Suggestions for a 2nd hand (or new) 12ga O/U?

**Musgrave** · 09-07-2008, 14:14

Howdy!

Currently I own a 12ga Browning BPS pump action shotgun. I have been using it for pigeon shooting for the past 8 years or so, but pieces of the receiver has broken of - due to the recoil of all that shooting, I suppose. (See attached photo).

Now, I'm looking for an over&under shotgun to replace it with. The shotgun is still working, but the barrel is also a real shortie. So, it seems like a good excuse...

Any suggestions? I thought of something secondhand in the region of R5,000-R10,000.

What barrel length should I be considering? I was thinking 28"...?

Ejectors or non-ejectors? What chokes are suitable for hunting?

Could a new shotgun be bought for that price?

I'm really at a loss - some advice please!

**andy_760901** · 07-08-2008, 19:58

hi musgrave..

Let me begin by saying that i am far from an expert when it comes to shotguns, but can offer some advise based on my own experiance. I am a collector of firearms and wanted to buy a nice o/u to add to my collection, well well well.

I was wanting something along the lines of a Beretta, Winchester or Browning, thinking that Parazzi and Purdi were way waaaay out of my reach, well, let me tell you that on further investigation it dawned on me quickly that so are the Beretta, Winchesters and Brownings, new that is. so forget the new shotguns, those in the price range you are looking at are mediocre at best and will not offer a long round count, so lets talk second hand...

I suppose the authorities on the subject will tell you that the better make of shotgun, the more bang you get for your buck in terms of the hinge that joins the barrels to the butt is what takes all of the stress on the gun from recoil and as time passes and more and more 1000's of rounds go through the gun, this loosens as time goes on untill the gun will become inoperable. the "better" shotguns take longer to wear here, as some of the more "cheaper" brands will come loose at 20,000 rounds a good beretta should see you well into 80,000 or 120,000 rounds, please anyone with more authority step in here any time as im going on what i have heard fromt he more knowledgable shotgunners around EL.

So it really hindges off how much shooting you are going to do... as to how much you can get away with, we are not talking about handguns where if u are prepared to spend 10K you are going to get just about the best of any make available within reason (BAR the STI's of the world).

you say that you have used your shotgun for 8 years or so to shoot pigeons with, i personally would look at a good condition Miroku, they are excellent shotguns and are definately worth a look, and they range from the 5K ---> 10K mark, i would have a good look at them and have a friend that is knowledgeble look at it to try to deturmine a round count (more or less) as it is no good buying a Miroku that has seen 80,000 rounds through it. I once loked at a nice shotgun over the counter then saw the really cheap price, upon breaking open the barrels i almost dropped the shotgun, man it was so loose i thought it was going to come into two peices, obviously this shotgun had been shot to death and retightened a few times. So my point is that a shotgun can look really good, but check that action to see that its nice and tight and check the breech block to see if it has fired a couple of thousand rounds. after all when you buy a shotgun the money that you spend is going (in theory) to the amount of rounds that you can put through the shotgun before it dies. Over-unders are not like buying a pistol where chances are you will not shoot it to death, it will outlast your great great grankids, many people wear out their shotguns if they are avid sportsman and hunters.

I apologise if i have bored you with info that you already (and probably did) know, but i thought i would try to help as much as i can. That being said, i was in the same dilemma as yourself, wanting a decent shotgun to do work with, i ended up with a Lanber (as new) with a multi-choke, single trigger with selectors and ejectors in a 30" barrel. Good luck, id go Miroku, ask anyone you know, you cant go wrong :)

**Musgrave** · 11-08-2008, 09:50

Thanks for the input - I realy apprecaite it. I have seen the Miroku advertised - I will keep a lookout for a second hand one.

Thanks!

CJ · 13-08-2008, 16:55

Shotgun for hunting. :)

Let start with chokes. Hunting rifles usaually have a 1/2 and full choke with that you should be able to manage all near and far shots.
Lets say upto about 43m or so ....... Ejectors are nice...jou can reload faster I like them.. others may however claim they are "Noisy"...
Pirice wise Sorry but Iam a bit out "feeling" with that. But 5 to 10 K maybe you can find a nice 2nd hand one.
Considering the new act...

**Corné** · 13-08-2008, 17:32

Going of the topic a bit.....

I think a lot of useable and serviceable firarms got destroyed with people just to lazy to make the effort to relicense and just handing in firearms. If they did not want them anymore, why not offer them for free to others. Yes, literally nobody wanted to even take it, but there would have been people that would have taken some of these firearms. There are even the story that a Purdy was handed in for destruction.......I hope that his was only a story and not the truth...... hjk

**andy_760901** · 26-09-2008, 23:35

from wat i have seen/ heard so far its mainly the junk thats going into be destryoed, anything worth selling im sure is passing through the gun shops that are left standing.

We will see what will happen though, im sure that this may change int he foreseeable future...

**Analyst** · 12-01-2009, 21:22

Glock 19 ;)

Not much of a shotgunner but weren't the Sabatti line quite popular a few years ago?

**RyanD** · 16-01-2009, 21:52

I have a Miroku, very good quality, I like it. My Dad has a Lanber and I have used it allot, It has a multi choke system which is quite handy but I think it is more of a mindset thing than something that is important.

In buying a shotgun, fit is all important due to the instinctive nature of the discipline. I don't care if your shotgun is a R 100K Perazzi, if it does not fit you will be outshot by a fellow with a much lower priced gun that fits him, You must have the correct fit for your confidence and your responsibility to your Quarry.

Go to a gun club and get to most knowledgeable members to help you out i am sure they will let you handle your Guns and when you pick one up that "fits" you had better hope its not a Perazzi or Ruger Red label or Beretta Silver pigion. Do your research and don't just base your decision on one persons guidance.

Get Ejectors and please throw any and all cartridge belts away. Carry your rounds in a bag made for the task.

And the advice about looking out for a shot out gun are very relevent.

**Just Plain Phil** · 28-01-2009, 10:37

Corne
There are even the story that a Purdy was handed in for destruction.......I hope that his was only a story and not the truth......

Rumour has it that it was one of a pair, there is a happy ending to this rumour, it's back at Purdy.

Like I say it's a rumour I heard from one of my buddies around a fire one evening last year.
Having said that he usually has his facts correct,

Opps the thread , sorry