2nd try Lightweight 20ga SxS?

Just found these interesting guns through a weekly email from a magazine I subscribe to. Have heard much of them before but they look interesting to me and priced reasonably upon first glance.

https://uplandguncompany.com/product/rfm-venus-v2/?mc_cid=ec337e5dd5&mc_eid=6e67b0c9b9

Otherwise Canvasback gives good advice about searching high and low. It’s part of the fun of it all. Never know when or where you’ll find a nice piece.
 
Upland Gun Company is an American retailer, add about 55% to their prices and you will be close to their delivered price in Canadian dollars. RFM makes very nice intermediate priced side by sides, they are represented in Canada by Bilozir.net.
 
Ashcroft said:
Upland Gun Company is an American retailer, add about 55% to their prices and you will be close to their delivered price in Canadian dollars. RFM makes very nice intermediate priced side by sides, they are represented in Canada by Bilozir.net.
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Yes for sure a person is not going to get one of those Upland Gun Company guns for prices listed on their website but still not too bad overall for a semi custom of modern manufacture. Of course a person could purchase a beautiful Vintage British SxS for the price it would cost to import. As you well know.

Those RFM look interesting as well though too.
 
leveractionjunkie said:
Yes for sure a person is not going to get one of those Upland Gun Company guns for prices listed on their website but still not too bad overall for a semi custom of modern manufacture. Of course a person could purchase a beautiful Vintage British SxS for the price it would cost to import. As you well know.

Those RFM look interesting as well though too.
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RFM makes the guns for The Upland Gun Company.
 
canvasback said:
With the parameters you have set out, I would be looking for an Ithaca/SKB model 100 or 200. Like their O/U brethren the model 600, they are very well made and relatively undervalued. And in your price range.
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^This^ .... I've owned a few. Currently have a M100 in 20ga. I like the 100s better than the 200s as the 100 has a splinter forend while the 200 has a big fat beaver tail.

Mine was a 28" F&M bbls but the chokes are reamed to IC/M. The 28" bbls handle far better than.the 25s. Perfect bird gun.
 
For those of us that have been around shotguns for a while, its interesting to note how ones tastes and interests change over the years. When I first decided that my single shot Cooey wasnt cutting the mustard, my dream gun was a pump gun. That interest culminated in a used late 60's vintage C grade 2 3/4 in Wingmaster with fixed full choke, an expensive purchase for me at the time. I bought it because I had been told that the Wingmaster was the king of pump guns by my buddies. I did everything with that gun - to me it represented the ideal combination of form and function. Fit was an unknown parameter. Didnt matter...
Fast forward several years, and O/U's became of interest. I particularly liked the concept of the SST. The Browning Superposed and Win 101 figured high on the list. As Canvasback did, I networked, went to gun shows, etc. and jumped when I saw something I wanted. Often times, years would pass between purchases, but I knew what I wanted and would not hesitate when the time came. (This is an important consideration for successful shotgun purchasing, as noted by Canvasback)
My interest in over and unders morphed slightly when I started shooting a lot of skeet, trap and 5-stand. Fit, weight, and reliability coupled with decent curb appeal at the club (cough, cough) became the order of the day. This resulted in the acquisition of "sporting" style guns like a Beretta 686e with adjustable comb. This gun fits me well,and I shoot it well, which was very gratifying.
Today, my interest is oddball guns or actions, and pheasant farm hunting (Ontario doesnt have much of a natural population). An example of oddball is the used Brno over and unders - they are unique with their spring-loaded sliding breech and trunnions located between the barrels. A lot of engineering value for 500$, equally impressive. I use this, and my older field guns, for my pheasant days. Oh - And my SKB 200E that I bought during the SST craze is back in the fold.
I was in my gun cabinet yesterday, and saw my old Wingmaster. Its still in good shape, but it doesnt get any use these days. Although its a nice gun, it has a poor fit, and I consider it to be of marginal utility for my shotgun needs.
 
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@cosmic: That's funny. I also have somewhat the same progression over the years. Started with a .410 I carried while moose hunting when I ran into grouse. Bought a 12ga pump action for slugs (now that we're allowed to use them for deer) and for turkey. Turns out shooting a shotgun is a lot of fun and I got a semi in 20ga.

@canvasback: That's a smart way of looking at it, which is a bit what I tried to do but there were still a few gray areas that I needed to clarify (to myself). It also help with what I find super difficult: Finding out about everything's that out there. If you just lay out the important features you want, you just research what's on sale at the moment. Love the idea.
 
I tried searching the used market. Wow am-I lost ;-) And it's not easy to wait for an SKB to pop-up on the EE or other sites ;-) I wouldn't be able to access it's condition properly though.

I think I might stick to brand new, and as much as I'd love to be able to afford a FAIR Iside, it's just not going to happen.

