Suggestions for a good pheasant gun?

[dockrocker]

Rank newbie to the forum here, hoping I can get some guidance. I've recently returned to hunting after a 10+ year hiatus and am shopping for a new shotgun (my old guns were stolen by some POS crackhead in Houston, TX, never to be seen again... ).

Looking for a good 12 (or 20?) gauge shotgun, primarily for pheasant (so light weight is an advantage) but also the occasional duck and/or deer hunt, though this is not essential as I'm not opposed to buying additional firearms for these type of hunts. We are limited to slugs and/or buckshot for deer in much of Michigan.

Would prefer to spend around $500-700, street price. And I'd love an over/under or side-by-side, but don't think there is much in my price range.

Suggestions?

Many thanks!

[tucker301]

If you really like the O/U's, the Franchi Diamonds (exclusively at Dick's Sporting Goods) are getting very good reviews.
$ale price is typically $700, I believe.

Otherwise, there a number of great semi's in Benelli and Franchi lines.

Benelli's M2 would probably be your best single gun choice, because of the availability of additional barrels and aftermarket accessories.

[dockrocker]

Thank you. I'm planning to do something in the next couple months, just gathering information now. My love of the O/U may be somewhat irrational, as I've never even fired one. But if practicality and objectivity ruled, we'd all use flat black pump guns with no bells or whistles at all. Some things you just have to have, just because, you know? smile.gif

[tucker301]

Indeed I do know ;)

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/auctions/veloce/01.jpg

[dockrocker]

Beee-yooo-tee-ful!

[sdkidaho]

Beautiful and for sale (http://www.benelliusa.com/forums/ultimatebb.php/topic/3/453.html).

[dockrocker]

Get thee behind me, Satan! smile.gif

I am sooooo sorely tempted, but I don't think I could get CFO approval for a $1200 shotgun (at least not yet - maybe after she gets a new kitchen table....)

[tucker301]

Kitchen table?

Home Depot:
3/4" birch plywood - $35
2 spruce 2X4 studs - $1.75
Nails/screws - $1.25

One kitchen table!

Women like that rustic look too :cool:

[dockrocker]

hee hee - I'll tell my wife that - from the other side of the house! :D

[sdkidaho]

You could look at a DeHaan O/U (http://www.dhshotguns.com/) as they start at just under $650.

Or if you wanted to stick with the Benelli family you could look at Condor series (http://www.stoegerindustries.com/firearms/condor.tpl) by Stoeger.

Plenty of O/U's out there for less than $700. Can't vouche for quality but I've heard good things about the DeHaans, mostly due to the guys customer service and how well he takes care of his clients. You can see what people have to say about him in this forum (http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=79&sid=5b75f4e2c4f809032aa85dc5b56d203f), and you can check out the Stoeger group in our forums here (http://www.benelliusa.com/forums/ultimatebb.php/forum/2.html).

[sdkidaho]

Oh, and one other piece of advice. I'm a firm believer in not settling. If the gun you want is currently out of your price range, wait until you can have the one you want.

Hard to not be happy when you get what you want.

Generally speaking.

[Webfoot]

That's "purdy" tucker. I really like the grain and the coloration of the wood. Very Nice.

[Sandmaster]

Upland Hunting is pretty much all i do. Being i'm cheap i've had great sucess with the Stoeger series of guns. I have a condor (over/under 12ga) and a model 2000 semi-suto. oth guns i have put over 6000 rounds each because of the weekly trap shooting i do. Both guns have been awesome. The condor i bought new at the local gun shop for $310 and the model 2000 was $449. The only thing outside of cleaning i've had to do was on the condor i had to have the stock tightened up once. My gunsmith actually changed washers, did a little sanding and refit it for a better fit (cost me $45). These guns have worked flawless for what i do. i didn't want to spend a bunch of money for field guns because they get all banged up and abused. I highly recommend the Stoeger series of guns. Affordable and very durable

[Big Red]

I'm very happy with my Stoeger Condor O/U. Just got it about a month ago @ a Dick's Sporting Goods for $300 (on sale, reg price $320). I did alot of research before I bought it and for the most part, the only people that had anything bad about them were those who think that any O/U under $1200 is automatically a POS. Almost everybody I spoke with that ACTUALLY FIRED ONE was very pleased. Especially with the price.

[147 Grain]

Stoeger Condor and Benelli Nova pump would fill the bill very nicely.

[DJ Dan]

Originally posted by dockrocker:
Rank newbie to the forum here, hoping I can get some guidance. I've recently returned to hunting after a 10+ year hiatus and am shopping for a new shotgun (my old guns were stolen by some POS crackhead in Houston, TX, never to be seen again... ).

Looking for a good 12 (or 20?) gauge shotgun, primarily for pheasant (so light weight is an advantage) but also the occasional duck and/or deer hunt, though this is not essential as I'm not opposed to buying additional firearms for these type of hunts. We are limited to slugs and/or buckshot for deer in much of Michigan.

Would prefer to spend around $500-700, street price. And I'd love an over/under or side-by-side, but don't think there is much in my price range.

Suggestions?

Many thanks!

