I need an OU for skeet shooting.(used)
What would you suggest between cost of purchase and reliability?

My budget would be happy with something under $1000.

I want a quality gun and it does not have to be a fly weight.

Hmmmmm the answer to this question depends very much on whether
you can find a used Beretta, something like a basic grade 682, with the right choke, or MCs, for under a $1000.

With proper maintenance they will last longer than you will and can be tightened up very successfully if you do manage to put some serious rounds through it.

They tend to be the club guns for a lot of grounds around here and for good reason. There are rumours that a mid-nighties 682 is a better quality gun, in terms of longevity, than a recently built Perazzi but I couldn't possibly comment....

One would be pushed to find a decent example for that money on this side of the pond.

Over here the choice would be something like a Lanber, recent manufacture Rizzini or a Lincoln but I don't know if many of these guns make it across the pond.

A friend runs a clay shoot on one of his fields four times a month and has a variety of guns to lend out. He has a Lanber there that I happen to shoot well with and although this gets at least a thousand cartridges through it a month, it's still going strong after three years.

The last option is a used Browning, or better still a Miroku who make Browning's guns for them and really are a Browning in all but name and price. I have shot with a couple of MK70 and like them, though personally I prefer the Beretta's action profile and "feel" to that of a Browning.

I am a S/S man so I use a my wildfowling gun for skeet, a M/C Beretta Urika in camo with 3.5" chambers, for which I'm called a redneck at the club ( ) but it works for me. Have you considered a semi?

I am assuming you're an old hand at this and so will not go into fit, barrel length, stock configuration etc.

Hello Ghubert,
I appreciate your comments on the Beretta.
I didn't think you would be caught dead with a pogo stick. I have several pump and autoloaders including a Win Super X1 which is a very good skeet gun. It is the predecessor of the Browning Gold and Win SX2. I am just going through a phase of boredom and want to shoot something else for a while.

I do like the Beretta and other top or rear locking type actions including the Remington 3200, Kriegoff K-80 & SKB. I have not had a lot of shooting experience with them so I feel like a kid in a candy shop. I did own a Win 101 for a while before I took up skeet shooting so I did not shoot it a lot.
The local shop that carried Perazzi dropped them in favor of Caesar Guerini claiming that the latter were more reliable. They also claimed that CG provided better service in the US. I am not interested in either due to the price and the intended use.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
I need an OU for skeet shooting.(used)
What would you suggest between cost of purchase and reliability?

My budget would be happy with something under $1000.

I want a quality gun and it does not have to be a fly weight.

.

You will be hard pressed to find a quality over/under for less than $1000, even used. Notice I said "quality".

Are you just going to shoot the 12 gauge or do you plan on .410, 28, and 20? Gonna shoot registered birds or just for fun and hunting practice?

Your gas-operated auto will be great for the latter.

Might want to check out some of the SKB O/U shotguns that were made some time ago. They seem to be solid firearms, and don't command high prices in the market. A Beretta 682 is a great gun, but if you find one anywhere near $1,000, it will be shot out. You don't want too light a gun for Skeet....shooting lots of 12ga requires a gun of 8 lbs or so. You could probably find a Browning clays gun with the wide forearm for $1,000 or thereabouts as well. Try a few brands to see what seem to "fit".

I will probably buy one of the SKB guns and keep trolling until I find a nicer gun. As is my typical fashion I have to try one of each before I am happy.

SR4759

You wouldn't happen to shoot left handed would you? If so, I might be able to help.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
Hello Ghubert,
I appreciate your comments on the Beretta.
I didn't think you would be caught dead with a pogo stick. I have several pump and autoloaders including a Win Super X1 which is a very good skeet gun. It is the predecessor of the Browning Gold and Win SX2. I am just going through a phase of boredom and want to shoot something else for a while.

I do like the Beretta and other top or rear locking type actions including the Remington 3200, Kriegoff K-80 & SKB. I have not had a lot of shooting experience with them so I feel like a kid in a candy shop. I did own a Win 101 for a while before I took up skeet shooting so I did not shoot it a lot.
The local shop that carried Perazzi dropped them in favor of Caesar Guerini claiming that the latter were more reliable. They also claimed that CG provided better service in the US. I am not interested in either due to the price and the intended use.

