The most durable OU

[9x19mm]

Hello folks!
Most people consider Browning OUs as the most durable in the market (I am primarily reffering to steel actions). Are Berettas a close second? How about other brands like Rizzini, Franchi, Winchester etc -how do they compare to Brownings and Berretas when it comes to sturdiness (number of rounds before the action starts to loosen up) ?

 

[TrapperReady]

My personal opinion is that Kolars are going to be the most durable. The action is extremely overbuilt, and the guns are designed for massive quantity shooting.

However, most people (myself included for now) don't want to spend $10,000 for a gun which weighs nearly 10 pounds.

As far as the others, I have a Browning 425 with many thousands of shells through it, and it still is very tight. I've handled several Berettas which have been shot for a while, and all have been looser. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that there is anything wrong. A gun can be loose (some might call it smooth) and still function very well for an extremely long time.

I don't have enough experience with the other brands mentioned, but I doubt you could go wrong with a Browning or Beretta O/U.

 

[9x19mm]

Hello,
I was just wondering if apart from the Brownings (and some very high-dollar shotguns like Kolars) most of the rest OUs at the price range of 1.200-1.800 are more or less the same regarding action durability (Berettas included)

 

[BigG]

Your clay gamers would know.

I've got a '63 Browning Superposed that still locks up like a bank vault despite having more than a case or two of shells thru it.

 

[Tom C.]

Shotgun durability

How does the Ruger Red Label OU hold up compared to the Browings and Berettas?

 

[45auto]

Both Brownings and Berettas are very durable O/U's. In my experience I don't think I could rate one above the other in how long they can last, both can be rebuilt for lifetimes.

I think the Browning is a more reliable gun, but not by much.

I haven't seen a lot of Winchesters lately, but I had the impression they were not as reliable or as durable as the Browning. That's an impression, not fact.
The other makes I don't see enough to comment.

 

[TrapperReady]

Tom C. - The only Ruger Red Labels I've handled have been used models for sale at local stores. I've looked over three of them and came away unimpressed. Two specimens were looser than I would like, and all three had a somewhat cheesy-feeling toplever.

My personal opinion on a lot of things is to go with the flow. That means, I look at what lots of other people are using for equipment and use that as a starting place.

Since I shoot a lot of trap and sporting clays, I've paid attention to what other guys shoot. The majority (around here) use Browning O/U's, with Berettas coming in second. There is the occasional Krieghoff or Kolar, and sometimes a lesser (known or priced) brand. The fact is that most of the time the racks look like an ad for Browning Citoris.

Since these guys are spending their own money, I take that as a pretty good endorsement.

 

[Tom C.]

Thanks

 

[Jim Watson]

The preferred cost no object target guns around here are Kolar and Kreighoff. Our club prez recently paid $450 to have his Kreighoff 32 overhauled, but it was a '65 model in the shop for the first time.

If you want to pay less, a Citori is awful strong.
There are people who will look hard for a Remington 3200, they seem to last and last.

Berettas and Perazzis are not nearly as common as they used to be. Winchesters and Rugers are seldom seen and I think I have seen one Rizzini ever. Later Remingtons like Peerless and 396 just did not catch on. I doubt their new 332 will do much better, no matter how they compare it to the original 32.

 

[Jason Demond]

Didn't Kolar build the Remington Model 90T? I don't think they are in production anymore, but can be found used.

My Dad owns 2 Beretta 682's that have thousands of rounds through them and are still like new. FWIW, he is a Trap shooter.

 

[45auto]

I've shot the Ruger Red label and actually like the way it felt.

They are "loose" by standards, however they market it as easy open and all that.
I think they would be fine for hunting and some clay target shooting. Their fit and finish are not up to the Browning, Beretta level, but neither is the price.
I don't think it's the type of O/U that you would shoot 20,000 rounds a year through.

I had forgotten about the 90-T, Kolar may have built that for Remington. They still haven't gotten it right since they discontinued the 3200, almost 20 years ago now!!

 

[PJR]

They key factor in durability is how the gun is maintained. The hinge areas must be lubricated otherwise they will wear. If you slam the receiver shut with full force you increase wear. Treat them poorly and it doesn't matter whose name is on the reciever.

Between Beretta and Browning I don't think one is more durable than the other and I've owned both. The Browning trap gun I sold years ago is owned by a friend and he has recently had it rebuilt after a hundred thousand targets or so. My Beretta sporting gun has gone through many tens of thousands of rounds and it's never had a part replaced other than a couple of sears that wore after a so-called gunsmith seriously botched a trigger job.

My Krieghoff trap from the 70's was well used when I got it and I put many thousands of rounds through it until some problems came up. A Kreighoff rep at the Grand estimated this gun had shot a couple hundred thousands of round at least. After being sent to Krieghoff in Pennsylvania it is now as good as new for about $600USD.

