Is there such a thing as a good, cheap, light O/U 20ga?

[Tycer]

Is there such a thing as a good, cheap, light O/U 20g a?

Nancy shot my buddy's Citori last time we shot sporting clays. Her 11-87 12ga is now too heavy (after HOW many years?)

[TedH]

Shot a friends 20 ga Red Label on a pheasant hunt one time, and I was instantly enamored with it. Not cheap though. I saw last night that Wally World is selling plain jane Mossberg O/U for under $500. Don't know if they are good, or light though.

[M. M. Wright]

"Good" and "Light" are easy to find but if you want both those forget "Cheap". Save up your shekels and buy a Beretta.

[Bill in Oregon]

Tycer, take a look at the relatively new Franchi Instinct L. These are out there for under $1,000. Gave one to my daughter. She loves it.

[superchicken]

Look up Yildiz. They are imported by Academy Sports. They are almost too light for some. They have aluminium frames and come in at under 6#. They make both O/U & SXS models. A step up from that would be CZ. They make pretty decent shotguns.

[BrentD]

"Good" and "Light" are easy to find but if you want both those forget "Cheap". Save up your shekels and buy a Beretta.

the Beretta 686 that I've handled are darn heavy.

The Citori is probably a good value for what it is. I don't much care for them (or any o/u).

A used SxS is far preferable to me, but until we know what "cheap" is, making a recommendation is sort of pointless.

[Pete44ru]

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FWIW, Tycer, (as posted above) "good" & "light" are premium/desireable features in an O/U shotgun - quality = $$$

I would respectfully advise you stay away from any of the less expensive guns made in Turkey ( Yildiz, Mossberg, Savage & others), and the heavy-for-gauge Ruger Red Label (which is AFAIK going through some teething problems since the re-release earlier this year).

The lightest, handiest 20ga O/U I've ever owned/shot/etc was the choke-tubed, scaled-down frame, Beretta 686 Onyx - You should be able to find a good/used example for around $1100-$1300, as long as it's not one of the fancier grades.

Alternatively, since the steel-receiver Remington 11-87 is a heavyweight (a plus for competition shooting), AND she's used to an autoloader, why not consider an alloy-frame autoloader, like the Beretta series ?


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[Tycer]

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FWIW, Tycer, (as posted above) "good" & "light" are premium/desireable features in an O/U shotgun - quality = $$$

I would respectfully advise you stay away from any of the less expensive guns made in Turkey ( Yildiz, Mossberg, Savage & others), and the heavy-for-gauge Ruger Red Label (which is AFAIK going through some teething problems since the re-release earlier this year).

The lightest, handiest 20ga O/U I've ever owned/shot/etc was the choke-tubed, scaled-down frame, Beretta 686 Onyx - You should be able to find a good/used example for around $1100-$1300, as long as it's not one of the fancier grades.

Alternatively, since the steel-receiver Remington 11-87 is a heavyweight (a plus for competition shooting), AND she's used to an autoloader, why not consider an alloy-frame autoloader, like the Beretta series ?

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I just read an article on chuck hawks suggesting that same thing vs a double. I liked his reasoning. Thanks for the suggestion.
She's limited as she's a lefty/left eye dominant. Benelli M2?

[cas]

I believe the rule of thumb on "cheap" O/U is that unless you're just going to use it for hunting occasionally, or only shoot trap/skeet a couple times a year..... Don't.

[pdentrem]

I wanted a Red Label but the price was always out of reach. Finally I bought a Beretta Whitewing in 20 gauge for $700. There are deals out there just have to keep looking.
Pierre

[horsesoldier03]

Is there such a thing as a good, cheap, light O/U 20g a?

Nancy shot my buddy's Citori last time we shot sporting clays. Her 11-87 12ga is now too heavy (after HOW many years?)

Going cheap on a gun for your wife could possibly result in changing her opinion on how cheap you should go on a gun for yourself!

I make it a point not to use the word cheap but I do look for GOOD DEALS!

HUGLU has several bargin shotguns. I prefer CZs.

[Pete44ru]

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FWIW, Tycer, (as posted above) "good" & "light" are premium/desireable features in an O/U shotgun - quality = $$$

I would respectfully advise you stay away from any of the less expensive guns made in Turkey ( Yildiz, Mossberg, Savage & others), and the heavy-for-gauge Ruger Red Label (which is AFAIK going through some teething problems since the re-release earlier this year).

The lightest, handiest 20ga O/U I've ever owned/shot/etc was the choke-tubed, scaled-down frame, Beretta 686 Onyx - You should be able to find a good/used example for around $1100-$1300, as long as it's not one of the fancier grades.

Alternatively, since the steel-receiver Remington 11-87 is a heavyweight (a plus for competition shooting), AND she's used to an autoloader, why not consider an alloy-frame autoloader, like the Beretta series ?

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She's limited as she's a lefty/left eye dominant. Benelli M2 ?

I would not recommend a Benelli for her, as it's not a softer-recoiling gas gun, but instead is a Inertia Drive (short bolt recoil) system.

I would re-inforce looking at an alloy receiver gas gun.


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[Blaine]

I've had my Baikal 12 SXS for awhile. It seems pretty sturdy, and light enough to be uncomfortable shooting it at Clays....I've seen their O/Us, and they look like decent, basic shotguns. That Russian stuff is bulletproof..... Strong Like Bear

[RIHMFIRE]

stay away from the cheap O/Us...
Shot skeet with a young guy who was using one of those p.o.s. turkish guns...
I could have shot another round of skeet with the time he wasted trying to get the thing to work....junk!

Like they said...save your money and buy a used or new O/U beretta or browning, or franchi, or skb...
and buy one that fits you....

