over/under vs semi auto

zlezlius

Thinking of getting 12g shotgun (was only shooting rifle untill now). Can not make up my mind in between semi autos and over unders. Don't really like side by sides. Can any of shotguners here give some advice on advantages or disadvantages of one or another. Would be using it for bouth hunting and clay shooting. Also few makes that are great and some that I should avoid off. Didn't decide on a budget yet, possibly 1000-1500. Also is it worth get used, say, Beretta rather than new Silma, Weatherby or similar for the same Money?

WOULD MUCH APPRECIATE ALL ADVICES AND OPINIONS. THANKS LADS

ormondprop

I was going to change my side by side lately and was almost decided to buy a beretta 391 if i found a nice secondhand one because i used one and loved the feel of it, so i borrowed a friends beretta semi and took it hunting a few times and decided after that i'd prefer a o/u just for being able to break it, i'm used to breaking my sbs for getting through ditches or over fences, its purely personal but i liked the extra safety factor of being able to split the gun, so if i get around to changing i'll go for an o/u, something like a beretta 686, my father has one and i love it, although if you plan on doing a lot of crow or pigeon shooting a semi would be great.

fathersymes

I think it's really down to whether or not you shoot in company or not, people are always edgy when someone is carrying a semi auto, if you're sitting in a hide fine, not for rough shooting with others.

Breachloader

Firstly you can get a great second hand gun for the money you mentioned or for even half that much. And more importantly if you decide its not for you at a later stage, the gun will hold its value in re-sale.

Semi Auto
3 shots for hunting
less recoil/Kick
Can be reloaded without breaking open (useful in hide/blind)

Double O/U
2 shots
4" shorter overall with same lenght barrel as semi (swings faster)
Benefit of differant chokes per barrel
Clearly safe when broken in company
More readily accepted at clay clubs


Buy a good gun like beretta, browning etc. and you wont go far wrong.

Good luck and good hunting.

Boiled-egg

I have a Browning 425 sporter and it is a great gun. I use it for clays and hunting but having said that I have just bought a semi auto for duck hunting on the lake. IMO a semi is more sutable to hunting from a hide, but as said eariler they are definately not a welcome sight on clay ranges.

Browning or Beretta O/U and semi autos are excellent firearms.

Xplor.er

semi-auto all the way! i bought a new beretta a400 there a while ago, it shoots and points like a dream, there is absolutely now recoil with the kick off. i got mine for €1500:D
i recently sold my beretta 686 as i never used it and decided to get another rifle.

Spunk84

At the minute I'm shooting o/u Rizzini and find it great but if I had the money I would have the beretta Extreme 2, unbelievable piece of hardware:D best thing to do is go to a place like courtlough,Lakelands shooting centre,Lazy dog etc and tell you have 1500 euro and you want to try the semis out on a few clays:p I think they would oblige you when they know your serious.

FISMA

Z,

SxS's are more difficult to manufacture - their barrels are focused and the shotguns are primarily for birds.

Over and unders are two tubes on top of each other and are a nice classy, gentleman like gun.

The auto is the most versatile. It is fine for trap, skeet, birds, ducks, and general merriment!

If I had to chose one gun for all occasions, it would be an auto.

I like Remingtons, the 1100 or the 1187 are fine firearms. Workhorses that will not let you down. Also, you will not mind taking them out into the field.

I have a Browning Citori that I hate taking into the field on a rainy day. It is just too pretty.

Also, with an auto, you get an extra shot 2 +1.

Will the gun be used on private land or at a club? You may wish to consider club rules. I have heard, but cannot confirm that some clubs do not allow autos. If this were true, I would not join them.

I think the auto is the way to go.

Alchemist2

where did you get the 400 xplorer?? i recently bought a browning phoenix for 1450 new and have had to send it back due to recoil issues am currently awaiting a response from browning:(

Hibrion

I just got rid of my semi for a sxs. The benefits of the sxs are much the same as the over and under.
For me the shorter sxs feels better and is quicker to reload. It is more acceptable at clay grounds and is simple to carry broken and completely safe.

Xplor.er

Alchemist2 wrote: »

where did you get the 400 xplorer?? i recently bought a browning phoenix for 1450 new and have had to send it back due to recoil issues am currently awaiting a response from browning:(

i got it of malcolm graham in monaghan. he won the gun and then sold it to me. He can get more in but they will be €2200:D.

i had a browning gold hunter semi before the a400 and it was a piece of dirt! as i have said in a previous post it was as unreliable as my FO.