Based on the experiences of a couple friends who own Ruger Red Labels I don't believe this gun is as durable as Browning or Beretta but that's not enough of a sample to make a definitive statement.

At the end of the day, if you treat it right, it will outlast you and if it doesn't good quality target guns are built to be rebuilt.

Paul

 

[sm]

In the clay games the Kreigoffs, Kolars and the Remington 3200 proved quite durable. They are built that way and price is reflected.

Personally I used The Browning Citori. The 3 bbl set I used is still tight as a drum. I used to put as much as a min of 300 rds a week to as much as 600 rds a week. Other models of Citoris have proven themselves in the field as well.

Plus I really liked the gun to metal fit, and that notable wood and blue ---had looks, smarts, and 'behaved' well---can't ask for much more---and they wonder why guys are picky about their women

 

[Dave McCracken]

There's a definite relationship between price and durability in O/Us.

On a per use basis, buying a top quality O/U makes sense.

I think the Rugers make good field guns, and the Hull Elf likes his 28 gauge for clays, but I'm loath to recommend them to a hard core clay fanatic with a case per weekend shell Jones.

BTW, since the 28 gauge Ruger is on a 20 gauge frame, it qualifies as overbuilt.

The K guns,B-guns, Perazzis etc,will last a very long time. They're also capable of being rebuilt over and over, giving us close to an immortal gun.

Or,try an 870,heh,heh,heh....

 

[9x19mm]

I see that your votes primarily go to Browning and Beretta (and some high $ OUs). From what I see at the range(s) most people use Berettas (for trap, skeet, sporting clays). Brownings are very popular for competition, too. I guess there is a reason for that..

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Don't usually find myself contradicting Dave Mc much---BUT----the 28ga Red Label is built on its own smaller frame--guage specific---not the 20ga frame.

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/P-CategoryShotgunsOU.html

 

[45auto]

Votes are for the Browning and Beretta in that price range.
You see more of them, not only for the quality, but the price!

I believe the high quality guns will go much longer without a rebuild than the mid level guns. They also costs quite a bit more to rebuild. But you don't buy those just for the durability, that's a 'given' in that price range.

The "quality" feel difference is substantial between the two groups of guns, not enough to shoot a Perazzi, if you shoot the Browning better, but enough to justify the additional costs for a virtually hand fitted custom stocked gun. They also have excellent resale values for the most part.

Service levels for the guns are not comparable, at least in this country. Browning and Beretta have been traditionally "laughable" while the Perazzi and Kreighoff will "stand at attention" when you arrive.

 

[Dave McCracken]

I stand corrected....

 

[HSMITH]

I have a Red Label Sporting Clays with over 70K rounds through it. It is not any tighter and not any looser than the day I got it. It "feels" loose because of the way it locks, it does not need the tightness of the other types to maintain integrity. From a design standpoint it is every bit as strong as the Brownings and every bit as durable. Apples to oranges when comparing the Ruger with the Browning or anything else for that matter, they are just too different to make comparisons. The Ruger has one serious disadvantage, and that is stories like the ones above in this thread keeping resale values down well below the others.

If you are going to spend over a grand you will not go wrong with any of the shotguns in that price range. Buy the one that FITS and forget all the other crap because at the end of the day that is what is going to satisfy you and break tagets!!!! If you ever wear a decent quality shotgun out consider yourself priviledged and lucky to have been able to shoot that much, and go buy another.

 

[9x19mm]

 

[Red Label]

Until I saw HSMITHs reply I thought I was the only one to voice my opinion on the Red Label. I agree with everthing Mr. Smith says. I don't have near the amount of rounds through mine but still have not had any problems. I really don't know where the bad Ruger rap comes from because I have never personally met anyone who has not liked theirs. They are relatively popular here in Indiana. The guys I shoot with who have mostly Citoris seem to have a higher than normal amount of firing pin failures which I have never heard of on the Ruger. They all like my gun and have shot it and like it. Maybe I'll have them all converted soon!

 

[mete]

I'll also agree that keeping the gun clean and properly lubed is improtant for long life. They make special lubes for for high wear areas like the hinge pin , use them. When they ultimately wear loose there is a difference between Browning and Beretta. The Browning may last a bit longer but when it is loose the hinge pin requires a gunsmith to tighten. The trunnions of the Beretta may loosen sooner but they may be replaced ( the bolts too) easily with oversized ones available from Beretta.

 

[Gordon]

My early 70's 3200 Remington seems to be weathering life better than the late 60's Browning. I have a early 60's Berretta Silver Snipe that does not seem as robust as either of the other two, but then it was an upland game gun . ....