[DJ Dan]

I'm a 58 year old lifelong pheasant hunter also from Michigan. I've owned every make of shotgun but the real high end over $3000 guns. For me the Franchi 48AL in 20 guage or Benelli's Montefeltro Super 90 are the Lexus of light beautifully balanced autoloaders. Both are around $800-$900 and worth every penny. Hate to sound anti American but both guns make say a Remington 1187 feel like a tree trunk. Good luck. DJ Dan Flint MI

[realtordude]

SKBs 5-600 series o/u can be had used in your price range,uggies(ugcharta sp I think) can be found used if you like a SxS,I had both & think the are good guns for the used market,if you feel adventuresome sarco (www.sarco.com) has some very interesting looking pieces

[jghoffman12]

i agree with 147 grain as to the nova pump. if you're going to use the gun for upland, waterfowl and deer you need to have something that's durable and you're not afraid to stick it in the mud. forget how it looks. i grew up hunting pheasants, grouse, and partridge in the heat and ducks and geese in the snow and sleet. i shot an 870 up until a year ago when i bought a nova. now i use the nova for everything cuz i can beat the **** out of it and not worry if i'm going to scratch it. it comes down to how the gun fits you and how hard you're going to use it. i've resisted the urge for a fancy gun a million times cuz i know i'd be disappointed when i got home and it was beat to **** or it failed me in the field. there's my 2 cents.

[Ol'Roy]

DJ,
there is a lot of good advice there, if you with an auto, the SBE1 is hard to beat they are a little cheaper now, since the is a SBE2. I use my SBE for everything :D I have shot everything from dove to crain with it, 100% reliable !! last year was a good preasant year, and the gun was used verry hard. there were no jams due to dirt in the action. The shim kit is the best part, benellis point just as well as doubles because of it. there is my 2 cents

[splashtx556ftw]

i would have to agree with dan, the al-48 in 20 or 12 are too sweet. but they are expensive. 839 @ cabelas. they are very light, with very little recoil. i did recently buy a charles daly for 279 at wal-mart. more out of curiosity than anything. its a mule, itwill kick the crap out of you even with light loads.

[brittany man]

Originally posted by tucker301:
If you really like the O/U's, the Franchi Diamonds (exclusively at Dick's Sporting Goods) are getting very good reviews.
$ale price is typically $700, I believe.

Otherwise, there a number of great semi's in Benelli and Franchi lines.

Benelli's M2 would probably be your best single gun choice, because of the availability of additional barrels and aftermarket accessories.

[brittany man]

Tucker301
I was reading an old post about after market accessesories & barrels for the m-2 benelli shotgun.I bought one about 3 years ago and have been unable to purchase a 1/4 inch recoil pad,I would also like to have a 28 inch barrel.If you have the address of the company I would appreciate it .
Thanks
Brittany man

[Unusual_savage]

i think i might buy Condor

[Colonel Reb]

I've used a Stoeger side by side for cowboy action shooting, and I've also killed a turkey with it. The Uplander is an affordable side by side that would make a great pheasant gun. If they can stand up to cowboy shooting then pheasant hunting is no problem. Fit and finish for the price is awesome. Actually you will find that in all Brazilian made arms, whether they are Taurus revolvers, Rossi lever rifles, or Stoeger shotguns.

[Sask boy]

I shot Browning Cit for over 30 years and found it to be very reliable. Started using the SBE ll last year and it made me forget my Browning real quick.
I do not think there is a better shot gun on the market.

[Jeffy]

nova 20 gauge is the all around best upland bird gun EVER!!!!!!!!

[sdkidaho]

I've been using my Nova 20ga for a few years now - excellent gun.

I just recently bought an Xtrema 2 so it'll be getting some upland hunting this fall, at least until I buy an O/U.

Looking at the Browning Cynergy for that.

[wingnut]

Hey does anybody know how to change barrel selection? My 1st condor and havn't hunted for last 20yrs. I hope I made a good choice for the money.

[craigb703]

I bought a really nice 12ga Montefeltro off gunbroker.com for under 600.

It's super lite and handles really well. I've got SBE & sbe 2 but I like shooting this one best.

Heading to SD in a couple of weeks for opening pheasant and that will be my choice.

Good luck!

[MSMARSHMAN]

Originally posted by craigb703:
I bought a really nice 12ga Montefeltro off gunbroker.com for under 600.

It's super lite and handles really well. I've got SBE & sbe 2 but I like shooting this one best.

Heading to SD in a couple of weeks for opening pheasant and that will be my choice.

Good luck!

[CtHunter8]

Remmington 1100 12 guage if you ask me

-Travis-

[wmfsr1]

Got a Baikal IZ27 20 GA O/U for about $380.00 w/tax last year. Nice form fit and finish. Screw in chokes, will shoot steel, but i bought it for Upland only. Pretty good gun for the money. (Now being sold as Remington Spartans)

[Levi Timmer]

the remmington 870 super mag or just magnum is a very nice gun its cheap and i havent ever had it jam, althought a little difficult to clean it is an excellent cheap gun im not sure if it comes in 12 gauge but i own a 20 gauge ,i have heard that the 20 gauge is the best peasant gun, it was on pheasants forever but the remming 870 super mag, 28 inch is what im looking into i have a 22 or 24, not sure but none the less very nice gun