Ideas for First o/u for me and my son?

[Gondorr]

Wanting to buy 2 o/u's for me and my son, for hunting and clays(have property for thrower). Was looking at the franchi sl's. Any input would be appreciated. Looking to spend about 2500 or so.

[Graybeard]

I don't think you'll find two for $2500 unless you find two used ones but the Browning Citori is my pick for best buy. They will last forever and then some. My second choice would be the CZ line and those you should be able to get within the budget.

Nothing wrong with Berretta except they don't fit me, might fit you guys fine tho. Quality equal to the Citori of course but generally a wee bit more expensive.

Most of the O/Us seen on clay target ranges at least in this area are either Browning or Berretta. The rest are almost as rare as hen's teeth.

[Gondorr]

Was told to look into the Mossberg SR series, they look nice, but has anyone had any experience with them?

[spruce]

I had a Silver Reserve 20 gauge for a while.  Never had any problem with it, but didn't shoot it much. 
Sold it before I had any problems.  If you do some searches you'll find a good number of problems with the trigger mechanism.  Wouldn't recommend it.
 
The CZ's are a far better gun, for just a little more money.  Don't know anything about the Franchi's.  The Citori is top quality, and if you shop around you should be able to find a couple reasonably priced.

[Graybeard]

The Mossberg guns look nice BUT beware they are not. I liked the look and recommended one to a friend. He bought it and it doubled on him from day one and they either could not or would not fix it for him. He took it back and traded it on a CZ and hasn't had a single problem.

Since then I've heard a lot more tales of woe on the Mossberg guns. I would recommend you avoid them.

[Gondorr]

Thanks guys I'm looking into the CZ's.

[rfletcher]

Since I hunt more than shoot clays I bought the Browning Citori Satin Hunter with 3 1/2" chambers.  It was about $1300 which stretches your limits.  The receiver is plain jane blue with no engraving.  It fits me well and is almost automatic shooting clays.  My advice to you is regardless of what anyone recommends you need one that fits you, your tastes as well as physically and spend the money for quality even if you have to save a bit longer.  I looked at the Mossberg SR,  Stevens Gold Wing, and Stoeger to buy for my boys.  They seemed cheap and clumsy compared to the Citori.  They may or may not last, I don't know but I do know that the Citori will outlast me and probably whoever winds up with it after me.

[JPShelton]

I bought my son a Yildiz SPZ ME 28 ga. fairly recently.  It's obviously the product of CNC machine work and lazer cutting, rather than hands, but the build quality doesn't leave much to complain about.  Decent looking gun, functions well so far, with a fairly good trigger and properly regulated barrels.  Advertised weight is 6 pounds, even, but the one I bought is about an ounce lighter.  My son just turned 14, but he's a slightly built 14, so a heavier gun would be more burden than joy to him.
 
If I had my druthers, I would have bought him a Beretta 686, Citori, Winchester 101, or even the Franchi mentioned by the OP, but they're just too heavy for him to swing.
 
We still have a few birthdays and Christmases to go before he's off to college and out on his own, so he'll likely get a Beretta 686 or Citori out of me yet, but he's very happy with the Yildiz for the time being.
 
 
JP