I prefer Beretta....686 was mentioned....I have the 686 sporting onyx....great gun...
I put thousands and thousands of rounds through it
with no problems, except the stock is a tad long for me....

[FLINT]

Stevens has a new over under that is cheap.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/Stevens555

[Pete44ru]

Stevens has a new over under that is cheap.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/Stevens555

Straight from Turkey.....................................


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[FLINT]

Stevens has a new over under that is cheap.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/Stevens555

Straight from Turkey.....................................


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Oh bummer

[superchicken]

I would not write off Turkish made shotguns. My CZ Bobwhite has performed flawlessly and is many times better quality than just about anything from American manufacturers like Remington and Marlin. Ive shot everything in it including 3" steel and hevishot. It fits me and I shoot it well. CZ shotguns are made by Huglu. There were some firing pin issues with them several years ago, but they seem to have that fixed. I know a gunshops owner here locally who can buy anything he wants, but his favorite shotguns are a pair of Yildiz 410 sxs that his brother added decorative carving too. Most people who have them love them. There are plenty of reports of people putting 10k+ rounds through them without issue. I have considered picking one up because they are inexpensive, but preferred to go with the steel receiver on the CZ. Its my primary upland gun these days and I also use it for ducks with Heavishot..

If guns from Turkey are bad, what about the XD and XDs pistols made next door in Croatia. I feel the same as everyone here about buying American, but there are some American manufacturers who do not deserver my hard earned money.

Ruger is indeed one of the good ones. The Red Label is a fine American made shotgun. However, the original post was asking for a cheap, light O/U. As good as it is, it is neither cheap nor light. If those are your requirements, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

Finally, if you are reviewing on the internet for gun reviews, I think you will find horror stories out there for any gun and any manufacturer you look up. My theory about internet reviews is that you tend to get armchair ravers and whiners and not much in between. The average guy who uses his gun hard and leaves his mark on it in the form of a worn hand print in the bluing and honest scratches is usually too busy enjoying his gun to write about it on the internet. I look at those reviews and postings, but I am always cautious about how much faith I put in them. Just like I am cautious about the pro gun reviewers who seem to never get a lemon and never have anything critical to say.

My $0.02. Don't spend it all in one place.

[t.r.]

My boss shoots sporting clays with his Mossberg O/U shotgun. It's well built and affordable.

TR

[Pete44ru]

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I based my comment about Turkish guns on the two inexpensive stinkers I actually bought - A 20ge Mossberg Silver Reserve & a .410 Savage/Stevens Model 512 Gold Wing.

AFAIK, the now discontinued Savage Milano is a fairly good shotgun, as are the high-grade Huglu's branded for S&W and Weatherby several years ago.


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[crs]

What superchicken said +1 on the CZ.

I have shot a lot of clays with the low end CZ 28 and 20 ga OU and SxS and IMHO they are a very good value. I can shoot them as well as my Parkers and Parker reproductions.

I will not give up my 20 ga Parkers for a CZ, but they did not cost less than $1,000 either.

[FLINT]

I have a friend with a CZ rifle and shotgun and he loves them both

[superchicken]

Pete,

Please don't take my comments about internet reviews as pointed at you. I did not intend that. I think any gun company can turn out a stinker on occasion. The question is how they stand behind them and fix the issue. My point about the discussion here was about writing off foreign guns because they are foreign. I think many could do the same thing based on what the Cerberus Capitol Management has done with great American gun manufacturers like Remington and Marlin. The question of American-made O/U and SXS shotguns is pretty much moot with the exception of the Ruger Red Label and Connecticut Shotguns. Both of those are higher dollar options and the Ruger currently is currently only made in 12 ga. Otherwise the entire double gun manufacturing market is overseas in Turkey, Italy, and Spain. Of those, the Turkish guns are the most reasonably priced, but there are good and bad. I'm not particularly a fan of the Mossbergs and Stoegers. I like the CZ and Huglu. The Yildiz are interesting, but not particularly pretty and they may be too light for a woman to use comfortably. I've also seen a couple of older SKB aluminum frame shotguns shot loose which gives me some pause about the Yildiz. I also, don't particularly like the barrel selector on those.

This is a little off topic, but I have always been a fan of Spanish side by sides like Ugartechea and AyA. I have an older Uggie that is a fine field gun. I bought it used and opened up the chokes from F&F to IC and Mod. I've run a lot of shells through it and a lot went through it before me. It currently needs some work on the mainsprings, I suspect from being stored for long periods of time cocked. If I were to buy a new shotgun for upland work these days it would be a new Uggie imported by Lion Country Supply. They are sweet light guns that point like God's own finger. The only downside is that you can't shoot steel in them or some of the tungsten matrix shot, but there are options for areas where you have to use non-toxics... They are just pricier.

There are folks who really like the Russian Baikals and like Blaine mentioned they are bulletproof. For my taste, they are bulky, heavy, unrefined, and stiff to operate. No offense Blaine.

Tycer, back to your original post. If you want new, some of those Turkish guns are really good, some are not so good. If you are willing to look for used guns, there are a lot of good ones out there, but light 20's hold their value. SKBs are good guns, some of the Spanish guns are are good, there are a lot of good Brownings out there. Do some looking online. But, take her to some gun shops and let her try some stuff on for size to see what she likes.

[Pete44ru]

Pete,

Please don't take my comments about internet reviews as pointed at you. I did not intend that.

N.P., superchicken - I didn't take anything personal, only as an honest/open discussion.

I apologize if my post/reply seemed so - I didn't intend it to be. (Durn electronic in-sensitivity)


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[Rusty]

If she's been shooting an 11-87 for all this time maybe an 1100 20 ga would work for her. They are built on a smaller frame than the 12 ga. I have an 870 20 ga that is just plain sweet.