Over/Under Shotgun Selection $2000-$3000 Range

[miked]

An aquaintance asked my opinion as to what I thought was the best buy in an O/U in the price range as noted in the subject line. Quite frankly, I'm primarily a rifle shooter and didn't really have a best guess as to what shotguns in this price range really offer. It's easy to look at a Browning, Beretta, or Guerini website but I have virtually no experience with these firearms. Any opinion/information that I could forward would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Graybeard]

Browning and Beretta seem to dominate and both are of fine quality and will last several life times. Both have guns in that price range and also guns of equal quality but less ornate for even less. The both hold value well.

I personally prefer the Browning as for some reason me and Beretta's don't do well together.

I have no experience with the Guerini but from what I hear they are nice guns. I can't imagine what they can do better than the other two tho. I've owned more Browning O/Us than all others combined I guess but have had guns from several makers. I just seem to hit more often with the Brownings.

[rbwillnj]

As Graybeard said, Beretta and Browning are the two that come to mind first in that price range, but your friend should try both before making a decision.  Both are great guns, but very different.   Browning's tend to be heavier, Beretta's lighter and more dynamic.  I like heavier guns, but others like the more dynamic swing of a Beretta.  Stock Beretta's have a cast off for right handers, if your friend is a lefty, he needs to look for left handed model.  Browning's are straight so are equally good...or bad for either left or right handed shooters. 

With shotguns, fit is everything, so your friend shouldn't buy the gun that looks best to him, he should buy the one that fits best.

[Questor]

He needs to actually try some of the options. I can't stand Browning O/Us. They simply don't fit me. I love Beretta O/Us. They fit me wonderfully. Pick the wrong one and you get an expensive piece of junk, unless you want to spend even more on stock fitting. I prefer to buy products that I can get fixed. Having an exotic gun and only one or two smiths in the country that can work on it is no fun.

If he wants a nice gun and wants to spend less money, it's worth looking at the Winchester Selects. It's a heck of a bargain. I've got their trap model and love the thing. It's not fancy, but it does look nice and it's a really good shooter. Uses Browning chokes, too.

For Berettas, the 686 Silver Pigeon is a very fine gun, and costs less that its 687 counterpart. It's also, in my opinion, a prettier gun. They are relatively uncommon in gun shops, though.