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Looking to pick up an O/U for upland and trap shooting. I've always been a Browning guy so leaning toward a Superposed, but kind of like the SKB's, Red Label, and Berettas. I have a few friends with new guns, and it seems there are some nice, light Turkish and Italian guns out there. What do you like?
 
I really like the Beretta 686 Onyx. I think it points great and appears to be really well made. If money was tighter, I'd look at CZ. They have several nice options.
Agreed, both I would consider excellent acquisitions. Beretta there's no question, CZ make some awesome O/U's.

Personally shoot a Lanber 2097, which is sadly no longer imported from Spain.
 
I had a CZ Canvasback (it's technically made by Huglu in Turkey, but CZ sells them) and it was pretty much perfect as a range gun, although it only had extractors, so as a field gun it may not be as good. However, they make lots of other models of varying levels of fanciness that have ejectors. It did have a trigger problem initially (the sear was damaged so it would only reliably fire one of the barrels) but they fixed it in about 3 weeks door-to-door at no charge, even for shipping, and with none of the typical dancing-around-the-problem you see with a lot of warranty claims. They're not usually as pretty or pride-inducing as the Italians, but you can buy a lot of shells and after-hunting beers with the $$$ you save, and they'll still knock birds out of the sky just as well.
 
For me it is the Browning Citori for a field shotgun. They fit me well. It depends a lot on what fits you. There are some fine O/U shotguns out there ... they just need to fit you well. For more vintage trap shotguns it is the Winchester 21, I have a trap version that my Dad competed with decades ago. Absolutely beautiful shotgun but I would never take this thing in the field. It should probably go to someone who will use it for its intended purpose of breaking clay birds.
 
Many years ago I had a Beretta BL-3 in .20ga. that I packed to the Gunshows for 6 months or so. I thought I had it priced Right but it just wasn't selling. Finally I took it to the range and shot 3 rounds of Trap and got the best scores I've ever gotten. Decided to keep it so you keep the Bride happy I took it to the next Show after putting a much higher price tag - double I think. And it wasn't on the table for 20 minutes and it walked out the door!

Beretta no longer make it and I've been looking ever since, with no luck.
 
Man, tough choices! Were I to look these days, I would be leaning heavy to Franchi! I have always wanted a Ruger Red Label, but never did find that perfect one, and the Browning and Weatherby are also super nice, I ended up with a Remington Peerless Super Grade I got a smokin deal on, and honestly, its too nice to take to the field, but I do any way, just because I don't do safe queens! :D
 
I owned 3 SKB shotguns... 1 O/U 12ga 28", 1 O/U 20ga 26", 1 SxS 20ga 28". They were nice! And more affordable at the time than a Ruger Red Label or a Citori. I also owned a Charles Daly (Miroku) 12ga 30" 3" full and full that I used for goose. My buddy had a Remington 3200 that he used for bunnies.

My favorite for upland game was the SKB 20ga. You need something that points quickly but consistently. The consistent factor comes from fit. Ya know, Americans are the only ones that shoot off-the-shelf shotguns... everywhere else knows that a shotgun needs to be custom fit for the shooter to have success!

I used that 20ga on Huns and quail. Tried it on chukar but preferred the 12ga because those suckers can fly away carrying a pretty good load of lead. For pheasant and grouse I liked the 12ga too. I started out hunting with a few pump guns but graduated to O/U because I'm slow racking a second round and I like having two different chokes.

Oh, I had a cheap Harrington and Richardson 12ga O/U that was surprisingly nice but the stock was soft wood and it cracked when I tripped and banged the barrel on the ground in front of me.

Today's selections? IDK what's out there. Last time I was in a Cabela's I was trapped for hours browsing around and couldn't hardly be torn away... there is some pretty exotic shotguns on display. That said, if Citori is still available you probably wouldn't go wrong. A Superposed would be another. Cynergy looks nice and has interchangeable chokes.
 
This looks good:

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690 Field | SKB Shotguns
 
I owned 3 SKB shotguns... 1 O/U 12ga 28", 1 O/U 20ga 26", 1 SxS 20ga 28". They were nice! And more affordable at the time than a Ruger Red Label or a Citori. I also owned a Charles Daly (Miroku) 12ga 30" 3" full and full that I used for goose. My buddy had a Remington 3200 that he used for bunnies.

My favorite for upland game was the SKB 20ga. You need something that points quickly but consistently. The consistent factor comes from fit. Ya know, Americans are the only ones that shoot off-the-shelf shotguns... everywhere else knows that a shotgun needs to be custom fit for the shooter to have success!

I used that 20ga on Huns and quail. Tried it on chukar but preferred the 12ga because those suckers can fly away carrying a pretty good load of lead. For pheasant and grouse I liked the 12ga too. I started out hunting with a few pump guns but graduated to O/U because I'm slow racking a second round and I like having two different chokes.

