I've been reading some of the posts here and when I see people wanting to spend 3-5K for an O/U I'm shocked. I'm new to these forums and the reason I even found them is because I started reloading my own ammo to save money. I'm a control Engineer for a small integrator making about 50K, 2 sons at home and a wife that has stayed at home to mind the kids and cook dinner. I bought my first shotgun last year, a Maverick 12 GA pump from Mossberg, for $148 brand new. I would love to have an O/U shotgun but I need advice on a cost effective model not a dream gun. My purchases tend to stay under $400, I got my most expensive gun, a Ruger P345 for self defense for under $350. Any and all budget saving tips would be appreciated, I'm sure there are others here that feel the same way.

Load your own. Load your own. Load your own. Load your own. Load your own. Load your own. Load your own. Load your own. Load your own.

I bought my Lee Loader plastic progressive 12 gauge lead reloader for less than $30 just after Xmas one year. Xmas sale. It was theoretically "paid for" after the third box of shells. You (I) don't save a lot of money overall because you (I) tend to keep shooting as long as the time and budget stretch, but you (I) shoot a lot more for the same budget.

Hang loose and save your pennies until you can afford to pay $1,000 or so for a decent O/U. The Russian/Brazilian models sold by the discount stores for around $500-$600 are no step up from your Mossberg, and in my opinion it would be throwing your money away to buy one.

Watch for a nice used Browning Citori, Ruger Red Label, Win 101 (or one on the same frame marked 96 or Olin), a Miroku/Charles Daly, or possibly a Beretta. Any of these can be found from time to time in a nice used gun for $1,000 or under and will be a much nicer gun to shoot which will always hold its value if you take care of it. In a new gun, the CZ line of O/U's produced by Huglu in Turkey represent a fair value in the "about" $1,000 price range (maybe less if you special order from a friendly dealer).

aside from a perrazi, skb's get my vote for o/u's... ive a 12, 20 and i'll have the 28 in a couple weeks.... i like the styling and fit... i've owned ruger red labels and 101's... but like the skb better...

quote:

Originally posted by Skipper488:
I've been reading some of the posts here and when I see people wanting to spend 3-5K for an O/U I'm shocked. I'm new to these forums and the reason I even found them is because I started reloading my own ammo to save money. I'm a control Engineer for a small integrator making about 50K, 2 sons at home and a wife that has stayed at home to mind the kids and cook dinner. I bought my first shotgun last year, a Maverick 12 GA pump from Mossberg, for $148 brand new. I would love to have an O/U shotgun but I need advice on a cost effective model not a dream gun. My purchases tend to stay under $400, I got my most expensive gun, a Ruger P345 for self defense for under $350. Any and all budget saving tips would be appreciated, I'm sure there are others here that feel the same way.

Skipper:

As pointed out, reloading, especially hunting level loads will save you quite a bit of money. However, you usually wind up shooting more, so it's not as cost effective as one would think, but shooting more is not a bad thing.

Stonecreek gave some good advice on various O/Us but until your finances can afford it (and with 2 sons of unspecified ages, college costs are a real concern) I'd suggest sticking with the gun you have. I'm not sure about current production but years back there was some reliability problems with some of the Mossbergs I saw on the skeet ranges. If that starts to happen, I'd recommend trading it in for a decent 870 preferably used to save money, 3 or 3 1/2 inch if you hunt waterfowl (if not 2 3/4 is perfectly adequate), with choke tubes. To my knowledge, there are no long term reliable O/Us available for much under a $1000 these days. Since that is out of your price range for the moment, use and enjoy what you have. Good hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Hang loose and save your pennies until you can afford to pay $1,000 or so for a decent O/U. The Russian/Brazilian models sold by the discount stores for around $500-$600 are no step up from your Mossberg, and in my opinion it would be throwing your money away to buy one.

Watch for a nice used Browning Citori, Ruger Red Label, Win 101 (or one on the same frame marked 96 or Olin), a Miroku/Charles Daly, or possibly a Beretta. Any of these can be found from time to time in a nice used gun for $1,000 or under and will be a much nicer gun to shoot which will always hold its value if you take care of it. In a new gun, the CZ line of O/U's produced by Huglu in Turkey represent a fair value in the "about" $1,000 price range (maybe less if you special order from a friendly dealer).

I agree, go shopping for a used O/U. Lots of them have hardly been shot at all.

Skipper,

A word of encouragement: I just picked up a pristine Beretta 686 for $750. That was an extraordinarily favorable price, but as I say, if you'll hide and watch, you can find a very nice O/U for $1,000 or less. Right now there are a lot of guys who have never been serious shooters that find themselves owning a pretty nice gun they bought when money was loser. As a result, some of those guys are letting go of their little-used guns in this tight-money period. If your finances will allow it, right now there are some good opportunities to buy a nice gun at an attractive price.

Wink:

To quote you - "Go shopping for an O/U. Lots of them have hardly been shot at all". As a lifelong hater of the O/U, I wonder why?

BTW, regards. (I have often read your comments about shotguns and respect your views. It's just that I can't get over my dislike of the O/U and it crops up every once in a while. Can't you use your influence and talk him into saving money for a while -and getting a nice sxs?)

What's wrong with a nice Rem 1100? I say this even though I have several O/U's!!!
Peter.

quote:

What's wrong with a nice Rem 1100?

1. Pedestrian
2. Overpriced -- you'll pay shockingly close to as much as for a nice O/U.
3. Although I'm all for orgasms, they are are disconcerting when they emminate from your just-fired shotgun. It takes a while for all of those flying pistons, springs, and bolts to settle down after each shot.
4. Company owned by the same one that makes Dodges.
5. I've never seen a "nice" 1100.

(I suppose prejudice is what makes the world go around. I'm just proud that mine are superior to those of others. )