I've narrowed it down to the following (all in 20 ga) for about 1k$ budget :
Akkar Churchill 520, 28" barrels, english stock, 5.6lbs, single trigger (I'm guessing aluminum receiver if the weight is correct?)
Huglu 26" barrels, english stock, about 6.5lbs, single trigger
CZ Bobwhite G2 28" barrels, english stock, website says 6lbs, double trigger (not even sure it's available in Canada)

David
 
Well - They are all Turkish guns, and there is a chance that some are made by the same manufacturer. Lightweight in Turkish means an aluminum receiver, which I would personally avoid for a number of reasons. I'm not sure I understand your obsession with weight. You recently mentioned wanting to shoot the odd round of clays with this gun. In this case, choosing an aluminum framed gun will certainly allow you to improve your understanding of recoil.
BTW - If you like colour case hardening, then you will be obliged to go with a steel receiver. At least until those crafty Turks figure out a way to anodize aluminum accordingly.
 
huntingfish said:
I tried searching the used market. Wow am-I lost ;-) And it's not easy to wait for an SKB to pop-up on the EE or other sites ;-) I wouldn't be able to access it's condition properly though.

I think I might stick to brand new, and as much as I'd love to be able to afford a FAIR Iside, it's just not going to happen.

I've narrowed it down to the following (all in 20 ga) for about 1k$ budget :
Akkar Churchill 520, 28" barrels, english stock, 5.6lbs, single trigger (I'm guessing aluminum receiver if the weight is correct?)
Huglu 26" barrels, english stock, about 6.5lbs, single trigger
CZ Bobwhite G2 28" barrels, english stock, website says 6lbs, double trigger (not even sure it's available in Canada)

David
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Just be patient Dave. You’ve only been at this a couple weeks. Most of us wait a long time to find the right gun, but it is worth it when they show up.

I have a 20ga NID I feel like giving away right now....needs some stock work....LOL
 
Cz guns are built by huglu. That said in all the ones ive shot the huglu brand has had much better triggers. The bobwhites which i really liked in subgauges had horribly heavy triggers. Having handled the 528 sxs i doubt very much it was under 6lbs. I didnt weigh it or shoot it as it was in store but it had felt like more heft. It did swing well but it was lacking a trigger for me. I suggest you find one to shoulder as english vs pistol grip vs prince of wales grip all fit differently
 
brybenn said:
Cz guns are built by huglu. That said in all the ones ive shot the huglu brand has had much better triggers. The bobwhites which i really liked in subgauges had horribly heavy triggers. Having handled the 528 sxs i doubt very much it was under 6lbs. I didnt weigh it or shoot it as it was in store but it had felt like more heft. It did swing well but it was lacking a trigger for me. I suggest you find one to shoulder as english vs pistol grip vs prince of wales grip all fit differently
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I was re-reading the thread and your Huglu looked awesome. I guess I didn't notice it that much at first, because:
1- I don't fancy that case hardened look. It's not ugly, nor is it beautiful. It just doesn't talk to me that much. I love the almost pewter metal look that some guns have, but those are usually super expensive as well. Not sure what it's called
2- I've been told that for SxS, everyone needs to pass by the double triggers phase. I'm very hesitant to go that way.

I emailed prophetriver and they did confirm the weights on their website were wrong.

Is the handle part of the buttstock really big? Can you wrap your hands around it completely?

Really wish I could hold both in my hands to confirm which one fits better ;-/

David
 
huntingfish said:
I was re-reading the thread and your Huglu looked awesome. I guess I didn't notice it that much at first, because:
1- I don't fancy that case hardened look. It's not ugly, nor is it beautiful. It just doesn't talk to me that much. I love the almost pewter metal look that some guns have, but those are usually super expensive as well. Not sure what it's called
2- I've been told that for SxS, everyone needs to pass by the double triggers phase. I'm very hesitant to go that way.

I emailed prophetriver and they did confirm the weights on their website were wrong.

Is the handle part of the buttstock really big? Can you wrap your hands around it completely?

Really wish I could hold both in my hands to confirm which one fits better ;-/

David
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The huglus can be had in several finishes. I believe i read you have a charles daly semi auto 20ga so here is a pic of the huglu and daly together
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I have average sized hands i guess. The wrist is thicker than need be but is very comfortable. I have 12ga guns that are much slimmer. I have alot more faith in the strength of this 20s wrist than my slim 12s in the case of a fall in the bush
 

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There's an Ithaca/SKB Model 100 20ga in the EE right now for... wait for it... $1650!!!

I think that's a new all-time high. Guess you don't know if you don't ask. Great guns (I own two: 20ga & 12 ga.), but they are not THAT great. Well-made mechanically and light-weight, but metal finish is meh, a scalloped stock head prone to cracking and wood that's pale and looks plastic-coated.

Model 100s were great when they were a good value for the money. But take that away and they're just another out-of-production gun.
 
Mount Sweetness said:
You're asking for a lot at that price.
I agree with a SKB 100.
But a FAIR Iside EM would be exactly what you are looking for, you'd need to shop between $2000 and $2500, and there are very few turning up on the used market.
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If you can get an Iside for that kind of money you will not go wrong! I have a 20 gauge
Iside Vintage and have shot the heck out of it since getting it when they first came out . It handles everything from skeet and trap to chukars and geese with no problem.
However it is quite a bit more expensive than my CZ Bobwhites were , but we'll worth it as far as I am concerned .
Cat
 
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