Best Value For Money Over Under Shotgun For 2023

What is the best value for money over under shotgun?

  • Beretta 685 Silver Pigeon 1

    Votes: 5 16.1%

  • Browning Citori

    Votes: 17 54.8%

  • Rizzini BR110

    Votes: 3 9.7%

  • Others - post below your pick.

    Votes: 6 19.4%
  • Total voters
    31
Mumbles Marble Mouth

Mumbles Marble Mouth

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With prices going into the realm of crazy town, what do you guys believe is the best value for the money over/under shotgun for those looking to buy their first?

*Poll is supposed to says 686 Silver Pigeon 1 but I don't know how to edit it.*

My answer

Originally I thought for years the Beretta 686 was the best value for the money but lately both the field and sporting models have gone well past $3000. I personally wouldn't even rank is second now. The Browning Citori CX or CXS are a much better buy than the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon 1 Sporting. For a couple hundred less than the Beretta, you get an adjustable comb, an adjust lop from the trigger, and extended chokes. Only downside is the Beretta gets 5 chokes instead of the Browning's 3 and the Browning comes in a lovely cardboard box as opposed to Beretta's hardcase. Then there is the Rizzini BR110 which offers all the features of a Beretta 690 for less money than the 686. So if I had to vote on what is the best value for money over/under shotgun, I'd vote for the Browning Citori CX line. The Rizzini BR110 is a close second.
 
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Value means nothing if the shotgun doesn't fit you, and Browning and Beretta, are pretty much opposites fit wise. But if you go with an adjustable comb, you can pretty much take comb out of the equation. Personally, I see way more Brownings than Berettas these days, and the Citori CX is a good shotgun for the price.
 
I’m a long time Beretta o/u fan and I’ve owned more than a few of them. Presently I only have a side by side and an auto on my shelf by that name since I switched to another make for my target guns. I really like the Br110 and I may pick one up in 20 guage for a pheasant gun, not that I dislike the 686/20 but been there done that and one could certainly do much worse.
 
The Rizzini BR110 has won awards for being the "Best Of The Best" by field and steam as well as best Over/Under of the year by Quails Forever. They're a bit barrel heavy so if you like the Browning Citori you will likely feel right at home with a BR110. Nothing wrong with all three choices. What matters the most is if the gun fits you well.
 
I was going to suggest looking at the lightly-used rack?
- Let someone else deal with the initial depreciation.

Decide what you value most, and what you'll mainly use it for.
- A plethora of choke tubes? ... I don't hunt migratory bird, and have yet to own a gun that takes choke tube... so I can't speak on that
- A fancy case?... Already have a favorite... so it better be darn nice.

Buying new... I'd sure be tempted to throw $ at a Rizzini. Got to fondle a round body... felt good.
- With 26" tubes it would make a nice little thing to chase birds...

Riz-RB-block-01.png

Pic from Precision Optics

But it only got 1x trigger and the barrels are the wrong way :p
 
If your HS12 makes you happy then fair enough but a lot of people don’t want plastic stocks, short barrels and light weight in a Turkish made gun. Let’s face it, light weight makes more recoil which wears you down quicker with long shooting sessions, short barrels don’t do you any favours on long crossing targets, plastic stocks are ugly and a Turkish made gun… I won’t go into that, there’s lots of other discussions on that topic.
 
As much as I do like the Br110, I don’t think it’s the best value for the money of the guns listed because resale is not as strong as the other two. And even though I’m a long time Beretta fan, they seem to be falling out of favour somewhat these days due to bad service from Stoger so maybe they aren’t the best value for money either. Of the 3 listed guns that only leaves Browning.
 
stubblejumper said:
Value means nothing if the shotgun doesn't fit you,
Click to expand...

Italian Sporting Goods said:
What matters the most is if the gun fits you well.
Click to expand...



You should watch the lesson video done by George Digweed. He says right out of the gate that what he's about to teach will be controversial and goes against what people have been traditionally taught. He said shotgun fit isn't as important as knowing how your shotgun shoots. He has never had a shotgun fitted to him in his life.
 
George Digweed is a bit like Tiger Woods or at least how Woods used to be. You could give him a set of Wallmart golf clubs and he would still outplay 99% of the golfers out there! Conversely, Digweed would out shoot 99% of all shooters with the cheapest gun made. What Digweed is saying is that if you know where your gun hits then you can compensate and he has enough talent to do that but your average shooter does not.
I’ve seen enough people with I’ll fitting guns whose scores have increased dramatically after having the gun fitted to them to believe that gun fit has a lot of merit for the Average shooter.
 
