Best over/under for clays, mid priced.

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wcat

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Hi,
I have a few semi-auto, and a Lanber 2087 O/U which shoots great.
I've decided that I could maybe make myself a retirement gift and buy a good O/U that will be for
shooting at clays mainly, either sporting or trap, and last to pass away.
I would like to have your opinion on which one to look toward, I'm a right hand shooter if that matters.
I have a few criteria I'd like to meet:

-Price range is $2200 to $3000.
-28 or 30 inches barrels (I thought I'd prefer 28'' but change my mind if you want).
-Single, selective trigger
-Screw-in chokes of course, with aftermarket options.
-Mid bead (All my current shotguns have one and I can't think not having one).
-An adjustable stock (Camber, Drop at heel) would be a plus but only if it stays in the price range.

Thanks in advance for your inputs!
 
What Dilly said, fit first & foremost, and B guns...

I really like my Beretta SV10 Perennia III, grouse & woodcock not so much lol!

Works for clays to! In fact you can see the Skeet Skeet tubes in my o/u for the early season because of all the leaves...

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Well, if its a retirement gift for yourself. Just a little more, and you can have a Caesar Guerini. A little different than all the Berettas and Brownings. Usually beautiful wood, good build quality. Treat yourself, you deserve it. Congratulations on your retirement
 
Really, any shotgun you buy for 3000.00 will probably outlast you and if it doesn't, will be easily repairable. Stick with the common makes and models, Browning or Beretta or even Perazzi or Guerini. they are not much more used. You will be hard pressed to wear any of them out.
 
amdsmokem said:
Well, if its a retirement gift for yourself. Just a little more, and you can have a Caesar Guerini. A little different than all the Berettas and Brownings. Usually beautiful wood, good build quality. Treat yourself, you deserve it. Congratulations on your retirement
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of Caesar Guerini but they're hard to find, especially in the stated price range.
 
As others have said, can’t go wrong with Browning Beretta or Benelli. I personally own an older (80’s) Beretta 682 sporting. Beautiful gun but I don’t shoot it as well as my boss’s less expensive Citori, which leads me to my next point which I’ll repeat as others have: buy something that fits you right. See if you can handle And ideally shot a few of your buddies’ O/U at the range or gun shop before you throw down a bunch of $.

And congrats on retirement!
 
I'm another one who thinks the Browning CXS represents a great value in an O/U. One of their 12/20 sets would make a great gun (but I don't know if it'll stay in your price range).
 
Thank you AMDSMOKEM and SEVEN LAKES for the kind words.

I'm leaning toward either a Browning Citori CX/CXS or a Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon.
I've read that these two handle differently, so I guess I'll have to find a shop that stock both and do some fitting tests.

Thanks to all that took the time to reply so far...
 
For me your criteria is missing some data.

What will be the main use sporting or trap? 50 /50 each or other percentages or more trap than sporting or more sporting than trap?

When I shot trap I have a browning cxt which comes at 70/30, my only issue with it the top fire pin does not have a spring on it, only the bottom one does. When waiting for my next shot I have open gun resting on toe pad, the shell in the bottom barrel. My turn to shoot I close the gun and the shell hits the top fire pin which has dropped out, have to open gun push the fire pin back in to close the gun. I don’t shot doubles I wanted a single barrel when I went shopping I could not find a good used or new BT 99 so I got the cxt.

When I shot sporting clays I use a semi auto which shoots 50/50. I do find it hard to switch over as I seem to float too many birds in sports clays and miss when I do.

If I had it all over again, I would buy one for both and that would be a beretta Multitarget. A lot lighter than the over under and has an adjustable rib to change your poi. I know they are expensive new around $3700. + but I paid $3000. 00 for the cxt and $1500.00 for the semi. I could have saved around about $800.00 it’s one gun. You’re know what they say I have a grade 2 education in fore site but P H D in hind site so with my grade 2 education I got two shotguns.

But this is my opinion of a semi over an over under.

My only suggestion would be go to the range and try as many different guns you can and get one that’s fits you.
 
Another vote for the Browning CXS. Having said that I don’t find it the best for trap shooting with the 50/50 POI and use mine for skeet and sporting. I have other guns I use for my occasional trap shooting. Strongly recommend you spend the extra and get the adjustable comb model.

As for barrel length I’ve gone to 32”. I like the extra weight and swing the gun better.

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Fireguy, I have the cxt trap and shoot the bottom barrel for trap. You either have no spring in the top or it is broken. My gun has a spring and if you look at videos on how to clean the citori action there is a spring in both firing pins.
 
A flat shooting sporting clays gun is easier to get used to for trap, a typical high shooting trap gun will cause misses on the largely instinctive targets in sporting. This is why a good fitting and well balanced sporting clays gun is the most recommended " all round gun". Perfect for sporting clays of course, easy to adapt to trap and skeet and will even do fine for many types of upland hunting. Add or buy one with an adjustable comb and you can change your vertical point of impact to suit your game.
 
To the OP - Don't be too concerned about getting a more pricey gun if that's what you like. A nice gun like a Caesar Guerini, Berretta or Browning will hold at least half it's value over the years.

It depends how much you want to shoot. A 12 cartridge is about 27 cents. A round of skeet or trap will cost about $ 13 (including ammo). So, 4 rounds a week (not that much) for 50 weeks a year will be 200 rounds. This costs $ 2,600 in clays and ammo. In a few years, that cost will dwarf the depreciation on the gun. So get what you really like.
 
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