Charles Daly Shotguns

[campergeek]

Tonight while the family & I were in Wal-mart for other errands, I made my requisite pass through the sporting goods department to see if there were any hunting/shooting related price cuts. While there, I noticed something new in the shotgun case - a realtree camo pump shotgun, labeled as a Charles Daly 3 1/2". It had a vented barrel, but had a standard shotgun bead - not fiber optic sights. It had a choke tube but I couldn't tell what choke (I assume the equivalent of extra full). The Price was ~$254. Neophyte as I am, I was unfamiliar with "Charles Daly" and thought it was some signature turkey edition of a Remington 870 or (my guess) a Mossberg ulti-mag.

I asked the guy behind the counter about it, but he wasn't really sure about the Charles Daly name. When I got home I educated myself on the internet about the Charles Daly line of firearms - but of course their website gives only praises of the guns. The version I saw does not appear on their website (the closest has fiberoptic sights), but it's typical of Wal-mart to sell a version of a product with fewer features at a lower price.

I do have to say that at just over $250 and from what I could see through the case (I didn't bother to look up close - I'm not buying today), this gun seems to compare favorably with the plain (blotchy) camo mossbergs I've been eyeing. Can anyone give a testimonial on the quality of the Charles Daly line, and does anyone have any particular knowledge of what is scaled down on the Wal-mart version versus the catalog version?

 

[HSMITH]

They are an import, but for the life of me I cannot remember who makes them. Reports seem to indicate that the new CD line is decent, but nothing to get all wound up over. Most of what I have read is "good value" or "nice gun", kind of "it's OK" sort of feelings is what I read into it.

Those ugly blotchy Mossberg 835's are a known quantity, known to be a darn good shotgun. Tough as nails, and works every time. My only complaint is the porting, I simply hate porting on a field gun and refuse to own or even hunt in the company of a ported gun. My hearing, what is left, is becoming quite dear to me so the ported guns are double hearing protection only these days.

A turkey gun only needs to hit where you aim. Quality is not an all important consideration really. Most turkey specific shotguns will never see 500 rounds in their lives...........

If the CD feels better to you than the others buy it. A single shot cheapie job would work fine and save you $100 or more too if it only needs to handle turkeys.

 

[Dave McCracken]

Chas Daley, the man died around 1910, IIRC. The company named after him has never made a single gun. They are importers and distributors.

In times past, Daley guns were made by firms as diverse as Lindner, a Prussian maker who stopped business ca 1930, and Miroku, the Japanese maker who made Winchester 101s and SKBs,both fine guns.

The Lindners are superb SXS guns, on a par with all but the very best Brit masterrpieces.

Miroku/Daley trap guns have a cult following.

The newer ones are made in Third World places like Turkey.

Me, I'd stick to the US made stuff....