lanber sporting lux - shooting beretta and citori alternatively still scoring high

This week I got another Lanber sporting lux and today performed really well at the skeet practice. this one will be exclusively dedicated to skeet I think. They are a smaller company but they are very popular all over. These have a huge following in the UK, Spain, Portugal and many countries... I think that also here in the southern states.

In so many ways the Lanber could be seen as the daily bread of sporting shotguns. Nothing is too exciting about them but they get the job done.

When I saw my brother that he started to leave the old reliable Beretta behind even after he won many competitions with it, then that made wonder why. At some point I got my first lanber and started to shoot more with the lanber myself for for a while I could not understand why. Then I shot more and I started to score higher and got an interesting feeling. The simplicity and reliability of the action with a very nice balance. Don't get me wrong, I still love my my Beretta and Browning but there is something here more than I would imagine years ago.

I cannot compare with the Citori because they are different but since I shoot with Citori too and others that shoot with me shoot with these and the citoris and berettas I figure I will post a couple of pictures of the new Lanber.





This is very similar to the early Sarrasquetas but with a much nicer finish.
I can see the collaboration between GMK of Fareham in the UK and lanber in the north of Spain with their long history and tradition to quality shotguns got the perfect balance between reliability and performance and looks are awesome.
I thought they have a lot of similarities in the way they balance when I mount them. At least for my feel when I shoot.

What works for me might not work for others based on needs, likes and dislikes but I hope this helps someone looking for a solid performer.

Cheers,
E.

Hi,
Last one I got for $900 locally that had several in stock. I also bought them cheaper in the past at $600-$700 a few years back but the finish was not so nice and some stores also sell them with blemishes (probably some overstock or something) but I try to look always for the selected 2005 to 2009 models. Also the newer models are awesome but some they are not coming here at the moment. http://www.lanber.net/trape.html

Anyway, I liked them so much that through the years I bought few of them and now with the citori, benelli and beretta I have to get a 2nd gun safe. sound familiar? lol! Many times I am keeping some unfired for collection purposes or for a special present. I am having a special one reserved for my son when he graduates from college.

Some might think that $900 or even $1000 is a lot but it is not for these shotguns. If you think the alternatives are some Turkish guns or some Franchis and there are very nice O/Us but they are not in the same category.
In the end I am happy as the lambers are still cheaper here than in Europe that is where they are made (Spain). Normally they sell over there starting at $1300 but I believe the company is starting to gain market share so they are coming with close to cost pricing so they can penetrate the US market.

Similar story to what Fausti Stefano did with traditions/walmart but better as they Faustis introduced here were very plain although based on the same pedigree and action of all the Faustis and solid performers though.

When I served I was in the Naval base of Rota in Spain and then I learned about the Spanish basque region long shotgun making tradition and never had any issues with any of them, only good experiences.
I have a Sarrasqueta O/U, a couple of old Zabala brothers SxS and a few Lanbers and they all perform as the day I got them.

I travel to Europe a lot and when I have the opportunity in the summer time I shoot in some competitions in the UK or Spain and I love it.

I am not quite sure why they are not more popular here but I think it has to do with the little marketing so far and lack of popularity. One thing I know is that this is the time to get them because as they get more popular, prices will be matching those in Europe or even higher, just like happened to Beretta and others.
We consumers end up paying for their marketing too I guess.

rbernie,
Sorry I forgot to mention. Yes, I agree with you, the barrels are a few ounces more than some Italian or Turkish ones but they are also stronger I think.
I also heard the feel light so I guess it depends to what or who compares them to.
Lanber guarantees you can put anything you can find through those barrels. Even with the wildest magnums nobody has been able to blow up a barrel yet. Lanber will simply replace the entire gun if you can achieve that wit a conventional or even unconventional load.
Anyhow, that will not happen with sporting loads but I like the extra ounces as I find it easier in skeet to follow through. That is also a reason I like my browning too.
I don't find a gun that is too light a good gun for me but I can understand others do. It is a matter of shooting what it feels right to the shooter and that how everything should begin.
Cheers,
E.

I got one of those CDNN ones a while back for $600 and they are great.
They are not the same finish level (changes with the year and some series) although they are really the same action and everything. I heard some folks were getting very small blems but I could not locate any as far as I can tell.

The guns whether more finished or not they are as solid as tanks.

I found this old review from Shooting UK online....

http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/shotguns/142213/lanber_sporter_shotgun_review.html


This is another picture of the stock. I love the Spanish walnut and hardwood work....


Wide rib with a slight reduction in width that gives a perception in the brain of targets being closer...

Slugo,
I definitely would not discard a good autoloader right away. Also a good pump is a good pump and can do also a great job at trap but in skeet would be more of a challenge.
My uncle has a Beretta autoloader 25years old that has more than 200K loads through it both clays and hunting and still is chugging along like day one.
I have a Remington 1100 premier that is going strong too and I occasionally shoot trap and hunt with it. None of those would be bad choices but sometimes you have to settle with what feels right for your based on purpose, likes and dislikes.
If you choose the Lanber some folks might look at you here and say, what is that? and that is ok. Not everyone knows everything about what and where good shotguns are made but you know that what it looks good on the hand it is actually very good. Not so much appreciated in the US because of folks just not knowing, but that doesn't mean anything as it is well regarded in many other regions of the world.
Cheers.
E.

throdgrain,
Yes, FN and Beretta are out of control, even in Europe too. I bought my first Beretta many years ago for what would be the equivalent to $700 now. But those qualities and deals are long goner. These days their quality control has deteriorated and their customer service even worse.

Last year I got a brand new Beretta pistol that quickly started to have some serious problems due to a defective barrel and it took them 8 months to get back to me and to only to respond after the dealer asked them to get a refund when all they did was drop in a new barrel, something that takes 1 minute. Amazing!

Like FN, they respond immediately to military and LEO requests (big contracts) and leave the civilian customers in the back burner when those are the ones that are providing the highest per-item profits.

Definitely the wrong approach and that's why smaller firms with top quality items are eating away their market share slowly but steadily.
All they do is to try to buy them out when they get too be a bigger threat.

I miss the old good times when big well regarded companies took care of their customers.

Cheers,
E.

Cannot go wrong with the Remington's. I love my 1100.
At the club though I am starting to see more lanbers. Folks seem to be happy with the performance.