What is the best O/U for the $ in 12 gage. I have never owned one but have shot my buddies 12 Ga. red Lable and like it a lot. I always buy the best I can with in my budget. Need your thoughts and opinions. My budget is $2000.00
Thanks Maddog

I'd say a "B" gun with a few extra's would fit your bill. Both Beretta and Browning make nice shotguns in that range -- either field, trap or sporting configurations, depending on your needs.

The Ruger Red Label just doesn't seem to hold up as well.

Of course, in the end, pick the one that fits you best. HTH, Dutch.

I love the Beretta 682 gold, not the new E or limited.. the old greystone receiver one. They can be found for around 2k, have hinge pins that can be easily replaced, conical locking lugs, lots of barrel and stock combinations... if you need to spend a little less money, find a Beretta 680. Parts are easy to find (Cole and others have all kinds of stuff, even extra barrels)...

Dutch made some great statements. Both "B" guns are great values compared to other guns out there. Beretta's move a little better for me so my bias goes there.

I've also seen Red Label's prematurely fail. That's probably why you see very few competitive shooters with them.

As to the comparison between the older style 682 and the newer E model, they seem quite similar to me. I've put somewhere around 80,000 rounds through EACH vintage. Either will need rebuilding with a lot of rounds, both swing quite similarly and in fact take the same parts. So I don't understand why there would be bias between them.... other than the goofy circles on the action and funky checkering on the "E" models. To me the barrels seem to be weighted slightly differently between the two but it's somewhat a wash (the E seems more lively to me but the old grey style feels better for trap and simple presentations.... IMHO).

Please keep used guns in mind. Especially if you can learn the honest history of the gun. If you can determine a gun hasn't been shot to death (don't buy one from a serious competitve shooter... like me ) because the blueing and stock finish can still look pretty good but the guts (action) can be heavily worn. Have an experienced friend look at the gun before you buy it to make sure it's still tight.

Someone I know bought a competition gun that had okay blueing and decent stock finish with a nice case. He bought it on price alone and I was shocked when I handled it. Although it looked good it was BEAT. The action was so loose it was scary. The bottom ejector didn't work (common on many guns with heavy usage). I bet it has at least 50,000 rounds (maybe many more) through it and needed a complete rebuild. It probably wasn't nearly the deal this person thought it was. I never said anything because he won't shoot it much and I didn't want to hurt his feelings since the money had already changed hands.

Many people buy nice new guns for bragging rights or decorations and only put a few boxes/cases through them. Find one of those, there will be a huge savings over new.

Hope that helps.

Kyler

Two Grand will buy you plenty in an Over/Under. The Citori and the Beretta are the most likely choices. In a 12 gauge especially, I would recommend the Beretta because of its more slender receiver. The Browning receiver is deeper due to the underlugs. The Beretta is just a trimmer, slicker gun. However, I would place no bets as to which would shoot the most shells without mechanical attention. Both should wear well.

The Ruger also uses the slimmer receiver design. Unless you are a competitive shooter, you'll never wear it out on ducks, doves, and quail, so get it if you like its feel.

There is a plethora of lesser known but still worthy O/Us, mostly from Italy. Some are good buys. You might want to research them.

For the most part, the Spanish-made guns are a couple of notches below the Italians (and Japanese), so since your budget is not so restricted you probably don't need to consider them. The same is true of the Turkish Huglus (CZ). While they are an excellent value they don't quite measure up to the Brownings and Berettas.

Kyler, you hit it on the head... I don't like the new checkering and "engraving" on newer Beretta's... the Greystone is classic, and very durable... Mine has 40,000 plus rounds, and the "blueing" is still nice on the receiver(I take care when I shoot and handle it though). I've only recently put it in the safe because I got a new Perazzi, and need to get about 10,000 rounds through it real quick..

470,

You're right they put you off a bit with the unconventional look. But mine was given to me by a client (price was right) and I've won enough shoots with it that I'm willing to forgive the hideousness.

Good luck with the P gun. They feel so good when I borrow them from people but I can't hit a thing with them. On the flip side I can pick up a K gun (either K gun) and even if it's fitted for someone half my size I seem to never miss so I've gained a bias toward the K guns.

Someday I'll get one but until I can quite wasting all my play money on ammo and targets it will be a while.

Take care,
Kyler

i bought a ruger red label, i use it a lot and i agree i should have bought something else (Can't change it now). i also have an SKB 600 it was used when i got it(over 10,000 rounds) and it holds up better than the new Ruger which has gone in for repairs twice since i bought it 2 yrs. ago!!!!

They getting somewhat hard to find and pricier than they used to be, but for a hunting gun, the Winchester 101 pigeon grade with the screw in chokes is my, and many high round shooters, all time favorite hunting O/U. I suppose there are exceptions to every rule, but in my experience they are longer lasting and harder to break than any shotgun I know of. I have one with well over 250,000 ( I would say a lot more, but I haven't kept any kind of accurate count, but for several years during about two months of late summer I'd shoot a 1000 rounds a day almost everyday (unless it rained when you couldn't get back to the fields) through it at blackbirds over rice fields, not to mention 6 or 8 trips to Argentina, fun skeet shooting, etc.) rounds through it. It has broken one ejector hammer, and one firing pin. In both cases it did not interfere with the shooting of either barrel. It is looser than a new one, but compared to a Citori that I wore out in less than a year following the blackbird schedule, it is still tight. They weigh enough to swing well and dampen recoil if you shoot 3 inch or heavy load shells in them, handle steel or similar with aplomb, and the 27 1/2 inch barrels are a very good compromise hunting length. They are still available for less than 2 grand in pristine condition. DO NOT get the later Italian imitation.

I'd be the first to admit they are a bit heavier than many people like.....so it depends on what you are going to do with a gun.....carrying it all day for a few shots at quail or pheasants, go lighter.....for an all around, shoot ducks, geese, or a few thousand shots in a day, the 101s wt is not a handicap.
Weight is not a handicap when it comes to good shooting BTW, it helps steady the swing.

MADDOG, When I was younger I worked at a sporting clay course. I had the opportunity to see thousands of guns over a two year period. I saw all kind's of guns, over/unders, S/S, pump's everything from a Mossburg to a Holland and Holland. Of all the over and under's out there I would say you couldn't go wrong with a Browning Citori . They have been around for a long time. The Browning Citori is in your price range, and Its an excellant choice.

I have 4 Brownings ranging from 12-20ga. The Browning 525 12ga is one of the best handling and pointing shotguns I own. You can usually pick one up for around 1700.00. Spend the rest on a nice case and some ammo.