Any ~$1000 O/U shotguns worth buying?

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PisgahPlinker

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I shoot clays with buddies maybe 3-4 times a year. Typically I've just borrowed a buddies gun because I only have a pump action long-barrel shotgun, and its clunky to shoot Clays with. I'd like to get a sporting shotgun, but I'm not able to spend $2500+ for a Silver Pigeon, Browning, etc.

I've seen mixed reviews on Turkish made offerings from Stoeger, Mossberg, CZ, etc. Can anyone recommend one in particular? This will maybe be a 500-round per year gun, so I don't need the cream of the crop, but I'd like something that will last me a while and perform adequately when I do shoot it.

Any insight is greatly appreciated!
 
I’m getting ready to list a CZ Drake All Terrain which is perfect for skeet, sporting clays, and hunting. Never worry about exterior rust. Never been shot. I bought back a gun I sold on here and now have 7 doubles and O/Us.
 
Look at Yildiz sold by Academy. They are making some very nice, reasonably priced o'-u shotguns. A friend just bought one, steel receiver, 30" barrels, multiple chojes, adjustable conb, for under $800.00. IMO it's a very well made shotgun at, what I feel, is a remarkable price.
 
Sleipnir said:
Look at Yildiz sold by Academy. They are making some very nice, reasonably priced o'-u shotguns. A friend just bought one, steel receiver, 30" barrels, multiple chojes, adjustable conb, for under $800.00. IMO it's a very well made shotgun at, what I feel, is a remarkable price.
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I got their cheap ~$400 model during BF a couple years ago and have been happy with it. I only shoot it a couple times per year for fun and got it to round out my collection but it serves me well.
I cant say I’d recommend it, but that’s only because I don’t have enough experience with other O/U’s to know it’s shortcomings. I’m sure there are much better out there but I definitely got my money’s worth with it IMO.
 
My wife and I purchased separate yildiz o/u last year. My wife bought an aluminum frame youth 20 and I bought the steel frame 12. Both have been great so far with probably 500 rounds or more through each. Recoil gets to my wife after a round of sporting clays but a pad helped remedy that. I might pick up a yildiz double if they ever have them in stock.
 
Sleipnir said:
Look at Yildiz sold by Academy. They are making some very nice, reasonably priced o'-u shotguns. A friend just bought one, steel receiver, 30" barrels, multiple chojes, adjustable conb, for under $800.00. IMO it's a very well made shotgun at, what I feel, is a remarkable price.
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You beat me to it. I picked up a 20ga from one of our members a couple years ago and couldn't be happier.
 
I listed a youth 20ga here the other day! Savage... I've had a few of their 555s... All great especially for the money
 
You can find Japanese Winchesters in the $1000 range and they are awesome machines.
 
Yes to Yildiz from me too. Bought a 20 and 28 gauge SPZ-ME, but the 20 is also a "Special", which easy enough to tell which it is (nicer wood). I do decent with them, but let a really good shooter use one one day (Morganton Skeet and Trap Range), and he shot his first ever 25 straight with it (with my reloads, btw). So, they are capable of much more than what I can do. The Special was under $600, the 28 ga was around $450, both new.

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BlackGun said:
I’m getting ready to list a CZ Drake All Terrain which is perfect for skeet, sporting clays, and hunting. Never worry about exterior rust. Never been shot. I bought back a gun I sold on here and now have 7 doubles and O/Us.
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I will keep an eye out for your post!
 
Under $1K means Turkish. Turkish isn’t necessarily bad. Depends on the factory.

I have a pair of CZ Teals with over 2,000 shells through each, and they’ve held up fine. Made by Huglu and built from steel (some of the Yildiz guns, like the other budget guns on the market, have aluminum receivers). Clean them, grease them, and they’ll outlive you. The 12 ga models take common Beretta Mobil chokes. They go on sale at Cabelas and BPS occasionally for $600-700.

I would avoid Tristar’s O/Us, because they have a known and chronic problem with broken firing pins.

If you are mainly shooting sporting clays/5-stand and dead-set on an O/U, go for a heavier gun with the longest barrel available (28” is fine, more is better). Throw in some extended Light Mod chokes and shoot 1 oz loads of 7.5. A set-up like that is “set it and forget it”—low felt recoil and capable of breaking every pigeon thrown from 10 yards to 60 yards.

Light guns with heavily vented (or no) midribs between the barrels and short (under 28”) barrels are great for walking around all day and snapshooting quail, but they are miserable for swinging long crossers or shooting a round of 100+ pigeons.
 
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As said above, for clays you want a sporting shotgun as they are heavier than field guns which are necessarily lighter because they are carried in the field.. A heavier gun also helps to reduce the felt recoil. As said above shooting 100 clays with a field gun can wear you out.

And I second the advice to avoid Tristar guns.
 
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I bought a Browning Citori a few years ago for $700. It has some ones name inscribed on the barrel. Didn’t bother me. But I have a seen them lately for $1,200 or so. You can find them all day long for $1,500. If you can spend the extra money, go for a Browning.
 
You can get a used Miroku for less than a grand.
 
You don’t see them to often but the CZ side by sides and o/u’s are pretty nice. They have budget field guns from under $700.
 
The Steven’s 555 seems to get good reviews. I would try to find a good used Browning citori if it were me. I have a cynergy and LOVE it!!
 
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