I bought the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I in October, convinced it was the last over-under shotgun I’d ever need. The oil-finished walnut was gorgeous, the scrollwork on the receiver looked like something that belonged in a museum, and the action closed with the kind of thunk that makes you feel like you’ve made a responsible adult decision. Three weeks later, I was on a dove field outside of Yuma, reaching into the back seat for the Stoeger Condor Supreme I’d been meaning to sell.
I’ve done it four times since. Maybe five.
This isn’t a knock on the Silver Pigeon — it’s a magnificent gun, and we’ll get to exactly why in a moment. But if you’re shopping for the best over-and-under shotgun and you’re letting price be your proxy for fit, the most expensive option will end up sitting in your safe while the one you actually shoot stays in the truck. I’ve watched enough guys make that mistake — and made it myself enough times — that it seemed worth writing about honestly before pointing you at a list of guns and their prices.
If you want the short version: the Stoeger Condor Supreme is the gun I actually reach for, and it’s the one I’d point most first-time buyers toward — reliable, ejector-equipped, and cheap enough that you won’t baby it. If you’re just starting out and want to spend even less, the Mossberg Silver Reserve will teach you the platform without a tuition penalty. And if you shoot clays seriously enough to feel a better trigger and better fit, the Beretta Silver Pigeon I is worth every dollar — just don’t buy it thinking it’ll replace a $600 work gun for everything else.
