Looking for recommendations on a double barreled shotgun

[Saltwater60]

I'm looking for a double barreled shot gun for some small game hunting. I'd like it for grousse and rabbits so the 20" barrel appeals to me for the thick brush and fast turns. Then again I'd like to goose or duck hunt since I can do it on the niagara river and some state parks very close to me. For that I think I'd need the 26" or 28" barrel. I'm looking for a descent cheaper one that I won't care if it gets scratched up walking through thick brush. Ideally I'd like to be around $550 or so. However I'm wondering if someone knows of a company making a double barrel that comes with a 20" and 28" barrel. Of course it would be more expensive. Let me know your thoughts guys. Thanks.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

For that price range you are looking at either a used gun of various makes or new something like a Stoeger. I have a Stoeger coach gun and an Uplander with a 28" bbl. They are both good quality budget guns. The coach has fixed chokes, the uplander has removable chokes.

 

[Frankly]

Try a Beretta or better first to see the differences between it and the $500 Turkish guns. (It's the lock up.) You can probably buy two separate guns rather than two barrels.

 

[Saltwater60]

I figured I'd have to buy two guns, but I was trying to avoid that if possible. Especially because duck and goose I'd probably only hunt a few times per year just for something to do. I truly enjoy rabbit and grousse.

I have no issues buying a used gun at all. I love Ithaca shotguns and I know they have older double barrels for a reasonable price.

 

[thegatman]

Savage 511 cheap and effective.

 

[Acer-m14]

how about a double barrel pistol ??

i had the chance to shoot a contender 410 pistol at station 8 on skeet field ,. omg it was weird and fun at the same time , 2nd shot i hit that clay bird .. man it was fun ..

 

[cgrutt]

@meketrefe might have recommendation for a Spanish gun. I had a Berretta which was beautiful but not for $500.

 

[meketrefe]

No, sorry. IMO nobody in the world makes a decent double barrel for $500.
Stoeger's firing mechanisms are crap so pretty soon they stop working and they need a gunsmith.

 

[FLA45fan]

I have a Stoeger 12ga that I have never shot. Was hoping to do some trap or skeet someday . . .

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Stoeger is now owned by Benelli which is owned by Beretta. I can attest to their poor quality back in the 90's. I owned a 20 gauge coach gun from them and you could see the fit and finish was bad. In 2010 I traded it towards a coach gun in 12gauge and the quality was markedly higher. Same with the uplander, the quality is miles above what the quality was. It seems with side by sides you are either at the budget end or the $1k+ end.

 

[MilesTeg]

Mossberg Maverick Hunter 12/28 Over Under MBL Synthetic 2CHKS

My father has one of the nicer models of these for sporting clays. He has fired thousands of rounds through it with next to no problems. I don't know what the difference is on the different models of this firearm.

 

[meketrefe]

Every once in a while in the middle of the shooting in local leagues we have someone with problems with the gun.
two out of three it is a Stoeger like the dicks special or some other.
The firing mechanism stops to reset and then they need fixing. Stoeger repairs will not help. The best way
is to send them to a good shotgun gunsmith that is going to take the group apart and recondition the parts
and put some new firing pins. Original parts might be properly heat treated too.
Some people after they are adviced, take the brand new ones to the gunsmith directly so they can prepare them for
the kids to start in skeet or trap competition. $200-300 extra on top of the dicks deal still a pretty good price for a budget gun.
Once they are fixed these Brazilian made shotguns have pretty decent barrel and action so they will be giving
a pretty decent shotgun.
You don't hear more complains because 90% of the people do not fire them a lot. They buy them to go one
day to shoot clays, some hunting and the rest they stay with minimum firing count for years.
Even today models, the original firing mechanisms are not meant for any serious duty.
This is a mystery with Brazilian guns, even some handguns have the same problems, because
otherwise the actions and barrels are pretty decent for the money.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Stoegers ars popular with cowboy action shooters. There are ways to slick them up and improve them. Above is a video of how to change the firing pins, seems pretty easy to me. Not sure about the rest of the fire control group.

 

[meketrefe]

Stoegers ars popular with cowboy action shooters. There are ways to slick them up and improve them. Above is a video of how to change the firing pins, seems pretty easy to me. Not sure about the rest of the fire control group.

The firing control groups are simple enough specially the double triggers. The single trigger ones have a reset using a counter weight that
is activated upon recoil on the discoonector.
This is something also fails a lot in the stoegers like the condor, 2000 or whatever they brand them, but fixable. I like the mechanic reset for any sort of use.
The idea is to have some of the parts heat treated and pins replaced with something much harder like carpenter steel properly heat treated.
A reputable shotgun gunsmith is going to take that POS mechanism and replace it with a quality mechanical reset retrofit.


This is the way a quality group works...

