Inexpensive O/U's

[cjanak]

I managed to get a used Franchi Alcione Field 12 guage for $450. Only a few years old with normal hunting wear... bascially the guy had 7 guns but his wife thought he only had 4 so he needed to unload it fast. That was a lucky find, but if you're not in a hurry you may find a similar deal to if you look hard enough.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

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.

Well then perhaps mea culpa; perhaps I need to get out more. But that's been my admittedly *very limited* experience with the guys I know who own very very expensive shotguns. Maybe in varies it different regions of the country. Thank you for opening my eyes to this, as I would never have guessed it.

I shall endeavor henceforth to not be so hasty to judge & generalize the "nice shotgun" owners.

Wait a sec - that "natural rhythm" method had better work! (If you mean what I think you mean).

Armed Bear, your point is well taken also. No, I would NOT want them to lie - definitely. It's just that I frankly don't believe them. I've heard LOTS of gun snobs explain to me how Savage rifles and CZ pistols are JUNK, and only pre-64 Winchesters, Remingtons, and Brownings are worth owning. So I naturally assume that those who tell me any shotgun under $1,000 is junk are in the same mold.

I don't think there's anything that weird about taking nicer guns when shooting with friends, and for me at least, there's nothing different about shotguns there, relative to rifles. I'd do the same thing with rifles. I normally hunt by myself, and as such, I might deer hunt with anything from the butt-ugly Savage with my homemade camo job to a nice looking rifle. But if I were to deer hunt with friends, it wouldn't be with the Savage. Just like I put on nice clothes and shoes and take a bath first when going out socially. :dunno:

Random Tangent Question for the shotgunners: As I am more of a rifle type of guy, I don't know -- if I were inclined to pick one of the clays sports to get involved with, and my sole goal is to get better at hitting quail, pheasant and doves (notsomuch waterfowl), which one would help me the most - skeet, trap, or SCs?

 

[Ash]

That's not hard to understand. I have heard the same thing in the past about CZ pistols and Savage rifles, or Mosin's. Lots of things like that, so it is real easy to assume snobbery when O/U's are bandied about. I can afford the more expensive ones, but I really like the Valmet (the 333 can take the replacement rifle barrels to make a double rifle). The new Turks don't hold as well, but there are great O/U's out there in new condition for cheap - and they are not even hard to find.

Ash

 

[45auto]

Skeet would be the best 'all-around' clay target sport for a beginner and to learn about hitting "birds" IMO.
After your "comfortable" with skeet, then sporting and trap.

An "inexpensive" O/U is directly related to how many targets you shoot and how seriously you take the "sport". If you shoot 10,000-25,000 targets per year, your "inexpensive" O/U will run from $1700-$2500 minimum and then up to about $9,000 for a plain grade "expensive" shotgun, depending on what you want. That's a gun that's reliable, durable, probably shoots to point of aim, the rib stays on, ejects shells, doesn't break, potential correct stock dimensions, chokes, etc. And, a company that can back up their products.

If you hunt a bit, shoot clay targets a bit, maybe have 2-5,000 rounds in the gun within 20 years, that's a "different" ballgame. I'd probably look at the Spartan by Remington, at least you will have a company that can back it up.

But, overall, for that kind of money, your best bet is the 1100 IMO.

 

[Dave McCracken]

PS, you shoulda been with me today at PGC. Among the Usual Suspects, there were the following shotguns....

One Parker 20 gauge.

One Bespoke Grulla. Bespoke means it was made to order for that shooter.

One Perazzi O/U.

My Beretta O/U, the entry level White Onyx 686.

A Winchester SX1.

A BT 99.

An off brand SXS made someplace in eastern Europe.

A Parker Repro in 20 gauge.

An 870 Express. This was a 28 gauge toted and used by a young man, son of one of our members.

Some of these guns have "Snob" appeal. Some, like the SX1, have some cult following.

All are right good shooters.

Chinese trap is challenging, which is why we shoot it. Some scores were over 20/25. Mine among them.

I bought the B gun not because of any style points I'd get. I got it after some research because I wanted.....

An O/U suitable for clays than would hold up to a high round count.

That would have commonly available choke tubes.

That would handle similar to my beloved 870s.

And was within my budget.

I went a long time waiting to make this happen. It was worth it.