doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What new sxs to buy at a specific price point?

Hope this already hasn’t been done 100 times before but I am only a few months old to these forums. I have gotten a very recent interest in sxs’s, purchased several books, received many catalogs, been on the net many nights until 2AM, read a lot of gun reviews, and read many forum threads.

It appears that a very large number of you love sxs’s, have a lot of experience in this area, and like sharing your views in these forums. It’s Sunday, have gotten 18" of snow here south of Buffalo, NY, the fireplace is cranking out the heat, so why not relax here and post a new thread that I was thinking about it this week.

If you had the following budget, and could only spend that on one “new” sxs, what make/model would you purchase if you were in one of these price point categories, and in a few short comments why (appearance, quality, available bores, maker reputation, origin of manufacture, etc).

Under $1,000

$1,000 - $2,000

$2,000 - $3,000

$3,000 - $4,000

Base it on prices that you would pay if you spent time diligently searching stores and the net for sales and deals, “not” on MSRP. I haven’t gone higher since there are many great guns above $4,000 but few of us have that kind of money to spend.

I would also be interested to hear what type of % premium you would really pay for a new sxs made in the States. I see a lot about the desire to buy made in America in these forums, and chastising USA brand gun manufacturers for outsourcing production, but it appears to me that at the end of the day ideals go out the window for available cheap pricing and immediate availability at the store/internet.

By the way, just so you know where I am coming from in terms of owned sxs’s I have spent $2,800 in the past couple of months for two guns, the first was a Weatherby D’Italia 20 GA for $2,300. This was my first sxs and I liked the fiddleback stock on this one, the wood to metal fit, the Weatherby name, the Fausti Stefano website (and the visual appearance of the Italian sisters who manage it) but I haven’t even fired it yet and don’t know if this was the best choice at this price point based on what I have read since then. Second sxs just a week ago was a new Armsco branded Huglu Ringneck 28GA that I bought at the local Gander Mountain store. But even though I had read the negatives on Huglu and Turkish made, I succumbed to the 28GA scaled frame and a $519 sale price for my very first 28GA. Haven’t fired that one either yet.

Think I may post this same thread on the other shotgun forum site as well just to see if there are any differences in the type of viewers, but it just may be the exact same group on both forum sites.

Dave

Do they make new side by sides ?

What I'd do in the three price ranges is read, listen and learn and buy from the thousands of great American doubles in good and "near-new" condition for not much more than the lower-cost range. They're history, choked with stories.

You don't mention hunting, however. You're apparently buying at best "price-point" which usually doesn't enter the thinking of doubles afficionados more concerned about makers, utility, reputation and rarity.

No way I'd shell out $2,819 for price-point anything.

Pretty good discussion re: buying classic American SxSs on this thread from the 16g Society
http://www.16ga.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=969
And I agree with King-we all have to buy within our bank account (or CC limit if our significant other doesn't find our ) but the primary decision is "What do I really want/need for the intended purpose?"

In the under $1k limit, I'd opt for either a DeHaan or CZ, both made in Turkey.

In the $1k to $2k range, a FABARMS Lion would be my first choice, and a Ugartachea grade 2 or 3 as the second option.

From $2k up, it gets pretty complex with a lot of good choices.

JERRY

Gauge makes a huge difference in pricing. Are we taliking 12's, or 20's? If we include .410's, 28's, and/or 16's, it's a whole new ball game. What'll it be?

Hi, I agree with Jerry, but for under 1k you may also want to check the Brittany models by Tristar. After 2k he is right, so many choices. But sure is fun looking!! (and dreaming)

Good Luck!!

Greg

Limiting your choices to new guns is your disadvantage IMO

"Disadvantage" is hardly the word for it, Chuck. A 12 ga 1899 Francotte and 16ga 1914 Sauer, bought for well under $1,000 each, are demonstrably better guns than double and triple that price of many new guns today. I'm prejudiced about my old American doubles, as all here know, but I wouldn't trade any for those dandies above. Good as they are, they're hard to love.

I'm on the lower end of the buying spectrum for my next gun(around $500-700) and face a similar decision. I read on the 16ga. site that Browning is coming out with a 16ga. BPS on a 20ga. frame for about $500. I would like a backup/rainy day/late season 16ga. for upland that I could shoot any load in. Do I go for the new BPS upland model or find a stout (nitro?) older sxs? New guns are also hard to love.