Looking for my first O/U 12 gauge

[Ready_fire_aim]

All I'm gonna say is, in my years of owning a number of different shotguns and trying friends' stuff out, I find that some of the less expensive brands are also less quality. Back in the 70's I had a Rossi coach gun- 18" barrels and hammers. I would be bored and take it and an old spring clay thrower out to the river- shot clays till I ran out of shells- granted I was only 10 feet behind the thrower, I would load it- pull the rope and got to where I would hit every clay that came out- after about a 1000 rounds of doing that, some of the internal parts broke and I have to make a $50 fix on a $150 gun, 70's remember. I tried to only buy quality stuff since then. Brought an old Italian revolver off a guy on Facebook one time- same deal- it locked up and was nothing but a boat anchor. Buy quality has paid off cause because I've only had one other deal since then. Had an Ithica 20 ga that would take 3" - they must have been too much cause same kind of deal- $150 fix on what was probably a $300 gun at the time. Try to get quality I say.

this is true, but even the quality guns can have problems. About 10yrs ago I bought a used citori from mustang P&G. It quickly developed an issue where the action opened on its own after firing the top barrel.

 

[scott024]

You might be able to find a Winchester 101. They are an underrated O/U if you ask me. I've owned several O/U's and the 101 is just as nice and performs just as well as any of the others.

 

[dennishoddy]

No O/U shotgun but I've got an O/S/U one. Only problem it's got a permanent full choke attached.

Drilling?

 

[enuf]

My personal tastes:

1. Used miroku o/u, exact same gun as Citori just a different name and less expensive (<$1000)
2. Used Browning Citori
3. Used Franchi instinct
4. Yildiz
5. cz

The cz’s I’ve shot were fine, I just wouldn’t pay retail for one. Ive No experience with yildiz but they look good for what you pay. I’d hate to have to find parts for either maker though.

Scratch #4 but otherwise... Yildiz and Mosberg Silver, cheap metal guts. #1 is basically todays Citori. Charles Daly / BC Miroku - when Daly went on the cheap, they sold the rights to that plant to Browning, and they are now called Citori. I have one for sale, not listed on here, or really anywhere, just word of mouth, it's just not a big deal if I sell it or not - the only thing with it, as in many O/U's, is you want to use brass heads, the aluminum ones swell and make it hard to open. Brass - pops right open. Got a buddy with a K-80 and it is the same way. I see it a lot with O/U's.

 

[enuf]

You might be able to find a Winchester 101. They are an underrated O/U if you ask me. I've owned several O/U's and the 101 is just as nice and performs just as well as any of the others.

great guns. Don't pass up a deal on one

 

[Jgreen30]

I bought a benelli 828 a few months ago, it's my first and only o/u and I love it so far.

 

[Leadlobber]

I waited and found a nice Browning 325 sporting at the Wanamaker show a few years ago . I shoot it weekly , it will outlive me and my son will inherent a nice gun .