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Generally speaking, you get what you pay for in this life, and shotguns are no exception. Spending more doesn’t guarantee you a happy, trouble-free gun owning experience, but it lowers the odds of getting a bad gun, which is why I usually steer clear of cheap shotguns and urge others to do the same.*
That said, it always makes me happy to be able to recommend a bargain-priced shotgun. CZ’s Drake is definitely one worth a look. The Drake, like all CZ USA shotguns, is imported from Turkey, where it is made by Huglu (the “g” is silent), one of Turkey’s best gunmakers.** CZ has been working with Huglu for a long time, and they’ve done a good job of making the Turks elevate the quality of their guns to the level U.S. customers expect. CZ also stands behind its guns and has a service center in Kansas City. The price of Turkish labor being what it is, CZ is able to sell their guns at very attractive prices. I can’t vouch for their pumps and semiautos, but their O/Us and doubles are good. They were very popular around here when we had lots of pheasants, and people liked them a great deal.
The Drake is new this year, and it’s a bare-bones O/U hunting gun, available in 12 and 20 gauge with 28-inch barrels. The 20 gauge, which I’ve been shooting, weighs in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces, with a weight forward balance that makes it swing and point surely.
The gun is pretty basic: single mechanical trigger, manual safety, extractors not ejectors, no side ribs on the barrels – either to save weight, money or both — and a rudimentary thin black rubber buttpad. Its lone frill is a white Bradley-style bead on the rib.
Appearance-wise, it’s simple as well. The walnut is satin finished and very straight-grained, with machine-cut checkering. The metal is matte black with some perfunctory scroll on the receiver and that’s all there is to the Drake.But, it feels good when you swing it on a target, it comes with a hard case and five choke tubes, and you get all of that for $629 which is a bargain in O/U shotguns. If I didn’t have too many guns already, I’d want this one as a backup gun, and one to shoot on rainy days, and maybe on nice days, too, come to think of it.
*There are exceptions: H&R and Savage 220 slug guns; Beretta A300 Outlanders. Me, I afford the guns I want by buying them used.
** And yes, they do have some good gunmakers. Not every Turkish gun is junk.
