Need some guidance/advice on a 12 gauge Shotgun.

[tynman]

I go once a year skeet shooting and only once a year so Im trying to find out the best way to go with a new/pre-owned 12 ga. I already own a Remington 1908 side by side and a Mossberg 500 pump. I really do like the and want real wood stock on this 12 Ga. But what I cant figure out if I want a semi-auto or over and under shotgun. This gun will also be used for fun so I would like that to be kept in mind not just skeet shooting.

Im also not looking to spend $1000 for a shotgun I wont want to shoot cause its to pretty...

All advice is greatly appreciated.

[BigJimP]

You can shoot Skeet....especially if you're just shooting once in a while.....with most any 12ga shotgun...with at least a 26" barrel....and ideally with changeable screw in chokes:

A good pump gun ....like the Browning BPS Hunter model is a good choice.../ a lot of new shooters, shoot skeet with pump guns ( even some of us old dogs - do it once in a while as well ). Its a little bit of a disadvantage.. but if you learn to cycle the gun properly ...you'd be surprised how quick you can get ( the trick is to cycle the pump action - with the gun in your should / not dropping the gun down to waist level to cycle it )....

A good semi-auto is fine...Browning Silver is a decent gun, lots of choices in gas guns from Beretta....but you're looking at $ 1,000 or so at least for a decent semi-auto.

Over Unders...in my opinion, there aren't many O/U's under $ 1,500 that worth the investment long term...if you want an O/U -- then look at the offerings from Browning - like their Lightning series / or from Beretta...

In general, its my opinion, that you get what you pay for in shotguns. But casual shooting - you can shoot whatever you have....

[tynman]

Bigjim I am turned off by browning cause every rifle I have picked up to look at (new or old/used) there barrels are made in japan. I don't think there metals are any good come out of japan...
The Mossberg 500 I have is set up for home defense with a pistol grip and the only reason I really don't want to use it for skeet is I don't feel like finding the other stock and change it and then back again. And this is a good reason to buy a new shotgun too....LOL

[chewie146]

The Japanese can't own guns, but they can build the heck out of them. You may want to look at which guns are actually made in Japan. It may surprise you.

[g.willikers]

For the price range that you mentioned, it's hard to beat the venerable Remington 1100.
Plenty of good ones to be had in the under $400 range, too.

Are you confusing Japan with China?
Japan has made excellent firearms for many manufacturers.

[tynman]

No Im not mistaking anything.. China has no steel they buy our crap and send it back in a pretty shape of something. And I feel japan does the same thing with steel. And if you dont think they do that then thats ok but Im not going that way. I just dont trust it.

[tynman]

What do you guys think of the CZ-912? I found it and its in the $500 range.

[DaleA]

Shrug...Winchester 101 O/U---made in Japan. But hey, you really are entitled to your own opinion.

[tynman]

So is Browning and they are proud of there barrels being made there.

[Fisher]

Most skeet ranges will have shotguns available for rent for $10 or so. Maybe it might help you decide by renting a few of them to see what you like. You might even decide not to spend the $500 or $600 on a gun you are only going to use once a year and just keep renting one. You could go for 50 years before you spend the whole $500.

[joe45c]

Just my opinion, but I think the barrels from japan are every bit as good if not better then the ones that browning had made in Belgium. I have both and see no difference. Except my barrels from japan have choke tubes.

[tynman]

Fisher good point...lol

Guys this isn't about barrel's from Japan or China. I don't want to start a big thing about them. I just would rather not have one from there. That's just the way I feel. I don't have any proof of which is better or worse it's just what I don't want.

[BigJimP]

Its pretty well known ....that in the Browning Citori line of guns ( on all of the guns made by Miroku out of Japan for Browning) ... are considered to be, at least - 500,000 shells guns in terms of reliability.../ and I'm talking about all the internals on those guns ...let alone the barrels.

The Browning Citori gives you a lot of gun for the money ....they aren't a Krieghoff, Kolar, Perazzi or Blaser .../ but the Citori's are, and have been, very solid long term guns.

You should buy whatever you want...but if you think a Remington or Mossberg O/U ...will come anywhere near to holding up as long as a Browning O/U or semi-auto...you are being sadly misled, in my opinion.

On the semi-auto side, Remington has long made some decent guns...but Mossberg falls significantly short in that arena as well.

But if you don't want anything to do with Browning/Winchester shotguns ( Browning and Winchester make up the shotgun subsidiary of FN / although it looks to me like Browning is running the shotgun group )...then I'd suggest you look at the Beretta line of O/U's and semi-autos.

[tynman]

What do you guys think of the CZ line?
I like the look of the CZ912.
But another one no one carries it in stock around my area. So if I were to buy it it would be from a picture. Cant feel it and look at it.

[BigJimP]

I think the quality on them is hit and miss... I'm not impressed by them.

Seriously, I'd suggest you go out to your local clays club....and look around the gun racks / see what you see....talk to guys about their guns, what they bought, why they bought them, would they buy them again, how old are the guns, how many shells thru them, any maintenance issues....and talk to casual shooters, to some shooters that are out there every week, shooters that shoot "registered" targets in competition....

Even as a casual shooter that goes to the club once a week puts at least 100 shells a week thru their primary guns...or about 5,000 shells a year.../ serious shooters will put 500 a week thru their guns...so 25,000 shells a year or so...

and I think you'll see a trend develop ...in terms of what guys have found out about many different guns - over time in terms of reliability, fit, budgets, etc.

[TomADC]

Remington 1100 or 11-87, 28 inch barrel skeet or IC choke tube, you can play all the clays games with these and not break the bank doing it.

[Virginian]

No Japanese stuff, but Turkish is okay? I'm too befuddled to help now.

[BigJimP]

Maybe I should put the " Turkish -- crescent and star" emblem....over the Lexus symbol on the front of my SUV...???

( but my SUV is only 10 yrs old ...and only has 115,000 miles on it / ( so its only just broken in at this point ) ....so the steel in it, is still pretty solid )....

[JD0x0]

The CZ semi autos looks nice, plus the chrome lined barrel is never a bad thing, and they're cheap, and supposedly very reliable.

[tynman]

The rifle is made in czeck republic and just the stock is Turkish walnut. Not the whole rifle. And the stock may only be called Turkish and not from turkey.

[dbc3]

Im gonna second the rem 1100 12 ga. I love mine. I have 2 barrels. The modified choke that came with it that i shoot partrige and turkey with and i have a rifled slug barrel for deer. I have never shot skeet with mine but know couple of people that have and they love theirs too. Great guns.

[tynman]

Those Remington 1100 series run $1200 and up on there site. Its a hard nut to swallow for a gun that I will only use to shoot skeet once a year, and maybe play in the woods once in a while. I have other rifles I would use before I would pull the 12 ga out.... LOL

[BigJimP]

If $ 1,200 is too much....don't look at any of the Benelli's or most of the Beretta semi-autos then..../ or most of the Browning - Winchester's either...but we've already been down this road...

[tynman]

Bigjimp oh believe me I checked all of them out. And yes I can't afford those rifles. That is one of the reasons I put this up to find a decent shotgun for a reasonable price for the once a year use's.

[Virginian]

You can find like new 1100s for less than $700 if you have any patience. I have had 13 of them and still have 5. So obvious I like them.