Choosing a mid-priced 20 gauge over/under....

hoytcanon said:
I wasn't busting your chops or anyones chops... I was providing more detailed information so that I could receive more focused advice... I am still interested in opinions but am leaning toward either going with the Webley or biting the bullet and shelling out foe the Browning.
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My apologies for misunderstanding, I must have got up on the wrong side of the bed this am.

While my all time favorite Browning Super in 12 ga is 26 1/2 bbls, I have found in 20 ga O/U,s the the balance and handling for me to be better than the shorter lengths and there is no doubt that if re-selling the gun is a possibility, the shorter the bbls the harder to sell. I have been thru a lot of O/U,s buying, selling, keeping over the decades and can attest to this.

The current Webley is what I have read to be a re-badged Turkish import. Some Turkish imports can be very good like the Smith and Wesson SxS,s but they did not sell well. Lots of other Turkish imports have a long history of mechanical failures.

Brings you back to the Browning. So my next question is one I asked before on the model you mention as being a Silver Lightning, I do not see a model with this specific name and ask if you mean the White Lightning with the silver nitride finished all steel receiver ? Or the Feather Lightning with the silver colored alloy receiver with steel breechface insert ? Or is this a discontinued model?

I would stay away from alloy unless you really need the weight reduction( but more recoil with same shell / load ) as the steel receiver is never going to have the breechface peen the receiver from long usage.

Respectfully,

Tim.
 
To me, the BEST o/u 20 to buy for your money is a Milano from Savage. It is made in Italia by F.A.I.R and imported by Savage.
Last year, after looking for a o/u 20 guage, i phoned ''DANTE'' in Montréal. They toll me that the Milano is comparable to Browning and Beretta in quality, but with a price of $997.00
He told me that for the quality of this gun, the price should be in the $1600.00. So i drove the 1000km to pick it up..... Wow it is really an italian quality shotgut.
I own 7 shutguns in 20 ga, and my Milano is my favorite.
 
I got a CZ Redhead in 20ga and its a great gun. They don't make one size frame, use that one frame for 12 and 20 gauge barrels. Each frame is made specific to its gauge. My 20ga is light and small with 26" barrels. I mistook it for a 28 gauge shotgun from when it was up on the shelf its so small. I've grouse hunted with it exclusively and has brought home lots of birds. I use it for sporting clays sometimes. I've probably got over 600 rounds though it and it's been serving me well for the last 3 years. The only thing is, I fired a 7/8th ounce slug through the bottom barrel and the throat of the barrel didn't like that at all. I now avoid bringing slugs with me for just in case I run into a bear, wolf, or cougar well hunting and use buck shot. The Woodcock has been disconnected and replaced with the much nicer, Wingshooter. CZ-USA also now has the Upland Sterling and I would really like to get one of those in 12 gauge.
 
Not to come across as a douche, but with the statement that you are looking for a "forever" gun, hold off and increase your budget. All the guns you've listed will work, but are all relatively cheap. There is a quality difference between a $1400 Browning, a $3500 Browning and a $10000 Kohler. The base model Browning is a great gun, but do you really think that in a few years and a few thousand rounds you won't think: geeze, that 625 sporting sure is nice...

Buy right, buy once.
 
If I wear out a thousand dollar o/u I'll figure I got my money's worth and buy another... I don't have $3-5000 for a gun and if I did buy one, it better have four wheels and two bedrooms, because I'd be "out on my ass" when the wife found out!
 
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hoytcanon said:
If I wear out a thousand dollar o/u I'll figure I got my money's worth and buy another... I don't have $3-5000 for a gun and if I did buy one, it better have four wheels and two bedrooms, because I'd be "out on my ass" when the wifw found out!
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I wouldn't worry about the life span of a $1000 over/under. That gun will last your life time if not the next persons life time.
 
You probably won't wear out any browning citori or similar level O/U in your lifetime. No they aren't they high end be all end all but if its what you're comfortable spending and it fits you well, it will give you decades of trouble free pleasure. Don't look back.
 
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