Best overall O/U?

I did a lot of research last year on this, and came up with many opinions. Most would say the best gun is the one that fits you the best, and is the most comfortable to shoot.

I bought a cheaper "Yildiz" last year and it is very lightweight and easy to carry. I shoot sporting clays most of the time, and those light loads are all my shoulder can handle with this gun. If I was going to do it all over again, I would buy a heavier gun to reduce the recoil for all the shots I may do in a day. The recoil on these lightweight guns are next to impossible for most people to handle in the field, with 3" or larger shells.
If you plan to shoot a thousand shots/year like I hope to, then don't cheap out on an o/u. From what I have seen the Stoegers, Baikals, Yildiz, etc may not hold up to high shot volumes year after year. For occassional birds, ducks, and geese a Baikal may not cause any problems, just make sure it isn't too light!
 
I don't think over/unders fall as easily into the 'do-all' category as some pumps and autos do. A 3" magnum gun for geese is going to be heavy carrying around the uplands, for example. This may be due to the twin barrels, not sure. Regardless, think about what you will use the gun for MOSTLY, and select accordingly. Screw-in chokes and 3" chambers makes for a pretty versatile gun in terms of patterns and loads, but equally important is gun balance, weight, and most of all FIT to your body.
 
I agree with Grouse Man. Think about what you are going to do most and choose a gun that is more suited to that activity. One gun meant to do everything means that while suitable for all tasks it will not be the best choice for anything.

If your primary interest is waterfowl then I think the best all-round o/u would be a 28" Beretta 686 Onyx with either 3" or 3-1/2" chambers. It will weigh around 7-1/2 lbs. which might be heavy for an upland gun but fine for ducks and geese.

If upland is your game then the Beretta Ultralight series is worthy looking at. They come in around 6lbs. and are easy to carry. However you'll have to make due with 2-3/4" chambers which gives up some striking power if you are using steel shot on geese. As well, the light gun will kick a lot more.

Slugs from an o/u are a sometimes thing. Sometimes both barrels will shot slugs to the some POI and sometimes they want. You may have to try various slug combinations.

If it were me I'd probably go with the Beretta Onyx with 3" chambers and get used to the heavier weight while shooting upland.
 
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I agree..the best o/u for the money is prob. Beretta...followed by the Ruger....there are plenty for less money but I think these two are best for your dollar!
 
Grouse Man said:
Don't forget Win 101, Miroku, Citori, Weatherby, SKB, etc.
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You may also want to look at the Fabarm line. They really give you alot of the high end features, but as a relative unknown, they are priced much better.
 
For an all around gun, look at a Beretta 391 auto. It will handle 3"loads, yet sets the standard on the clays ranges (for an auto).

For an O/U, the above advice is solid - the Italian or Japanese guns are the way to go for affordable quality.
 
I've been shooting trap for a few years now and shot my firts PITA event this year. I need an O/U as I feel like a Hill Billy with my trusty pump and have been shying away from shooting doubles with it. While my scores speak for themselves .. I just don't "feel" like one of the Trap Guys when I look down the line and I'm the only one with a pump .... So, I'm reading with interest what is being recommended here. I have pretty much decided on a Browning Citori, but even then there seems to be lots of choices. My purchase would be primarily for trap, but occassionly sporting clays or skeet. So far from what I've been reading, I can't go wrong with a Citori ... I assume there are various chokes available so it could be tuned for trap/skeet/sporting clays etc. .....
 
If you enjoy trap shooting...buy a trap gun and use the pump for sporting clays and skeet...as you get more competitive at trap you will want one anyway. Browning makes 'em, Beretta, W-W, etc.
 
If that's the price range your looking at, then I would suggest taking a look at STOEGER O/U. At least the distributor is located in Whitby, customer service is excellent and Nick is good to his dealers. STOEGER also has been very good to the CSSA.

I just find the STOEGER to be a little nicer quality, fit and finish than Baikal, not there's anything wrong with Baikal line.
 
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happiness is a warm gun said:
If that's the price range your looking at, then I would suggest taking a look at STOEGER O/U. At least the distributor is located in Whitby, customer service is excellent and Nick is good to his dealers.
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Excellent customer service from Stoeger? I heard they gave great customer service once. You must be the lucky guy.

The rest of the us aren't so fortunate.:rolleyes:
 
Claybuster said:
Excellent customer service from Stoeger? I heard they gave great customer service once. You must be the lucky guy.

The rest of the us aren't so fortunate.:rolleyes:
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It helps if you shoot with the distributor! Doesn't hurt having a gun on your hip when complaining to him.
 
Just had a look at the Stoeger web page. Thier "Condor Competition" looks nice. Has all of the bells and whistles ... adjustable comb, ported barrels, screw in chokes etc. Also had a look at Mossberg's Silver Reserve. It comes with a few more chokes, chrome plated bores, not an adjustable comb, oh and goody .. a free gun lock. So many choices.
 
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