Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Double barrel, side by side, over-under, semi-automatic, straight-pull and lever action shotguns.

Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by Supaduke » 17 Oct 2016, 8:59 pm

brett1868 wrote:Deacon, The first 12ga I ever owned was a Mossburg Mariner 20" S/S pump and I loved it. I currently have a Thunder Ranch (amongst others) in the safe at the moment, it's the first thing I pack, take out, load when up on my block. It's a cheap & nasty pair of pipes on a plastic stock BUT I've been unable to destroy it and it's never let me down. Choice comes back to what type of shooting the O/P has in mind and how much he'll be shooting.


The Mariner..... I owned one as well. Lusted after it for a while , stared at it in a gun shop in Cairns. Used to take my remmy 870 express out to sea but keeping the rust off was a constant chore. The stainless shotty with synthetic furniture was so Hollywood and when I found out it was called a mariner I had to have it.
Nearly cried handing that in back in 97 :/
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by Bigjobss » 17 Oct 2016, 9:11 pm

Supaduke wrote: The Mariner..... I owned one as well. Lusted after it for a while , stared at it in a gun shop in Cairns. Used to take my remmy 870 express out to sea but keeping the rust off was a constant chore.


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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by wade06 » 17 Oct 2016, 9:23 pm

Thanks all. Ive only ever used semi autos and pump actions in the past (some clays, roos and the odd rabbit and duck)... No idea what brand they were.... Never used an O/U so it's a bit of a learning curve.

My use will be pretty light.. Maybe once or twice a month and not big numbers of shells. Hunting and clays on a farm.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by Supaduke » 17 Oct 2016, 9:26 pm

Never do a lot of fishing down here in Vic. When you are catching 6ft Spanish mackerel and 16ft hammerheads, catching a 1ft flatly that is smaller than the bait I used to use is a bit.......lame. Now days I sit on the dock and drink while my mates fish lol. Doing fishing for a job for 5 years kind of sucked the fun out of recreational fishing. Happy to just watch now.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by brett1868 » 17 Oct 2016, 10:25 pm

Supaduke wrote:
brett1868 wrote:Deacon, The first 12ga I ever owned was a Mossburg Mariner 20" S/S pump and I loved it. I currently have a Thunder Ranch (amongst others) in the safe at the moment, it's the first thing I pack, take out, load when up on my block. It's a cheap & nasty pair of pipes on a plastic stock BUT I've been unable to destroy it and it's never let me down. Choice comes back to what type of shooting the O/P has in mind and how much he'll be shooting.


The Mariner..... I owned one as well. Lusted after it for a while , stared at it in a gun shop in Cairns. Used to take my remmy 870 express out to sea but keeping the rust off was a constant chore. The stainless shotty with synthetic furniture was so Hollywood and when I found out it was called a mariner I had to have it.
Nearly cried handing that in back in 97 :/
Now I'm annoyed at John Howard, thanks Brett ....bastard ;)


I drilled the top of mine for a rail then fitted a Tasco ProPoint, Had a set of Pachmyer pistol grips as well. The thing was awesome with the Brenekie rifled solids on roo's and bunnies out to no more then 50m on roos and 25m on the bunnies. I actually shed a tear or 20 handing it in as I also lost a S/S Winchester pump along with it :(
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by brett1868 » 17 Oct 2016, 10:53 pm

Striking Distance is on TV at the moment, Bruce Willis just climbed out of the water onto a boat carrying the exact same Winchester S/S pump I had in the 80's. Talk about rubbing salt into wounds :(
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by on_one_wheel » 17 Oct 2016, 11:52 pm

If it's any help, I've been very happy with my $600 Stoeger coach gun.

You can pay much more ... if you want a flasher set of nails and pipes.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by wade06 » 18 Oct 2016, 8:59 am

on_one_wheel wrote:If it's any help, I've been very happy with my $600 Stoeger coach gun.

You can pay much more ... if you want a flasher set of nails and pipes.


:D I'm even tossing up just getting a cheap second hand shot gun to start with.

The expensive shotguns look and feel great and are obviously better quality but may not be any more effective for occasional hunting.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 18 Oct 2016, 10:23 am

wade06 wrote: :D I'm even tossing up just getting a cheap second hand shot gun to start with.

The expensive shotguns look and feel great and are obviously better quality but may not be any more effective for occasional hunting.



That was my plan too, but why would I buy a secondhand shotgun when I could buy a new Stoeger 30" Condor for $550.
Couldn't be happier with it.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by happyhunter » 18 Oct 2016, 2:12 pm

Shotguns are part of the culture I'm from and you get given one as a kid, usually the old mans hand me down. One is nearly 70 years old. I've owned a few, favorites being the Beretta 400s like the PB409, 410, 411s, a A300 self loader and a couple of cheap Kmart pumps back in the day.

A few years ago I went and bought a Stoeger coach, 20" barrels and what not for shooting off the dirt bike. Worst firearm I've ever used. Six months later I sold it back to the LGS.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 18 Oct 2016, 2:25 pm

happyhunter wrote:Shotguns are part of the culture I'm from and you get given one as a kid, usually the old mans hand me down. One is nearly 70 years old. I've owned a few, favorites being the Beretta 400s like the PB409, 410, 411s, a A300 self loader and a couple of cheap Kmart pumps back in the day.

A few years ago I went and bought a Stoeger coach, 20" barrels and what not for shooting off the dirt bike. Worst firearm I've ever used. Six months later I sold it back to the LGS.



In what way was it the "worst firearm you ever used" exactly?

