Good low-cost break-action shotgun

[Magnocain]

I am in the market for a good low-cost break-action 12ga shotgun, and would like a recommendation from the Calguns. The normal places that I research this stuff on has curiously little to say on the matter. I already have a pump, but I am really interested in using barrel inserts. I also want to use some homemade slugs in it as well, and as I understand it, you have to have a cylinder bore choke to fire slugs. I also getting a bit into skeet/trap shooting.

My first though is a simple single shot shotgun. I would like it to have an extractor, but I hear that those can be very irritating when they break. Single-shots tend also to have fixed chokes that are unsuitable to slugs.

My next thought is a double barreled shotgun. Those are more pricey, but have better choke options. It could be used as a more dedicated skeet gun. It would also give me the ability to use a barrel insert in one barrel and leave the other barrel alone. I slightly prefer over-unders to side-by-sides, mostly because I think they look better.

Do you have any recommendations of what models to look into? I am perfectly willing to buy used if that is a good option. In a perfect would, I would like to walk away paying under $200 total. Thank You.

[hattles]

Good luck finding a break action O/U or SXS that works at all for $200.

[NapalmCheese]

Get a topper, thread it for chokes. I don't know anything about barrel inserts other than there are expensive ones designed for skeet shooters and cheapy ones that are really just chamber inserts.

[sargenv]

You can actually shoot slugs in up to about a modified choke.. it really depends on the slug.. the way I figure out if it's able to handle the modified choke in my gun is I cut the slug loose, and see how much pressure it takes to pass thrugh the choke.. if finger pressure is enough, then that's fine, if it takes more than that, I go the next size larger (light modified, then Improved, then Skeet, then Straight Cylinder).

[SilentPea]

Good, Low-cost, Break action : pick 2.
Good, low-cost = used 500/870/1300
Good, break action = ~$800-1000 for the used 'B' guns or new CZ or Lanber O/Us
Low-cost, break action = Single barrels (Russian MP18, H&R Topper, etc), Crappy coach gun replicas (see your local Big5 etc), or used and abused crappy O/Us in the $200-500 region.

Single barrel won't be useful to you for skeet, because doubles. If you want to shoot both skeet and trap -- you're going to also want removable chokes. I've shot skeet with modified and full chokes and while it's certainly possible, I was missing more birds than what I would consider fun.

[axhoaxho]

If you can budget a little more... Big 5 has a Maverick 12ga O/U, when on-sale (happens often) the price would be about $350.

A friend has one and loves it. It shoots well; just the action is little stiff when new, but will smooth out after broken-in. It even came with 2 chokes (improved cylinder and modified.)

Pretty good bang-for-the-buck for a brand new O/U.

[SkyHawk]

My vote is H&R, a vintage one from the 80s with color case hardened receiver. They have great extractors that shoot the empty out 10 feet back. Check Gun Broker, you should get out the door for less than $200.

[repomanNWP]

CZ Redhead Deluxe is a good value, around $800, decent quality, chokes, etc.

[Cali-Shooter]

I like my Stoeger Coach Gun, it'll probably cost you at least $400 to get in in CA.

[Magnocain]

Now that I have a better idea what to look for I am leaning towards the H&R Topper. Are they any models to steer clear from?