€1450 for the phoenix:eek:

rimfireguy

Would definitely go for o/u. Though s/auto has advantges I think the best value on any dealers shelf is a clean o/u from a quality maker like browning/beretta/miroku. Better one of these than a new gun from a less established manufacturer. As most shotgun repairs are not d.i.y. jobs reliablility is important and a clean secondhand o/u from any of the above will serve you well. Also, if doing both game and clays best to choose a "sporter" rather than "game" gun as they are generally a bit heavier, smoother to swing and soak up recoil better. Good Luck.

djflawless

mossberg 500 pump in camo...JOB

zlezlius

Thanks lads for all advices and opinions. I was kinda going towards the semi auto, but the fact that not everybody likes when they arround (safety wise), I mean shooting ranges and stuff, gives me second foughts now. I wonder does any one shooting clays in Lakelands, how do they look at semis there? This is where I would be going for shooting clays.

Thanks

pistonbroke

zlezlius wrote: »

Thanks lads for all advices and opinions. I was kinda going towards the semi auto, but the fact that not everybody likes when they arround (safety wise), I mean shooting ranges and stuff, gives me second foughts now. I wonder does any one shooting clays in Lakelands, how do they look at semis there? This is where I would be going for shooting clays.

Thanks

Hi there me and my friends shoot at Lakelands and can't say I've seen anyone with a semi auto shooting clays. Though I did see a couple of young lads taking delivery of one. Why don't you go and get info directly from the horses mouth, give Niall a ring or send him an email and see what he thinks.

zlezlius

pistonbroke wrote: »

Hi there me and my friends shoot at Lakelands and can't say I've seen anyone with a semi auto shooting clays. Though I did see a couple of young lads taking delivery of one. Why don't you go and get info directly from the horses mouth, give Niall a ring or send him an email and see what he thinks.

Thanks man, I might call in there during the weekend, see what they say.

pheasntstalker

i have a browning p80 semi ,peach of a gun for pidgeons/crow decoying and a reina sbs for rough shooting etc.:D:D but as already quoted i like the added safety of breaking the sbs for crossing drains,gates etc.

FISMA

zlezlius wrote: »

Thanks lads for all advices and opinions. I was kinda going towards the semi auto, but the fact that not everybody likes when they arround (safety wise)...

Z,
Forget what the ranges are saying, unless that is the only place you are going to shoot. Chances are the person who made the rule of no autos has a vested interest in sxs or o/u's.

Also, anyone that cannot make an auto safe, should do us all a favor and not handle a firearm. This sounds like a cheesy excuse to ban autos from a range.

zlezlius

FISMA wrote: »

Z,
Forget what the ranges are saying, unless that is the only place you are going to shoot. Chances are the person who made the rule of no autos has a vested interest in sxs or o/u's.

Also, anyone that cannot make an auto safe, should do us all a favor and not handle a firearm. This sounds like a cheesy excuse to ban autos from a range.

Fair point as well Fisma...

Hibrion

The biggest benefit that a semi has over a double barrel is for me it's capacity. Since un-restricted semis must carry only three rounds (including one in the chamber) this is not such a great benefit.

I think for this country and your needs you will be better served with a double barrel.

bunny shooter

FISMA wrote: »

Z,

SxS's are more difficult to manufacture - their barrels are focused and the shotguns are primarily for birds.

Over and unders are two tubes on top of each other and are a nice classy, gentleman like gun.

The auto is the most versatile. It is fine for trap, skeet, birds, ducks, and general merriment!

If I had to chose one gun for all occasions, it would be an auto.

I like Remingtons, the 1100 or the 1187 are fine firearms. Workhorses that will not let you down. Also, you will not mind taking them out into the field.

I have a Browning Citori that I hate taking into the field on a rainy day. It is just too pretty.

Also, with an auto, you get an extra shot 2 +1.

Will the gun be used on private land or at a club? You may wish to consider club rules. I have heard, but cannot confirm that some clubs do not allow autos. If this were true, I would not join them.

I think the auto is the way to go.

+1

this post covers everything I would have said

virminhunter

I had a quick read through the replies and didnt see anyone mention this point, maybe its so obvious its a no brainer, one of the advantages of an O/U over a S/A is that you have a choice of 2 chokes say a 1/2 choke on the bottom barrel for close shots and a full or 3/4 on the top barrel for longer shots, with the semi you just have to pick one and go with it.

zlezlius

virminhunter wrote: »

I had a quick read through the replies and didnt see anyone mention this point, maybe its so obvious its a no brainer, one of the advantages of an O/U over a S/A is that you have a choice of 2 chokes say a 1/2 choke on the bottom barrel for close shots and a full or 3/4 on the top barrel for longer shots, with the semi you just have to pick one and go with it.