I had a 20" pump when I was a kid and I wouldn't bother again with short barrels if I wanted a useful gun.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by dpskipper » 18 Oct 2016, 4:51 pm

Not sure how "entry level" Beretta is, but their 686 Silver Pigeon 1 at $2850 ish dollars is their cheapest model I know of. I've shot it and it feels sturdy, lightweight and really easy to swing for trap/skeet shooting. Basically everything you would expect from Beretta.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by happyhunter » 18 Oct 2016, 6:51 pm

bladeracer wrote:
happyhunter wrote:Shotguns are part of the culture I'm from and you get given one as a kid, usually the old mans hand me down. One is nearly 70 years old. I've owned a few, favorites being the Beretta 400s like the PB409, 410, 411s, a A300 self loader and a couple of cheap Kmart pumps back in the day.

A few years ago I went and bought a Stoeger coach, 20" barrels and what not for shooting off the dirt bike. Worst firearm I've ever used. Six months later I sold it back to the LGS.



In what way was it the "worst firearm you ever used" exactly?

I had a 20" pump when I was a kid and I wouldn't bother again with short barrels if I wanted a useful gun.


When I patterned tghe barrel alignment turned out to be way out, and it periodically misfired, but worst thing was the trigger. Compared to the old Beretta SxS shotties the poor build quality was obvious. I don't have a problem with 20" barrels. The gun breaks down and fits easy in my back pack which is easy on the bike and nobody is the wiser that you are transporting a firearm but a crap gun is annoying.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 18 Oct 2016, 7:30 pm

happyhunter wrote:When I patterned tghe barrel alignment turned out to be way out, and it periodically misfired, but worst thing was the trigger. Compared to the old Beretta SxS shotties the poor build quality was obvious. I don't have a problem with 20" barrels. The gun breaks down and fits easy in my back pack which is easy on the bike and nobody is the wiser that you are transporting a firearm but a crap gun is annoying.



If alignment was out you should've returned it, same for misfiring.
I would possibly agree about the trigger, if it wasn't a shotgun.
I would expect the build quality to be obvious considering the difference in value.
Would I swap my $550 Stoeger for a $1000 Adler? Not a bloody chance, the Stoeger is a much better gun for the money.
Would I swap it for a $3000 trap gun? No bloody way, I don't have any use for firearms I'm afraid to scratch, or drop or get wet...or take out and actually use.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by happyhunter » 18 Oct 2016, 9:51 pm

bladeracer wrote:
happyhunter wrote:When I patterned tghe barrel alignment turned out to be way out, and it periodically misfired, but worst thing was the trigger. Compared to the old Beretta SxS shotties the poor build quality was obvious. I don't have a problem with 20" barrels. The gun breaks down and fits easy in my back pack which is easy on the bike and nobody is the wiser that you are transporting a firearm but a crap gun is annoying.



If alignment was out you should've returned it, same for misfiring.
I would possibly agree about the trigger, if it wasn't a shotgun.
I would expect the build quality to be obvious considering the difference in value.
Would I swap my $550 Stoeger for a $1000 Adler? Not a bloody chance, the Stoeger is a much better gun for the money.
Would I swap it for a $3000 trap gun? No bloody way, I don't have any use for firearms I'm afraid to scratch, or drop or get wet...or take out and actually use.


I would expect the build quality to be obvious considering the difference in value.

hahaha.. do you even know what a PB409 or 410E looks like cos that's what I had to compare the Stoeger? Ive included a pic below FYI. They were made from 1934 to 1964. You can pick up a mint 409 for a grand on used guns, a rough one for 500-600, so what price difference?. Dirt cheap peasant shotgun of the day, built to last longer than the owner :D

I would possibly agree about the trigger, if it wasn't a shotgun.

That quote says it all.. shame on you for pretending to be an experience shooter/hunter. :D
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 18 Oct 2016, 10:00 pm

happyhunter wrote:hahaha.. do you even know what a PB409 or 410E looks like cos that's what I had to compare the Stoeger? Ive included a pic below FYI. They were made from 1934 to 1964. You can pick up a mint 409 for a grand on used guns, a rough one for 500-600, so what price difference?. Dirt cheap peasant shotgun of the day, built to last longer than the owner :D

I would possibly agree about the trigger, if it wasn't a shotgun.

That quote says it all.. shame on you for pretending to be an experience shooter/hunter. :D



What was the price of the "old Beretta SxS shotguns" when they were new?

You're quite right, an experienced shooter would be bright enough to return a faulty shotgun...
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 18 Oct 2016, 10:46 pm

bladeracer wrote:
happyhunter wrote:hahaha.. do you even know what a PB409 or 410E looks like cos that's what I had to compare the Stoeger? Ive included a pic below FYI. They were made from 1934 to 1964. You can pick up a mint 409 for a grand on used guns, a rough one for 500-600, so what price difference?. Dirt cheap peasant shotgun of the day, built to last longer than the owner :D



What was the price of the "old Beretta SxS shotguns" when they were new?



Your "dirt cheap peasant shotgun of the day" appears to have sold for around US$200 in 1961 brand new, which equates to roughly US$1600 nowadays.
That puts it at about three-times the price of a 2016 Stoeger Condor.
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Re: Entry Level O/U Shotgun Recommendations

Post by happyhunter » 19 Oct 2016, 8:21 am

The 409 went for under 100 bucks. Not sure where you got your price from. To compare, a Weatherby rifle retailed for around 260 bucks. Hows that compare to todays price for a Weatherby?

Try harder kid. Your 5 minutes in the game is showing.
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