Help choosing o/u

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Encoreman

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Hi I need some advice. I am planning on buying a 20 gauge o/u to shoot sporting clays/ doves. I can't afford a Perrazi, so I am looking at some inexpensive guns. Tell me from experience which I should look at.
CZ-USA Canvasback
Mossberg Silver Reserve
Savage 512
Beretta
I definetly want screw in chokes. I have semi auto gas guns and love them, but just want a o/u. Thanks for any and all advice. Mac
 
Depending on your budget, I would take the Beretta - the basic 68X series are identical from a mechanical standpoint and have a proven track record of going many thousands of rounds without issue. While Beretta's customer service is not that great, in the unlikely event you need something fixed, any competent gunsmith who works on shotguns will have no problem fixing it or getting parts

The others you mentioned do not fall into that category. I would also look at Browning and even SKB. Although SKB closed the plant in Japan, the US importer bought the rights, has all of the spare parts and is looking for a maker to revive the name. While new Beretta, Browning and SKB might be out of range, high-quality used ones abound on the various sites and in many stores like Gander, Cabela's, etc.
 
I have a 20ga SKB 505 (aka Weatherby Orion) that is a very nice gun and can be found NIB for around a grand and sometimes a good deal less. I just picked up a lightly-used Citori 20ga, and my cost out the door was also far less than a grand. I'd take either of those two over any CZ, Mossberg, or Savage 512.

Of course, none of that matters if the only gun that fits you is, for example, the CZ. :)
 
Stoger Condor. Good field gun, not going to make you cry if it gets droped. I've seen the high end guys do exactly that at the trap club
 
Word to the wise...you'll do much better in the long run with a quality used gun at $1000 (think Ruger, Browning, Beretta) than a new gun at $1000 (think CZ, Mossberg, Turkish crap).

I'll second everyone else....Beretta out of your choices.
 
Thanks guys, that is what I was after. Speaking of the Beretta, what model do I need to be looking at? I saw some older models, but they don't have screw in chokes. Mac. This is so much easier that buying a piece of *rap.
 
I'm more of a Browning guy, so I can't answer in respect to Beretta models. But a good place to find used quality guns is your local skeet/trap fields. They usually have a bulletin board with lots of nice guns for sale.

Oh, just thought of something else....price will dictate what models you should be looking at. Hit up GunsAmerica and GunBroker seeing what's available and what is in your price range. Those models are probably where you need to be looking.
 
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Basic Beretta 686's can be found with chokes for your budget. These guns can range from the 80's to present and will last a long time with reasonable care - don't pop the action open or slam it closed - use common sense. The basic models won't have the fancy wood or engraving, but as I said, the mechanicals will be the same
 
I had a Beretta Model 626 O/U quite a few years ago but had to sell it to help pay for college. I tried out a lot of other shotguns before I picked the Beretta because it simply felt the best to me. A couple of years ago I found that the Franchi Renaisance nearly duplicated that same feel and balance of my old Beretta O/U, but at a much more affordable price. Fit and finish were outstanding and the quality to me was very comparable to any field grade model that Beretta offered at the time. I got it on sale at one of the large sporting goods chain stores (well under a $1K), and I have been very pleased with its performance ever since.
 
About 5 years ago I bought a Yildiz from Academy. It's an O/U in 12 gauge. It was only $519 back than. Beautiful Turkish wood, and engraving. Yildiz now makes a 20 guage also. If you get the plain shotgun without engraving you will save about $100 or more. I have never had any problems with it. Use it for skeet, and dove hunting. Extremely lightweight and recoil is very very manageable for a 12 gauge.
 
I have a great fondness for SKBs, including the older SKB models imported by Ithaca. Berettas just don't fit me. I also have recently found a used Winchester 101 that I really like.
 
Remember, there are a multitude of models from Browning and Beretta - field guns are cheaper than targets guns, but field guns weigh less than target gun
 
I have Brownings, a nice old Winchester 101, and like them both. But I have to disagree with you guys on your dislike of the CZ's. I've had nothing but good luck with my 28ga CZ as well. It was a good buy and it shoots.
 
Whaler - if yours works - good for you!...You got one made on a Wednesday or similar. CZ has had spotty quality on their Turkish-made shotguns. Folks who shoot theirs a lot where I live have had many issues. The few that only use them for occasional hunting haven't had as many issues, so it seems to lie in their longevity for hard use. If you are getting good results firing thousands of rounds a year, that's great - most folks I know are not having that success
 
You can't go wrong with a Beretta, but I'm actually very happy with my CZ Redhead Deluxe. I've read horror stories on the early ones but heard the quality vastly improved. I took a chance and bought a brand new 12ga 28" back in 2008 for just a hair under $800 out the door after tax. I have probably put close to 3000 rounds through it shooting trap (lost track after 2k or so). Never so much as a hiccup out of it. The action still locks up good and tight. My only gripe is the take up in the trigger which I thought about having a qualified smith work on, but I've just gotten used to it.
 
handloader357 said:
You can't go wrong with a Beretta, but I'm actually very happy with my CZ Redhead Deluxe. I've read horror stories on the early ones but heard the quality vastly improved. I took a chance and bought a brand new 12ga 28" back in 2008 for just a hair under $800 out the door after tax. I have probably put close to 3000 rounds through it shooting trap (lost track after 2k or so). Never so much as a hiccup out of it. The action still locks up good and tight. My only gripe is the take up in the trigger which I thought about having a qualified smith work on, but I've just gotten used to it.
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Guys, I like them all but I have a Beretta, (2) 101's, a Lanbar, CZ Redhead, and a Verona 501 and had a Red Label. Of these the Beretta BL3 20 ga. and Verona are my favorites. Berettas have their own feel and the little Verona is a 2 barrel set , 410 and 28 ga.

Nice!
 
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