Inexpensive O/U's

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I don't do any sort of competition shooting, and if I did, obviously I may have a different view.

Look at .22 pistols - I have a bunch of them, including a couple of very nice Colt Match Targets. I shoot them fairly often too, but if I am going out coon hunting in the swamp at night I carry a Ruger Single Six that was bought new in 1958. It's seen much more hard use (for 50 years now, and counting...) than my Colts and stands up to it much better too, despite being much cheaper. My best friend carries his H&R Double Nine - same story - not a top shelf gun, but has been reliable and used hard for many years.

So there are affordable guns that will last your whole life. If you can buy parts for them, I wouldn't worry much about it. I looked at .22 rifles last year, and was appalled at how cheap the more popular ones felt. I ended up with a CZ452. Not the most expensive rifle available, but I guarantee my kids and grandkids will be shooting it long after I'm gone - much like the Old Zephyr Double my dad bought for $50 bucks new 50 years ago - that I will be shooting doves with this year
 
So there are affordable guns that will last your whole life.
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Yes. And today's cheap O/U's are generally not those guns. They're surely not Ruger Single Sixes when it comes to longevity.

Ruger builds O/U's using a lot of the same techniques as the Single Six. The same expenses, skilled labor costs, overhead, etc. are involved in building a Red Label and a Super Single Six.

The Red Label costs about 4 times as much as the revolver -- which is exactly what people have said. If you want an O/U that can be used like a Single Six, don't be shocked that it costs $1500 new.

(An SKB can be had for a bit less, and is also this good.)

Note that a higher-end O/U costs a LOT more than 1500 bucks. A good $1500 gun is an inexpensive, quality O/U, and wishing doesn't make it not so. Skilled labor has gone up; truly massed produced items are cheaper, shotguns that require a lot of hand work are more expensive, than they were 50 years ago. C'est la vie.

Now I did pick up an old SxS for $237 recently, a pretty nice shooter. It's very old, built in 1926. That sort of thing is worth looking for.:)
 
I have posted before on similar threads to say that I am extremely pleased with my Stoeger Condor 410 O&U. I ordered the youth model because of the 22" barrels with fixed chokes and built up the pad area a little with spacers but my arms are short anyways and it is a fast handling, reliable, but a little plain and heavier than some more expensive O&U 410s. I have a lot of fun with it and do reload. Shooting a little over a half ounce of shot makes a bag of expensive shot last that much longer. I think it is a great value for the money. In my younger days, I thought 410s were kids guns but now I realize your skill level jumps a notch trying to master the 410.

NCsmitty
 
"How many rounds do you have through it, romeo?"

Sorry for the delay armed bear. I have put around 3000+ rounds through it. I use it quite a bit for skeet during the summer.
 
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Chinese O/U JLN-12 I think...

It works. $100. Barely Used. 30" fixed choke full/mod 2 3/4" cyls.

I shoot trap at 22+ all day with it.
 
Skilled labor has gone up; truly massed produced items are cheaper, shotguns that require a lot of hand work are more expensive, than they were 50 years ago. C'est la vie.
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This is very true.

However, modern automated machining and assembly techniques remove the need for a great deal of hand fitting and finishing. For example, I know that regulating barrels used to be a long tedious operation. Modern laser measurement equipment reduces this to a few minutes.

I am not naive enough to think for one minute that the Yildiz approaches the quality of a nice Beretta O/U, or an SKB either. However, I know that there are lots of very satisfied Yildiz and Condor owners.

Most average shotgun owners won't put 10,000 rounds through a shotgun in a lifetime. Most of the folks on this board are aficionados and will shoot much more than the pedestrian owner.

I know a couple of folks that bought pistols after 9-11, and have never fired them. :eek:

I suspect most shotgun owners are much the same. They will fire a box of rounds when the gun is first purchased, and a couple more boxes during dove, quail, pheasant, whatever season, and the gun goes back to the bedroom closet for the rest of the year.

