Let’s talk over and unders! Suggestions wanted

[El General]

I don't know what your budget is, but I have always wanted one of the Joe Etchen Silver Pigeon 2 barrel sets.

https://www.joeletchenguns.com/etchen-signature-series/silver-pigeon-iii-field-combo-20-28-gauge-28-pistol-grip

[Kelmat]

Make a visit to Briley's and drool over their selection. I'm sure you can find something there and they will help with the fit.

[bowmansdad]

Make a visit to Briley's and drool over their selection. I'm sure you can find something there and they will help with the fit.

Totally agree with this. I had my Beretta fitted to me and my shooting greatly improved, in and out in less than 2 hours and price was right.

[WyoBull]

I would strongly recommend looking at a 28 gauge. I rarely take my 12 gauge out of the safe anymore.
If you are looking to shoot upland game and sporting clays, a 28 will serve you well.
I would consider going to the Beretta store there in Dallas, depending on where you live and talk to them. Regardless of the caliber you choose, they will fit the right gun to you. Definitely worth it if you are going to spend good money on one.

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[DapperDan]

Not sure where you’re located, but I would make a trip to the Beretta gallery and get fitted and go from there.


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Houston


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[bowfishin fool]

I would strongly recommend looking at a 28 gauge. I rarely take my 12 gauge out of the safe anymore.
If you are looking to shoot upland game and sporting clays, a 28 will serve you well.
I would consider going to the Beretta store there in Dallas, depending on where you live and talk to them. Regardless of the caliber you choose, they will fit the right gun to you. Definitely worth it if you are going to spend good money on one.

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I agree here, I shoot everything (except sandhill cranes) with my 28 Ga. It fits me so dang well. Have someone fit you, and if possible shoot multiple guns. I went to drurys in San Antonio and bought several of their used guns, they let you return for a full refund if you don’t like the way it shoots.

At sporting clays I just choke up one over the other guys and usually shoot low to mid 80’s.


I wouldnt consider 20ga an option. The shot string is terrible. Your 12’s and 28’s outperform in every way.


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[Drycreek3189]

I love these threads with 100 different recommendations of what the “recommender” likes. I don’t want to sound like a know it all, but brand has almost nothing to do with a shotgun being what you need. Quackerbox is dead on when he’s talking about fit. He’s also right about gauges. Twenties and twenty-eights are fun to shoot, but check out what the big boys are using. A shotgun needs to fit the shooter first, everything else is secondary.

Go to a sporting clays instructor and see if you can try some different guns. Find one that fits you and you like and buy it. Or just find one that you like and let Briley fit it to you. Good luck !

[DapperDan]

Let’s talk over and unders! Suggestions wanted

I agree here, I shoot everything (except sandhill cranes) with my 28 Ga. It fits me so dang well. Have someone fit you, and if possible shoot multiple guns. I went to drurys in San Antonio and bought several of their used guns, they let you return for a full refund if you don’t like the way it shoots.

At sporting clays I just choke up one over the other guys and usually shoot low to mid 80’s.


I wouldnt consider 20ga an option. The shot string is terrible. Your 12’s and 28’s outperform in every way.


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I don’t have much experience with 28 gauge so my only concern or question would be shooting pheasant with it. I shot a 28 for about a box worth in Argentina. Dropped the dove with ease but they were 20 yard passing shots. Was a semi auto and had zero recoil. So a 28 would for sure handle the smaller game birds. As far as sandhill, I have a sbeii that will handle those.

Well, if only they had a 12/28 combo.

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[El General]

I don’t have much experience with 28 gauge so my only concern or question would be shooting pheasant with it. I shot a 28 for about a box worth in Argentina. Dropped the dove with ease but they were 20 yard passing shots. Was a semi auto and had zero recoil. So a 28 would for sure handle the smaller game birds. As far as sandhill, I have a sbeii that will handle those.

Well, if only they had a 12/28 combo.

