Left Handed Shotgun or...

[LoneCowboy]

First off, understand that I'm a gun snob, I love beatiful well made guns of any type. Those tend to be expensive, but not always.
The stoeger is a club, all the russian ones are. They may work, for a while, but they do not have the beauty, the grace, the work that goes into a better gun. Every Stoeger I've handled (you know, why you go shooting with your friends, so you can have show and tell) is just a club.

They also won't last like a higher gun (beretta, benelli, browning, etc). Bought my wife a Lanbeer O/U for her to start with. a $500 shotgun. It worked good, it shot, etc. But, it's got probably 5000 to 7000 rounds thru it and it's already loose at the pivot. You can see the wear when you take it apart to clean it. I doubt that the Lanbeer will make 20,000 rounds. That sounds like a lot unless you shoot a lot of clays, then you understand. Her Browning 525 that replaced it has easily double that many rounds thru it, and it still looks, acts and locks up like it's brand new.

Buy it once, keep it forever.

JMHO

Some things are just cheap.

 

[gsganzer]

3RRL,
I think you'll be happy with the Stoegers. I've handled them and they feel fine in my hands for a field gun. There are better guns out there, but sometimes the economics are the primary decision maker. For how many rounds they'll put through them, they'll work just fine. If the boy starts to get really interested and wants something better, let him start saving for a better gun by doing odd jobs for neighbors. Tell him that you'll match whatever he saves. It can be his first lesson in the value of saving his money.

You're Stoegers may have automatic safeties (everytime you break the action open, the safety is set). It can be a good feature for beginners, or it can be a nuisance for regular shooters. I know that my Beretta came with an automatic safety and it was easily changed to a traditional "manual" safety at no charge by the gun dealer.

Let us know what you think of them. I'm thinking of buying my wife a 20 ga. (she doesn't know that she NEEDS one yet )

 

[3RRL]

Yeah, I understand where you come from LoneCowboy. I hunted all over and I have some nice stuff for myself. In this case, I am with gsganzer though. It is their first gun. I also handled the Stoeger at the store. It did not feel that bad at all. Certainly good enough for a first gun IMO. Also a good point of letting the boy's desires determine his fate. That works. My 20 gage Browing SxS also has the automatic safety on it. A good feature for beginners, I think.

We filled out the paperwork and can get them on the 7th of August, but we won't until next time up on the 18th. I'll post some photos and give a report on the Stoegers then.

 

[3RRL]

I picked up Loretta's and Wesley's 20 gage O/U Stoeger shotguns on our way up. They are pretty darn nice for the money. They are fairly slim, well balanced and shoot great. Wes got the Youth model with a 13" pull length and 22" barrels. Loretta's is a standard pull length with 26" barrels. They have a single trigger with extractors, not ejectors. They are the Condor Standard field gun, not the Supreme after all. The Supreme was about $200 bucks more. But they are very nice and the feel of the action is crisp. The guns are not bulky at all like many of the other low end guns I saw. I might get one for myself?

Here it is:



Wes getting ready to shoot some clay birds at camp.

 

[3RRL]

Before we started practicing shooting clays, Wes wanted to try out his new gun by lowing something up...every boy's dream.





The Youth model fits him pretty good right now and when he outgrows it, we will have a shotgun for the grandkids to try out.

Here is Wes and his step brother (with my old .22 Nylon 66) posing for this photo at camp.



Loretta and Wesley are getting ready for Dove season. We have these come into the meadow right in front of camp. They fly in and out all day long so it will be a fun wing shooting experience for all of us.

 

[Podunkadunk]

I took an auto loader bird hunting exactly twice.. both were brownings.. both jammed.. somebody else got the birds I was looking at.

It's now DBL-barrel.. or pump action only for me.. and I do fine with them.

Soundguy

Soundguy,
Which model Brownings are you talking about? I'm very curious, because while any autoloader can jam, it's normally operator error (not a personal stab at you of course) which causes it and can be easily avoided by:

-Selecting proper ammo...like anything else, you get what you pay for

-Cleaning...

-If it's an Auto-5...there is a friction ring inside the spring assembly in the forearm, it must be adjusted properly as there are 2 positions for adjustment:

*Let's talk A-5 Light Twelve. For the standard 1-1/8 oz. target and dove loads, the bevel washer is against the receiver, its flat side against the recoil spring residing in front of it. Now, you have a small amount of compression applied by the bronze friction piece, and the gun cycles as it should with target loads.

