I know everyone has a different opinion, but I would like to know the gun you would pick that could do all the above. (sporting clays,trap,skeet,dove and duck) If there is such a gun. I like how the double barrel guns look but don't know if it would be a practical gun for hunting. I would like everyones input.
Thanks in advance.

Long ago, I lost my heart to the Belgian made FN-Browning B25 O/U.
[img] http://pws.prserv.net/Andre.Mertens/Rifles%20and%20shotguns/B%2025's(1).jpg [/img]

[ 08-13-2002, 18:18: Message edited by: Andr� Mertens ]

My “keeper” is also a FN Browning C3 grade 12 bore, with “roach belly” wood like Andre’s guns above. It is a lovely gun to hold. Very lively in the hands. I use it for all my shotgunning, both clays and birds. I also have a black synthetic Rem 870 to use on salt water ducks and geese where I do not want to risk my Browning.

I think it fair to say that 90% of all shotguns used on game in this country are double barrelled.
I cannot imagine how they would be unsuitable for hunting.

Some perazzi model would do.

Johan

Really, you are asking too much of one gun, and expect it to perform well at all of the various situations, unless you get different sets of barrel lengths. In addition, almost all trap guns have a fairly high comb on them, which makes them less than perfect for many shooters in the field. To do it right, most people would need at least 2 butt stocks. Finally, for waterfowl you would be better off with at least 3 inch chambers, which usually means longer and heavier barrels. Almost any of the quality over and unders would work, if you get the needed additional barrels, etc.

If I was going to choose one gun for all of the above, I would get an over and under with screw in chokes and 27 to 29 inch barrel length with at least 3 inch chambers(and, keep the barrel weight down, which Browning and most Europeans do not od), which would cover most situations and would be usable, but not ideal for trap.

I don't like Semi-autos for my use, but they are doing very well at sporting clays and with an extra set of barrels a Benelli or Beretta might be a candidate.

I'ts going to be interesting to see what Saeed's take is on this subject.
Saeed?
Greg

Keep it coming guys. I am enjoying your input and respect it very much.

Thanks

I know it may be hard to find the perfect shotgun

I know it may be hard to find the perfect shotgun
but if I spend $1200 for a shotgun, it will be the only one I can afford and I want it to do everything.

I looked at the berettas........so many choices....
- 686 E

- 687L Silver Pigeon

- 687 Silver Pigeon II

- 687 EL Gold Pigeon II

- 682 Gold E

- DT10 Trident

- 687 EELL Diamond Pigeon

Trust me, ANY shotgun you pick won't do everything you've asked of it on a competitive level without multiple stocks and barrels.

Now, if you just want to go out to the range and shoot a few rounds for fun, it will be fine. The real kicker is trap, if you eliminate that from your functions, then the shotgun I described above would fill all the other requirements reasonably well and variations are due more to preferences of the shooter as opposed to actual physical requirements of the game. Trap guns tend to be heavier, and longer than most other shotguns because they are usually shot more per day and the weight is used to help with recoil absorption, as well as pointability, swing, etc. In short, trap guns are used for trap and aren't much good for most other uses.

I know that $1200 sounds like a lot of money, and it is, but you can't take a plow horse and win the Kentucky Derby and you can't take a thoroughbred and make him into a good plow horse. You need to realistically evaluate what you intend to shoot most of the time and choose for that use with the idea that it might be used occasionally for another aspect of shotgun sports.

I don't know what the different Beretta models you mentioned include, but all the 687s, for instance, are the same action and everything else is decoration or changes for different shotgun sports, I would suppose.

Keep this in mind, longer barrels tend to swing better, more smoothly, and point more accurately, however, for hunting, that is, where you walk and have to carry your gun, they weigh more and are not as fast to get into action for most people. Most people find an O/U barrel in the 27 to 29 inch range about right, but for some of the shooting games they go longer. Used to be most skeet barrels were shorter, but they tend to be longer now for the reasons mentioned.

But keep this in mind, a good shooter with a poor shotgun, will always beat a bad shooter with the best equipment.......make your choice and learn to shoot it.

Tundarules,

Can it be done? Yes, but I don't think you will like the answer, or the cost.

First class solution: Kreighoff K-80 Skeet, 30" Barrels, with factory fitted subgauge tube set with Briley subgauge Ultalight 20, 28 & 410 Tubes, Adjustable comb stock, order a second Barrel, 34" single for trap.

Your now talking in 10K plus range. I would not take such a setup out to a duck blind.

