Semi or O/U

[Apex Custom Rifles]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I think I will end up going with a Citori 725 Field in 12 ga when I get around to it. I have been holding off due to a potential real estate purchase coming up, but was able to get out with my puppy a few days times over the last couple weekends. She's 8 months old so she needs some more work for sure, but off to a good start.

 

[Frog4aday]

Citori's are very well built, high quality shotguns. You are making a good choice. Down the line you could order some Briley tubes and make your 12ga capable of firing 20ga, 28ga, and .410s, too. One of the benefits of an O/U vs. a semi-auto.

 

[JTComfort]

A gas-operated semi might be the best for your kids as they grow and let them choose (and buy) their own O/U, based on taste and resources. My son loves the Beretta 12ga A300 for everything. He began shooting it when he was around 100lbs at age 12 and has never really wanted to swithc back ot O/U. I shoot a Browning Citori Upland Special (24" barrel w/Invector chokes) 20 ga for everything including pheasant and decoyed ducks. It kicks a bit due to light weight, though is a delight to carry all day with a strap and while handling the dog as well. A 1939 Browning Superposed 12 ga does fair weather duty on dove, grouse and pheasant. Beretta O/Us should be on your radar as well. They are very well-built and right priced - their finishes very weather tolerant. The Ruger Red Labels I found were ordinary in fit/finish and the safety/selector switch did not inspire confidence.

 

[TimLee]

I was in the same boat this year.
I'm a new bird hunter with a
WPG pup starting the season at 5 months old.
I went with the browning 725 feather in 12ga. Brownings are heavy, the feather model makes the weight comparable to standard o/u's from other makers. Most hunts are 3 miles(some days much longer) and the gun is easy to carry.
As a new shotgunner, I'm glad I went with the 12. I can use all the payload that I can get! I started the season using 2.75" shells, now I'm shooting 3" non-toxic. Recoil is not an issue.
Im fortunate to have pheasants within an hour drive, so we were able to hunt an embarrassing number of days. As this first season is wrapping up and I'm reflecting, I would buy the same gun again.

 

[hung lo]

If you want a soft shooter get a gas gun. The recoil from a Benelli isn't going to be much different then a o/u. As far as an auto vs a O/U, The autos can be really nice when you get a few late flushing birds and having one more (or more depending on regs) still in the gun after the initial flush can certainly put more birds in the bag. But there is a certain feel with a good O/U that is hard to match with an auto.

I like the beretta eell.