Oh, I had a cheap Harrington and Richardson 12ga O/U that was surprisingly nice but the stock was soft wood and it cracked when I tripped and banged the barrel on the ground in front of me.

Today's selections? IDK what's out there. Last time I was in a Cabela's I was trapped for hours browsing around and couldn't hardly be torn away... there is some pretty exotic shotguns on display. That said, if Citori is still available you probably wouldn't go wrong. A Superposed would be another. Cynergy looks nice and has interchangeable chokes.

Good post buddy. I'm not real slow at racking my 870 pump, but do sometimes try to short stroke it. Especially when I was shooting comp trap. I'd have fun with it on doubles. My highest score was 49, but averaged 47 with it. I remember short stroking it and recovering to make the shot when the bird was falling fast. However, since this is about O/U's, and field or trap use, I simple loved my 28" citori. It was just a hammer and it was fast on doubles and live birds. I'm lucky, as I also had a 32" Citori trap to compare it to. There was almost no comparison between the two. The 32" barreled gun was heavier, which made it slower, but smoother to swing. Better for singles and handicap shooting. Not the best for long bombs (80 yards from the trap house) though. That's where my quicker 870 and BT99 came into play......... If I were wanting something for trap doubles and upland hunting, I'd opt for a 28"-maybe a 30" barreled field grade citori. They are hard to beat IMHO...
 
make the shot when the bird was falling fast

I never could hit a falling bird. Don't know why, when shooting 28yard or longer I certainly should have gotten practice. :rolleyes:

Those BT99s as good as a Perazzi? Man, some folks got a lot of disposable $$$.

Last of all... the only time I short-stroked my pump was towards the end of some hot, wet, action!
 
I never could hit a falling bird. Don't know why, when shooting 28yard or longer I certainly should have gotten practice. :rolleyes:

Those BT99s as good as a Perazzi? Man, some folks got a lot of disposable $$$.

Last of all... the only time I short-stroked my pump was towards the end of some hot, wet, action!

A 4 gun annie 35 yards+ from the trap house and you're the 4th gun, you learn to shoot a falling bird. Maybe I like money too much... Or maybe I like seeing the bird break? Maybe I like both? :p
 
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Citori Feather 20ga. Came in 525, 625, and currently 725 and Lighting models.
Cynergy Field 20ga... feather model dc'd unfortunately. I love mine but NFS.
If the Brownings fit you well, the Beretta might not. Different ergos. Sold my 686, would smack my face hard. Beretta is a really nice gun though and they are proud of them.
Benelli 828u is another consideration. Very light 12ga and if you can get past the looks, it ergos beautifully.
I have a new SKB 20ga that is a really nice well built double for being Turkish. Same outfit that makes the Kimber Valier
Franchi also makes very nice doubles, most with alloy frames.
 
The Franchi Instinct series feels like a cross between a Silver Pidgeon and a Citori. It's not quite as nice, but costs around $1000...
If you're looking for more of a budget gun that still has good quality, pick up the Franchi Instinct and feel it.

Ruger Red Label would be good options if you can find it, same with a Superposed. Those are all good options for mid range guns.

The Stevens 555 has a remarkable feel for it's price tag, around $500.
 
Looking to pick up an O/U for upland and trap shooting. I've always been a Browning guy so leaning toward a Superposed, but kind of like the SKB's, Red Label, and Berettas. I have a few friends with new guns, and it seems there are some nice, light Turkish and Italian guns out there. What do you like?

A Miroku, or a Charles Daly mfg by Miroku, are outstanding guns for the money. Every bit the equal of a Superposed, or a Winchester 101 for a whale of a lot less $$$$.
Best,
Gary
 
I have owned a bunch of O/U shotguns over the years and I'm impressed with some of the offerings coming out of Turkey. That being said, I am unreasonably partial and prejudiced toward Italian shotguns. I currently have a 20 and a 28 Silver Pigeon II, as well as a FAIR (Fabrique Armes Isidoro Rizzini) .410 with sideplates. You might want to take a look at the FAIR guns. You can buy a lot of shotgun for reasonable money.
Sorry, I used the term "reasonable money" when speaking of Italian shotguns, but hopefully, you get what I mean.

Looking and choosing is nearly as much fun as owning and shooting.

Bill.
 
Been said already, but Beretta 686 (silver pigeon being the cheapest) are hard to beat. If you want one, do it all for sporting (clays) and field (birds), then get one in 28 in. Ideally sporting guns have 30-34 inch barrels and field guns are 24-28. The nice thing about the 686 series is that the most cost effect (silver pigeon) has the exact same action as the super expensive diamond pigeon, which just has more hand carving....
 

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