Inexpensive O/U

[luv2safari]

Serious clay target shooters shoot ammunition by the pallet load and as if someone else bought it. Generally, a Browning Citori or a Beretta 686 series are considered the minimum that will stand up to that kind of use.

There may be some other "budget" shotguns from valued manufacturers like Valmet or older Remingtons that may also fit this bill but the Citori and Beretta 686 series provides a "standard" to judge other shotguns against.

While considered expensive by many, a Browning Citori or Beretta 686 series will be easy to sell if clay games end up not in the person interest.

Turkish budget shotguns maybe not so much.

For the casual dove shoot every fall where a box or two of ammunition is shot, then about any shotgun will be serviceable.

My competitive skeet gun is a Browning/Miroku Citori tubed for skeet guages (20, 28 and .410). It has served me well.

If the OP were shooting pallet loads I totally agree.

However, a twice a month recreational shooter will do fine with about any decent quality gun. I'm curious as to who has actually seen a Turkish gun give up? This isn't intended to be argumentative. I am curious as to statistical reality.

Had I listened to internet opinion as pure fact I'd have never bought two Kimber Montanas, one a 325WSM elk hammer and a tiny light as a feather 257 Roberts for deer and antelope, both plenty accurate for their uses.

I'm asking, because I might get something for occasional trap shooting. I'm looking at the Stoeger offering.

 

[entropy]

I'm a gunsmith. I see it all the time. We usually will refuse to work on them and just give them the Customer Support number. But we got a new counter guy in, and a couple ended up on my bench.

 

[entropy]

I'd really recommend the CZ Drake at the minimum, the Redhead Premier Target would be a much better choice. At that price point, a used Citori can often be found.

 

[luv2safari]

I'm a gunsmith. I see it all the time. We usually will refuse to work on them and just give them the Customer Support number. But we got a new counter guy in, and a couple ended up on my bench.

Why? What broke?

 

[luv2safari]

I'd really recommend the CZ Drake at the minimum, the Redhead Premier Target would be a much better choice. At that price point, a used Citori can often be found.

No used Citoris are to be found around here of any configuration, and I don't like ordering any used clay gun off the internet. I once was high bidder on a Valmet 412 combination gun, only to find out in time it was on their trap gun receiver, something not revealed in the original ad, so the seller had to re-list it, and I didn't want it. Who knows the round count?

I wish I had kept a Browning BPS Trap I got as part of a multi-gun deal years ago. Most scattergunners here chase chuckar with prejudice on vast public lands, and most used shotguns are light field guns.

 

[entropy]

Why? What broke?

Firing pins. One is a long discontinued model, that one is at a shop that can make fire control parts. Insurance prevents us from doing so. The Tri Star, I called and ordered firing pins. You need to provide a serial number when calling, and they will only send one set per S/N at a time.

 

[luv2safari]

Firing pins. One is a long discontinued model, that one is at a shop that can make fire control parts. Insurance prevents us from doing so. The Tri Star, I called and ordered firing pins. You need to provide a serial number when calling, and they will only send one set per S/N at a time.

Thank You...

It's all good to know.

 

[dieselchief]

hey entropy and op and all! i did see one in the flesh i would consider. weatherby orion sporting. 30 inch, extended chokes, ported, adjustable cheek piece. half the price of a citori.

 

[entropy]

That's a good all round clays gun! Might make double digits at 5 stand with it. Not sure I could.

 

[cfullgraf]

No used Citoris are to be found around here of any configuration, and I don't like ordering any used clay gun off the internet. I once was high bidder on a Valmet 412 combination gun, only to find out in time it was on their trap gun receiver, something not revealed in the original ad, so the seller had to re-list it, and I didn't want it. Who knows the round count?

I wish I had kept a Browning BPS Trap I got as part of a multi-gun deal years ago. Most scattergunners here chase chuckar with prejudice on vast public lands, and most used shotguns are light field guns.

Back in the olden days (1930's or so) pump guns were the thing for skeet. Over/Unders and as semi-autos became more reliable, took over of the "field".

When I was shooting competitively in the 1990's, many of the top shooters where shooting semi-autos in the the 12ga events and tubed shotguns in the sub-gages events. I shot 20 ga in the 12 ga events because my averages were better. In the long term I woukd have needed to get better shooting 12 ga in the the 12 ga events.

I just couid not get my Citori to swing right in 12 ga for me as with the tubes in the gun.

That may have changed today. As I type this, the skies haved opened up with a heavy shower.

 

[blue32]

Thank You...

It's all good to know.

I was also burned by broken firing pins. Yildiz can't be bothered to offer replacements.

 

[dh1633pm]

I went through this process for a few years. Shoot sporting clays once a month with my co-workers. Professional? Not on your life. Without practice my scores gave new meaning to the word "sucks". At least the looser (last place) gets a free box of ammo. Lets just say I got a few free boxes.

The professionals have spoken and lots of good advice to be gleaned. @cfullgraf, I especially appreciate your comments. I read all the recommendations and all three pages of this thread. This is the ramblings of a non-professional. When I started Sporting Clays, I did my homework.

First time ever, I used what I had on hand. You bring what you got right? That was the 870. Who doesn't have an 870. Free box of ammo night. Next month I got a little better, no free box of ammo. It worked, but with me behind the wheel, the next time, another free fox of ammo.

I purchased a Beretta A300. Nice, but found it to just not fit me well. Gave it to my best friend. He loves it. I went the route of the Condor. It was inexpensive, it fit sort of ok, but it was slowly splitting its stock. Got it mainly to see what an over/under was all about. I had to go to Germany for a work trip and met someone who is on a pro team. Forgot which team or what disipline. I was about getting an auto. Not for sporting clays but for general use. He recommended getting an FN SLP. I did and after some adjustments, I practiced with it a lot and learned how to load double ohs.

