Charles Daly auto????

[MCgunner]

Anyone have any experience with Charles Daly autoloaders? They have 'em for about $300 at wallyworld, shoot 2 3/4 and 3". I'm still thinking of getting one. I'd prefer the camo one, but black would do I reckon. I'm a waterfowler and the old Mossy is awful hard on me with 3" loads. My Winchester 1400 is nice on dove and such, but the lack of 3" capability is a hindrance. Besides, I don't wanna scar it up in the salt marsh. Camo finishes handle the salt marsh pretty well, pretty rugged, and for duck hunting they're a slight advantage.

If I got a Charles Daly and I liked it enough, I might get rid of the Mossy. But, I sorta like the gun. It kinda beats me up, though.

 

[RNB65]

A buddy of mine recently bought one of the Wally World CD's in black synthetic to use for sporting clays. It came with a blued receiver and a parkerized barrel. An odd combination, I'm not sure if that was intentional or luck of the draw.

The carrier release button is on the lower LEFT side of the receiver. The button must be pressed to unlock the carrier to insert shells into the mag. Great if you're a lefty, but a bit awkward to operate for a righty. Very poor design.

It's got a very simple gas system and also uses a rubber o-ring seal like the Rem 1100. It didn't come with any extra o-rings and I have no idea where you'd get them.

So far he's shot one round of clays with it and it failed to cycle twice during the round. Hopefully with a little more break-in the reliability will improve.

The CD is a cheap gun from head to toe. I suggest that you forget the CD and spend the money on a pump or a used 1100.


EDIT: Check that -- I just re-read your post and realized you're looking for a gun for hunting and not for clay shooting. The CD should be OK for hunting but I don't think it has the durability to be a clay shooter. It does recoil pretty hard for a gas gun. The release button on the left side may be a bit of an issue if you're wearing heavy gloves. That button is just located in a bad spot. But if your just looking for a cheap autoloader to knock around in the bottom of a john boat or blind, the CD should be just fine.

 

[MCgunner]

Thanks for the input. I do shoot lefty, but if its recoil is pretty stiff, that sorta negates the point of getting it for me. Got few gripes about my ol' Mossberg pump, just thinkin' an auto would be easier on me. Suppose I should just buck up and keep taking it. LOL

 

[bearmgc]

Had one for about a week, gotten in a trade. It failed to cycle so many times with many different kinds of shells, inspite of cleaning, that I practically gave it away to a pawn shop. One of 2 guns in my life, that I truly regretted getting. The camo was pretty though...

 

[MCgunner]

Hmm, well, the old Mossy works fine. Guess I'll stick with it. I've often though getting a stock made with more drop would help. My main gripe ain't the shoulder, it's the way the stock bangs up my cheek. I'll be out shooting a lot and it'll actually cut me and I'll be bleeding like a stuck hog from my cheek. Usually happens when I shoot across to the right (I shoot south paw) and the recoil is in my face. I've seen stocks that had pads made into the comb, maybe another option. I can handle the recoil on my shoulder, just getting a little tired of going ten rounds with Mike Tyson on a good morning.

 

[Thin Black Line]

I normally stay american-made, but bought a CD field slug 12g to "help out"
a long time local FFL who will be retiring soon.

Mine shot "ok" but no where near as accurate as my Moss M590 with
slugs at 100 yds. I guess this is normal for smoothbore semis. However,
I bumped my fixed front site on something along the way and actually
shifted the little brass disc. The site didn't move, just the little bead
punched into it that you look at for contrast. The rear site was blade
type and has so far held up. I would say the fit and finish was good for
the $300 range.

BTW, it functioned with everything I put thru it --slugs, 00, etc. I would
imagine the same for waterfowl, upland, etc.....

Does anyone know if these Turkish CD semiauto actions are copied from
anything else, or are they their own animal??? It would be nice to know
if they can swap parts/stocks with other things w/o going back to the
factory.

