Best Buy in Shotguns

[gold40]

Everyone has their own taste preferences, and unfortunately I prefer SxS's, which can be a costly choice.

But the best buys out there today seem to be used 12 gauge pump guns with choke tubes. While WAL-MART has new Mossbergs and 870's for just over $225, there are a lot of decent used pump guns for sale in the $130 to $160 range. Most are Winchester 1300's or Mossberg 500's. I'm surprised how low these prices are.

Perhaps its because of the increased popularity of semi-auto and O/U shotguns.

For a while the 16 gauge wasn't very popular - and therefore cheaper - but lately they have become more expensive than the 12's. Ithaca 37's seem to worth a premium around here.

My candidate for the "least value" shotgun is the discontinued Browning A-5. While they are indeed good guns, the prices are out of sight! You can buy a brand new Browning Gold Hunter for the same money as a 40 year old A-5.

[skeet]

Welcome to the world of overpriced new shotguns. Used guns like the 870 1300 and 500 Mossy are indeed great buys. I bought a nice 870 for a 100 bucks ...with an extra bbl. The Express guns are really good values. 870's are into the 6 million figure now. The only difference between a really nice A-5 and the Gold....is the fact that the A-5 will appreciate in value ...while the Gold will go down. Not a real(gag) Browning person anyway.. The only one I know I have is a BL-22 I purchased in a buy it all deal about 10 yrs ago. Never shot it. Not real keen on the other B guns either.(Beretta, Benelli). I do have an Extrema waterfowl gun. But don't really use it much. Getting ready to sell it. Also have a Benelli(another way overpriced B gun) I did however buy the darn thing really cheap. and got a free case of shells. The Browning Gold has a reliability problem and so does the Extrema. The Browning breaks and the Extrema doesn't function really well in COLD weather. The Benelli however seems to work all the time...and doesn't seem to break easily. It does however have more recoil than the others. Buy an 870...you really can't go wrong with them. I happen to have 4 for some strange reason..one in each of the gauges(less the 16). The small gauges are fun to shoot. I am a 1100-11-87 shooter and own more than 10. They are fairly reliable and much cheaper than the B guns. I also have a B SXS..426 E Silver Pigeon. Kicks terrible(I'm a wimp). Gotta get rid of that devil.:D

[fabsroman]

I'll vouch for Skeet having the Beretta 426 Silver Pigeon SxS. He tried to sell it to my dad this past weekend. Thing is, I have no idea why my dad wants a SxS because he has never had one or shot one. I guess it is just the collector issue.

Unlike Skeet, I am a Beretta/Benelli fan. They are pretty much all I shoot in the way of shotguns and yes, they are somewhat expensive. Then again, Skeet does own a Krieghoff and the last time I checked the prices on those things, they weren't cheap.

I will guess that the pump guns are cheaper than the autos because there are less moving parts in them and there probably isn't as much R&D put into them. Another reason that I don't shoot the pump guns anymore is the same reason Skeet wants to get rid of that Beretta SxS. I hate recoil and the pump guns don't help with that.

As far as price is concerned, even a new Benelli Nova pump gun is around $300 while the Benelli SBE II is around $1,300. Also, with 6 million 870's out there, I am willing to bet that the supply outweighs the demand.

As far as the A-5 being more expensive than the new Browning Gold, I am going to guess that we are talking about the Belgian made A-5's and not the Japanese ones, but I could be wrong.

[Gil Martin]

I like side by sides and recently found an excellent Stevens Model 5100 in 16 gauge for $325.00. This is a classic single trigger gun and well worth the cost.

I believe the 870s on sale at Wal-Mart are Express models and not to be confused with the much better Wingmasters. Last month I found a like new 870 Wingmaster 870 12 gauge for $120.00.

The used gun racks are full at the local gun shops for a number of reasons. Fewer folks are hunter small game and the older hunters are getting rid of their guns. There are lots of real bargains if you shop around and know what to look for in a used gun. All the best...
Gil

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by gold40
Everyone has their own taste preferences, and unfortunately I prefer SxS's, which can be a costly choice.

But the best buys out there today seem to be used 12 gauge pump guns with choke tubes. While WAL-MART has new Mossbergs and 870's for just over $225, there are a lot of decent used pump guns for sale in the $130 to $160 range. Most are Winchester 1300's or Mossberg 500's. I'm surprised how low these prices are.

Perhaps its because of the increased popularity of semi-auto and O/U shotguns.

For a while the 16 gauge wasn't very popular - and therefore cheaper - but lately they have become more expensive than the 12's. Ithaca 37's seem to worth a premium around here.

My candidate for the "least value" shotgun is the discontinued Browning A-5. While they are indeed good guns, the prices are out of sight! You can buy a brand new Browning Gold Hunter for the same money as a 40 year old A-5.

HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE SPARTAN LINE BY REMINGTON, SORRY NO FRENCH GRAY RECEIVERS OR TURKISH WALNUT BUT THEY ARE NICE GUNS. SXS OR O/U, THEY EVEN MAKE A NICE DOUBLE RIFLE.

[tjwatty]

We have a fella who started trap shooting this year and bought a Spartan.
Nice looking gun, BUT. It's been back twice now with a split stock. I don't think it can take the beating of trap shooting. They do fix and return fast.
Talk about deals on used guns. My best friend bought an older model Browning Golden Clays with Gracoil recoil system, Briley barrel sets for 20ga. 28ga. and .410. Briley metal case and all choke tubes for less than 3K. I can't get the exact price out of him yet but when I saw it the price was $2995. And I know this cheap skate did his best negotiation to part with his money.

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by tjwatty
We have a fella who started trap shooting this year and bought a Spartan.
Nice looking gun, BUT. It's been back twice now with a split stock. I don't think it can take the beating of trap shooting. They do fix and return fast.
Talk about deals on used guns. My best friend bought an older model Browning Golden Clays with Gracoil recoil system, Briley barrel sets for 20ga. 28ga. and .410. Briley metal case and all choke tubes for less than 3K. I can't get the exact price out of him yet but when I saw it the price was $2995. And I know this cheap skate did his best negotiation to part with his money.

shucks, tj, i didn't want to hear that about the spartans. i'd like one of those sxs's in 28 ga. also had my eye on the 30:06 double rifle. think i'll wait till they got all the bugs out before i purchase. of course we won't see any in this part of the country for a while yet. pony express only comes through here once a month. :D

kreighoff's and perazzi's are a bit out of my spending range.

thanks for the info, even though it broke my heart. ;)

[tjwatty]

Shoot Billy D, just let us know down here and we'll throw one on the first Big New Santa Fe engine going yer way.

[Rapier]

I am not much on SxS guns, just have a couple and never carry them to the field or range.

Recently, after a day shooting clays, I went with a fellow to trade one of his Baretta O/U guns for a new Ruger SxS. I kinda thought he was out of his mind, but then I saw him shoot the Ruger after seeing him shoot the Baretta. He picked up over 10 birds. So I started looking around at the round frame, game guns that are available and the Ruger is really a good buy compared to the prices that the other guns are going for. It looks pretty good and it shoots pretty good to boot. Dealers cant keep them in stock around here. I am waiting for the 20 ga.
ED

[TKO]

The 870's and Mossbergs are great values, I have and do use both. I picked up a 870 Express left hand a couple of years ago and love it.

This year I picked up a Huglo sxs 12 ga. with double triggers at a local gun shop for $500. The way it looks and shoots, great value. Also picked up a Khan o/u and for the dollar it shoots great and functions with no problems.