Cheaper solution, a used Browning Superposed Lightning Trap Gun with 30" or 32" Barrels, (Find one made 1973 through 1976, They will have a serial number suffix ending with a S73 to S76, these have the MK IV mechanical triggers, and they also had a flat rib) these go for about $1300 to $1600 used in standard grade. Have Briley fit 20, 28, and 410 subguage tubes (about $1600.), have Briley fit an adjustable comb (about $250), Finally, screw in chokes would have to be fitted, and again Briley could do that for about $600.

There you have it, a $10 grand solution, or a $4 grand solution.

Regards,

Bob
National Sporting Clays Association - Life Member

For the target games skeet,trap, & sporting clays I use a Beretta 687EELL. It has 30" barrels and Briley ultralight sub guage tubes. There are screw in chokes as well as a second barrel for trap. I'm sure this would work for doves but its just to damn nice for a duck blind. As far as double guns go all of my upland hunting is done with a double.

I used the first gun I was given, from my Dad {after my Daisy BB gun} for all of the above. It was an Ithica 37 featherlite pump, fullchoke. It was good on the ducks, geese, grouse, and clays. It fit me like a glove, and has always been reliable. I used it in clay competition's, and won more than once.
Some times you just have to buy what you like, and fits you good, and then learn to shoot it.
"You" are the key in good shooting as much as the gun!

For the past year, I too have been trying to "put 10 lbs of potatoes in a 5 lb. bag" in regards to total shotgunning. Recently my youngest has gotten into the sport too. This, as your concern had me looking for an all round shotgun. I�ve posted here with fine answers (and polite too) in regards to shot size, and guns being able to shoot game loads. I mainly hunt Geese/Duck, but am going after Dove and Quail this year.

In stating this, over the past two years, I�ve traded or sold a number of rifles and shotguns. Gone towards a smaller collection, with the emphasis on functional shooting. Or, in plain talk, guns we like to shoot. So, I began looking for the all round shotgun.

In finally ending up with a decision which matches many of the posters. There really aint such a beast. Thought I had it, in a O/U Ithaca SKB 600. The O/U will serve me well with Clays, and upland birds. For waterfoul, it�s much to iffy.. Great gun, but will not handle the loads needed for Geese. I ended up using a Mossberg 12 pump. During the many hours waiting for the big birds to come, I looked at the old Mossberg and wished it was a bit nicer looking.

My shots at Geese come from a high area overlooking three ponds, and often have the birds circle looking for a landing spot, so I am not actually waterside.

So, now I�m looking for a Goose/Duck gun, and have given up the idea of an all round shotgun. Am leaning towards a Benelli Nova in 12 g. In stating this, Jr. Began his shooting career using a Mod. 12 Win. 20g, and now has a modern Rem. 870 12g in the synthetic stock model. He prefers using it in shooting clays. Best $300 bucks I�ve ever spent on a gun, and comes close to doing it all.

Scott

Jayboird:

You've got it, shotgunners are nearly as specialized as rifle shooters, a different one for every occasion.

I've got both an 870 Express 3 1/2 inch and a Benelli Nova 3 1/2 inch. Both seem to be great guns. I like the Nova really well, I seem to shoot it well even tho I am primarily an O/U shooter. The 870 has 40 years of reliable functioning behind its design so I guess if I was forced to choose I might lean very slightly toward the 870. Last year there was a rebate on Novas and you could buy the camo models for just a few bucks more than an 870 Express. A great deal.

Good to hear your son is enjoying the sport, congratulations.

Gatorgordo

Have to smile at your comment, which is correct about rifles being specialized. Being a hardheaded Midwesterner, I have tried to develop a rifle for all occasions too. My project just to see if it could be done is making a Ruger #1 into a varmint to heavy game gun. I load the open sited, with a detachable scope 30-06 from small 110 to 220 grains. Having mixed results. But this is the fun of our sport.

Your comment about the Rem. 870 got me thinking, and researched the gun on the web last night. Maybe it�s old fashioned, (and politically incorect) but I prefer buying American. It seems Remington makes quite a selection and "grades" if I may use this term. The only problem I have, is I like touching, racking, and looking at any gun I purchase. As in many areas of the country it seems shops stock very few models, if any of the various guns. Around here, we have a choice from folks who stock the lowest price models, to ones who reluctantly put a few next to the Parkers.

Scott

Jayboid:

Nothing wrong with buying American, I try to myself, but it is becoming more of a balancing act these days, darn few major items are all American any more. Most have foreign parts, assembly or whatever.

