any thoughts on a 20g O/U field gun...

Anthony66 · April 16, 2012, 05:05 AM

I'm thinking seriously about a new Beretta Silver Pigeon. A few years back I used to borrow my cousin's SP 28g. That was a great little gun for bird hunting and some clay target shooting. Threw great patterns.

darkgael · April 16, 2012, 05:43 AM

My own 20 ga O/U is a Weatherby Orion (by SKB).
I am very happy with it.
Pete

oneounceload · April 16, 2012, 08:48 AM

20 gauge for upland, IMO, is the best bore when the gun is on a properly sized frame making the weight around 6#, even with 28, 29, or 30" barrels

jrothWA · April 16, 2012, 08:49 AM

located a Marlin M90 in either 16ga or 20ga, and open the chokes to IC & MOD,
second in a Ruger Red Lable 20ga in Skt & Skt.

A third, which is a pump is the Ithaca M37 is 16ga or 20ga.

Dave McC · April 16, 2012, 09:25 AM

Besides the SP and White Onyx in 20 gauge, Beretta make a nice alloy framed variant that weighs less than 6 lbs.

My old SKB is a great candidate here, but at 6 lbs,12 oz it's on the heavy side for an uplander. Still, one with 26" barrels and choked IC/Mod would be a keeper.

In the last year or so I've got to try a few shots with Franchi and Cesar Guerneri 20 gauge O/Us. Check those out also.

oneounceload · April 16, 2012, 10:10 AM

Dave - Beretta also made a steel, double trigger, O/U that weigh in at 5#10oz:

http://www.gunsinternational.com/P-B...n_id=100157808

BigJimP · April 16, 2012, 12:07 PM

Browning Citori is a solid gun ...in their typical Field gun configuration ...like the Lightning ..in a 20ga and 28" barrels its 6.5 lbs ...

There are lots of choices ...depends on what "fits you" ...

Personally my "field gun" ...( in 12ga, 20ga or 28ga ) is a Browning Citori, XS Skeet model, with 30" barrels... in a 20ga its about 7.5 lbs ...but I don't find that too heavy.../ but I tend to like heavier guns - especially in the O/U's ...if I get too light - the guns tend to be "whippy" vs smooth / where I slap at too many birds...vs staying smooth / with a good follow thru.

Dave McC · April 16, 2012, 02:00 PM

Covet,covet....

I do not shoot ultra light shotguns well for the most part, a few with weight well forward are the exceptions.

Still, there's a lot to be said about that one.

Rich Cole will install DTs in a Beretta O/U. He will also make a stock to your measure. You pick the wood and install it on the Beretta of your choice with engraving you pick out also.

Soon as I hit the Lotto.....

Anthony66 · April 18, 2012, 03:00 AM

I think I'm down to two. A Browning Citori White Lightning or the Beretta Silver Pigeon. On the plus side, the Browning could be used for occasional clay target shooting. It's a little heavier than the SP, will see...

Thanks for the help!

.300 Weatherby Mag · April 18, 2012, 01:09 PM

Browning Citori or Beretta 686/687

Whichever feels best..

Anthony66 · April 18, 2012, 04:33 PM

a new Browning White Lightning found its way home today!! Got the 20 gauge with 28" barrels and two flats of Federal Target Loads to break her in with. Both guns felt good, the Citori felt better. The difference in wood quality was like night and day. The WL came with grade 2 lumber, the SP wood looked like stained plywood. Just sayin'...

redmond · April 18, 2012, 05:31 PM

I have a nice Winchester 101 that was my Dad's. Fabulous for birds or skeet.

.300 Weatherby Mag · April 19, 2012, 02:47 AM

Quote:

the SP wood looked like stained plywood. Just sayin'...

BS without pics....

Anthony66 · April 19, 2012, 04:38 AM

current inventory of Beretta Silver Pigeon stock material...

PJR · April 19, 2012, 06:58 AM

Before the sxs bug hit at various times I owned and hunted with a Browning Citori Featherlight, Winchester 101 and Beretta 687 SP. While all of them provided good service my favorite of the three was the Beretta. It fit me better and had 30" barrels while the others were shorter.

.300 Weatherby Mag · April 19, 2012, 07:31 AM

Quote:

current inventory of Beretta Silver Pigeon stock material...

LOL...

Anthony66 · April 19, 2012, 09:19 AM

.300WM - I sorta' knew you'd get a chuckle out of that one!

BigJimP · April 20, 2012, 04:11 PM

Oh, now that's mean ....Beretta uses better glue than that - on their plywood ...