 

[azflyman]

Although I have not handled one the description sounds like my Franchi 48 AL. It has the bolt release on the left side. It May be the same but if so finding aftermarket stuff will be all but impossible. There are quite a few 48 AL's out there but no aftermarket stuff that I know of. Next time I am at Wally World I will have to examine the CD.

az

 

[Thin Black Line]

I've decided I like my old pump already. I have to keep the button pushed
in on the CD semi to load the darn thing when I was use to doing the other
on the fly. I had always used pumps until this year......

 

[RNB65]

I have to keep the button pushed in on the CD semi to load the darn thing...

That button on the CD is the worst design feature I think I'ver ever seen on a shotgun. It's located in the worst possible location and you have to press and hold the darn thing to unlock the shell carrier every time you want to add a shell into the mag.

 

[longtooth]

Agree w/ Thin Black Line. For the price CDs are plenty good. Have never shot one of their scatter guns but their 1911s are good for the range & company loaners.
Man, I like your signature Thin Black Line. Ethan Allen was one of the greatest patriots of our past but did not get the press & notariaty of the others.

 

[Thin Black Line]

Long, I pulled the quote from a book called "The Spirit of Seventy-Six" (edited
by Commager and Morris) which is the single most packed tome on the
original writings of people from the era --on BOTH sides of the War. You will
see stuff in there that refutes the BS taught in today's history classes. Too
much to list here. Has a decent index which ends on page 1348. Not a
light read, but worth the time.

Back to the CD semiauto action. This is my first sa shotgun and I've never
even studied exploded diagrams on any others. Is this push button to LOAD
also standard on all other semis? I can understand this is needed for the
bolt release. However, if the push to load really isn't necessary, any ideas
on modifying it for loading on the fly one handed? Maybe I'm just too
much of an old dog with the pumps

 

[MCgunner]

My 1400 Winchester you just load like an 870 and rack the bolt, no buttons. It does have a bolt release forward of the loading gate. It locks back on the last round and to release it, you must push the button forward. But, you need push nothing to load the magazine. Great ol' gun, I like it a lot, but it doesn't shoot 3" and I like 3" steel on ducks and absolutely NEED 3" tungsten iron or heavy shot for geese. I don't really wanna scratch up the Winchester in the marsh, either. I take it dove hunting, upland if and when I get the chance. The salt marsh environment isn't the place for a blued gun with wood stocks and I don't want an expensive fun for it either. The Mossy has held up well for a dozen years with its camo finish. It does have a little surface rust here and there, but it's hard to see. Sorta blends with the camo, LOL.

the Mossy works great so long as the ammo is clean. Let a little rust get on the "brass" (actually plated steel) part of the case and you'd better just chunk it cause it will not extract if it's too bad and you'll be diggin' it out with a multi-tool.:banghead: I hate to toss ammo, but it's just what you gotta do. You can't keep ammo clean and dry in the salt marsh and if it gets wet, well.... Sure wish Activ ammo would make a come back, no "brass" to rust.

 

[Thin Black Line]

I have a feeling the CD has been over-sporterised on purpose given the
no-on-the-fly loading and the big dimple put into the sheet metal at the
end of the magazine tube that would make a tube extension kit a no-go
without punching it out. 5+1 should be more than enough.

 

[MCgunner]

For my purposes, 2+1 is all that is legal. That's one thing I guarantee you the game wardens do check. But, topping up without messing with a button is desireable. When the birds are flying, it can get hectic.

 

[Thin Black Line]

A little update on my last outing with the CD field slugster: One ftf on the
third rd out of 10 slugs, then no problems with 25 rd 00. All were 2 3/4.
Tried to bend the little brass disk that was misaligned on the front of the front
site and it popped out. Looked like a tiny brass nail. Tried to put it back in
and the head broke off. Now I have a simple black post front site with no
little bead.....shrug....oh well.....