ErikW Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 Anybody handled and shot one of these new O/Us? Very intriguing... they are going for about a grand. Made by FN, Beretta-like action, use Invector + chokes, back-bored, ported, long forcing cones, 28" or 30" bbls. The one review I found online said they are barrel-heavy and sluggish. I'd like some more opinions. Links if you have 'em. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 I'm headed out for some clays Friday. If I find one for sale at the clubhouse, I'll ask what folks think about it. (I certainly am no expert at O/U's...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 21, 2002 Share Posted September 21, 2002 Sorry Erik, I didn't find any today. The range *did* have a lot of Veronas...which may tell you something. The range owner (Dan Mitchell) used to be a national-caliber shooter and wouldn't carry a second-rate anything. Average price for the Verona was somewhere about $1250 or so. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted September 23, 2002 Author Share Posted September 23, 2002 Marocchis are looking really appealing to me right now. They just aren't available anywhere. Of the couple O/Us I've shot, I don't care for the feel and handling of the Browning XS Ultra Sporter, and I loved the old beater Winchester 101. What really sucks is that a clays gun is the one gun you must try before you buy, and in the best case scenario all I can do is throw one to my shoulder in a shop, if I'm lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 23, 2002 Share Posted September 23, 2002 The Marocchi's look pretty damn cool and look like a good value. Too bad I've never seen one in person... The closest place you may find one is PHX. Check out: http://www.swshotguns.com It's one the few things I don't like about being on the west coast: if you want to go to a shop that has quality & variety for sporting clays (or most any other true shooting sport), you're generally SOL. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted October 5, 2002 Share Posted October 5, 2002 Erik, I just saw a good deal on Berettas today. Buy a 682 Gold E, and get a 3901 (consumer grade 391) for free. Team up with someone who needs a 391 and sell it to them for $500 bucks. 682's are running just shy of $3K right now at Cole's. I think you can get a very similar deal here on the West coast. http://www.berettausa.com/news/682_free.html http://www.colegun.com/spg682.html E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 7, 2002 Author Share Posted October 7, 2002 Well it violates the first three rules of shotgunning (fit, fit, and fit) but I just bought a Marocchi sight unseen. They offered me a Conquista M92 at an incredible price. I was drooling over the new M99 but I'm not going to shell out that much money without handling one. My big problem with purchasing a O/U is I didn't like the feel of the Browning I shot and I refuse to use Beretta products. (I also I refuse to purchase Ruger products.) That eliminates a whole bunch of possibilities. Oh yeah, the clincher on buying a Marocchi sight unseen: the weight, well over 8 pounds. I'm a spoiled 1100 shooter and I don't want to be beat to death shooting a 7.5# gun on a sporting clays course. Check it out: adjustable comb, adjustable trigger, lengthened forcing cones, porting (a drawback to me), backbored, Invector Plus compatible chokes (3 included), silver receiver, blued 30" bbls My bet is it'll have butt-ugly wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 All I can say is WOW! You done did it! BTW - Are you allowed to have an adjustable comb stock in Sporting? None of the Sporting-specific shotguns I've looked at have one. (I do want one, though if I can get it. I might buy a Skeet gun and sneak it in if I can.) 8+ lbs? The only way to get that in a Beretta is to go with the DT10, which starts about 5K and goes up. Ouch! For the chokes, if you decide to expand your collection and buy Brileys, I found out that the only difference between the spectrum chokes (colored bands on the end) and the standards, is well, the colored band. You can save about $15-20 bucks a chocke by buying the ugly knurled ones. (Which are clearly laser marked on the side.) What's your beef with Beretta, by the way? Get smacked by the slide off a 92F? (Feel free to message me offline on this one, lest we pollute the forum.) I'm totally hip to passing on the Rugers, though. As for Brownings, I fell in love with a 20 ga Citori O/U. It had an English style straight-stock. Light, svelte, pointable, aaahhhh... It was a sweetie. The rest of the Browning line, just feels big and clubby to me. Their gas gun has all the svelteness of a 4x4 post. Every day I use my 391, I love it more. Don't ask me why I *need* an O/U, but I'm getting the itch anyway. I guess I need to open the safe and see what I'm willing to part with. Congrats on the new baby. When does it show up? E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted October 7, 2002 Author Share Posted October 7, 2002 Allowed to have an adjustable comb? I don't see why not. Doesn't matter 'cause I don't shoot competitions. Heck, the people I shoot with even start with the gun mounted, which I understand is not allowed in sporting clay matches. (Though in reading up I suspect starting with a low gun might be a Good Thing.) I'm going to get a couple more chokes to fill in the gaps at the top and bottom. It comes with SK, IC, and M. The black oxide Brileys looked fine to me. I don't know when I'll get it... FFL B.S., cros-country shipping, plus Caliban waiting period. My beef with Beretta is they made a gun that's dangerous to its user and they didn't recall it or attempt to notify owners. They settle suits with non-disclosure agreements to keep it quiet. My beef with Ruger is that their leader encouraged magazine capacity restrictions. My opinion of the Browning Ultra is it felt like a 2x4 with a vent rib (a goofy one, at that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted October 7, 2002 Share Posted October 7, 2002 I just checked on the adjustable stocks. Not in the rules... Wonder why the "sporting" models omit them. Oh....Brian!!....could you fill us in on this? The low-gun mount is a good thing - although I've been constantly criticized for doing it consistently throughout every discipline. I do it just because it's the way my Dad taught me. Plus, it keeps me from fixating on the barrel. If you ever plan on hunting with your new blaster, you need the mounting skill anyway. Might as well start out right... E (Edited by EricW at 3:20 pm on Oct. 7, 2002) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErikW Posted November 25, 2002 Author Share Posted November 25, 2002 I handled and shot a Supreme Sporting yesterday. Too long for me, with the 2x4 like feel of the Browning. On top of that, it was muzzle heavy and had a crappy trigger. Also handled and shot a 682 Gold. Niiiiiice! It immediately reminded me of when I stepped off my production-line Honda CBR600F2 onto a hand-built Honda Racing Corp. RC30. You could tangibly feel the build quality. And it fit me, too. Thank goodness I already bought a new shotgun or I'd want one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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