Budget Friendly O/U 20

[WoodDuck]

Thinking about picking up a handy, lightweight 20 gauge that will primarily be used for ruffed grouse in Wisconsin. Don’t want a pricey gun as it will likely be getting beat up.

What are your thoughts on the Stevens 555 vs the CZ Drake? Any others you would throw into the mix?

 

[gerry35]

I have a Stoeger Condor 20 gauge that has been good so far. Got it last spring. Not sure how it compares to Stevens and CZ Drake. I would like to check out the Stevens 555 myself since they are supposed to be cast straight and I'm a lefty.

 

[Cannonball]

I picked up a Mossberg Silver Reserve 20ga bantam for quail and love it. Its small light and compact which is nice for carrying through washes

 

[100percent]

Remember, you asked….
I would find a lightly used Citori, Beretta silver pigeon or even a Charles Daly (moriku) that will last mostly forever with rough handling... You can usually find these for $1K or less.
The Turkish and Czech imports are polished turds. Kind of like a mail order bride—they look good in pics but not worth a damn when they arrive!!! Generally weak case coloring, stamped engraving/checkering with lots of cast parts. After a couple hundred rounds, the worst will have enough slop in action and trigger mechanics to have you wishing you had followed my advice. You get what you pay for but, some are better than others! The best won’t measure up to those recommended. Good luck!

 

[Bert01]

I have multiple CZ SxS’s and love them. They are the best guns at that price point. The OU’s are no different from everyone I talked to that has them. I wouldn’t hesitate to get one if that’s the format I wanted.

 

[jayhawk]

I would avoid a Stoeger. They’re ok but they don’t hold up well long term. I’ve seen a lot of firing pin/striker issues and many stocks crack on these guns after light use

I would look for a used browning or beretta. May be a little more expensive but they’re solid guns and will last a lifetime.

 

[sndmn11]

I handled a 20ga Orion matte a few times and I think it would be perfect for lightweight and budget.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

I would go with the CZ. It’s got everything you need for grouse.

 

[WoodDuck]

Appreciate the responses! I’ll have to start perusing the used gun racks more frequently.

 

[WoodDuck]

I picked up a Mossberg Silver Reserve 20ga bantam for quail and love it. Its small light and compact which is nice for carrying through washes

Does it come with spacers to adjust LOP or are you just shooting it as is?

 

[Timplant]

I have a ATI o/u I picked up about ten years ago, it’s basically a truck gun in the fall for our grouse and squirrel woods, been very very good to me for 500$ 5 chokes, decent trigger.

 

[Cannonball]

Does it come with spacers to adjust LOP or are you just shooting it as is?

Im shooting it as is, but im short 5'7 and prefer shorter LOP. I looked in the box and didnt see a spacer but dont see why you couldnt add one if you wanted

 

[Kurts86]

The CZ O/U’s made by Huglu are probably the best mechanically of the Turkish imports but anything below a Citori or Beretta 686 is a well know mechanical liability and will have a short life span as far as round count goes.

Anyone spending under $1k on an O/U would almost always be better served buying a semiautomatic. The same could be said sub $600 semiautomatics, you are better off with a pump.

 

[Drak]

Canuck is a company worth checking out. They are Turkish imports but are nice solid guns. No aluminum. Steel receiver/barrel, 5 chokes, fiber optic sight, Turkish walnut stock. And the price is right.

 

[TBarron]

Bought a used Franchi instinct 20g on here for around $900 last year and I’ve been impressed with the quality and shoots great


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Macintosh]

At that price range I would prefer used. My grouse gun is a keeper—beretta bl4, weighs 5lb 15oz but still with the weight between your hands—its great to one-hand through the popples and alders parting the way with your other hand. Paid $800 for it, wouldnt sell it for $8,000. Picked up a second longer set of barrels for it a couple years ago for $250. So I got me a $1050 2-barrel set that handles very well. If you look long enough they are out there. Pic is actually a friends, same as mine. But a used older beretta, browning, fair rizzini, etc should be a long-term keeper and can be found around that price if you keep your eyes out.

 

[loganwayne]

I've got 3 cz double barrels, 2 sxs and an ou. I had a stevens 555 and a Charles daily Condor. And have shot a buddy's weatherby orion a good bit.
Out of those the czs always come on top. The condor is bulky and heavy. Drake is second heaviest with the stevens is comparable.

The gun I go to pick up 9 out of 10 times is a franchi instinct sl. It is hands down my favorite gun to shot and carry in the woods. I think they are around 1500 now. With the instinct being right at 1000 the weight difference in the two is noticeable and way lighter than all the others I've had or shot.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Remember, you asked….
I would find a lightly used Citori, Beretta silver pigeon or even a Charles Daly (moriku) that will last mostly forever with rough handling... You can usually find these for $1K or less.
The Turkish and Czech imports are polished turds. Kind of like a mail order bride—they look good in pics but not worth a damn when they arrive!!! Generally weak case coloring, stamped engraving/checkering with lots of cast parts. After a couple hundred rounds, the worst will have enough slop in action and trigger mechanics to have you wishing you had followed my advice. You get what you pay for but, some are better than others! The best won’t measure up to those recommended. Good luck!

I bought a 20 gauge and 12 gauge Citori each for $500 used 40 years ago and still use them every week shooting skeet and sporting clays (as well as hunting).

I also have a 20 gauge CZ Redhead that I shoot weekly and after a few thousand rounds have had no problems with it. My only complaint is that CZ does not sell spacers to increase the length of pull. Fortunately
the spacers from the Winchester SX4 fit perfectly. I needed to increase the length of pull by 3/4 inch and
now it shoots fine for me.

 

[Drak]

I agree you can get a better older gun for similar price range, but I like having the versatility of removable choke tubes. Quite a few vintage 12 gauge o/u’s seem to be skeet/skeet…lately I like imp-mod/mod. Or change up for migratory.

 

[mgray]

I agree with the majority, I’d look at something a little nicer, but used. I picked up a Remington .410 O/U and a Beretta 12ga O/U at the Kramer auction in Praire du Chien for a pretty good deal this winter. I was trapping Fisher near Winter WI this fall, and I couldn’t believe the amount of grouse. If you weren’t paying attention, you’d hit them with the UTV. I’d like to make a trip up there this fall just to grouse hunt.