Of the shotguns I'm looking at which one would you choose?

K

KyleWoods

New member
I'm currently in the market for an over/under shotgun for skeet/trap shooting. I'm pretty much settled on an over/under but would like some input on these specific models:

Mossberg Silver Reserve II
CZ Redhead
Weatherby Orion
Savage Stevens 555/555E

I plan on visiting some LGS this weekend to get my hands on a couple to see what feels good. Do any of you have experience with any of these? I'm trying not to break the bank so if you have any other suggestions please keep them $800 or lower. Also I'm a lefty so should I be concerned with getting a LH gun or will I be OK with a RH?
 
Question of LH gun or just get the plain model depends on the cast of the stock. If it is cast for a right handed shooter it will be difficult to shoot LH. If it has a neutral cast it will work for you. "Cast of the stock" is how it is bent to put the rib more in line with the shooters eye.

If you are talking recreational trap and skeet a field stocked gun will work with just a change of choke tubes. If your talking serious trap and skeet participation it is pretty much two different guns to be competitive.

How much shooting will you be doing, recreational, a few boxes on the weekend or serious competition. At one time in my life I was shooting 500 rounds a week, now that will last me most of the summer. If you are planning to shoot a lot I'd look into a better shotgun, nobody is shooting the guns you are talking about in competition.

Of the guns you are looking at fit & feel + CS & Warrantee would be my deciding factor. A used O/U of a higher grade might be an option also if you plan to shoot a lot.

When you build an $800. shotgun that looks like a $2000. shotgun you have to cut corners somewhere.
 
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Originally Posted By: AWSQuestion of LH gun or just get the plain model depends on the cast of the stock. If it is cast for a right handed shooter it will be difficult to shoot LH. If it has a neutral cast it will work for you. "Cast of the stock" is how it is bent to put the rib more in line with the shooters eye.

If you are talking recreational trap and skeet a field stocked gun will work with just a change of choke tubes. If your talking serious trap and skeet participation it is pretty much two different guns to be competitive.

How much shooting will you be doing, recreational, a few boxes on the weekend or serious competition. At one time in my life I was shooting 500 rounds a week, now that will last me most of the summer. If you are planning to shoot a lot I'd look into a better shotgun, nobody is shooting the guns you are talking about in competition.

Of the guns you are looking at fit & feel + CS & Warrantee would be my deciding factor. A used O/U of a higher grade might be an option also if you plan to shoot a lot.

When you build an $800. shotgun that looks like a $2000. shotgun you have to cut corners somewhere.

Stay away from the Mossberg O/U, I have heard quite a few stories about them and none of them were good stories.

I would be looking for a used Browning or Beretta O/U, it maybe hard to find one of them for $800.00.

Many Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays shooters look at Browning and Beretta O/U shotguns as inexpensive entry level target shotguns at $2,000.00 to $3,000.00.

Quite a few of the better O/U shotguns are set up for right hand shooters and left hand shooters. If you are left handed and try to mount a right handed O/U you will know it because it will be very hard to look down the rib when you have the gun mounted.
 
I'd have to agree with the other guys here....a nice used Browning or Beretta is the best option. You can stumble into them at close to $800 sometimes. Charles Daly had a few nice O/U shotguns make in Miroku, Japan as well you can find easily around that price range.

If you are set on getting on of the above, the Weatherby or CZ would be what I went for.
 
Don't overlook a used SKB O/U. A very good condition SKB would be right at the upper limit of your price range and would be a great option.
 
Out of the ones mentioned I would definitely go CZ. I've shot several cz break barrels and they are pretty nice guns. That said as far as trap and skeet guns go I would look hard for a used Browning.
 
For $300 more you can get a Franchie. They are made by Beretta and are their "affordable" level of over/under. Otherwise you might want to check out some pre-owned guns.
 
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Honestly, if your gonna be shooting any real volume none of the four you mentioned are going to hold up. I personally would at least hold out for a used Browning Citori or save a little longer.

I've seen them all break at one time or another even the Perrazi's, Kreigoffs, Ljutic's, Beretta's, Kolar's, well you get the point. They'll all break at some point but the cheaper ones will happen a lot sooner.

However, of your four picks the CZ has the better fit and finish and tighter lock-up. You may just get 250 rounds before breakage or it may go 10K.
 
I don't plan on shooting a huge volume. Just some weekends with family and friends and my local range is starting up a trap shoot at least every month. So right now I'm only looking at 25-50 rounds a month.
 
Go used Beretta or Browning. Take it from someone that learned the hard way. I started with a Ruger Red Label all weather, after 1 year nothing but problems. I took a beating on that gun by not listening to others. And that Ruger was not cheap.

The cheap O/U's don't hold up. You can buy once and save money by buying Beretta or Browning.
 
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Whatever you choose, make sure the gun fits you. Don't buy a shotgun that doesn't fit you or can't easily be modified to fit you with stock shims, swapping spacers or recoil pads, ect. A shotgun that doesn't fit is worse than useless to you.
 
I bought a CZ thinking it would be a great price point purchase for bird hunting. DON'T do it. The one I have is terrible. I have sent it back to get the triggers lightened ( I actully thought the safety was on when I tried to fire on a covey...it wasn't) and it came back in worse shape then when I sent it off to be repaired. Please learn from my mistake and buy something else. Remember...buy once,cry once.
 
Originally Posted By: WTJonesI bought a CZ thinking it would be a great price point purchase for bird hunting. DON'T do it. The one I have is terrible. I have sent it back to get the triggers lightened ( I actully thought the safety was on when I tried to fire on a covey...it wasn't) and it came back in worse shape then when I sent it off to be repaired. Please learn from my mistake and buy something else. Remember...buy once,cry once.

That's unfortunate!

I have a CZ 202B (Bobwhite) 20 gauge with double triggers and I had to send it back for the triggers to be lightened and also had them chase the threads for the chokes. It is my go to bird gun. Light, great triggers, and shoots dead nuts for me.
 
I shoot a lot of sxs's but most of mine are from the middle of the last century and aren't steel capable so I picked up a little CZ Bobwhite 20ga for high volume steel shooting, doves, quail and teal. It is a nice little gun. The two trigger CZ Mallard 12ga looked like it would make a nice O/U for slinging steel at ducks and geese if I had to buy factory shells, I load bismuth and ITX for my old doubles now.
 
cz is probably the best budget o/u, but I would consider the weatherby too. Another gun not mentioned is a winchester 101. Sometimes you can get one for right around 1,000.

If you are not going to hunt i would look for something that is heavy, like a used browning citori. All the guns mentioned here are lighter weight and geared more toward hunting.
 
The shotgun I have had all the trouble with is actually a bobwhite 20 gauge. Prettiest gun in the safe. It stays in the safe, too.
 
I'm a lefty too and I've been shooting SKB's since the '70's. I still have my original model 500 along with a couple of 505's. At that time they were imported and sold under the Ithaca name. I'd agree with a previous poster to look for a used SKB, Ithaca, or Weatherby (since they were also made by SKB). The biggest factor is how well the gun fits and feels when you throw it up. There's a big difference here. The CZ's for example look like nice guns but I would never buy one myself because the drop in the stock in any of the dozen I've handled does not fit me at all. But they may fit you fine. I have never had an issue with an SKB-made shotgun in over 40 yrs of shooting them.
 
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