With so many different brands and models on the maket, finding a gun at the right price is tough. So, we’ve given Mike George the hard task of listing his top 20 new and used guns for under a grand
Lanber O/U
Lanber O/U
Country of origin: Spain
Price: £400 upwards second-hand
When Beretta importers GMK wanted a cheaper shotgun to supplement the prestige Italian gunmaker’s range, they went to Spain and settled for the Lanber. It was a wise decision, for Lanber were happy to build guns which were right for the UK market, and it came as a great shock when, a few years ago, they ceased trading. I get the impression the failure was down to the financial paper-shufflers rather than the engineers, because the product was great value for money, and the guns handled well.
Nine years ago, when I reviewed a second-hand Lanber, you could buy the best version of the gun for less than £800, and you could get a good second-hand example for £400. Nowadays, I note that a good second-hand example fetches over £400, which seems to speak volumes for the way in which the gun is still regarded by British shooters.
Recent guns have oil-finished stocks, and stock lengths are usually around 14 ¼ inches, with drops of 1 ½ and 2 3/8 inches at comb and heel respectively.