Turkish shotguns the anti Christ of Uplands

Brutus

Brutus

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I pose this title as a mere question versus fact.

Only because I don't own one. I own an SKB, many Ithaca M-37s instead.

Used to run a Baikal which was a solid performer although on the heavy side.

If I didn't own this one SKB I suspect strongly I would own a Browning Citori or 686 Beretta instead.

Opinions please, especially those whom have owned Huglu, (any Turkish) and Citori or Beretta O/U and SxS shotguns primarily for upland.
But high volume use in clays and such, also I am curious your experience in reliability.
 
I've never owned one, but the operator of a local store has told me he has sold many Turkish shotguns, with none being returned.
 
I used a CZ Bobwhite in 16 bore for awhile. Made by Huglu. Good solid gun that handled well. Traded it off and I still miss it. It was a sxs and not really a clays gun. It served well for grouse and woodcock though. Would not hesitate to buy another but the 16 bores have become somewhat hard to find.

Darryl
 
I closed my business before the Turks appeared. Not getting returns is important to a small business. There were products I refused to sell because I knew some would return to haunt me.
 
I only bring up this subject because years ago I observed a trend more often seen in the affordable Mossberg Silver and Golden Reserve a few years back.
Especially early firing pin breakage.

I don't desire to ruffle any feathers.
Just bringing things into full daylight folks.

nothing more.....nothing less
 
I had a tristar branded Turkish over under that served me well. Bottom barrel was a bit picky on ammo; challenger hulls failed to eject. And the action was pretty stiff. Didn't disintegrate in my hands, no light strikes and I shot it pretty well. I put around 2500 to 3000 shots through it no issues.

But I did sell it and now use a beretta for better fit, finish and durability (?). Durability is still a question as the Turkish firearms are relatively new and not used by any high volume shooters that I know of. Maybe someone with the time and money can test it.
 
I've had good luck with my Stevens/savage 555. It's just a hair over 6lbs, down side is the aluminum receiver. It just won't last for tens of thousands of rounds like a browning will.

But for ducks and upland it's great and light and it works.


I've had bad luck with a Charles Daly semi, gas operated. Won't run, it's a piece of garbage.
 
However, I have seen some Turkish semi autos fail to cycle.

For the pump guns, a few shooters use them at my range and I haven't heard them complaining about it just yet.
 
alltieear said:
I had a tristar branded Turkish over under that served me well. Bottom barrel was a bit picky on ammo; challenger hulls failed to eject. And the action was pretty stiff. Didn't disintegrate in my hands, no light strikes and I shot it pretty well. I put around 2500 to 3000 shots through it no issues.

But I did sell it and now use a beretta for better fit, finish and durability (?). Durability is still a question as the Turkish firearms are relatively new and not used by any high volume shooters that I know of. Maybe someone with the time and money can test it.
Click to expand...

I have had fired Challenger game loads lock up my 28 gauge Ithaca solidly too. No problem Federal or Winchester one ounce loads.
 
Only turk shotgun I've had a problem with the sulan s211, was sent back to TI and they have sent a replacement.

which was to arrive this week, but a covid case at the post office appears to have postponed the delivery
 
There in lies another often forgotten aspect.
The added grief/packing/insuring your errant shotgun for warranty repair. These days of covide and anti gun hysteria at exact same timeframe with the OIC ban.

Risking mishandling or even worse at the hands of CP workers in untrustworthy giant sorting facilities such as Mississauga. Risking wooden stock broken into fifteen pieces when it should be knocking down pheasants in Simcoe County.

Additional stress.
 
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I have never owned a really nice or even “upper middle class” over under or side by side but I have had a lot of Turkish ones.

You get what you pay for is not the law of the land it seems. For single shots and pumps there are some great options that retail for the same or less than bad ones. Autos are a crapshoot but some of the hunting ones based on the weatherby sa-08 action or similar are surprisingly reliable.

Broadly speaking for doubles huglu has good stuff. I’ve gotten a couple from PR and they were in another league from baikal. I had very bad experience with the mossberg Turkish side by side. The huglu are from another planet.

Cheaper (700ish?) options do not seem like they would survive as long as a baikal but have similar fit and finish. Tristar etc, they also look goofy as hell. Huglu makes nice looking guns in various styles.

Corwin arms used to bring in both good and interesting novelty shotguns but it looks as though they may have closed their doors
 
If you are looking for a double gun, consider the Churchill. My Churchill 512 sxs is awesome. My go to for everything but waterfowl and turkey hunting. It even replaced my Brownings on the skeet field. I’ve had it for a few years and have shot thousands of trouble free rounds through it. I got it used so it has many more rounds through it. I like it so much, I just bought a 520 about 45 minutes ago. I also recently bought a Churchill 206 Orcap and it too is a very nice gun. I haven't had a chance to shoot it on the skeet field, but if I shoot it better than my Citori 725 feather, the Citori will be placed on the EE.

As for semi’s, I bought my nephew an Armsan A612 and it too is a very well made gun. It seems to eat everything it’s fed. Great bang for your buck if you want a semi
 
1963beretta. Personally I am not really looking for a next to buy shotgun. However that being said I appreciate your own personal shotgun experiences you took the time to type.
Every little bit helps because maybe we can create a small showcase of differing opinions/differing or similar experiences.
 
I think the turkish guns are generally good but somethimes the QC lets them down. My Huglu side by side has been good after I inletted the stock beside the action a bit. The left hand hammer was hanging up on the wood and some had to be relieved for it to swing freely. I have an Sa-08 that has been good but I really don't have a lot of rounds through it however, I do know of one Sa-08 owner that had the locking lug fail and break in half. Another guy I know won a 686 Beretta clone made by ATA and brought it to our club, that was a real pile of garbage. The top lever was so stiff it wouldn't close on it's own and had to be forced closed. I also had a Yildiz Elegant A1 and the triggers weighed in at a whopping 12 lbs pull! It was an easy fix though, the trigger springs were so weak that I only compressed them with my thumb and fore finger and that was enough to bring the pulls down to 5 lbs. A beautiful gun... but truely garbage!
 
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I think I have owned 8 or 9 Huglus I. Different gauges and barrel configurations, never an issue with any of them.
My first, a CZ Mini Bobwhite was a real gem, image some great kills with it from chukars to geese .
Cat
 
Really like the straight grip box lock huglus, I’m not a shotgun guy but they remind me of “department store” English side by sides like tradex was selling for a similar price. These ones have chokes and 3 inch chambers for us boring people though.

The 202 mini in 28 gauge is calling my name
 
I've owned my CZ (Huglu) 'partridge' (same as Bobwhite but nickel plate finish) scaled frame 28 gauge for 10 years or so... no issue with functionality. The blueing is a bit thin on the barrels and has worn somewhat on handling areas. The finish on the wood is also very... 'basic' and shows scrapes & scratches easily. But it does what I got it for and is really my go-to shotgun for all upland game.
 
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