Shotguns

Stretching a dollar to obtain the most bang for the buck is not a habit that is unique among shooters, but many seem to have become masters of the technique. Rarely does anyone attend a gun show, visit a sporting goods store, or spend some down time in the field without hearing: "Im looking for a good used over-and-under shotgun, but I dont want to spend more than $1,000."While there are several knock-off models that have been introduced to the U.S. market in recent years that can carry a bargain price tag, finding a "veteran" shotgun with such a price limitation can result in a frustrating search. Nonetheless, during one of our forays into the well-stocked shelves of Durys Gun Shop in San Antonio (www.durysguns.com), we found two over-and- under 12 gauges that fell within the search parameters-a Winchester Model 101 and a Charles Daly Superior model. Both shotguns can trace their introduction to the U.S. market back to 1963, with the Charles Daly produced until 1976 and the Winchester Model 101 production stopped in 1984. Manufactured in Japan, both shotguns are similar in appearance and feature dimensions that make them near twins. (An updated version of the Model 101, now called the Select 101, was offered to shooters beginning in 2006 and features a Belgium-made firearm.)With many fans favoring veteran firearms, both models have passed the test of time and continue to provide good service to users in both the field and on clay target fields. We were pleasantly surprised to find that both used shotguns were in good to excellent condition. They had been used, but not abused, and both actions were smooth and solid (except in several situations with the Charles Daly that will be noted later).Although the weight of the both shotguns was exactly the same, the Charles Daly had a heftier feel up front, probably because of a thicker and heavier forearm that gave the shotgun more weight in the shooters lead hand. This came as a surprise to us because the shorter barrels on the Daly would normally have meant a faster acquisition of targets.We also noted that the automatic safety feature in the Charles Daly was still in operation, while the Winchester featured a non-automatic safety. If a shooter is planning to spend more time on the clay target range than in the field, we would recommend a little gunsmith work to remove the automatic safety. An automatic safety is a common cause of lost targets because the shooter will forget to take off the safety before attempting to smack a clay.Our ammunition selection for this test included the Winchester AA Xtra-Lite Target 2.75-inch loads that were 2.75 dram equivalent shells with one ounce of No. 8 shot traveling at 1,180 fps; Remington STS Low Recoil 2 3/4-inch loads with a 2.5 dram equivalent, 1 1/8 ounce of No. 7 1/2 shot and a muzzle velocity of 1,145 fps; and Estate Super Sport Competition Target 2 3/4-inch loads with 2.75 dram equivalent, 1 ounce of No. 8 shot and a muzzle velocity of 1,180 fps.We encountered no malfunctions with any of the ammunition, and recoil was manageable with both. Otherwise, heres our report:

The Remington Model 11-87 Sportsman Super Magnum Waterfowl shotgun is now available with full Mossy Oak Duck Blind camo coverage. Mossy Oak Duck Blind was designed to maintain its effectiveness throughout the waterfowl season in a wide variety of actual waterfowl hunting environments.

Disney World claims that it's exempt from a new state law that allows workers to bring handguns to work. Disney says by banning the guns, it's looking out for the safety of its workers and guests.

Mossberg has found yet another use for their popular 930 autoloader with their new 930 SPX.

The only synthetic model in our four-gun selection, the black polymer stock and forearm of the Benelli earned favorable marks from our team. This shotgun is made for rugged, dependable use in harsh conditions. We could find no fault in that design and functioning ability.Some of the smaller members of our team were slightly uncomfortable with the bulk of the forearm and found the Benelli to be a little muzzle heavy.

Weatherby’s Athena and Orion over/under shotguns will feature design and performance enhancements at more affordable prices as a result of a new manufacturing agreement with Fausti Stefano Arms of Italy.

Weatherby has introduced the Orion D’Italia SBS, a new side-by-side shotgun designed to provide Italian quality and craftsmanship at an extraordinary value for wingshooting enthusiasts.

