Inexpensive Over/ Under
I am relatively new at skeet and sporting clays shooting and am looking to purchase an over under. However, due to a college student budget, I am looking to pick up something at 500 bucks or less. Does anyone have any suggestions or experiances with an inexpensive over/ under that may help me out?
Thanks,
John
Thanks,
John
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Just looked at a Baikal Sporting Clays yesterday. Wasn't real pretty wood, but much better than I expected. Hate to admit it but handled a lot like my Browning GTI. Retail here was $499.99. Might be able to find one cheaper if you look around. Otherwise, it wasn't the nicest gun in the rack, but darn well made for the price. Otherwise, a used American Arms might be around the $450 to 500 mark and a used Ruger Red Label will be some more probably 700 to 900. 0 -
You may also try a Stoger sold thru Dick's and other sporting goods stores (also try them in GB). These are field guns with ribs and screw in chokes, but I have seen quite a few at the ranges with new shooters and they claim to be a pretty good gun (have never used one myself).
Also try "wanted to buy" section of GB for a good used gun. They are rare, but every once in a while you find someone willing to let go because their shooting is over with. Remember that you can have choke tubes put in fairly inexpensive if the barrels have enough metal, so don't rule out a $250 gun because of fixed chokes.
Good luck, you'll enjoy the games.0 -
I bought a EAA Baikal model IZH-27 at a local show NIB for $289 and it shoots extremely well and has been 100% reliable. Not a pretty gun, but very functional w/single trigger, 3 choke tubes and ejectors, not extractors. Another budget O/U is a Stoeger Condor. $279 on sale at Dicks. I have never shot one, but the quality appears decent. Gun Tests did a review on both guns and they reccomended the Baikal. 0 -
i am curious why you must have an o&u in college? if its to impress the local gun club members to get business leads or tips while in school, dont do it. theyll know youre cheap and not want to shoot with you! think im fooling? walk on a range with a perazzi and people will introduce themselves to you. walk on the range with a alazawaqutkanzim o&u, and they'll move their cars away from yours. anytime someone says they want an inexpensive o&u, its like saying they want a ferrari fiberglass kit car on a vw chassis. when you decide that its time to step up to an o&u, you are suppose do it all the way. case in point. you buy a expensive car for 4 reasons, you like it, you can afford it, you like what it can do on the road, and you want to impress. and when i say afford it, that includes repairing it. its appears you are buying an inexpensive gun based on one catagory...cost. you never requested a good handling gun, or a gun that will hold its value. when you are attracted to a cheap gun, you think you are getting a ferrari, but you are getting a cheap imitation. you say you cant afford any more than 500.00? ok, tell that to a porsche dealer. and when it breaks, yes, they all do including good ones, try finding a part for that gun. see, these cheap gun deals are designed for the new throw away society. they marketed you and they got you. o&u and sbs's are suppose to be lifetime investments that last generations. instead, you have a lot of cheap gun owners walking around thinking they got a good deal and the importers are laughing all the way to the bank. buy that 500.00 gun down at country bumpkins discount gun shop and when the dealer see's you coming with a problem, he'll shrug his shoulders and go back to his checker game. (you think im fooling?) being a college student im sure your macro/micro economics professor would agree that an investment is suppose to have a positive return, not, a dwindling downward curve the longer you own an investment (or in this case, a cheap gun.) dont bite, save up and get a better o&u. get one that will reflect your sharp investment skills. if you are in college and cant afford an o&u now, try a used semi auto or something that will fit the billet until you can. youll thank me some day. because the day you get your better gun, youll treat it better and it will fit you better, with less kick too. and you wont be ashamed when you walk into a clubhouse or a gunsmith and ask him to fix it. he'll be glad to help you instead of rolling his eyes and saying...'oh, another one of them.' and im not knocking the lower income people. i grew up as one. i know how to save and i know a good deal. cheap o&u's arent a good deal in the long run. they hurt the u.s. economy and give buyers a false sense of value. i hope you take this to heart. i did my part to save one more gun buyer from the snare. if you go back in, its not my fault. ok, ok, dad has spoken. its my opinion and im sticking to it.
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.0 -
The BEST DEAL in a economy O/U hands down is LANBER, Stay away from the repair plagued STOEGERS!! Baikal is decent but nothing touches the spanish LANBERS. The model 2087 LANBER is a phenomenal O/U for $480 dealer cost. Were talking 28 or 30 inch barrels, 5 chokes, vent rib, vented barrel spacer, single trigger, ejectors, polished engraved receiver, snabel forend and nice wood to boot. If you cannot afford that li'l puppy they have several other lower priced options. Hope this helps. Check them out @ cdnninvestments.com
JC
Ted Kennedy's breath has killed more people than my car.0 -
I guess I'm opening my self to some criticism, but here goes. We have a lad who wants to start shooting clays and if he's like most of us, he has to work to stay in school, not only in the book work but a money job as well. Buying a gun and still having money to shoot and have ammo is a sometimes thing. He wants to get a feel of things and yet have some fun too. Now we have Bobski telling him he has to lay out $4500 to 8000 to shoot with the local snobs. I started with an 870 Wingmaster and a few years ago shot with a young pup who now is serving his country who also shot an 870. I had my Browning GTI and he his wingmaster. I've seldom seen much skill and plain smoothness with any gun let alone a pump. He was not outgunned.