The basic 2 models of the 870 are the wingmaster and the express. Wingmaster is nicely blued with usually very plain walnut stocks, not counting trap grades, etc. Express is bead blasted black, with plastic stock or beech(?)stock. As far as I know, without going to Remington's website and checking, the Wingmaster does not come in a 3 1/2 inch version. As you might have noticed, the Wingmaster is substantially more expensive than the Express. Internally they are both the same. Anything can break, but if you get an 870, take it out and it functions for a couple of boxes of practice shells, it is just about as reliable as a shotgun gets.

The bead blasted finish will definitely rust faster than the blue, probably because the beaded finish will hold contaminants such as sweat, water, etc longer and has more surface area to rust. If you have or get an Express be sure to keep it oiled or it will develop that pleasing red color. I dunno where you live, but it is pretty easy to find very good condition wingmasters around here for less than a new Express. Get one in 3 inch, shoot hevi-shot, tungsten matrix, etc and you have a great duck gun that looks good and will carry the mail.

[ 08-18-2002, 18:43: Message edited by: Gatogordo ]

tundrarules,

It may be a tad above your limit, but what about the Beretta 686 Onyx Waterfowler? It's an O/U w/ 3.5" chambers and a 28" bbl.

Suggested retail is $1600 or so. It should be less at a dealer.

Tundrarules,

Thanks for bring up such a great topic. I piggybacked, because of the same kind of question. Now, I have it narrowed to a pump, for waterfowl. Thought the Benelli Nova would be the gun, then Gatorgordo got me thinking about the 870. This was an easy test, because we have a newer one around the place. It was meant to be a starter shotgun for a young shooter, in the Express line 12g, with synthetic stock. Nice shotgun, and the 3" shells weren�t that bad on the old shoulder. This gun has proven to be far more than a starter. Since starting to head down the line towards the other side of 50, my idea of a shotgun has a wood stock.

Of course, if your like me and guns, you search further. Like Gator said, the 870 Wingmaster (LC) looked very nice, a Bingo. Ready to plop the cash, then I thought, hey you used to be a big Mod. 12 Winchester guy, better check this line out too.

I know nothing about modern Winchester shotguns, with the exception of reading Guns Digest. Does anybody have any comments on the Win pumps? Boy howdy, did that Wingmaster look nice though.

I hope my ignorance isn�t showing too much. I began hunting birds again after almost 25 years, two years ago. It was so much simpler then. Grab some #4s, and a Mod. 12, off you go.

Scott

Found an add for a Browning superlight in my local paper tonight. I know it won't be good for duck hunting but I am hoping it will do fine for clays, trap, and skeet. It has a 26" bbl and is light so it will probibly beat me to death after a day of clays. What do you guys think? I think I may buy it and try it out. I won't loss any money if I don't like it. The price is $800. What do you guys think?

I make everything with my A.Wolff Over and under.Very fine gun in Merkel 201 Style but Handmade.Cal.12/70.Made in 1969 in Suhl (Eastgermany)
HKW

I found the gun for me yesterday. I decided to go with a Beretta A391 semi-auto. It just felt good to me and has a great reputation for flawless operation. The over-unders are a little fancy for my budget. I use my guns in the field so I don't need all the fancy wood and inscribing. It came with a 5 choke system so it should be a well rounded gun. Can't wait to take it to the sporting clay range next week.

I really appreciate all your input. Good shooting!!!

tundrarules,

If you're in the states, make sure you send in for all the free stuff Beretta is giving on the purchase of a new 391.

I think you'll enjoy that shotgun for quite some time to come.
Let us know how it works out for you.

There can't be any doubt that, for the money spent, that one of the good auto-loaders is the way to go. However, my constant companion over the past 30 years has been a Perazzi MX-8 that I bought in Italy. It came with 2 barrels...28 3/8" and 30 3/8". I later had both sets barrels backbored by Briley when they put in screw-in chokes. Both sets of barrels were also Pro-Ported. I use the longer barrels for ATA trapshooting, bunker and sporting clays and I use the shorter barrels for hunting and skeet (the shorter barrels also have a set of Briley Ultra-light skeet tubes in 20ga, 28ga and .410). It has 3 different stocks and several extra trigger groups. It has well over 500,000 rounds thru it and has been rebuilt twice. It has taken a lickin' and kept on tickin' and I expect one of my grandsons will be shooting it long after I'm gone.