your "go to" gun

Beretta OU - nicest one you can afford that is not so nice that you'll be afraid to take it out hunting. For me, it's a 687 silver pigeon II steam-bent to fit my southpaw shootin' ways... I find them a good balance of modest weight, but heavy enough to get a good swing and follow-through going... Citori, I personally find too blocky and heavy. Cynergy is nice for me, but a bit radical for some folks. I would stay away from very light guns, unless you want that for really long days or an aging body (no offence). I personally find them to be great grouse or woodcock guns, but not so good for pheasants or ducks when you really want to get a good swing going. I have an ultralight beretta OU that tips the scale at 5.7 lbs - great to snap a quick shot at a woodcock, but no as good to swing broadside in a pheasant.
 
crockett said:
Beretta OU - nicest one you can afford that is not so nice that you'll be afraid to take it out hunting. For me, it's a 687 silver pigeon II steam-bent to fit my southpaw shootin' ways... I find them a good balance of modest weight, but heavy enough to get a good swing and follow-through going... Citori, I personally find too blocky and heavy. Cynergy is nice for me, but a bit radical for some folks. I would stay away from very light guns, unless you want that for really long days or an aging body (no offence). I personally find them to be great grouse or woodcock guns, but not so good for pheasants or ducks when you really want to get a good swing going. I have an ultralight beretta OU that tips the scale at 5.7 lbs - great to snap a quick shot at a woodcock, but no as good to swing broadside in a pheasant.
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Thanks for the help! I'm 23 so a little recoil won't bother me: I shoot 500 rounds of trap/skeet a month so recoil is a familiar friend. I've handled the citori and cynergy both and do not like the way the wood feels in my hands at all. It had almost a plastic like feel to it, which I didn't care for at all.I loved the feel of the beretta 686 silver pigeon III as it felt a lot more sturdy and well built. I'm leaning towards the 686 at this point, but I want to stay open to options. The SxS will do for now, I just want to have plenty of practice time with whatever I buy in the off season.
 
It would be my Browning 625 Citori (now the 725). It is the full size 12 ga. Citori and is too heavy and big for some. If too big, one of the other Citori's, perhaps with the term "feather" or "lightning" in its model name would be the one.

Beretta owners swear by their o/u s, but I have no experience with them. For a lower price point, I have seen good remarks about CZs which are made in Turkey.
 
quail hound said:
My 28ga Cz Ringneck is my go to game gun. I'm very confident shooting it and I know it's limitations. When I hold up my end of the deal my dog picks up a dead bird. I know how a few on here feel about sub gauges for hunting pheasants but I think PTM can attest to how my little gun performs.
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Yes I was quite impressed with the gun and probably more of Roberts shooting, I remember one I passed on because of the angle first and then the distance and Robert blew it out of the sky "stone dead "as they say, I can also attest to Robert admitting that Taco John's is the best honky Mexican fast food in the Midwest, they are now selling chicken wings which is really puzzling as it wasn't a menu item at La Parrilla Suiza when I lived in Tucson.
 
PTM said:
Yes I was quite impressed with the gun and probably more of Roberts shooting, I remember one I passed on because of the angle first and then the distance and Robert blew it out of the sky "stone dead "as they say, I can also attest to Robert admitting that Taco John's is the best honky Mexican fast food in the Midwest, they are now selling chicken wings which is really puzzling as it wasn't a menu item at La Parrilla Suiza when I lived in Tucson.
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Taco John's?!?!?!? oh man...
 
It was always a Browning A500R for me that I received as a graduation present(I didn't know until a year or 2 ago that it was a peice of crap as I never had an issue with it and it flat killed stuff in my hands). Now....after a year of hunting with my "cheap piece of crap" (according to the internet gurus) 20ga CZ Upland SxS, I would have to say that I have no further plans of carrying anything else.

The internet......it's just full of truth. :)
 
I picked up a Ruger Red Label 12 about eight years ago, and to this point haven't come across anything I'd trade it for. It has very plain wood, and might be a tad heavy, although I don't notice it's heft being an issue. For whatever reason, I shoot it better than any of the other dozen or so shotguns I've accumulated through the years, and it's never let me down. Probably be my go-to shotgun?..
 
haymaker said:
When I did what you are doing I bought a Model 12 in a 16 gauge and I could not be happier. Absolute reliability in any weather.
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This - but make it a Model 37 (Ithaca) instead of a 12, and you're there! Seriously, I'm old school - have tried O/U, SxS and semi-auto, couldn't shoot worth crap with any of them. I'm at least 20% better shot with the lightweight 16. I have a small frame, and the Ithaca's "BB-gun" dimensions (something like e13.75" LOP) are perfect for me, plus it's great to not be lugging around what feels like a big club by the end of the day. The only non-pump I kinda lust after is MCc's (and Treedaddy's) Sweet 16 - still would like to try one of those in the field someday.
 
wow you all are barking up the wrong tree. a i love the a-5 in any gauge, and the ithica. owned them all. however the my benelli is by fare the best shotgun i have ever owned. not even close. no gun ever fit me better ever. :)
 
Which all just goes to say (as someone already did above) - the best gun is the one that fits you best!
 
cokid said:
Which all just goes to say (as someone already did above) - the best gun is the one that fits you best!
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I agree totally, fit is the key to killing birds regardless of gauge or action type!
Now, if it is a CLASSY shotgun, all the better!!:10sign:

David
 
Go to-Browning B80, 12 gauge, 26 inch with invector chokes.

However, for upland birds, I have an Ithaca SKB Model 500 20 Gauge that is very quick. It is death on pheasants with 3" Nitro 6's.
 
davidtodd said:
I agree totally, fit is the key to killing birds regardless of gauge or action type!
Now, if it is a CLASSY shotgun, all the better!!:10sign:

David
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That's a great piece of lumber there. I'd rather take three birds with that gun than five with a modern autoloader with as much character as a microwave oven.
 



Contrary to what my Avatar is I'm an Autoloader guy when it comes to pheasant hunting. Beretta A391 Urika2 Ultralight in 28" is my gun of choice. I like the extra firepower over a two holer. My 725 is a 32" sporting and when it comes to breaking clays it's a no brainer.

Now..... that being said. Browning is now making the 725 in a 20 Ga. and a 30" twenty gauge would be oooh..... so sweet. :10sign:
 
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Just like 10,000,000 other people, the Remington 1100. I have shot one since 1976 & never seen a reason to change. I have shot O/U & S/S of Friends years ago & while I like the craftsmanship that goes into one. I have never seen a reason to leave Remington.
1100 12ga 3 inch Mag. When I Duck Hunt & need the Best, also my First 1100.
11-87 12ga Trap Stock.
1100 12ga Diamond Anniversary is now my Pheasant Gun
11-87 20ga. Quail Unlimited
1100 28ga.
 
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