Over Under

So I have always wanted an over under for upland hunting. I don’t want to spend a lot ($600 or less preferably). I want a reliable gun, the aesthetics are not as important to me. Any recommendations?

Give a look at the Steven’s 555e. A friend of mine has it and I was extremely impressed with the quality of the gun for the price point. It’s around $800 but I think the value you get from that extra $200 is definitely worth it.

Gitchi Gummi wrote:

Give a look at the Steven’s 555e. A friend of mine has it and I was extremely impressed with the quality of the gun for the price point. It’s around $800 but I think the value you get from that extra $200 is definitely worth it.

Yes x2. I have a 555e and it has been a fantastic gun! I paid like $500 bucks a few years ago at reed’s annual gun fair and couldn’t be happier with it.

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/mossberg-international-silver-reserve-ii-field-over-under-shotgun

Also do you think I should go with a 20 or 12 gauge? I’ll be hunting pheasants and doves with this gun.

CZ-USA has a few models close to that price range that may be worth a look.

Hopefully Stevens worked the bugs out. Our gun club bought 12 for rental guns. They had problems with nearly all of them. And finally traded them back to the dealer or manufacturer. With that said. It was when they first came out. Just check to see they worked that out. I shoot with a guy that shoots a Mossberg. Worked good for 2 years shooting once a week. This year barrels wouldn’t switch. But guy with a $3500 Browning had the same problem. But it could be a maintenance issue. Have you considered a little higher end gun. But used?

Jeffrey Trapp wrote:

Also do you think I should go with a 20 or 12 gauge? I’ll be hunting pheasants and doves with this gun.

The correct answer is always “get both.”

tornadochaser wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jeffrey Trapp wrote:</div>
Also do you think I should go with a 20 or 12 gauge? I’ll be hunting pheasants and doves with this gun.

The correct answer is always “get both.”

I was gonna say. Doves and pheasants are not even close to being the same size bird and their flight is vastly different too. One size fits all is not the solution here.

The Stevens doubles are very nice looking, but the CZ has a longer track record.

Stoeger also makes a decent entry-level double in their Condor series and it has a good reputation for reliability and a very solid design.

gimruis wrote:

I was gonna say. Doves and pheasants are not even close to being the same size bird and their flight is vastly different too. One size fits all is not the solution here.

Why not? I’ve hunted everything from woodcock to pheasant with a 20 gauge since I was 12. I didn’t even own a 12 of any kind for many, many years. My father got his first 20 gauge when he was 8. He shot countless pheasants and partridge over his career with that gun and only “went big” for ducks when he finally bought a 16 gauge in the early 1960s.

Especially now with a modern 20 gauge that can shoot a 3 inch load, the versatility is all there for every upland bird.

You still have to hit ’em. If you can’t hit a bull in the @ss with a handful of rice then shooting a 12, 10, or 8 gauge for that matter won’t do anything for you.

I was thinking mostly of the ammo but clearly I was on the wrong track with my post since the OP was only referring to the shotgun and not the ammo. My apologies.

No worries grimuis appreciate all the replies. I do enough fall walleye fishing the gun probably won’t get the workout it deserves so I won’t be buying both at the moment…maybe someday. I’ll probably get the 12 since my normal gun is a 12 gauge 870.

I have the CZ Drake in both the 12 and 20 gauge. Never an issue with either one. Love them, great guns in my opinion

If you are open to a side by side the CZ Bobwhite G2 in 20 gauge is a neat gun. Double triggers, 3″ chambers, color case hardened receiver. MSRP is $675 but you can do a lot better than that in the market.

Trinity LT

I bought this over under last year after much research. For your price range you will be very happy with this gun. Super light, easy to handle, cones with all the choke tubes. I took it farm pheasant hunting twice and it handled the high brass 3″ shot very well also. I couldnt be happier with this gun and I hunt upland with my gsp 3 times a week through fall. 7 days and counting…..

Jeffrey Trapp wrote:

Also do you think I should go with a 20 or 12 gauge? I’ll be hunting pheasants and doves with this gun.

I switched to only using a 20 gauge for all upland hunting a couple years ago and haven’t looked back. I’ve never had a problem folding even the biggest rooster pheasants with it. Some guys think having more BBs flying thru the air with a bigger gauge is the only way to go. I disagree, it’s all about accuracy. If you aren’t accurate, it doesn’t matter how many BBs are flying thru the air. One of my South Dakota friends only hunts with a 28 gauge and he is the most accurate shotgun shooter I’ve ever hunted with. Quality over quantity when it comes to BBs

The major benefits are 1) the gun is going to be lighter than a 12 ga, so much easier to carry all day in the field, 2) there’s less damage to the meat on the birds you shoot compared to a 12 ga, 3) the lighter gun swings easier and is easier to shoulder/shoot, and 4) you can chirp your buddies who shoot a 12 gauge

Savage 555e in a 20 gauge is an excellent pheasant gun. Or anything upland really. I plan to shoot geese with it this fall. 3 inch heavy metal #2 shot over the decoys will take down the geese this winter.

I have shot and really liked the Tristar Trinity. The quality is outstanding at the price point, and it shoots well and is beautiful. You will be proud to own it. I would suggest the steel receiver over the aluminum. The price is right in your wheelhouse, too.

Another option. Used Citori or Red Label. Older Citoris have crazy good machine work. But often have fixed chokes. Sure Stevens has figured out the 555’s. When they came out our gun club bought 8 or 10 of them for loaners. Lots of shooters from overseas brought by John Deere to shoot. They had so many problems Stevens bought them back. Should be fixed by now if they are still selling them. But be careful of someone selling an early model.

I got a 555e in 16ga this fall. Was kind of a crap year for hunting for me so I didn’t shoot it much but have no complaints so far. It’s so light it feels like you’re carrying a toy which I loved.

Stevenoak’s suggestion of a used Citori or Red Label is a good one. I recommended a CZ Bobwhite SxS above but also own a 20 gauge Red Label. The Red Label is a little heavy for a 20 gauge but is great on a sporting clays course or trap field. The extra weight smooths the swing and reduces felt recoil. I don’t shoot 50-100 shells in a day chasing birds but it is easy to do shooting clays.

Never mind, just looked at Gunbroker and Gunsamerica, prices got stupid in recent times.

If you can find a clean Citori or Red Label for $600, let me know and I will buy it! You cannot get either of those guns, in any kind of good condition for at least twice that. Consider his budget, which is not unreasonable, and there are some fine Turkish O/U guns out there that will fit the bill. For example: a 555 or a Trinity.

Another suggestion would be a Tristar Silver Bristol in a 20 gauge. They are beautiful side-by-side guns that are nice and light, come with 5 choke tubes (Benelli/Beretta style) and are very stylish. You can find them for about $350 off the factory list price in the Cabellas Gun Library on line. Check them out!

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I sold my side by side. I didn’t like the way the barrel paths converged. On close crossing shots you had to be really careful to fire the lead barrel or else I’d hit right behind it every time.

Unfortunately, they stopped making Red Labels. I love them, every one I’ve ever shouldered has fit me like a glove. Just throw it up and the sight picture is right there where it should be. It’s almost magical. It doesn’t surprise me the prices have gone way up. They will probably keep going up until they start making them again. I’ll never sell mine. But, if something ever happened to it I’d easily give twice what I gave for it for another one.