I tried using my FN SLP and got my best score and lots of laughs. Ridicule from someone on the team behind us. He got a free box that week. Funny how you do better with a rifle you know well. I know my SLP well but with its short barrel, just not made for what I was trying to do.

Then I saw a post here abouts regarding a Franchi Instinct and choose to get one. It seemed to fit me well. As a novice, who needs a fitted shotgun anyhow. I haven't gotten a free box since, but maybe I am getting better. Again, its a once a month venture, no real practice otherwise. I was thinking of getting a throwing machine. I have plenty of land in which to practice. But this is about what to buy, not how to shoot or shoot better. Don't shoot them enough to determine their long term reliability. Keep that in mind. Just rambling about experience of a newbee or you might say novice. There are loads of choices. Some better than others.

That is my experience. Time to get back to working writing a manual on how to test a firewall (boring).

 

[cfullgraf]

No used Citoris are to be found around here of any configuration, and I don't like ordering any used clay gun off the internet.

I got lucky, my skeet Citori was from an estate sale. There were models from all four gauges but I did not have the funds to buy more than one.

I bought the 12 gauge. It is a Grade III skeet model and I eventually got it fitted for tubes. I won 1993 Class D Georgia Skeet championship in skeet with the gun.

I wish I had the funds to buy all the sub-guage versions that were available but that was not in the cards of a young engineer at the time.

I'm not surprised that used Citoris are difficult to find.

In 2018, I bought a new skeet grade 30" Citori 725. Plans are to get it fitted for sub-gage tubes.

I've dabbled with 32' barreled shotguns and they have not "rung my bell".

 

[Hookeye]

Used Lightning 12 w a couple dings sold at a shop here recently for $1600.
It was Invector Plus choke.
Wood was OK, but nothing great.

Prev to that, looked for a clean used 20 ga hunter, but wanted Inv Plus.
Got tired of looking so just bought a new one (IIRC was $1800).

May end up doing same for a 12 ga. Think new composite is $1900.
Ouch.

Don't want to spend the money but clock is ticking.

 

[Hookeye]

hey entropy and op and all! i did see one in the flesh i would consider. weatherby orion sporting. 30 inch, extended chokes, ported, adjustable cheek piece. half the price of a citori.

The new Weatherby Orion is Turkish IIRC.
Dunno who the builder is.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

I'm a gunsmith. I see it all the time. We usually will refuse to work on them and just give them the Customer Support number. But we got a new counter guy in, and a couple ended up on my bench.

All Turkish guns are not equal. I believe the offerings from CZ are Turkish and they are darn nice shotguns for the money.

 

[entropy]

All Turkish guns are not equal. I believe the offerings from CZ are Turkish and they are darn nice shotguns for the money.

As I said in post #7. I believe this is the result of CZ maintaining close tabs on quality. The same can be said of the Turkish made Weatherbys, though I believe the quality is just a bit less than the CZ shotguns. Most of the other names that contract to Turkish manufacturers apparently aren't overseeing as dutifully as CZ. (Mossberg, Winchester, etc.)
Also as I said, Tri Star has done some product improvement on the TT-15 line, their guns designed for clays games. The Setter and Trinity O/Us are still made to a low price point, with resulting low service life.
They still haven't fix the one thing that would make the TT series good games guns; they still have way too much drop between comb and heel , particularly for having an adjustable comb.

 

[AWS]

If I were looking for a dedicated trap shotgun and was on a budget, it would be an 870 Trap. I believe some of the records Rudy Etchen set with an 870 still stand.

My EX and my dad both shot trap with 870s and my EX shot trap doubles and skeet with her 870s one comment on the sheet field while she was shooting a pair of doubles "I didn't even see her pump it" she was like lightning with a pump. Her dad bought his shotguns before the 870 came out, he had a pair of Rem 31s.

I was a Win 101 guy I did have to replace the wood, split the forend and battered the head of the stock shooting International trap and replaced a set of firing pins, chipped the tips. But I did shoot about 250,000 round through it before I rechoked it for shooting birds at hunt tests for spaniels. It still locks up tight after 60 yrs. Still have my 101 skeet gun also.

 

[PapaG]

Please stay away from the $800-900 imports. Look for good used Beretta, Browning over unders. The low end Turks have a poor history of trigger failure and service. A few of my high school trap kids bought Huglu and Stoegers and the triggers and ergonomics are terrible.
I have bought, in the last five years, A Browning Super posed Lightning for $850, A Beretta 686 Essential (like an Express but full equipped) for $750, a Browning Citori 28" for $800 and a mint Remington 3200 for $1000.
All were in great shape and in regular use. Twice a month doesn't sound like much but with a good gun you'll find yourself wanting more.
Names to be wary of include Huglu, Stoeger, Retay, Tri Star, and a couple others. Some of them make better guns but you'll need about $2000 to find them.

 

[slickshot223]

I shoot a Stevens 555 28ga in sporting clays, have had no issues in 4 yrs of shooting 2-3 time a month!! Nice weather 4 times month!!

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

I've been shooting(SC's/skeet/doves & quail) for the last 7 years with 3 Yildiz SPZ-ME's O/U's in 12 ga/20 ga & 410........NEVER had a problem with any of them.......And the walnut wood on them is better than you get on standard grade Berreta's & Citori's.

 

[Bazoo]

Sears Roebuck Zoli, made by Antonio Zoli, is a sleeper. The one I've had experience with belongs to a friend and is probably the most natural shooting shotgun I've ever shot. The Sears version makes it $500-$800 instead of 3 times that.