Thread: I may need a shotgun - Advice?

I'm gonna second the Stoeger M3000.
Little brother bought one for the duck season in Invercargill. He's always been a wood/O&U kinda guy.

He. freaking. LOVES. the M3000.

Thanks again everyone. I have been looking at the u/o and do like them.. few different names that pop up so bit too look in to, I feel the semis only seem to have a few brands to figure out. One semi auto that I have just seen is the Winchester Super X2, what is that like?

hi the winne sx2 is a good gun a little heavey in my book but thats just me

Originally Posted by lophortyx

turks make some very good guns for the money,but breakages in the semi autos,especially the earlier models are well known.if you do not know much about shotguns, a miroku u/o is a very strongly built gun with a proven design. as far as semi auto's go i have never shot with a fabarm,i have had a look at them and my impression was because of the design they had a lot of parts that could give trouble,i do not know if that holds true.my advice would be play safe and go with a gun that hold resale value- ie miroku/browning ,there are other very good guns/brands out there.if you don't know get someone experienced to help you.ie. someone who has owned and shot a number of guns.

youre right of course ,and when i bought my escort ,a very kind and knowledgeable staff member said to me to always keep the bloody thing cleaned -any crap etc on the mag tube -piston will bind and bend bolt carrier rods.Ive been bloody scrupulous about this and the old girl is still chugging along. what did eventually fracture was the piston where it had had a thread machined into the body to screw the spring retaining collar on.an autopsy suggested a stress fracture of the metal ,but given it was 2nd hand when i bought it and i had a spare piston in a box given me,it was a 5min fix.
sometime after that a guy contacted me with a tidy wee escort12g s/a centennial model which hed bought for his partner only for it to go doggo --One look and bingo -bent bolt carrier bars with dirt like a westcoast coal fire grate clearly visible on the mag tube.I managed to get it back to functioning altho eventually I think she switched to a 20g due to her slight build. im a simple hunter with a taste for simple guns -less parts ,less chance of a bloody expensive malfunction!

sixty-eight years old and still going strong. that's the gun, not my truck. when it comes to guns we all have different tastes and wants,it is a bit the same with our women and they with men???

@GMH72, I do not want to sound pedantic or anything, but I have never really understood why people automatically swerve to the semis...not for a first shotgun, anyway...my first shotgun was a secondhand Nikko O/H 12 gauge...it was cheap, heavy as a Howitzer , but it taught me how to shoot with a shotgun...I put hundreds of rounds through it birdscaring on vineyards and I always managed good rounds on clays...each to their own, I know...

Hey @EeeBees, not really too worried if it was a semi or any other shotgun. Was shooting with a side by side the other day and really enjoyed it. Probably have looked more at semis as they the brands seem easier for me to understand. With the side by sides or o/u there is a few different names that I have never heard of and I guess has got me confused as I don't want to buy, or look at some crappy old gun that someone is trying to sell. Hope that makes sense.

I actually like the look of a u/o or a side by side and maybe feel a little safer with them, with just two shells and being able to break open the action.

Originally Posted by GMH72

I actually like the look of a u/o or a side by side and maybe feel a little safer with them, with just two shells and being able to break open the action.

I use one mainly because they are very easy to make safe, everyone can visually see they are safe and still very quick to get into action.
I actually only close my gun fully once the dog is on point just before the flush. I don't have to bend over to "police" the empties. I have used all sorts from SXS, U/O and semis / pumps. Always seem to come back to the proper shotties.

there is just something special about a SxS sight picture.....for bolting bunny going across your front or bird doing the same it just seems "right"
they were at pinnacle of how good they could get a hell of a long time ago...a wise man once "said if it isn't broke don't try to fix it"
same guy probably said "you cant improve on perfection"
my cabinet has a pump /SxS /o/U & old single banger with external hammer they all "fit me" which is what matters with a shottie.

theres a thread on here about the baikals they seem pretty good I was heading towards one but saved some more and got a versamax needed a box to run it in now it hasn't given any problems at all

if you have got a soul and a bit of romance,there is nothing like going for a stroll with the dog and having a s x s under your arm.if it is a hammergun so much the better.if after a hare or a rabbit off season, i like to take a single shot. if i am duckshooting walkup i may take the u/o.if shooting decoys with mates then its semi auto. quail/pheasants always double barrels.if i get out chukar shooting or shooting high country, a sub guage. but then i am over the top with shotguns.as i have said before if you shoot this variety and only want one shotty the benelli m2 20ga would be my choice.but if you mainly shoot ducks i would go with a semi or a good u/o.you will get used to any gun if you practise enough with it, but if you are interested in the feel and balance,its a big world out there,you can look forever for that perfect gun.it is fun,(and expensive) trying.

I like the look of the nice O/U's people use clayshooting. However, I went with a semi for mine just because I wanted a "1 shotgun does it all" kinda thing. Yeah, a breakbarrel does too I guess, but i'm sure i'll appreciate those 7-8 loaded rounds at some point!

Would really love one of those sexy O/U's one day....but doubt i'll get it past the wife! Haha.

Hey guys I have still been looking around... still leaning towards a semi-auto mainly because I still do not know what I am looking at with the double barrels. Quite like the look of the Fabarms and some have come up on TM at OK prices. What is this brand & model of O/U like Under Over marocchi gardone vt brescia | Trade Me. And is the price reasonable?

lower to middle grade Italian maker, if it's multi choked it's not bad buying if it is in good nick and it fits you.

Don't see many multichoked guns at that price