doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Cheap SxS to abuse with steel shot

Ok guys, I'm going to go to the dark side, I can't afford to shot ducks & geese with my Parker, at $3 a pop bismuth, TM, and nice shot, and Heavy shot vintage are ridiculous, and no fun to hunt with, especially when we aren't even sure some are safe for our good guns.

So here's the question, what is the "best" cheap (under $500 range) crappy SxS that I can buy to shoot to pieces the slowest with hot, fast, loads of big steel shot. Is the Stoeger or the Remington Spartan the route (gawd those are some ugly guns!!!) or do you guys have some suggestions. I don't like shooting O/Us, so SxS only! I want something with 2 barrels that will go bang for less than $80 bucks a box of shells!

I promise to carry this ugly duckling to the marsh well concealed, and only hunt alone out of shame....

I have shot steel for years thru my Ithaca SKB mod. 100 choked IC & mod, so far no apparent damage and pretty much decided when I started shooting steel thru it the $ really wern't worth worrying about to get to shoot a fairly decent gun for my duck and goose hunting.

I don't think there are a lot of sub $500 SKB's out there, at least not in my area. What about one of the big 10ga Zabalas?

Certainly not crappy, but sometimes available in your price range:

Charles Daly 500 or Miroku 500. I bought one practically NIB for $550. Open the chokes and you're good to go with 2-3/4" steel loads. If you insist on 3" loads, look for a beater Browning BSS 12 gauge (and make sure you don't head out with M/F chokes). These are fine with steel, although not all feel that way.

My SxS duck gun for 3" steel: Pietro Bernardelli, 12 ga, DT, English grip, splinter, extractors, oil finished wood. New about 3 yrs ago at $375 (closeout). You will pay more now for a used one, but it's a very decent gun, made in Italy (not Turkey). Also available with PG, ST, beavertail if you look around. A fine gun for the money.

Another vote for the SKB 100,150,200's I have shot them for years and currently have a couple.One was originally a 30" mod and full, 2 3/4", which with carbide reamers is 30" mod and mod, and 3" with long forcing cones. This gun with 3" Federal 1550 fps 1 1/8 oz.
#2 and BB steel will kill mallards and snow geese cleanly to 50 yds. This gun has shot 1000's of steel loads over the years and has no scoring, no bulging, and is tight with the lever still right of center.I think they are amazing guns and excellent value. Might find one for your budget but worth spending a little more to get one. IMHO

If you're willing to spend $500 in order to save a dollar per shell, buy the Bismuth, and shoot a gun you enjoy. Unless you're a market hunter, you'll shoot for years, and still be ahead.

How about a Savage Fox 311 or similar? + the BS-E, B etc, etc.

These should all be in your price range. I have no interests in any of these auctions.

A Zabala Kestrel 12ga
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=85091973

DeFourney 12ga
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=85016491

Daly 500 12ga
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=85063597

Armsport 10ga
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=84925070

For the 10ga, get set of Little Skeeters. Grind one side to allow the ejector to grab the shell, then use loctite to hold them in place. Or spend a few dollars more and get chambermates.

No need to hunt in shame... unless you do this to it:


Pete

Always hunt with a gun you enjoy; life's too short for anything else. The SKB Model 100 is the best buy on the market and any difference in your gun-to-abuse price and the SKB, according to Roy's auction lists, is as nothing compared to the enjoyment and satisfaction of a good gun.

Facing the same dilemma (along with rust in the salty chesapeake bay) I found a new in box Beretta 525. I had the chokes opened to shoot hevi-shot and haven't looked back. The bonus is it balances almost exactly like my Model 21, so I don't even have to get used to it.

DH