Broad use O/U recommendations...?

PixInTheSix

PixInTheSix

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I fully appreciate what I'm asking, but I'll ask anyway....

I've decided that my next purchase will be a decent 12ga O/U. I don't currently hunt however may like to get into some ducks next season, though my primary intent for the gun is shooting clays; maybe sporting, maybe trap, but mainly knocking down spinning rust-coloured disks.

All of that said, I'm not looking to spend into the mid-5 figures, but wouldn't flinch too hard at up to say, $2500.

Can the hive mind suggest barrel length, chamber length (acknowledging 3" will let me shoot 'everything') and a few makers as an occasional use, all around 'jack of all/master of none' gun that will get me started until I fall in love, learn a lot more and spend my kid's inheritance on something that cost more than my last car?

This will be my first shotgun, currently owning a couple of handguns and a scary black gun that can no longer leave the house.
 
your best choice would be a browning or a beretta both have 3" chambers shooting as far as your needs basically recreation shooting
a field stock gun will work just fine for sporting clay skeet and even 16 yard ata
there will be all kinds of comments about fit and point of impact and other things that will not effect your needs at this time
buy a good quality gun and go out and shoot
30 years of trap and skeet shooting registered targets
carried a high average in the game
just saying
pic up and shoulder guns you will know when one feels right
 
I think there's still some dealers with new Beretta 686 silver pigeons on sale for around the mid to upper 2000s. Either 2500 or 2700 I can't remember exactly. Of course there's the used market as well
Another well built gun is the fausti class. Very nice guns for the money. I actually prefer their fit and finish over the Beretta silver pigeons
 
Unless you want to deal with the Gucci non-toxic ammo, or handload, a 3" gun with interchangeable chokes. For Waterfowl and Sporting Clays the trend is toward 30" and 32" barrels, but they are a pain in the ass to deal with in the bush.

I hunted in Saskatchewan for two weeks this fall exclusively with my 30" F/M choked Superposed. I specifically handloaded bismuth shot for the waterfowl and shot #6 lead at the upland birds. I probably would have benefitted from a slightly more open choke on the upland birds, btu then again, I might have benefitted from a little time on the clays course before I hit the open fields! I'm contemplating trading my brother for his first year Citori with 26" barrels and M/IC chokes, but we'll see how that goes. Maybe I'll float the idea to him, or maybe I won't. I know that he'll want my minty Auto 5 with a second barrel with choke tubes. The question is whether I want to make that deal.
 
I agree with the previous posts, Browning and Beretta are fantastic choices but I did buy a Rizzini BR 110 and was very pleased in the quality, which is similar in price to the Beretta. I put a few thousand rounds through it, including a flat of 3", and had absolutely no issues and I shot it very well before going back to older guns. A downside is it doesn't come with a plastic case as the Beretta does if that is your thing.
 
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