I've spent some time trolling GunsAmerica.com and it appears that we are fortunate with regard to the price of S/H shotguns in the UK. Decent Beretta 682s seem to be $2250 on up over your side of the pond.

I would pay close attention to Rcamuglia's advice on this suject as I gather he has achieved some fame ( or perhaps I should say notoriety, knowing him ) in Skeet shooting.

I did find this one which may be of some interest: http://www.gunsamerica.com/993..._26_CLOSET_QUEEN.htm

My pogo stick is indeed one that one wouldn't be seen dead with a driven shoot, but for Wild-fowling in the thick, sticky horrible stuff I'll happily break with decorum! I did have prejudices against semis but that Beretta won me over completely, as a bonus it happened to fit me rather well and I shot pretty well with it.

I'm currently looking at another one or more probably a pump gun for clays, rough shooting and fun but know nothing about them.

Check out that Miroku if a smaller bore interest you, I personally think they are quality guns at least for the money.

A

quote:

Originally posted by Nevadan:
SR4759

You wouldn't happen to shoot left handed would you? If so, I might be able to help.

Don

Nevadan - I shoot right handed.

quote:

Originally posted by rcamulia:

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
I need an OU for skeet shooting.(used)
What would you suggest between cost of purchase and reliability?

My budget would be happy with something under $1000.

I want a quality gun and it does not have to be a fly weight.

.

You will be hard pressed to find a quality over/under for less than $1000, even used. Notice I said "quality".

Are you just going to shoot the 12 gauge or do you plan on .410, 28, and 20? Gonna shoot registered birds or just for fun and hunting practice?

Your gas-operated auto will be great for the latter.

I would never mess up fun by shooting competition. I would like the capability of shooting all 4 gauges some day. Right now I can shoot 12 and 20 with what I own but I would like an OU to get back into skeet.

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:

quote:

Originally posted by rcamulia:

quote:

Originally posted by SR4759:
I need an OU for skeet shooting.(used)
What would you suggest between cost of purchase and reliability?

My budget would be happy with something under $1000.

I want a quality gun and it does not have to be a fly weight.

.

You will be hard pressed to find a quality over/under for less than $1000, even used. Notice I said "quality".

Are you just going to shoot the 12 gauge or do you plan on .410, 28, and 20? Gonna shoot registered birds or just for fun and hunting practice?

Your gas-operated auto will be great for the latter.

I would never mess up fun by shooting competition. I would like the capability of shooting all 4 gauges some day. Right now I can shoot 12 and 20 with what I own but I would like an OU to get back into skeet.

Hey SR, my advice would be to buy a middle of the road Browning or Beretta O/U and have it tubed by Briley for all the gauges.

I don't shoot Skeet anymore and my "fame and notoriety" is in Sporting Clays and FITASC. When I first started competing, I bought a Browning Citori Lightning Sporting model and had it tubed by Kolar. I still have the set but only use the shotgun for hunting once in a while now. Skeet became boring to me once I began shooting Sporting.

I am a single barrel guy now and here's how it happened. I was shooting for Beretta with a 682 Sporting at the time and did really well at the Utah State shoot. I won a Browning Gold Sporting at the shoot. Back at home I sent the 682 to have the triggers converted to mechanical. While it was gone, I decided to try out the Gold. When I was practicing a lot at the time I was a reloader. I would regularly shoot a 5 gallon bucket of shells in a practice session with my O/U. I went out with the Gold and was astounded at the lack of recoil and at the beating I was taking with the O/U. Practice with the Auto was fun again!

Since changing I've won a lot of stuff and never looked back. Today's gas operated autos are awesome, point like a razor and function perfectly. If you have the SX1, stick with it. It'll make you a better, less punished shooter.

quote:

I did have prejudices against semis

Ghubert,
All of our shooting implements can be a joy to use when they are of at least decent quality in design and manufacturing. I have several of the Japanese (Howa) shotguns made for Smith and Wesson that are excellent shooters. They were also exceptional bargains price wise.

That's what I'm learning, every tool has it's place.

I liked the Beretta for it's gas system, as long as the front end was kept dry and the rear oiled it would cycle everything from 21 grams of no7s to 50gr of BB. It did need cleaning to stay at it's best with lighter shells however and hence the interest in a pump.

Perhaps I should start a thread about it...