 

[Toecutter]

 

[meketrefe]

btw this doesn't mean that all intertia triggers are bad. Many brands have very nice ones but if one is going to fix
a poor group then I would change it for something that will work better within that portfolio.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

The firing control groups are simple enough specially the double triggers. The single trigger ones have a reset using a counter weight that
is activated upon recoil on the discoonector.
This is something also fails a lot in the stoegers like the condor, 2000 or whatever they brand them, but fixable. I like the mechanic reset for any sort of use.
The idea is to have some of the parts heat treated and pins replaced with something much harder like carpenter steel properly heat treated.
A reputable shotgun gunsmith is going to take that POS mechanism and replace it with a quality mechanical reset retrofit.


This is the way a quality group works...

So if I'm understanding you correctly, you are saying there are more problems with the single trigger FCG's which don't have a manual barrel selector but are sequential. Are the OEM double trigger set ups crap too?

 

[meketrefe]

So if I'm understanding you correctly, you are saying there are more problems with the single trigger FCG's which don't have a manual barrel selector but are sequential. Are the OEM double trigger set ups crap too?

No so much because they are more simple and less likely to fail. I don't think it would hurt to have the pins replaced by some quality ones and perhaps
leave the originals out for a spare if the others ever fail.
I would also take it a part and thet for hardness and perhaps lap the contact parts for smoother triggers.
But to be honest I have never messed with that on a double trigger.
Double triggers are not that popular anymore but you do see them in the skeet and trap and obviously field.
I am sure stronger aftermarket pins and springs are easy to find and inexpensive.

Very expensive rifles for dangerous game continue to have double triggers that are completely
insulated mechanisms so if one fails the other still will work. Very critical if a buffalo is coming
after you.

 

[Robin]

I'd look up all the little gun shops within sixty to a hundred miles, map out a route, take a weekend off and make the grand tour. I would bet there are some nice old doubles collecting dust in some of those small shops, and pretty cheap too. Some may be seventy years old, but the quality of even a low end double back then would make it good for another seventy years and more.
Robin

 

[meketrefe]

I'd look up all the little gun shops within sixty to a hundred miles, map out a route, take a weekend off and make the grand tour. I would bet there are some nice old doubles collecting dust in some of those small shops, and pretty cheap too. Some may be seventy years old, but the quality of even a low end double back then would make it good for another seventy years and more.
Robin

Good thing you don't live in Texas otherwise will need more than a weekend, do a lot of miles and possibly spending $1K in gas! lol

 

[Robin]

Well, It isn't Texas and there are a lot of nice owner operated shops around where deals are waiting to be made. Sounds so good I may take my lovely wife for a nice autumnal drive around and see what shakes out. The last time I did that I found a nice 1911 WWI vintage in mint condition for next to nothing, the latest assessment I have is its worth about $4,000-5,000, so chewing up the fall scenery in Western NY in search of a mythical deal, and meeting some interesting people sounds like a win win to me.
Robin

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Well, It isn't Texas and there are a lot of nice owner operated shops around where deals are waiting to be made. Sounds so good I may take my lovely wife for a nice autumnal drive around and see what shakes out. The last time I did that I found a nice 1911 WWI vintage in mint condition for next to nothing, the latest assessment I have is its worth about $4,000-5,000, so chewing up the fall scenery in Western NY in search of a mythical deal, and meeting some interesting people sounds like a win win to me.
Robin

As long as it ends with a double barrel and a six pack.

 

[Frankly]

I think there is a gun shop in Corfu in the old Post Office that has a lot of older guns... high asking prices but in person the owner was negotiable.

 

[Saltwater60]

I'd look up all the little gun shops within sixty to a hundred miles, map out a route, take a weekend off and make the grand tour. I would bet there are some nice old doubles collecting dust in some of those small shops, and pretty cheap too. Some may be seventy years old, but the quality of even a low end double back then would make it good for another seventy years and more.
Robin

I think that's what I will do.

 

[Podmonkey]

My brother has a 20" Stoeger coach gun that he inherited from our father, he is looking to sell and I am storing it in my apt in PA for him. He wouldn't mind the spending money and I need the safe space. Its hardly been shot at all. In fact I don't think its been to the range more than twice and I doubt its seen more than 50 rounds through it. PM me if you are interested, I can post pics when I get home in a few weeks. Here is one:
Same story with the Henry .22 BTW.

 

[meketrefe]

Went looking through both safes I have upstairs and found this one.

I am making room so take a look. I know is a bit more money but still amazing deal...

F/S - 12ga Over & Under Shotgun - Trap/Skeet/Hunting - Lanber Sporting

 

[meketrefe]

BTW I am going to be posting a nice 5 shot auto-loader with wood stock for $390 that is a nice price cut.
That is not a double barrel but it is a very good value.
I need to make some pics for tomorrow.