I wouldn't mind getting an O/U shotgun for upland bird hunting. Without spending $2,000 on one what is an option for $500-600? I see some by CZ, Tristar or Mossberg but are they decent for the money? I don't need anything fancy, just reliable.
Get a savage model 555. They go for around $500. They have mechanical triggers, so they don't rely on recoil to switch barrels, and they are very light weight. Best bang for the buck IMHO. Good luck with your search.
CZ shotguns are top notch. They are actually made in Turkey …. excellent workmanship and beautiful Turkish walnut stocks. CZ has several different models, kind of a good, better, best concept. Their O/U shotguns come with a set of screw-in chokes and are available in 12, 20, 28, and 410. Some models are also available in 16 gauge. Here's a link to one of CZ's best buys: CZ-USA CZ Upland Ultralight - CZ-USA
For upland bird hunting a 20 ga. built on an actual 20 gauge frame (not a 20 gauge built on a heavy 12 gauge frame) is an awesome gun.
In the world of 20 ga. O/U, the Beretta is still hard to beat but a new one will break the bank. However, a used one can be had for less than $1500 and they are great guns.
The old Ruger Red Label 20 ga is another fine O/U. I never warmed up the the 12 Ga. Red Label but the 20 ga is fantastic shotgun.
If you want a new O/U shotgun in either 12 or 20 ga.;a CZ is hard to beat in terms of price & quality.
If it was me, I would look for a lightly used Beretta 20 ga. or Ruger Red label with screw in choke tubes.
Thanks for the responses, everyone. I wish I could try all these out but my local ranges don't carry them. I do like the CZ ones and they are in a decent price range. I love the look of the Ruger Red Label but they are hard to come by. I'll have to poke around at used ones.
I just purchased a CZ redhead premier 12 gauge 28” with minor factory blemishes on gun broker for $650. They normally go in the mid $800 range. I am extremely happy with it. Scored a 22/25 on trap the first day out. The action is tight, it has selectable barrels, shoots directly to point of aim and is comfortable. My buddy’s with $2000+ berettas were very impressed with it. I highly recommend it.
I coach youth clays shooters and see lots of O/U on the ranges. CZ makes a nice gun for the money and I believe would hold up find for upland birds. I've seen some issues with the Turkish guns under the heavy amount of shells clay shooters put down range. I always recommend a used Browning Citori when someone asks about a "value" in O/U. They are simply built like a tank.
You could check out Caesar Guerini. A good game gun would be the Magnus 12. I have one and it's my 'go-to' gun for everything fur and feather.. and it does clays well too. Looks good as well..
You could check out Caesar Guerini. A good game gun would be the Magnus 12. I have one and it's my 'go-to' gun for everything fur and feather.. and it does clays well too. Looks good as well..
I recommend a 20 ga. Ruger Red Label with a blued receiver (initial production) 28" barrels, and fixed chokes (IC/Mod). It points instinctively, swings beautifully, so light it carries all day without strain or discomfort, and most have pretty wood. I bought my first one close to 40 years ago, and it has been totally reliable, and disassembles/assembles extremely easily. And it's made in America. I would avoid the later guns with stainless receivers and choke tubes, as the barrels are heavier, it's muzzle heavy, and swings like a 2X4. You should be able to find an excellent example on Gun Broker or Guns International in your price range. Good luck and good hunting!
If your doing some upland bird hunting, woudn't you want to go with a semi-auto? I've always been told the semi-autos are more useful for hunting than the O/Us. If the O/U is what you want though, go for it.
I prefer an over/under. An auto might give you a extra shot or two, but how many times is more shots what is needed? I typically run two different choke tubes, first barrel an I/C second barrel mod, though that is subject to change based on local conditions.
Gotcha, I myself have not tried hunting with and over/under but my over under is a lot nicer than my semi-auto. I'm just getting used to my 0/U since I just got it last summer.
I'm a big O/U fan, mostly for the reasons brnwlms stated plus one other major factor. A semi-auto or pump shotgun has a very long receiver that makes the overall length of the gun about 6" longer than a O/U with the same length barrel. This makes the O/U swing much easier and get on target much faster. Using two different chokes is an excellent feature for shooting at different distances. If you want to learn more about shotguns, here's a link to an article I posted in the Forum Library: Shotgun Chokes and Related Issues | Ruger Forum
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