If someone is not a high volume shooter, then these guns will be perfectly serviceable for a long long time.
 
I have a Valmet that cost me $500 and it will hang with any shotgun at $1,000.
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The Valmet hasn't been made for a good long while. I have an old Ithaca SKB that cost me $500, too, and it will hang with the new SKB's at $1250 -- but the OP was asking about cheap, NIB O/U's.

However, modern automated machining and assembly techniques remove the need for a great deal of hand fitting and finishing. For example, I know that regulating barrels used to be a long tedious operation. Modern laser measurement equipment reduces this to a few minutes.
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Would that this were true, or at least that it would make a significant dent in the price.

Ruger thought exactly this, when they promised their Gold Label with an under-$2K list price. This quickly rose to well over $3K, then they quit making the gun at all because they couldn't make money at it -- and Ruger is renowned for using manufacturing techniques to keep their production costs lower their competitors'.

I suspect most shotgun owners are much the same. They will fire a box of rounds when the gun is first purchased, and a couple more boxes during dove, quail, pheasant, whatever season, and the gun goes back to the bedroom closet for the rest of the year.
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Yeah. It's always fun to watch them at the dove opener. Until you get blasted with shot, that is.

Honestly, I don't see the point in buying an O/U and not shooting it, and a "pedestrian owner" is really better off with something else.

Most average shotgun owners won't put 10,000 rounds through a shotgun in a lifetime.
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Yeah, but most average shotgun shooters do, a lot faster than they realize. It doesn't take an aficionado to do that, as I detailed above. It just takes someone who will use the gun.

If you buy it with the intent of leaving it sitting in a corner, I really can't comment on what to buy, since there are no good criteria for the decision. Hell, if you're not going to shoot the gun, it really doesn't matter. It doesn't have to fit you, it doesn't have to last more than 50 rounds; it doesn't really even need firing pins.:)

I mean, do whatever floats your boat. But if someone showed up in the handgun or rifle forums and said, "I want to buy a really cool gun and I probably won't ever shoot it, what should I buy?" how could one really answer this question? There's no good answer, and there's no bad answer. Shotguns are no different.
 
Honestly, I don't see the point in buying an O/U and not shooting it, and a "pedestrian owner" is really better off with something else.
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I agree completely.

Yeah, but most average shotgun shooters do, a lot faster than they realize. It doesn't take an aficionado to do that, as I detailed above. It just takes someone who will use the gun.
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Yeah, I gotta agree with that one too. When I begin tallying round counts, I am always surprised. I have a Glock 19 that will be 3 years old in October...11,000+ rounds. I have only been shotgunning seriously since December, and even at that I have shot about 3000 rounds through various shotguns (been experimenting with what I like best).

The OP:

Quick search showed no results, so here it is: Not sure if i could buy one any time soon, but what are some good inexpensive o/u's, say $400 or less? Can be 20,16,or12. Would be used for dove and some clays. Preferably a single selective trigger.
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I still think the Yildiz fits the criteria, given that "good" is a highly subjective concept. Some folks think Chevy's are good, others can't live without a Mercedes. (substitute 1911, and Glock for Chevy and Mercedes if you like).:D

Sooooo...T-Ray, is it all clear now??:evil:
 
but the OP was asking about cheap, NIB O/U's.
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Nowhere does it say nib. I didn't even say i AM going to get one, just said i was interested.
Yes, i realize a ferarri is better than a chevy, but when they break, the chevy is affordable to fix. Yes, you're going to say the ferarri isn't going to break when the chevy does, but things happen.
I wasn't really asking the $3k o/u owners, more pointing it towards yildiz and condor type owners. If i was going to shoot 3k rounds a year, i'd buy a beretta or somethin really good, but like i said, it'd just be somethin fun to play with. I'm going to shoot it, that's inevitable, but CAN'T shoot as much as i like.
 
T-Ray,

Here is a good example of why "cheap" shotguns may not be such a good deal..... assuming you want to shoot it occasionally.