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Wild pheasant is generally a 12 ga deal. Preserve pheasant any gauge is fine. The only thing you are giving up with a 28 over a 20 is ammunition cost and availability.

[DapperDan]

Wild pheasant is generally a 12 ga deal. Preserve pheasant any gauge is fine. The only thing you are giving up with a 28 over a 20 is ammunition cost and availability.

Well, now there are decisions. Lol. Cause pheasant hunting is something I’m really looking at doing a lot more of and it would be mostly wild pheasant


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[QuackHunter]

Let’s talk over and unders! Suggestions wanted

I’d you don’t mind shooting a heavy gun in 20 gauge you can get the Briley Sidekick sub gauge tubes. They run sub $300 for a set in one gauge and allow you to use your 12g as a 20/28/410 depending on which tubes you buy. It will be an additional cost but will give you more versatility and even less recoil in the 20g. I have more friends than I can count that shoot silver pigeons and they’ve put a lot of rounds through them. They’re solid guns and you can’t go wrong for the price.

I myself shoot a Caesar Summit Sporting and I absolutely love it. Definitely an upgrade over a base level beretta or browning and you get a great service/warranty if needed. I’ve been shooting mine for about 2 or 3 years now and will end up with about 6500 rounds through it since the beginning of this year. They also have a ton of field models if you want more of a “field gun” and offer a better finish in my opinion.


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[Wall_Hanger]

Well, now there are decisions. Lol. Cause pheasant hunting is something I’m really looking at doing a lot more of and it would be mostly wild pheasant


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I personally like 20g for pheasant. Some of the guys this year were shooting 28g and 410 o/u for them as well. You have to be good but that makes it fun.

If you are buying something and want to splurge a little, I would absolutely go 30" or 32" barrels. They just swing better in the field. As others mentioned, go to a higher end dealer (Gordy and Sons, Briley, etc) and try several out until you find the right fit. Manufactures have different lengths, drops, cheek swells, etc. that they use and that makes a huge difference. Even within the same manufacturer there are model differences. I have a 682 gold sporting that I hate, cant hit anything with it but I know the drop is too short for me. The DT11 drop fits me great, as do the Rizzini field models....I am just too cheap to buy one of those right now. Now you can have any gun fit to you but that requires some trial and error so finding one that is really close first will just make that easier and may eliminate it if you are wanting to shoot tons of clays. I have been too lazy to have the 682 fitting done because its 28" barrels and I don't care for the balance/swing of the gun anyway. It sure is pretty though haha

Another option is to buy a 12 and get a set of 20g tubes for it. That will let you shoot the 20g and the 12g just not at the same time. Sometimes they can be a pain to get the timing right in but more often than not its pretty good fit first try.

[Tx_Wader]

I don't even own a 12 gauge anymore. I switched to 20 gauge guns 20 years ago.

I'm partial to Beretta O/U shotguns.

[Smart]

Let’s talk over and unders! Suggestions wanted

I don't even own a 12 gauge anymore. I switched to 20 gauge guns 20 years ago.

I'm partial to Beretta O/U shotguns.

Same here and we use 20 gauges on wild South Dakota pheasants as well. Some of our guys used 28 ga. I have been shooting 20 ga exclusively since 2004-2005 for dove, turkey, clays, ducks, geese and pheasants and have never felt outgunned.

Op.. you can’t go wrong with the Beretta silver pigeon. It’s a classic over/under. But like many here I would try several and see what fits you best. I did this and the Beretta did not fit me as well as the Browning 725. I went with it because the taller wider rib and it just felt better to me all the way around. Then after a year decided to go the custom fitted way and now it really fits me like a glove. I ended up with the Browning 725 Sporting w/32” barrels . Had the Beretta fit me better personally, I wouldn’t have hesitated buying it either. You can’t go wrong with a Browning or Beretta ..

[SmTx]

When ammo is in high demand and some is actually getting cranked out it's in 12ga.