DeHaan Shotguns anybody own one????

6.5s4ever · #1 06-02-2006, 04:49 PM

Hello Everyone!, I am looking at a over/under shotgun made by DeHaan for the money it looks exceptionallly nice.It is a model U-2e and was wondering has anyone here owned ,handled ,shot a shotgun made by DeHaan? If you have lets hear your thoughts! Thanks Roy

popplecop · #2 06-04-2006, 08:21 AM

I have a DeHaan SxS that I aquired several years back. I use it as a duck gun and it has been a great shotgun. I think for the dollar they are a good buy.

6.5s4ever · #3 06-04-2006, 12:02 PM

Thanks for the comment popplecop!, It seems that Mark DeHaan has a good reputation for treating people right and making sure the customer is satisfied. A friend of mine shoots a U1 Over/under in 410 ga and I am impressed with how well he shoots that gun on the 5 stand. I think I am going to order a U2 from Mark on Monday in 12Ga with a 30 " Barrel. Cant really lose on this deal they have a seven day trial period and if you dont like the gun you can send it back for a full refund no questions asked!

6.5s4ever · #4 06-04-2006, 12:09 PM

Heres a picture of the DeHaan U1 over/under

6.5s4ever · #5 06-04-2006, 12:12 PM

Heres a picture of the DeHaan U2 Over/under They come with 5 choke tubes are back bored and have optional ejectors or extractors

fabsroman · #6 06-05-2006, 01:02 AM

For less than a grand, I don't think you can really go wrong with one of those guns. Me, I have way too many shotguns as it is right now, so I am trying to increase the number of rifles. Otherwise, I might seriously be considering the purchase of the U2.

Steverino · #7 06-05-2006, 01:31 PM

I own both a SO SXS in 20 ga. as well as a U2E O/U, both from DeHaan. I have never posted a review on either because I honestly do not shoot either of these enough to merit a qualified opinion-especially as to how they will hold up over time. Both of my shotguns shoot to POI- there are folks that have had problems with this as well as barrel regulation. From what I have read through the years, Mark will and does make good on these guns if there are problems. For the money, I think they represent a good value for the occassional shooter.

I have followed posts on other sites that describe some issues that folks have had with poor barrel regulation (which can happen with any shotgun-even the 'K" or "P" flavor offerings) as well as broken firing pins. Marc seems to make his customers happy one way or another. One can easily go to another site to see scores of dissatisfied shooters dealing with the "B" mfgrs to see that customer service is often a commodity that is quite often overlooked when purchasing a firearm. Of course, with that being said, we all hope repairs are never necessary.

fabsroman · #8 06-05-2006, 01:38 PM

When you refer to "B" manufacturers, would that be Browning, Beretta, and Benelli? Had problems with Browning, but I am pretty satisifed with Beretta's customer service. Of course, I have only contacted either on a single occassion, and Browning was well before I became an attorney, Beretta was after I became an attorney. Somehow, I think experience allowed me to deal better with Beretta than I did with Browning (i.e., I was more forceful about what I would be willing to accept from them).

Steverino · #9 06-06-2006, 10:53 AM

Yep, that's what I meant exactly Fabs. I have or did own offerings from each of these manufacturers and have personally been quite fortunate to not require authorized factory service...yet.

However, one can glean from other shooting sites and numerous postings the multitudes of shotgun shooters that are less than pleased with their respective factory service and repair centers. Of course, a good half of these can easily be dismissed, IMHO, because of either unrealistic expectations and/ or a combination of poor maintenance habits or just plain doing something downright stupid. This still leaves us with a fair amount of honest and legitimate claims against the manufacturers.

I am sure that your acquired negotiating skills in your selected profession have served you well through the years Fabs. While I am not a skilled attorney by craft, (or play one on TV) the aging process has certainly imparted certain attributes that have assisted me when dealing with folks in any type of customer service capacity when the occassion has dictated. I personally am of the strong opinion that the "catching more bees with honey than vinegar" approach works the majority of the time with most folks. Then there are times when one requires more assertive tact. It's been at this particular juncture that I have failed miserably in years past. There is an art to successful negotiating and I also agree that "the squeeky wheel gets the grease."

As far as DeHaan shotguns go, I honestly do not know of their longevity but have seen the owner of this company by and large, accomodate the needs of shooters without having to go through any extraneous measures. That is worth something to me.

fabsroman · #10 06-06-2006, 11:21 AM

In negotiating, I am as nice as can be until I think the other person is being unrealisitc. I was nice, yet unyiedling with Beretta. I dropped three guns off to them, two 391 Teknyss and a 682 GoldE Skeet gun. The Teknyss had machine marks/swirl marks around the bolt, which weren't supposed to be there. However, they could hardly be seen. One Teknys had the finish wearing off the stock. The 682 had lost some of the chrome plating off the receiver, but it was on the receiver shoulder, so it wasn't visible while the gun was together. The first call to me was that they couldn't do anything about the receiver marks, they would change the stock on the Teknys, and they weren't going to do anything about the 682 because the flaked off chrome did not affect the functionality of the gun nor its appearance when the gun was together. Well, that was unacceptable.

I told them that I wasn't going to pay this kind of money for guns that would fall apart within one year, especially when the manufacturer wasn't going to uphold its warranty. I told him I might be able to understand these defects on guns that didn't cost as much, but not on these. I also told him that I was concerned that with repeated use the flaking on the 682 might get beyond the receiver shoulders and possibly on the exterior surface of the receiver. If they were willing to warrant the gun against any additional flaking for the rest of its life, and put it in writing, I would be fine with that. He had to go back to his boss. The next call was that they would replace the stock on the Teknys and they would give me a new 682 GoldE. I haven't even fired the new 682 and that was almost two years ago. I prefer the Teknys on clays now.