Can someone explain Over & Under?

canoetrpr said:
Fiddler, what model Beretta's are these?
Click to expand...



These are both 686 featherweight field guns. 12 and 20 gauge. Some 20 years ago a dozen of us were all into sporting clays and pheasant hunting. Very reliable shotgun, several of us used the Berettas and still have them today. None of the "economy" shotguns are still around.






Speckledog.jpg
 
IMHO some serious 'bull-shirt' being spread around regarding the over/under shotgun. If you like 'em, great. But please don't claim they are any more or less safe than any other type of shotgun. Remember that firearms safety with ANY type of firearm resides between the ears. And please don't claim they fire faster than a semi-auto shotgun.
 
They ARE safer because of one important reason,when the guns broken open,you KNOW its safe,not like a semi where you have to see in the chamber. You get 10 guys shooting sporting clays together walking between stations,thats a lot of muzzels. I for one feel safer,if everyone,especially over excited newbies,have their gun broke open over their shoulder,not carrying a semi like a log.

My old Fox model B came to me in a trade for an old 870 I didnt want. Somebody sawed the barrels off to 26" cylinder bore. They must have knew what they were doing,or I was just lucky,cause that old gun just swings right for me. Lately Ive been leaving some nice shotguns in the safe just to shoot that old gal,the guys at the sporting clays club comment on how I shoot it well. So,my point is,if you want to try an O/u or SxS,you could do a lot worse than picking up an old Stevens 311 or Savage-Fox,not pretty or fancy,but they likely wont fall apart on ya either.
 
So, I have been calling around, and Epps stocks Hatsan products more then anyone else (That I have seen so far, if I am wrong PLEASE correct me). However they don't get the "higher end" model in, but they do have the synthetic version of it. Other then that they can special order me one, that can take up to 3-4 months.....

They did say that the newer batch "AA" quality guns of condor O/U are of equal quality to that of the Hatsan Optima line. They also have all those in stock.


Any one else hear this rumor of the "AA" quality Condors?
 
Brutus said:
Chances are you'll find very few, brand new & good quality O/Us for 700 bucks these days over the counter.
I paid just about that amount, a few years ago, for my used but not abused Ithaca/SKB in 20 gauge with 26inch barrels in IC/Modified. SKBs were/are excellent value for the money spent and now everyone on the internet is well aware of this fact in the used gun market.
Click to expand...

Interesting...there was a "mint" Ithaca/SKB 500 in the EE for iirc $700 a while back
I believe it got BTT about 900 times and I don't think it ever sold...I watched because I have one I rarely use and was thinking of parting with it...til I watched that add for a while...
 
BrotherRockeye said:
Interesting...there was a "mint" Ithaca/SKB 500 in the EE for iirc $700 a while back
I believe it got BTT about 900 times and I don't think it ever sold...I watched because I have one I rarely use and was thinking of parting with it...til I watched that add for a while...
Click to expand...

I guess I should have said, the 20s are much more sought after than the 12s.

my opinion only.......
 
From what I can see most SKB models in the states sell from $400-600, more for trap models and subgauges. Prices on EE seem incredibly high IMO, as usual, and are likely why they dont sell all that quickly.
 
Over/unders fire faster than semi auto because there is less muzzle jump on the first shot, meaning it's faster to make a follow up shot. This is due to the fact that the lower barrel is in line with your shoulder. It's the same reason the AR15 has very high sights, so that the barrel sits lower: in line with the stock. This is why you typically shoot the lower barrel first.

Another advantage is having two chokes. This was the main reason I went with an O/U. It helps on the clay course but more importantly it allows me to take a 50 yard shot at a goose when I'm out ptarmigan hunting (where the shots are often 15 yards).

Yet another advantage is the balance and handling of the gun. No semi or pump that I have handled can compare to my cynergy.

It's also very important to have a gun that fits you. So try it out first.
 
Well, just came from a gun store that stocks the Stoeger Condors. Yeah... I think I would save the extra 400 to get something else.

Looked strong enough for the type of shooting I would do, but they were, how you put it... big, bulky, heavy, and didn't have a nice fit to me.
 