Anthony66 · April 20, 2012, 04:32 PM

BJP, remember, I'm the new kid on the block! But, if you want better wood on a SP, here's their grade 4...

as in 2X4... LOL

BigJimP · April 30, 2012, 01:16 PM

Ok, I'm still laughing ....but over the years Browning hasn't used the best wood either on their grade I guns...

Here is my Citori 12ga ( Field Grade 1 O/U ) that I bought new in 1988 for about $ 750 ....its the older version of the standard Lightning model today.

Shotguns 11-10-08 012.jpg

its not fancy, but its a very serviceable gun - that I still keep around...as a training gun mostly.

BigJimP · April 30, 2012, 01:19 PM

Here are some newer guns that I bought new between 2000 and 2004 ...all Browning Citori XS Skeet models ....top is a 12ga, a 20ga, a 28ga and a .410 ...all grade III / IV stock grades ....which are more common on some of the higher end Browning Citori line of guns today like the XS Skeet and the XT-Trap ....

Shotguns Browning XS-Skeet models 12,20,28,.410 002.jpg

and I'm still laughing ....that 2 X 4 ....looks like some of the old wood I used to see on the early Krieghoff's and Perazzi's ....( slivers and all ...) ....

Anthony66 · April 30, 2012, 02:45 PM

BJP, this weekend I picked up a like new 20g/28" White Lightning. I liked the weight and balance a little better than the Silver Pigeon. The wood on it is gorgeous. Looks like a hand rubbed oil finish. Shot two rounds of skeet with it and did rather well. A 19 and 17. I purchased two skeet chokes for the gun...

BigJimP · April 30, 2012, 03:35 PM

good ....and congratulations...

now work on getting those scores consistently up into the 22/23 average range....

Anthony66 · April 30, 2012, 03:47 PM

I'll try my best! For sporting clays, which combo should I use; SK/IC or IC/Mod? Wider choke on the bottom, right? Sorry for the dumb questions...

Anthony66 · April 30, 2012, 05:07 PM

Big Jim, here's what the gun looks like. The 20 gauge comes with a hard plastic butt plate. I was thinking about having a gunsmith install a rubber recoil pad. But after putting a couple of boxes through the gun, the recoil didn't bother me at all. Plus, the gun fits perfect as is.

Would you install a new recoil pad?

The owner of the gun shop told be the basic design and engraving on the receiver was copied off of a 1957 Belgian Browning. Don't know if that's true or not...

April 16, 2012, 05:43 AM	#2
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	20 ga. My own 20 ga O/U is a Weatherby Orion (by SKB). I am very happy with it. Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

April 16, 2012, 08:49 AM	#4
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	Give you two... located a Marlin M90 in either 16ga or 20ga, and open the chokes to IC & MOD, second in a Ruger Red Lable 20ga in Skt & Skt. A third, which is a pump is the Ithaca M37 is 16ga or 20ga.

April 16, 2012, 05:05 AM	#1
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	any thoughts on a 20g O/U field gun... I'm thinking seriously about a new Beretta Silver Pigeon. A few years back I used to borrow my cousin's SP 28g. That was a great little gun for bird hunting and some clay target shooting. Threw great patterns.

April 16, 2012, 08:48 AM	#3
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	20 gauge for upland, IMO, is the best bore when the gun is on a properly sized frame making the weight around 6#, even with 28, 29, or 30" barrels

April 16, 2012, 09:25 AM	#5
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Besides the SP and White Onyx in 20 gauge, Beretta make a nice alloy framed variant that weighs less than 6 lbs. My old SKB is a great candidate here, but at 6 lbs,12 oz it's on the heavy side for an uplander. Still, one with 26" barrels and choked IC/Mod would be a keeper. In the last year or so I've got to try a few shots with Franchi and Cesar Guerneri 20 gauge O/Us. Check those out also.

April 16, 2012, 10:10 AM	#6
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Dave - Beretta also made a steel, double trigger, O/U that weigh in at 5#10oz: http://www.gunsinternational.com/P-B...n_id=100157808

April 16, 2012, 12:07 PM	#7
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Browning Citori is a solid gun ...in their typical Field gun configuration ...like the Lightning ..in a 20ga and 28" barrels its 6.5 lbs ... There are lots of choices ...depends on what "fits you" ... Personally my "field gun" ...( in 12ga, 20ga or 28ga ) is a Browning Citori, XS Skeet model, with 30" barrels... in a 20ga its about 7.5 lbs ...but I don't find that too heavy.../ but I tend to like heavier guns - especially in the O/U's ...if I get too light - the guns tend to be "whippy" vs smooth / where I slap at too many birds...vs staying smooth / with a good follow thru.

