for another game. Stock dimensions for trap are different than for skeet and sporting clays. And there is a reason for that. Trap targets are going away from you and rising. You will want the trap gun to have dimensions that will make the gun shoot high. For skeet, where most targets are crossing in front of you, you would want stock dimensions considerably different. Here, you do not want to shoot high, but pretty much spot on. I have an O/U that I shoot skeet at 96% that serves me well enough for sporting clays, where I usually shoot at 80% or better. I have a Model 12 trap with custom made stock to fit me where I shoot 94% or better. I can break trap targets with my O/U, but only at about an 80% rate. I can break skeet targets with my trap gun, but it's not very pretty. If you are pretty insistent to do it all with one gun, I would suggest you get one that is built with sporting clays stock dimensions. That would be about the best compromise you could make, IMO. One gun to perform duty for three different clays games is like a jack of all trades and master of none. It might be fun, but you will never realize your potential in any of the games.

Good luck and best wishes in your pursuit.

Are you going to the local trap/skeet/sporting clays ranges??
The guys that shoot there will likely let you shoot their guns. You may decide which you like......maybe get a lead on a used one.

If cost is an issue, don't rule out a good used one from someone at your gun club - I'd still look at the Beretta or Browning TARGET guns. O/U field guns tend to be lighter - that means more recoil transmitted to your shoulder. A good target gun should be in the 8# range. It will have a manual safety, target trigger (or shoes you can change) and a target style rib. They will usually come with extended choke tubes. Field guns typically have flush chokes (and fewer of them).

Browning will come with porting - why is beyond me as it does nothing but make it louder for someone next to you - Berettas do not

Good luck in your search

Picking ONE shotgun for everything is tough to do. You will need to choose the criteria that is most important to you.

Speaking as a competitive clay shooter and a proud owner of a beretta, my vote us for beretta. I have their lowest end over and under and I go of used. The man who owner before me put 200k rounds through it. Ive put another 10k through it and no parts breakages yet. It us a lifetime gun that I will give to my kids. Im hot saying that I migut not get a krieghoff before I die, but the beretta will serve you amazingly.

I recently picked up an immaculate Winchester 101 12 ga for $950 and love it. I am shooting it better at clays than any other shotgun I own. It's Belgian made, choke tubes, 3" chambers, so it is also great as a field gun. Personally I have never like the fit on me of Berettas or Brownings. I also have SKBs (same as Weatherby) that I like a lot. Go to a gun show or somewhere else you can pick up several models. Fit and feel are very important. It is also important to me how the safety and barrel selector switch works, and perhaps whether the trigger goes to the second barrel based on recoil, or mechanically.

A good shotty does not make you a good shotgunner, but a good shotgunner can make any shotgun look like a great champion!

You must "pay your dues" with lots of practice, and (hopefully) the guidence of a good mentor / coach.

A good shotty does not make you a good shotgunner, but a good shotgunner can make any shotgun look like a great champion!

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Not sure what a "shotty" is..............but if it is anything like a SHOTGUN, the above statement is true.................