20 gauge shotgun question

[Major Kong]

Hey folks, I'm looking for a 20 gauge shotgun with a 26" barrel. Something I can bird hunt with or shoot skeet/trap. I'm not looking to break the bank but I want to buy quality.

 

Right now my top two contenders are the Benelli M2 and the Beretta A400. I've read great reviews of both and don't think I could go wrong with either. I've also found a lightly used Browning Citori in the same price range that has piqued my interest. Any other models I should look at in that price range?

[RWF]

to me all good choices, the A400 should have less recoil over the M2. but the M2 will be easier to clean.

[gregintenn]

Give me the Citori! A shotgun should have two barrels.

[leroy]

Give me the Citori! A shotgun should have two barrels.

Here's another vote for the citori... Ya can shoot thousands of rounds and give it to your grandkids.... A semiauto or pump simply wont do that...

 

leroy

[enfield]

Here's another vote for the citori... Ya can shoot thousands of rounds and give it to your grandkids.... A semiauto or pump simply wont do that...

 

leroy

 

That'll come as a surprise to all the SASS shooters with their model 1897 Winchester pumps.  :D

[leroy]

That'll come as a surprise to all the SASS shooters with their model 1897 Winchester pumps.  :D

 

As much as i like the 97's; (...we've got 2 plus a winchester model 12...)... Ya gotta put parts in em from time to time... My guess is the only parts that will have to go into a citori (...if any...) are the ejector springs....

 

I didnt believe the o/u vs "the others" thing either until i started talkin to the old time trap and skeet guys back in the seventies when we got into shotgun shootin and reloading...

 

It wuz nothin to have the old timers say they had been shooting thirty years with no repair to their browning broadway trap o/us... They were being shot at least a couple of hundred rounds per week... If ya assume that ya shoot 30 weeks per year for thirty years; ya get 180,000 rounds (...30 weeks x 200 rounds/weekend x 30 years = 180,000...).. That's a helluva lot of powder ...

 

leroy

[gregintenn]

My Citori has had untold thousands of rounds fired through it. This year, I finally took it apart and gave it a good cleaning. It still locks up tight as new, and shoots as good as ever. A bit of blueing wear and a couple of small dings are all the wear it shows.

[Major Kong]

You guys are making a strong case for taking a look at the Citori. Thanks for all the feedback so far.

[Djay3]

You guys are making a strong case for taking a look at the Citori. Thanks for all the feedback so far.

If you do pursue the excellent Citori's, you might want to compare the 26" and the 28" barrels especially for clays. Many find the 28" provides smoother control when "passing" through for the shot.

Keep an eye out on TGO's for sale listings. I've got a low mileage Citori 425 with the 28" barrel and I need to get off my duff and post it on TGO for sale. My clay days have passed and the 425 needs to find a good home.

Enjoy the search!

[MacGyver]

My vote goes with the Citori, too.  And, that comes from a Benelli shooter. 

 

The M2 and the A400 are both great shotguns.  But, for clays and nice days in the field, the Citori is one that you'll never look at and wish you had chosen something else.

[RobertNashville]

I have a Citori XS Pro Comp Skeet that I really have only for skeet shooting and it's a hell of a shotgun (mine is a 12ga)...if you can pick up a Citori at a good price that is how I would go. After that I would tip my hat to the Benelli.

 

In truth, you can't go wrong with any of these three and with a 20ga I truly don't think recoil is a factor...I've shot many, many rounds of skeet with my 12ga citori and don't really have any problems with recoil (and bear in mind you aren't shooting HD loads!).

Edited November 1, 2013 by RobertNashville

[Sidewinder]

What does a nice "lightly used" 20 gauge Citori O/U cost these days?

[gregintenn]

What does a nice "lightly used" 20 gauge Citori O/U cost these days?

Somewhere north of a grand I would guess.

[Major Kong]

What does a nice "lightly used" 20 gauge Citori O/U cost these days?

This guy was asking $1300 but as usual the deal wasn't what it seemed. He told me it was his personal weapon but he had a FFL so he had to charge me sales tax and background check. I didn't even go look at it.