Best gun in the US

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Oldnamvet

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It seems like most of the top end shotguns are made outside the USA. It got me to wondering, what is the best (reliability and worksmanship) US made shotgun at present?
 
1. I was checking to see if anyone was paying attention.
2. *Ding* my coffee was ready and fingers were thinking coffee and not typing.

Pick one.

:D

< drinks coffee and eats chocolate chip cookies>
 
My vote goes to Mossbergs. Granted they are made with economy in mind, even more so than 870's which have gone down in quality in the past decade (in my opinion) but unlike my decent quality 870 express from the early 80's I've never had ejection problems from the mossbergs my friends own.

After a bunch of problems I took my 870 to the smith. Twice in one week. 870's seem more picky about keeping springs tensioned properly.

A 500 works right and shoots where you aim it. Thats all that matters to me.
 
I also forgot about the Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company. They make new Winchester Model 21s, A.H. Foxes and some other goodies.

Those guns are pieces of shootable art.

To paraphrase William Snopes-Clinton "It depends what your definition of best is".
 
It is heart breaking liiving a couple of miles from Ct. Shotgun and not being flush enough to buy one. They are truely works of art.
Who says that America can't build quality anymore.
 
If we're talking high end, the SBTs and O/Us from Ljutic, Seitz and Alferman come to mind. These are high volume, precision shooting tools made like Swiss Watches to very tight tolerances.

Alferman O/Us run over $30K. Ljutic Bi-guns are not far behind.

Kolars start around $8K. Kolar owners are a very happy lot. New Kolars are fit at the factory to the owner.

The stuff from CT Shotgun is superb, though as much for pretty as for shooting.

If we're talking production guns for use in the field, range and as needed elsewhere, the 870 triumphs again....
 
Did we forget about Ruger?

I think for the money that the Ruger guns, pistols to rifles, are pretty good buys. I agree that Galazan turns out shotguns equal in quality to any of the European guns.
 
Did we forget about Ruger?

.
Click to expand...

:barf: :barf: :barf:
trying to take the high road here.
Ummm, we didn't forget.

They make good solid entry level guns to a price point and do very well at it.
Nothing more, certainly not the best,
 
For target guns there is no doubt that Kolar can keep company with any of the foreign imports in the same price range.

The Galazan guns o/u guns are also in the same league with the offshore competition but that's to be expected of a gun that costs $50,000 and THEN you have to pay to get it engraved.:eek: Their sxs with the exception of the recently introduced RBL are modern recreations of classic American guns and FWIW I think they have gone over the edge with their higher end engraving options. The higher grade Galazan Foxes look garish IMO.

Where America does not excel and is the autoloading shotgun. Even though it was developed in the USA, the Italians have long since bettered anything being made in North America either past or present.
 
"I believe the SX2 is all made in USA, correct me if I am wrong."

Sorry, they're made by FN in Belgium. At least my 3.5" Waterfowl model was in 2003.

John
 
Where America does not excel and is the autoloading shotgun. Even though it was developed in the USA, the Italians have long since bettered anything being made in North America either past or present.
Click to expand...

The new Remington 105 is a pretty interesting design. Time will tell if it makes waves.
 
If you mean best gun in the British sense of the word, I cast one more vote for the Connecticut Shotgun folks. I can't look at their website because I drool on the keyboard.

lpl/nc
 
I really need to get out more. I didn't realize that Conn. shotgun existed. But *sigh* I can only dream. Being on a fixed pension, I can't even hope for most of their "used" guns, some of which go for more than my house is worth.:what: But they sure are neat to look at. Wonder how the balance is? Probably the best I've ever held. I'll just stick with hoping for a new wingmaster in a few months.
 
Kolar's. Made in Racine, Wisconsin (down the road from me). Able to take hundreds of thousands or rounds. Comparable to Krieghoffs and Perazzi's.
 
The new Remington 105 is a pretty interesting design. Time will tell if it makes waves.
Click to expand...

I've shot one. If it proves to be reliable in long-term, heavy use, it is a strong contender for the best production autoloader, by every measure, ever conceived. But autoloaders are field guns, not the "top end" of the shotgun market by any stretch, even if they're at the top end of my personal budget at the moment!:)

As far as top-end stuff, though, we have plenty here in the US. Most are more expensive than the foreign alternatives.

Ljutics are wonderful guns, though they are utilitarian. You pay for a TOP QUALITY gun, not for a fancy looking one (or even an attractive one in some cases).

Never played with a Kolar or CT.
 
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