April 16, 2012, 02:00 PM	#8
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Covet,covet.... I do not shoot ultra light shotguns well for the most part, a few with weight well forward are the exceptions. Still, there's a lot to be said about that one. Rich Cole will install DTs in a Beretta O/U. He will also make a stock to your measure. You pick the wood and install it on the Beretta of your choice with engraving you pick out also. Soon as I hit the Lotto.....

April 18, 2012, 03:00 AM	#9
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	I think I'm down to two. A Browning Citori White Lightning or the Beretta Silver Pigeon. On the plus side, the Browning could be used for occasional clay target shooting. It's a little heavier than the SP, will see... Thanks for the help!

April 18, 2012, 01:09 PM	#10
.300 Weatherby Mag Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Posts: 1,777	Browning Citori or Beretta 686/687 Whichever feels best..

April 18, 2012, 04:33 PM	#11
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	a new Browning White Lightning found its way home today!! Got the 20 gauge with 28" barrels and two flats of Federal Target Loads to break her in with. Both guns felt good, the Citori felt better. The difference in wood quality was like night and day. The WL came with grade 2 lumber, the SP wood looked like stained plywood. Just sayin'...

April 18, 2012, 05:31 PM	#12
redmond Member Join Date: March 21, 2011 Posts: 21	I have a nice Winchester 101 that was my Dad's. Fabulous for birds or skeet.

April 19, 2012, 04:38 AM	#14
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	current inventory of Beretta Silver Pigeon stock material...

April 19, 2012, 06:58 AM	#15
PJR Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2000 Posts: 1,127	Before the sxs bug hit at various times I owned and hunted with a Browning Citori Featherlight, Winchester 101 and Beretta 687 SP. While all of them provided good service my favorite of the three was the Beretta. It fit me better and had 30" barrels while the others were shorter.

April 19, 2012, 09:19 AM	#17
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	.300WM - I sorta' knew you'd get a chuckle out of that one!

April 20, 2012, 04:11 PM	#18
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Oh, now that's mean ....Beretta uses better glue than that - on their plywood ...

April 20, 2012, 04:32 PM	#19
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	BJP, remember, I'm the new kid on the block! But, if you want better wood on a SP, here's their grade 4... as in 2X4... LOL

April 30, 2012, 01:16 PM	#20
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Ok, I'm still laughing ....but over the years Browning hasn't used the best wood either on their grade I guns... Here is my Citori 12ga ( Field Grade 1 O/U ) that I bought new in 1988 for about $ 750 ....its the older version of the standard Lightning model today. Shotguns 11-10-08 012.jpg its not fancy, but its a very serviceable gun - that I still keep around...as a training gun mostly.

April 30, 2012, 01:19 PM	#21
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Here are some newer guns that I bought new between 2000 and 2004 ...all Browning Citori XS Skeet models ....top is a 12ga, a 20ga, a 28ga and a .410 ...all grade III / IV stock grades ....which are more common on some of the higher end Browning Citori line of guns today like the XS Skeet and the XT-Trap .... Shotguns Browning XS-Skeet models 12,20,28,.410 002.jpg and I'm still laughing ....that 2 X 4 ....looks like some of the old wood I used to see on the early Krieghoff's and Perazzi's ....( slivers and all ...) ....

April 30, 2012, 02:45 PM	#22
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	BJP, this weekend I picked up a like new 20g/28" White Lightning. I liked the weight and balance a little better than the Silver Pigeon. The wood on it is gorgeous. Looks like a hand rubbed oil finish. Shot two rounds of skeet with it and did rather well. A 19 and 17. I purchased two skeet chokes for the gun...

April 30, 2012, 03:35 PM	#23
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	good ....and congratulations... now work on getting those scores consistently up into the 22/23 average range....

April 30, 2012, 03:47 PM	#24
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	I'll try my best! For sporting clays, which combo should I use; SK/IC or IC/Mod? Wider choke on the bottom, right? Sorry for the dumb questions...

April 30, 2012, 05:07 PM	#25
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	Big Jim, here's what the gun looks like. The 20 gauge comes with a hard plastic butt plate. I was thinking about having a gunsmith install a rubber recoil pad. But after putting a couple of boxes through the gun, the recoil didn't bother me at all. Plus, the gun fits perfect as is. Would you install a new recoil pad? The owner of the gun shop told be the basic design and engraving on the receiver was copied off of a 1957 Belgian Browning. Don't know if that's true or not...