Best lower priced O/U?
- Thread starter Joel
- Start date
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
This pretty much sums up my feelings. I think the Yildiz and Huglu make good enough field guns but once they hit the range then they wear out quickly.
Well I agree that Yildiz and Huglu made over/under's (which includes CZ) are probably some of the best made of the Turkish entry level O/U's, I don't agree the wear out the minute they show up at the range for a round of trap or sporting clays. Will they outlast a B-gun...probably not. But if you have enough money to be looking for a gun you can shoot 60,000 or a 100.000 rounds from you are not likely worried about the price of the gun you want to buy anyways.
For the guy that wants an O/U to hunt with and shoot a few rounds of trap or clays every now and then, those 2 brands will most likely still be going long after you are.
Jim
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Seriously Jim, you couldn't see the intent of the statement and turned it around to mean something it obviously wasn't intended to?
Been searching for a Victor for a while but all that seems to pop up are Felix's! I feel the difference between the Victor's and the Felix's is like comparing Berettas to Stoegers but I agree, the Sarasqueta's from either company are under appriciated guns.
Other O/Us I personally like are the Franchi's. They are some where between the Stoegers and the Berettas in price and quality. And like Stoeger, Beretta owns Franchi or rather Breta owns Franchi and Beretta bought Breta. Anyways, for around $1000 new, you could literally feel the Beretta influence in design more so than on a Stoeger.
And for a few hundred dollars more, you could pick up a Fausti. They are a bit chunkier but they are beautiful and well put together. Sorry, I was just thinking of the Fausti sisters who owns the company and I swear, I was referring to their guns and not them, honest.
1963beretta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vaughan, Ontario
This is incorrect. Breda (Im assuming you mean Breda, not Breta) never owned Franchi and was never affiliated with Franchi. Franchi was family owned until the late 80’s when it was purchased by SOCIMI. Franchi continued fo manufacture their own guns until Beretta purchased it from SOCIMI. Once Beretta got a hold of the company, Franchi slowly stopped manufacturing the firearms altogether. Today, Franchi doesn't manufacture firearms. Its merely just a nameplate that Beretta continues to use for their mid priced firearms. Franchi O/U’s are made by Bettinsoli, and I believe their semi’s are made by BBI
Why look for an inexpensive new o.u when you can buy a quality used Browning Citori O/U and get a better gun for the same or less money.
But, if your comparing a Baikal or a Turkish to a Citori your going to be better off with a Citori.
Rob
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Joel; First question would be planned use. A skeet or sporting clays gun is made to different standards and design than a field gun for instance. Fit, purpose, then price should always be the order when selecting a shotgun. If you are inquiring about lower field models there are some decent guns coming from Turkey these days, Akkar and ATA being of the better brands in stack barrels currently. The Winchester 101(Belgium) Field starts at $1500 and is well made by FN, they are however a little on the light side as a target gun, mine, for instance, has a pound added to the stock and has been flawless on the skeet field so far. Franchi, Stoeger & Bettinsoli wouldn't be my first choices for a long term target, though Franchi is backed by a decent warranty. A used Browning Citori or Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon can be had for $1000-1500 and makes a decent choice.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Yup. Way better off buying used quality than new economy.
Good idea, but it doesn’t have to be used or Italian. I was looking at Turk guns for a while, but just decided to buy once cry once. Got a new Citori cxs. So far, I’m really liking it, but it’s my first o/u, so can’t really compare it to anything.
Falconflyer
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The Milano was made for Savage by F.A.I.R in Italy which is Izadoro Rizzini's brand, they're good quality guns and use a common receiver that is well proven and the fit, finish is good for what you pay for them.
I have a FAIR 20/28 combo that I don't shoot a lot but it's approaching 10,000 rounds now with no problems other than the color case finish starting to fade on the bottom of the receiver from carrying. The gun is still surprisingly tight for the round count, you'd think it had less than 1000 rounds through it when you open it. It has nice wood with very sharp and crisp checkering and the bluing is above average for shine and consistency!
My go to is a Milano in spite of having several upland guns that would be considered a massive step up. A quick google search will give you hours of reading on the subject. They were built for the American market and fit as so with little to no cast, 1 1/2 inch drop at comb, 2 1/2 inch drop at heel, 14 1/2 LOP. They have a flat field type rib although they are fitted with mid bead that is absent on most of the FAIR field models. Mine throws the pattern 70/30 with the beads stacked and both barrels are perfectly regulated at 40 yards. I paid considerably less for mine, new in box, when they were discontinued. The market value has been steadily climbing however and 1000-1200 seems to be the going rate. I personally wouldn't miss out on a nice specimen for even a couple of hundred dollars more as they don't come up every day and wood quality ranges from very plain to quite interesting. I certainly wouldn't sell mine for 1400 but I have refinished it and the wood has character. I don't think you will find anything better in that price range, especially with interchangeable chokes. As usual, fit and condition should be the deciding factor.
