Ithaca SKB 500 30 ga OU

S

Sharps '74

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What is a fair price for an excellent Ithaca (Miroku) SKB 500 20 ga OU, 28" barrels, fixed chokes M&F.

I will be using it for club level trap and our annual Sporting Clays shoot. I'd prefer a gun with interchangeable chokes but ......

Why a 20 ga? I find that I get a recoil headache after 100 rds of 12 ga trap loads even with a recoil pad.
 
Finger problem .....

I was considering a Stevens 555 but after a lot of net surfing, I've decided not to buy one. If I wanted an ultra-light hunting gun yes, but the alloy receiver and forearm hinge will eventually wear and loosen.
 
Sharps, I don't think you will be disappointed in this choice. I have this one with 26 inch pipes and IC/Mod.
Between it and the 1971 made M37 Featherlight, also in 20 gauge I have wrought havoc on the local bunny population.
On one memorable afternoon, I pulled off a nice double on sharptails (when one could harvest them here) at about 37 yards, using Federal Prairie Storm #6 using this fine SKB.

my 2 bits
 
They seem to go between 800 and 1000 depending on the finer details. I've got one but it was left in a basement and got damp. The blueing is all gone on the receiver but the barrels are fine.

It's a nice gun and points real nice too.
 
After all the positive comments on the SKB 500 (and even more on the net), I bought one off the EE for a good price. The gun appears to be 'as new', a safe queen with a couple of minor handling marks.
The 'sperts on the net claim it has a better locking set up (cross bolt) than the Browning Citori. A smith said that he had never had occasion to work on the locking bolts of an SKB whereas he had on Brownings.

Looking forward to it .....
 
I would only be shooting Sporting Clays rarely. Mostly 16 yd club level trap. If necessary I'll have the chokes honed.

Years ago I shot a lot of Skeet with a Browning 'Twelvette' DA. I had both a 28" mod. and a 26" Skeet barrel. Once I got warmed up, I preferred the mod. barrel to the Skeet choke. A pal had a Rem 870 with 28" mod. barrel. He was an ace shooter, really powdering the birds.
 
800-1000 is what I'd say they're worth. Sold mine to a friend at a good price of $800, I paid $900. It was in excellent condition. They're underpriced vs their quality. I think they're better guns than Browning Citori.
 
SKB shotguns had nothing to do with Miroku, which made Browning shotguns for many years. SKB in the US continues in business, importing Turkish guns. Their website has a brief history of the company's Japanese origins.
A SKB Model 500 is a good quality gun, durable and well finished.
The crossbolt design is not inherently superior in strength to the underlug design - both designs can be more than adequate for the purpose. I find that the crossbolt lugs of the SKB design are a nuisance in loading, but that is a personal choice. It is a classic design of European origins that has served the test of time.
I think that the top end value of an excellent condition 20 gauge Model 500 SKB gun is about $1k in the current market.
 
Sharps '74 said:
What is a fair price for an excellent Ithaca (Miroku) SKB 500 20 ga OU, 28" barrels, fixed chokes M&F.

I will be using it for club level trap and our annual Sporting Clays shoot. I'd prefer a gun with interchangeable chokes but ......

Why a 20 ga? I find that I get a recoil headache after 100 rds of 12 ga trap loads even with a recoil pad.
Click to expand...
I had one of those SKB O/Us for a bit. The comb was too high for me and it bloody near gave me a black eye on one side. Only shot it a the 5 stand twice.

Sold it and bought an older Citori. Problem solved.
 
SuperCub said:
I had one of those SKB O/Us for a bit. The comb was too high for me and it bloody near gave me a black eye on one side. Only shot it a the 5 stand twice.

Sold it and bought an older Citori. Problem solved.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my dad had an SKB over/under for a short time as well. Neither him or I could shoot it. I guess it didn't fit quite right and it kicked like hell. No matter the gun, fit is important.
 
Gun fit is a subjective matter. What fits and work for some does not for others. I've read comments on the net that the SKB 500 fit very well and was comfortable to shoot.

As for the Greener crossbolt locking, it is highly regarded and known to wear well. Merkel uses it. Superior to the Browning Citori? - well, don't tell that to Citori owners who seem to think it is the be all and end all of OU guns. A pal had a Citori with 26" barrels, adjustable stock, etc. He couldn't hit squat with it. He sold it to a buddy who shot everything out of the sky with it.

From the info above, I got mine well within the relative price range for a gun in excellent condition. If the stock needs adjustment, I can handle that or I'll find someone who can. We'll see when it arrives .....
 
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I sold one, a 20 gauge I bought from the original owner, for $750 about 5 years ago. Nice guns but I'm not into 20 gauge or O/U's.
 
Old thread, but I just bought a 600 20g and paid 800. Came with a 600MEC Jr as well.

Used, but man it fits and points like it’s a part of me.
 
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