Personally, I've heard "it doesn't matter if you shoot good just if you look like you do". I generally stay away from these people since half the time I have to watch them out of the corner of my eye so I don't get muzzle flash over me. In the end equipment may help you shoot better but it still comes down to practice, determination and skill. Money won't buy that other than more targets, more time behind the trigger and more ammo.
It would be nice if we all could shoot factory ammo and toss the hulls, we all could buy Perrazzis, Krieghooffs and Ljutics, and we all could buy the Ferrari to drive to the range. But reality is most of us get a couple days a month to get away from making a living, burn a little powder and spend some quality time with some REAL men, not the flash boys that show off their Rolex.
It's better to start with some money so you can shoot more than have the expensive gun sit in the closet while you go try to earn more so you can shoot the damn thing.0 -
Who cares what the Jones' are driving? I've got 3 shotguns (a pump, O/U and S/S) that I have used the past 12 plus years to put meat on my table. I have less than $1000 invested in the three. I use all three to break clays. I don't break clays to impress the Jones', just to sharpen my skills so I can ensure a clean kill and put meat in the freezer. Buy the best quality gun you can afford today, shoot it as often as you can, and have some fun. 0 -
I agree with part of what bobski had to say...but what the hell, the guy at my club that shoots the perazzi bought it cause he could afford it and wanted to impress everyone else. Now..if he could only shoot it!
I have a Baikal, and like the other poster said, it doesn't have the prettiest walnut, but the thing shoots as good as my best friend's Citori, and has the same features, for about $700 less. He has shot mine and likes it. The only thing is the resale if you ever want to get rid of it.
I don't give two hoots in hell about what someone thinks about what I shoot. It's MY gun, not theirs.
For the record, I have a Winchester 101 and a Browning O/U..Belgian made..but I do like to take the Baikal to the field, it fits me, and I shoot it well.
Guess the moral of this is...buy what you can afford and have a good time.
John
A friend will post your bail. A good friend will be sitting next to you in the cell saying, "man that was fun!"0 -
JJ8, there are a lot of interesting comments on your post. I've never handled a Lanber but I'd be willing to take interstatepawn's recommendation and give one a try. I would also take a look at the Fausti Traditions O/U that I've seen in Wal-Mart in the price range you quoted. (ISPL, what do you know about those guns?). I also don't know what an 1100 Skeet gun retails for these days but think you could buy a real good used one at less than the price you quoted. If anybody wrinkles their nose at it, just buy shells with the money you saved, practice, practice, and practice, and then start outshooting them. As far as the Rolexes go, I paid $85.00 for one in the PX in 1954 but it doesn't keep as good time as the $25.00 Timex I now wear which is a hell of a lot lighter. Ain't as good maybe in an oven or 100 fathoms down in the ocean! And as far as the O/U's are concerned, if I want to shoot some serious skeet I don't grab one of the four Superposed's I own. Most of the time it's a Rem. 58 or 1100!! Why? They feel better, kick less, and fit like a glove! Tell your critics that the budget gun " just feels right".
Cheers,
OleDuk[:D][:D][:D]0 -
I bought my wife a Fausti, very well made gun.Fit and finish is right up there with my Brownings. 0 -
trap55........try selling it 5 years from now and get your money back. with the market flooded with imports, youll be hard pressed to sell it because its will be cheaper to buy a new one and they will be common. our college student would be better served buying a used american gun. at least he'll get his investment back in 10 years. 0 -
Bobski,What American made used Browning O/U would you recommend, Superposed or Citori? How about an American made Winchester 101? We have to stay away from those darn imports.
John, for Skeet and clays an O/U makes a lot of sense. They offer choke options and are handy if you intend to reload - no chasing the hulls.
Over the years I've shot a lot of trap, skeet and now mostly clays. If a person shooting a $500.00 gun is pleasent, courtious, and safety minded, any where I've shot they would be welcomed by the "big guys" shooting their $2500 to $50000 guns. If individuals aren't welcomed by the "Snobs" it might be because of another more personal reason.
I would try the Lamber or Baikal and see which fits you best. I think you will be happier with the O/U for skeet and clays. Fit is the key.
Good luck and have fun, don't worry about being snubbed because of your $500 gun.0 -
dont do it college boy. go for a used american o&u. try a used 101, remington 3200, a savage, heck a jap miruku would be better. even a used citori or weatherby for only 350 more would be worth it. youre going to college to be wise. dont buy unwisely. it counters all logic. wealthy shooters arent all snobs. they are sucessful people that can afford it because they were wise with money. their guns go up in value even as they use it. try that with a car someday. take the hint from them. start out on the right foot. invest now and shoot straight with fine arm. last word. im done. 0 -
Ol Duk, I have owned several and shot many of the Lanbers.
JC
Ted Kennedy's breath has killed more people than my car.0
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