Weatherby’s has introduced of a new line of pump action shotguns, including the Upland, Knoxx Strutter X Camo, Knoxx Strutter X Synthetic and Knoxx HD (Home Defense).

The new Weatherby SA-08 Semi-Auto line of shotguns features a proven dual-valve system that allows shooters to quickly adapt the shotguns to accommodate the for widest load ranges. The interchangeable valves are easily accessed and changed.

MIAMI - Rossi Firearms, manufacturer of quality firearms since 1889, is pleased to offer a new specialized version of the popular 12-gauge shotgun — the Turkey Gun.

For home defense, the focus is usually on 12-gauge shotguns, but we recently tested two 20 gauges that for many-if not all-folks would be better choices because of their lighter weight and reduced recoil. Our test products this round were the Remington Model 870 Express Pump Synthetic 7-Round 3-Inch 20 Gauge No. 81100, $397; and the Mossberg 500 Persuader/Cruiser 3-Inch 20 Gauge 6-shot No. 50452, $388.Both guns were matte-black synthetic-stock pumps with 3-inch chambers, with 18- or 18.5-inch barrels and weights between 5.1 (Mossberg) and 6.5 pounds (Remington).Not to spoil the surprise, we liked both of these 20 gauges a lot, and we would buy either one of them. In particular, for those shooters who already own an Express or Persuader 12 gauge for hunting or other uses, wed recommend staying with your "house" brand and buy the 20 gauge youre already familiar with. The reason many shooters should prefer these 20s for home defense over a bigger 12 gauge is that theyre noticeably lighter than the 12s. In the September 2005 issue, we tested the Remington Model 870 Express Synthetic 12 Gauge Magnum No. 25077, $345, which weighed 7.25 pounds, and the Mossberg Persuader Model 590A1 12 Gauge Magnum No. 51411, $443, which weighed 6.9 pounds. The 20s we tested weigh three-quarters of a pound to nearly 2 pounds less, respectively, than their counterpart 12s, which make them better choices for women or teenagers who might want to shoot them, but they dont give up much in terms of hall-clearing power or capacity.To function-test these pump guns, we took a trip to the tactical range and fed them a diet of common 20-gauge loads. Our test rounds were Remingtons ShurShot Heavy Dove 20 Ga. R20HD-S 2.75-in. 2.5 Dr. Eq. 1 oz. No. 8s; Sellier & Bellot 20 Ga. Field Load 2.75-in. 2.75 Dr. Eq. 1 oz. No. 8s, and Remington Premier STS Steel Light Target Load 20 Ga. STS20LS7 2.75-in. 2.5 Dr. Eq. 7/8 oz. No. 7s. At the firing line, both guns functioned properly, and we recorded no failures to fire or stoppages of any sort, though we had some trouble loading the Mossberg, which we detail below. In terms of materials, the Mossberg had an aluminum-alloy receiver that really cut its weight, while the Remingtons was steel. Both had alloy trigger guards, and the safety button for the Remington was steel while the Mossbergs was plastic. We like the Remingtons use of a steel receiver and buttons and metal trigger guard.Both guns have only the most rudimentary sights, which is fine for how they will probably be used, with shotshells. At close quarters, either shotgun would be an effective self-defense choice. Firing at 10 yards, we shot coffee-saucer-size patterns. However, the Remington holds six in the magazine and the Mossberg five, and that extra round might be the tiebreaker for some owners, as it was for us.After the bang-bang section was complete, we moved on to other areas of function to separate them and call a winner. Heres what we found out:

This gun is considered a classic over-and-under that is similar to the popular Model 425, which has been discontinued, and the current production Model 525 Sporting. They are all made in Japan with similar frames and locking systems that use lugs in the bottom of the receiver to help reduce recoil.The tapered locking bolt, recessed into the bottom of the receiver, also allows the bolt to set deeper through extended usage to keep the system tight as a drum.