At the range today, one of my buddies who has a Franchi O/U finally got his gun back. He didn't shoot it a lot, but I would guess he has put perhaps 2000 to 3000 rounds through it since he bought it new.

Anyway, it needed new firing pins and hammer springs. He sent the gun off and had to wait about 6 months because they didn't have any firing pins and couldn't get any. Finally, he said that the repair facility agreed to MAKE some firing pins that would fit. It seemed to work OK today.

If my buddy had had a Browning citori O/U, he could have bought new firing pins and hammer springs for a few bucks almost anywhere.

So, it's the old story of having your gun broke down and unable to use it because you can't get some $5 part. If you stick with the more popular brands of O/U such as Beretta, Browning, or SKB...... that should never be a problem. I'm not saying that they never break down, but in the occasional instance when they do, parts are always available. With some of the "cheaper" makes of O/U, that's not always true.
 
I mean, do whatever floats your boat. But if someone showed up in the handgun or rifle forums and said, "I want to buy a really cool gun and I probably won't ever shoot it, what should I buy?" how could one really answer this question? There's no good answer, and there's no bad answer. Shotguns are no different.
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You're making this a binary scenario, in which either the gun gets used for thousands of rounds per year or gets used not at all. The point that people are trying to make is that most folk are somewhere between those two extremes, and sit somewhere in the '500 rounds a year' neighborhood. For those folks, a Yildiz *may* do just fine.

Dunno. I don't know crap about shotguns.

But I do understand the desire for real economy, and I understand the concern about false economy.
 
T-Ray, I don't own any $3000 guns, though I do have one Beretta O/U. I own a few shotguns at this point, but 2/3 of them cost me between 50 and 250 bucks each.

If I were to answer an open question like: "I have an 870 and 400 bucks. What should I buy to have fun with a shotgun?" this is what I'd recommend.

Spend the 400 bucks on ammo, clay targets and/or range tickets and shoot the 870.

870s balance and shoot very well, and they're fun to shoot. You may find that, if you buy something else, you end up liking the 870 better. Or not. But this has most certainly happened to a good number of shooters, even very seasoned shooters.
 
I have a conndor and Its a great gun but I honastly would trade it for an 870 quicker then you would think b/c thr 870 is more versitile don't get me wrong the condor is great and I love it its just you can use the 870 more then the condor but if you really want an O/U then by all means get one

The condor won't let you down and you can have it for cheap and it will searve your purpose but I agree with ArmedBear just spend it on other stuff get a longer bareal if it makes you feel better but I see more pump guns at my local trap range then O/U's
 
"I shoot clays with my 870 and i can cycle it just about as fast as a semi auto can, or rather as fast as you're going to shoot a semi auto"


I belive you said this T-Ray so why not just stick with the 870?

Had to post this after seeing it while reading another thread

sorry
 
The fact is, Remington hit on a design that made for guns that fit lots of people, point and swing very well, and that can be made for relatively low prices.

The 870, 1100, and similar shotguns tend to work very well for people -- I know a guy, a very good shooter, who got well into 5 figures on a custom trap gun before his scores got better than what he got with his old 1100.

If I were going to, say, shoot trap on a bet with a borrowed field gun, and I could choose between the cheapest 870 Express and any O/U that goes for under $1000, I'd pick the 870, hands down, end of story. And I know I'm not alone.

That's the real issue here as I see it. That 870 you already have is a wonderful shooter; it will be hard to beat it.
 
i'm not going to replace my 870, i just think it'd be cool to have an o/u just because they're cool and probably fun to shoot. It'd be fun to put the 870 down for an hour or so while dove hunting and shoot with an o/u. I'll still use my 870, i'm not sayin its not durable or fun, i'm sayin o/u's look like fun and it'd be fun to be able to put down my 870 for a bit just to have fun with a different gun.
 
T-Ray:

Chocolate ice cream tastes awesome, but sometimes a person wants Butter Pecan, right?