That could be handy alright...is there a choice of which barrel to fire first in the single triger versions by the way? (shotgans is the new area to me yet:o)

ormondprop

Ya there is usually a switch on the safety or else the whole safety moves left or right to select which barrel to fire first

zlezlius

ormondprop wrote: »

Ya there is usually a switch on the safety or else the whole safety moves left or right to select which barrel to fire first

Thanks. Now, that would be 1+ for the over/unders. By the way what is the very max shotgun would be efective say on the rabbit?
Thanks

declan1980

ormondprop wrote: »

Ya there is usually a switch on the safety or else the whole safety moves left or right to select which barrel to fire first

this is correct, but on most double barrels you can't change barrels when the safety is disengaged

Minky 123

pistonbroke wrote: »

Hi there me and my friends shoot at Lakelands and can't say I've seen anyone with a semi auto shooting clays. Though I did see a couple of young lads taking delivery of one. Why don't you go and get info directly from the horses mouth, give Niall a ring or send him an email and see what he thinks.

They do allow semi autos. Myself and the younger brother were shooting clays there not so long ago. The sporting clays werent working properly and we ha to shoot dtl.:mad:

zlezlius

Thanks lads for all the advices and opinions. The decision has been maid: It is going to be over/under. Either new Beretta White Pigeon or Browning Citori. Going to try them out next Sunday and make my choice. Kinda feel it's going to be Beretta for some reason . Hope it's a good choice.

Xplor.er

zlezlius wrote: »

Thanks lads for all the advices and opinions. The decision has been maid: It is going to be over/under. Either new Beretta White Pigeon or Browning Citori. Going to try them out next Sunday and make my choice. Kinda feel it's going to be Beretta for some reason . Hope it's a good choice.

you cant go wrong with either gun. Are they new or s/h?
No matter how much you abuse a silver pigeon they wont fail

zlezlius

Xplor.er wrote: »

you cant go wrong with either gun. Are they new or s/h?
No matter how much you abuse a silver pigeon they wont fail

They bouth new. Thanks

BoarHunter

Xplor.er wrote: »

you cant go wrong with either gun. Are they new or s/h?
No matter how much you abuse a silver pigeon they wont fail

agree with that- Silver pigeon is great gun- take it in 20 it's lighter and better looking.

Grizzly 45

virminhunter wrote: »

I had a quick read through the replies and didnt see anyone mention this point, maybe its so obvious its a no brainer, one of the advantages of an O/U over a S/A is that you have a choice of 2 chokes say a 1/2 choke on the bottom barrel for close shots and a full or 3/4 on the top barrel for longer shots, with the semi you just have to pick one and go with it.

Poly chokes?Or simply a heavier load for second shots;)

virminhunter

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Poly chokes?Or simply a heavier load for second shots;)

I'm not getting ya grizz, never heard of a polychoke I had to google it to figure out whether you were joking or there is such a thing:D are you saying a S/A makes up for the situations I described if you have a polychoke or a heavier load coming as a second shot?

Grizzly 45

Polychoke might have been a slight misnomer or generalisation on my part.
I have one on my Mossberg,it looks rather like a muzzle break or grenade launcher.
So rather ugly and I think thats why you dont see more of them.
But it just takes three twists by hand to go from cylinder bore to full choke,if you are out hunting or on the clay range.With internal chokes you have to either carry spare choke tubes and the key and change to the situation,thus putting yourself out of the line,etc.They look cleaner though on/in a barrel.
The other solution I have used is simply as said ,a heavier second load coming out the same barrel when you have corrected your swing.

So it can compete with an OU too on functionality,maybe not as graceful tho.

It mightnt be pretty but it works for me and a few hundred thousand others.:)

BoarHunter

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

Polychoke might have been a slight misnomer or generalisation on my part.
I have one on my Mossberg,it looks rather like a muzzle break or grenade launcher.
So rather ugly and I think thats why you dont see more of them.
But it just takes three twists by hand to go from cylinder bore to full choke,if you are out hunting or on the clay range.With internal chokes you have to either carry spare choke tubes and the key and change to the situation,thus putting yourself out of the line,etc.They look cleaner though on/in a barrel.
The other solution I have used is simply as said ,a heavier second load coming out the same barrel when you have corrected your swing.

So it can compete with an OU too on functionality,maybe not as graceful tho.

It mightnt be pretty but it works for me and a few hundred thousand others.:)

or same load, different Wade - this changes a lot the shape of your pellet groupment.

The container wade will group more than the flat felt wade. If you shoot first with a flat and then second with a container you will have the same effect than shokes in terms of pellets groupment.

hope this is clear - I can elaborate if you have questions.

zlezlius

Well lads, just wanted to share my joy-collected my new 12g Berreta Silver Pigeon today. It only took six days since I applied for it, was very pleasantly supriced when got two letters together: one was that local garda station received my application, the other one was the Grant Notice letter. Bouth came together .Here It is:D

ormondprop

Lovely gun and best of luck with it

FISMA

That's just too pretty!

Well wear and make sure you hit the first clay!

I don't think I could bring that out into the field!

Grizzly 45

well wear,and many dusted clays with her!:D