I think the B guns are slowly pricing themselves out of the market. The Silver Pigeon 1 now retails over $3K, with very plain wood. That gives ample opportunity for other manufacturers, including the Turkish ones, to get a foothold. It also gives older guns some new life - eg Winchester 101's, pigeon grade, with chokes, can be had for ~1700$, Browning Superposed Grade 1 for ~ 1200, SKB's...,etc.
For this reason, my most recent purchases have been non B. First being a Churchill Orcap 12 g (~1000$ used, as new). Fit and finish very impressive, trigger pull, patterning also impressive. Second being a Fabarm Elos 28 g (~2300$ used,as new), again very impressive when compared to my Beretta SP 1 in 28.
 
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The best deal for the money now are high end guns because they are not selling. I see a MX2000 on ####### that's price has dropped from 20,000.00 to 11000.00 in the past couple of months. Krieghoffs sold new for 20000.00 plus selling for 12000.00. Too much for a lot of people but that's where the real value is.
 
I think alot depends on the use of the gun. If looking for your first serious clay game gun that will be greatly different price point and range than one who is looking for an over under for hunting
For casual hunting and the odd game of trap or skeet I believe huglu is the best gun for the price. The 103 is proven and fit and finish on all my Huglus are far better than any new Beretta 686 sp1.
The br110 doesn't come on true scaled frames for the smaller subgauges and that's a negative to me.
I am a Beretta fan but I agree the base model ou guns are passed the point of being good for the money. Fortunately there's plenty in the used market for half to 2/3s the price of a new one.
Brownings will generally beat Beretta in wood grade and finish within any price point. All 3 mentioned are good guns but dt10 guns come up for 6500 quite often used. If one was looking for a dedicated clay gun that's where I'd look for best gun for the money
 
Here is another vote for the other column. I picked up a FAIR SLX600 in 12 gauge from a member here and very quickly sent a SP 1 in 12 gauge down the road. They were in fact very similar but the FAIR was half the price with nicer wood and fit me better. I bought it as a bad weather/waterfowl gun. It is crude enough to take to the swamp but plenty nice enough for any other occasion. It was suppose to be a back up only for my Caesar Guerini but more often than not I just grab the FAIR when heading out the door for pheasant. I find nothing offensive about it.

The SLX is basically an upgraded Savage Milano. It has some machined engraving and what appears to be the same internals/barrels as a Jubilee Prestige model. Basic checkering and pistol grip like the SP 1 but built for the NA market IMO with less drop and next to no cast. At just under $2500 retail they are still a little over-priced from just a few years ago but what isn't these days.

Speaking of the Milano/FAIR vs Beretta, I also had a 20 gauge in both Beretta SP and the FAIR offering. Still have the Milano but my buddy hunts with the SP. The SP was a pretty little thing but with 26 inch barrels it just wasn't the one for me. Almost unruly while swinging on birds in my hands but my buddy loves it.
 
brybenn said:
The br110 doesn't come on true scaled frames for the smaller subgauges and that's a negative to me.
Click to expand...

BR110 Scaled frames

BR110 Sporter on scaled frames (.410 on 28)
https://www.rizzini.it/fucile.php?cat=2&idf=48

BR110 Small Action in 28 and .410
https://www.rizzini.it/fucile.php?cat=4&idf=42

I have one of these in 28
BR110 Light Luxe on scaled frames (.410 on 28)
https://www.rizzini.it/fucile.php?cat=4&idf=57

I have one of these in 28 (weights 2.280 kg)
BT110 Beccaccia Light
https://www.rizzini.it/fucile.php?idc=&idf=44&var=97#variante
 
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I was at VGC today and had a look at a Fabarms demo gun the guy from Italian had out there. It's called the Allsport. Neat concept to be able to swap ribs. I'm not 100% set on the idea that someone will actually be swapping the ribs around from one discipline to another like it's advertised. I just think that, once you learn how your gun shoots, it's probably preferable to leave it alone rather than mess with it. I do like the idea that it's one gun you can buy and configure it to how you shoot. For a first gun for someone I think it has a lot of value going for it. The angle of the grip and palm swell felt really good and the fit and finish is definitely good considering the price. I can't remember what he said the MSRP is but for sure it was under the price of a Beretta 686.
 
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