Doc2005
 
But if you speak with any experienced trap, skeet or clays competitor they'll assure you a $400 dollar double has a whole lot in common with a $400 Cadillac.
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Yeah, but aren't those the same guys who will assure you that there's no need for civilians to own handguns or "assault weapons", and that the politicians would never try to ban hunting rifles or shotguns? I don't put a lot of stock in what gun snobs say, my own self. They may be right, but I certainly won't believe it because they say it - I'll find out for myself whether my Baikal (Rem Spartan) and Huglu (CZ) are gonna stand the test of time. It's gonna take me a few years to a couple decades, but I'll eventually post whether the gun snobs were right someday. :)

Agree that the 870 or other pump or semi-auto will likely shoot just as well in your hands. The O/Us and S/Ss are mostly about impressing your friends/girlfriends, and as a conversation piece. If I'm gonna hunt dove or quail by myself, no need to take anything but the 1400 winchester. But if hunting with friends, espec. the white collar types, I'd take along the CZ, which is an impressive color case-hardened & engraved machine of beauty.
 
So if you are only looking for a fun gun then buy what YOU think looks cool b/c that is the reason you are buying one b/c it looks like fun and it looks cool
 
If I'm gonna hunt dove or quail by myself, no need to take anything but the 1400 winchester. But if hunting with friends, espec. the white collar types, I'd take along the CZ, which is an impressive color case-hardened & engraved machine of beauty.
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I'm exactly the opposite. I don't want to impress anyone; I just love the way my SKB 20 Gauge shoots. Got it for 500 bucks. The 1100 hasn't been out much since I got the little O/U.

People seem to have "issues" about shotguns that they don't have about rifles or handguns.

If someone asks about whether a really cheap rifle or pistol is a good purchase in the other forums here, and people say, "No, save your money and get something better. I've seen a lot of those break down in a short time and they shoot terrible groups." the answer is generally, "Oh. Thanks for saving me the money and hassle. Guess I'll wait a bit and get something I'll like."

The same scenario in the shotgun forum results in all sorts of personal issues coming up, see PremiumSauces above, where someone who believes a Jap Browning is a much better purchase than a Huglu must be a snob and someone who opposes RKBA, but the poster still feels the need to impress "white collar" hunters.

That kind of response in the rifle or revolver forum would be seen as utterly ridiculous, and reflecting on the personal issues of the poster, not the guns. Why is that any different when the gun in question is a shotgun?

I mean, really, it's nothing personal if someone posts the truth about shotguns. Buy what you want. If you don't care to learn from the mistakes of others, go ahead and make your own. It's your life, your money, and your business.

Don't expect people to lie to you and tell you a cheap O/U is a good gun, if their experience tells them otherwise. Why would you WANT them to lie to you?
 
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Want a Boito? They are built in Brazil, were made for K-mart and sell for almost nothing. I'll ship you one for $200 to an FFL. Interested, I'll get you photos.
Has K-Mart stamped on the barrel!
 
Premium Sauces, that stereotype is as mistaken as the one about "Natural Rhythm".....

If I showed up at PGC with a Tromixed Saiga, the guys would set down their Parkers, Model 12s etc, and line up to try it out.

Some of them own black rifles, all of them handguns. NRA Life memberships are as common to them as old, faded straight patches on old faded shooting vests.

And a more passionately committed group for YOUR right to own guns, cheap or upscale, would be very hard to find.

And, these guys are more typical that you might think.

And re O/Us, at Casa McC the O/U is outnumbered by the 870s 5 to 1. And both are outnumbered by the handguns.

It's a Beretta, and a target crunching death ray when I hold up my end.

So are the 870s that I use for hunting, defense and fun.

With the O/U, I don't have to bend down and pick up the empties when shooting doubles. At my age, that's a nice bennie.

It's steady but quick, while the 870s are a bit better on stuff that changes speed and direction at will.

The two chokes are nice. I may pick up a bird or two with the O/U at SC that I couldn't with a pump, but it's close.

Am I a snob? Red neck, blue collar and rural outlook......
 
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