*For pheasant or "high brass" 1-1/4 oz. loads or heavier, the steel bevel washer is placed between at the bottom of the bronze friction piece, bevel facing the friction piece, flat side (as always) against the recoil spring. Now, the bronze friction piece is forced to squeeze harder on the magazine tube, and the spring is allowed to soak up more of the recoil and slow down the breech. This applies to the standard weight A-5 12 ga. and 16 ga., the Light Twelve, the Light Twenty, and the Sweet Sixteen.


Proper weapon configuration, proper cleaning and proper ammo (brand selection) will clear up those problems for ya...don't let it steer you clear from them, in my opinion, the Browning Autoloader configuration was/is the best platform on or off the market and has been imitated many, many times. It doesn't have to be an FN made Browning either, the Miroku's are just as good and will last you a long, long time error free.

My .02 worth...but, I know you probably already knew all of this...
Podunk

 

[EddieWalker]

Before we started practicing shooting clays, Wes wanted to try out his new gun by lowing something up...every boy's dream.

Rob,

Great pics!!! Sure looks like allot of fun.

Have you tried filling some plastic bottles up with water before shooting them? Putting them on a bucket makes it even more impressive when you shoot them!!!! And if you really want to see them blow up, try slugs.

Eddie

 

[LoneCowboy]

Auto-5's jam because you aren't holding them tight (wood on wood)
Recoil operated and relatively sensitive to it.
In the pistol world, it's called limp-wristing, same concept on shotguns.

 

[Soundguy]

I'll have to get the model #'s from my stepfather as they are his guns. one's a 20ga... both jammed on feed and eject.

The ejection jam was the hardest.. it would stall half way and not pull the sheel casing free from the chamber.

I only shoot hi-brass when hunting.

Guns appeared to be squeaky clean ( not oily clean ).

Again.. both those times i went home with no birds.. as I work alot.. i have limited hunting time.. that means browing autoloaders dumped 2 seasons for me.. thus I'll -NEVER- hunt with one again.. or rely on it for personal protection... I might be coaxed into target or clays with one as there is no urgency to have it function correctly .

As i said.. my remington 870 pump, or my old cheap and trusty mossberg 500a has never failed me. None of my side by sides.. or my OU has ever failed me either.

Soundguy

Soundguy,
Which model Brownings are you talking about? I'm very curious, because while any autoloader can jam, it's normally operator error (not a personal stab at you of course) which causes it and can be easily avoided by:

-Selecting proper ammo...like anything else, you get what you pay for

-Cleaning...

-If it's an Auto-5...there is a friction ring inside the spring assembly in the forearm, it must be adjusted properly as there are 2 positions for adjustment:

*Let's talk A-5 Light Twelve. For the standard 1-1/8 oz. target and dove loads, the bevel washer is against the receiver, its flat side against the recoil spring residing in front of it. Now, you have a small amount of compression applied by the bronze friction piece, and the gun cycles as it should with target loads.

*For pheasant or "high brass" 1-1/4 oz. loads or heavier, the steel bevel washer is placed between at the bottom of the bronze friction piece, bevel facing the friction piece, flat side (as always) against the recoil spring. Now, the bronze friction piece is forced to squeeze harder on the magazine tube, and the spring is allowed to soak up more of the recoil and slow down the breech. This applies to the standard weight A-5 12 ga. and 16 ga., the Light Twelve, the Light Twenty, and the Sweet Sixteen.


Proper weapon configuration, proper cleaning and proper ammo (brand selection) will clear up those problems for ya...don't let it steer you clear from them, in my opinion, the Browning Autoloader configuration was/is the best platform on or off the market and has been imitated many, many times. It doesn't have to be an FN made Browning either, the Miroku's are just as good and will last you a long, long time error free.

My .02 worth...but, I know you probably already knew all of this...
Podunk

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm.. not sure what you are getting at.. but i sure don't hold a shotgun away from my shoulder before fireing it.. It's always snug against my shoulder.. otherwise it'd beat you do death.

I've never had a problem with any other type of semi-auto / self loading rifle, or pistol.. or full automatic rifle, sub machine gun or carbine.. So I'm not convinced just yet it is improper technique on my part vs POS gun just yet..

Soundguy

Auto-5's jam because you aren't holding them tight (wood on wood)
Recoil operated and relatively sensitive to it.
In the pistol world, it's called limp-wristing, same concept on shotguns.