Which double barrel shotgun?

wingshooter

Im in the market for my first double barrel shotgun and was wondering if anyone had any useful advice. I would really like a 20 gauge sxs but im having a very hard time finding a quality sxs in my budget. $1200-$1300 max. I handled a CZ it felt and looked very cheap. If i had to go with an O/U the Franchi Instinct and the Webley and Scott 900 caught my attention.

woodsrunner

Ping on GeneL. He's extremely knowledgable of modern SXS's.

Jayhawker

CZ and Huglu make decent SxSs in your price range...there are lesser known Turkish and Spanish makers out there as well making good shotguns....depending on what, exactly, you want increases in quality raise prices proportionately - getting up to "astronomical" very quickly...

gunrunner428

Other names to look for are Baikal (not sure who the importer(s) might be), which is Turkish IIRC. Also Mossberg makes or imports the Onyx, which should be in your price range.

Outside of craftsmanship and quality, the biggest issue with "cheap" SxS's would be barrel regulation - whether or not both barrels shoot to the same point of aim. I've only heard positive reports from the Turkish or Russian imports in this regard though, so you should have good luck with one.

Jayhawker

gunrunner428 wrote: »

Other names to look for are Baikal (not sure who the importer(s) might be), which is Turkish IIRC. .

Baikal is Russian...

timc

Jayhawker wrote: »

CZ and Huglu make decent SxSs in your price range...

They are one and the same, CZ just stamps their name on them.

wingshooter

Thanx guys. Im a little nervous about getting a Turkish shotgun as ive read about problems with barrel regulation and breaking firing pins. I guess if I really want quality im going to have to increase by budget a bit. I can get an Italian made Sabatti for $1500

41magnut

I really like my Browning SXS 20 ga. (bought in early 80's)

If you could find one on the used market depending on condition you would probably have to pay a premium but in the long run I think you would be ahead.

Since the quail population has dropped to, what I consider unhuntalbe numbers in my neck of the woods, I have gotten away from b ird hunting and as such do watch the scatter gun market.

I used to do some coaching of a 4H shooting team and we used Turkish semi-auto shotguns (can't recall brand name) but they were very reliable functional. If I was in the market I would consider a Turkish shotgun w/o hesitation.

Does Ruger still make a SXS? I know they did or were supposed to introduce same once upon a time.

Disregard - Looked at Ruger website and I couldn't find any mention of The Red Label or any other shotgun.

jbp-ohio

Live near an Academy Sports? I would look at a Yildiz...

timc

wingshooter wrote: »

Thanx guys. Im a little nervous about getting a Turkish shotgun as ive read about problems with barrel regulation and breaking firing pins. I guess if I really want quality im going to have to increase by budget a bit. I can get an Italian made Sabatti for $1500

I got my Huglu back when they were first imported into the USA. I think it is a super nice shotgun and have had no issues with it. Mine has single selective trigger, 30" tubes and auto eject. I am completely happy with this shotgun.

timc

cpj wrote: »

The Turkish one are made by prisoners. In Turkey. Which, you would know if have ever been to a Turkish prison.

See what I did there guys? Huh? HUH? A new twist!

Only the break over models are made there I would think! :yikes:

Gene L

You can't get a new "quality" gun for $1200 or even a quality used double for that price, but you can get some pretty good used guns for that price. Doubles are expensive, unless you find a guy ready to sell. I bought a Parker with steel barrels from a guy whose father had passed away several years ago, and he wanted the extra bucks, for a great price, but it was an exception.

Good guns at that price are SKB guns, excellent but plain jane. Also a good Fox Sterlingworth, which was Fox's low end gun. A Fox B gun at about half that price, but they're the Savage guns, not the AH Fox guns.

Good luck, and check out Doubleguns.com for some suggestions.

Gene L

Wambli Ska wrote: »

There are many good used O/U in your price range out there. Some to watch for are Verona Shotguns (Made by Rizzini), a very nice Italian brand that gives you a lot of gun for the money. There are also a lot of used Brownings (and some new ones in places like Cabelas and Gander Mountain when they go on sale) out there in that price range. A GREAT sleeper are Weatherby Orions, they can be found for under $1,000 used rather frequently and since I got mine I have disposed of 2 high end Brownings O/Us and a Beretta Silver Pigeon Grade O/U in favor of the Orion which has become my go-to shotgun.

I think he's looking for a SxS. For O/Us, there are a number of guns within the price range he asked about. I had a Beretta Silver Pigeon that was around $1300, but sold it without shooting it. It was used, of course.

If I was going to buy a cheap SxS, I'd look at the Yildiz at Academy Sports over the CZs. They have better wood. But they're cheap guns and probably would develop problems after a lot of shells are put through them, like wear on the hook.

timc

Wambli Ska wrote: »

I almost have to admire the talent required to turn a conversation about SXS shotguns into a thread that ALMOST requires moderation... :bang:

It does take a lot of dedication and time spent below the curb level! Thinking outside the 9 dots is not easy you know.

timc

When it comes to O/U's I just love the Browning Citori and it is possible to find a nice used one in the OP's price range.

softwarejanitor

Gene L wrote: »

You can't get a new "quality" gun for $1200 or even a quality used double for that price, but you can get some pretty good used guns for that price. Doubles are expensive, unless you find a guy ready to sell. I bought a Parker with steel barrels from a guy whose father had passed away several years ago, and he wanted the extra bucks, for a great price, but it was an exception.

Good guns at that price are SKB guns, excellent but plain jane. Also a good Fox Sterlingworth, which was Fox's low end gun. A Fox B gun at about half that price, but they're the Savage guns, not the AH Fox guns.

Good luck, and check out Doubleguns.com for some suggestions.

I recently inherited a Fox Sterlingworth 12ga made in 1911. Despite it being in 80+% condition and having the optional ejectors I've been told I'd be lucky to get $600-$800 for it in today's market as there is little interest anymore in field grade SxS shotguns. Not that it matters because it was my great grandfather's shotgun and I wouldn't part with it. Looking on Gunbroker I see a lot of Sterlingworths on there anywhere from $300-$1200, so I have little reason to doubt what I've been told.