Mds694 said:
From what I can see most SKB models in the states sell from $400-600, more for trap models and subgauges. Prices on EE seem incredibly high IMO, as usual, and are likely why they dont sell all that quickly.
Click to expand...

An SKB model 505 O/U was just listed on the EE that was in excellent condition. Looks like it was hardly shot. I know because I picked it up for my dad. He wanted to go back to an O/U for waterfowl. This has 3" chambers, single selective trigger (he has BIG fingers) and choke tubes. It might have been at the top end for price at $650.00 but I thought for the quality and condition, plus 3", a few extra dollars on the high side was worth it. It beats a new $1000.00 O/U.
 
roblack said:
They ARE safer because of one important reason,when the guns broken open,you KNOW its safe,not like a semi where you have to see in the chamber. You get 10 guys shooting sporting clays together walking between stations,thats a lot of muzzels. I for one feel safer,if everyone,especially over excited newbies,have their gun broke open over their shoulder,not carrying a semi like a log.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say they are safer but more reassuring. It's easier to tell the gun is safe. But safety is entirely in the hands of the operator. The biggest problem with some o/u shooters is they will pick their gun up from the rack sweep everyone around them and THEN open their gun. If someone does that to me we'll have a brief but quite pointed discussion.
 
Claybuster said:
I wouldn't say they are safer but more reassuring. It's easier to tell the gun is safe. But safety is entirely in the hands of the operator. The biggest problem with some o/u shooters is they will pick their gun up from the rack sweep everyone around them and THEN open their gun. If someone does that to me we'll have a brief but quite pointed discussion.
Click to expand...

I always get a kick out of the guys that freak out when a semi or pump is closed on the rack, but an O/U or SXS is not, and then they do exactly what you say with their gun when they pick it up.

And yes, I totally agree, it's very easy to tell if a pump is semi is closed, but even more noticeable if an O/U or SXS is, and of course a closed gun is a loaded gun until it is made safe!
Cat
 
FYI, a friend of mine just bought (2) Stevens 512 gold wings O/Us (one for each son). They were in the $600 each price range, but one broke (would no longer fire) before he shot 10 rounds. The other one is working fine, but I started looking for a good used Browning or Beretta after that. I'd rather buy one with a few marks on it that I know will work for years than a pretty new one that I hope will work for years.
 
AAARRRGGHHH! NO SHOTGUN ACTION TYPE IS 'SAFER' THAN ANOTHER!!! Sorry for the shouting, but folks who claim otherwise fall in line with the anti-gunners, who want to ban 'UNSAFE' firearms. Safety with ANY type of firearm IS BETWEEN THE EARS! I should not have to 'preach to the choir' on this issue. By the way, I still maintain an over/under shotgun can not be shot any faster than a semi-auto shotgun; it has yet been shown/proven to me.
 
Shootshellz said:
AAARRRGGHHH! NO SHOTGUN ACTION TYPE IS 'SAFER' THAN ANOTHER!!! Sorry for the shouting, but folks who claim otherwise fall in line with the anti-gunners, who want to ban 'UNSAFE' firearms. Safety with ANY type of firearm IS BETWEEN THE EARS!
Click to expand...
My father was out duck hunting once with an older gentleman, fellow who was teaching the Firearms Safety Course in North Ontario for a good few years. Pops had his trust old BPS custom, the older fellow had his favourite semi-auto, out in a boat blind.

Both are veteran hunters, with the older fellow having probably hunted every season for 50 years.

Ducks came in, they were having a time, no worries. Then the old fellow twsist hard to catch a duck sailing in, overbalances as he lets one off. Boom. And then he's tipping over backwards into the water. The barrel is swinging and his nerves twitch. No control of the shotgun, the semi-auto goes off again, throwing him arse over tea kettle into the water, sending a third shot straight up even as he starts to go under.

A semi-auto does what it says on the tin; loads a fresh round and is ready to fire immediately after the first shot. If by some strange chance, as the true story above, the shooter doesn't have control, then a semi-auto becomes a loose cannon and a lethal danger to anyone nearby. Pops is lucky he only had ringing ears.

A pumpgun cannot fire until the spent shell has been ejected manually. They are the safest action, along with bolties.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom