I need an O/U

[artherd]

Looking for recomendations on a nice sweet Over/Under. I would like one that is rugged (can take a lot of claying) and has safeties that DO NOT reset every time the action is opened. (I find this a big pain)

Any recomendations? I'm a bit of a shotgun novice, and yet looking for a quality piece. Willing to spend $1-2k but if a $350 Stoger is the one to get, that is what I will happily do.

 

[Smoke]

Look for a good used Citori, Beretta, or Ruger Red label.

THose will be in your price range and last a long time.

Smoke

 

[berettashotgun]

You will be amazed at the quality you can purchase for 1-2K.Happily amazed. If clays are gonna be your game- the 686 berettas have been my favorite, but the resetting safeties are automatically reset by your thumb- I can't/ don't think about it, that memory muscle action is so ingrained and automatic it is a non issue. Brownings are great but watch out for the older shotguns, service (I'm told?) is not soo great. The new winchester select made in belgium is my next purchase if I don't get that para P16-40LDA :banghead:

 

[Red Label]

My pick would be the Ruger! Mine has been plenty rugged with a lot of use but it does have the auto safety. Ruger will unhook it for you if you send it in to them. I have been waiting for some reason to send mine back and then have them unhook it at the same time. It might be awhile though, it just keeps ticking along!!

 

[Gary G23]

I have owned Berettas and Brownings but the CZ's I have been looking at appear to be a good value.

 

[mete]

The automatic safety [I hate them] on most O/Us can easily be removed. For Ruger you have to send it to them.

 

[Dave R]

Dunno about the automatic safety, but I'm lusting after the CZ Mallard, because it has twin triggers and is affordable.

 

[TrapperReady]

If you are willing to pay $1K - $2K, then I'd recommend Beretta or Browning. Take a look at the Ruger Red Label. Personally, I'm not fond of them, but they do have a loyal following.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again...

Pay very close attention to fit. With any fixed-breech design, the felt recoil is going to be greater than with other platforms. I've got a bunch of shotguns, mostly pumps and semis... and the only one with fit issues was my O/U. My wife, who shot two bone-stock Benellis for years had to have some major work done to the stock of her Beretta 682 in order to make it possible for her to shoot it. This type of story is typical for the vast majority of my friends who shoot O/Us.

Whatever you get, you may end up modifying, and it makes sense to start as close as possible. It is well worth doing whatever is necessary to beg or borrow a shotgun similar to the one you are considering and shoot a couple rounds of trap or skeet with it. You can learn a lot about a gun by shooting 50 shells through it.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Stoegers actually go for $300 on sale but they sure aren't in the same class with the $1K and up shotguns. And their safeties reset each time you open the barrels. And you can't select which barrel fires first (always the lower).

 

[SShooterZ]

Browning Citori

No auto safety, will last you a lifetime, easily one of the easiest guns to find choke tubes for and there are a lot of Browning gunsmiths out there should you need something fixed or changed.

 

[RUT]

>>If clays are gonna be your game- the 686 berettas have been my favorite<<

Amen to that!

 

[artherd]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Including the obvious (now one of having the automatic safety disabled.

My next move is range time.

 

[Border]

I think a Weatherby Orion is the best value for the money although I confess that I use that field gun as my trap gun. (I am a hunter and think you should practice with what you hunt with).

 

[scubie02]

too bad you're so far away...my monetary situation has deteriorated enough with fuel costs and two years with no contract that I'm actually contemplating selling my Belgian Browning Superposed as one of my only guns worth enough money to bother with (I'm guessing $1500 or so)