My benelli SBE2 has served me well the past few years as my all around bird gun else but i want to start researching some field over unders, i dont really "need" it before sept 1 however i want to start looking now. i have held a few citoris and a baretta 686 and know i do not like the lightning grip, i much prefer the standard grip on the citori hunter for example. I also prefer the guns with low gloss on the stocks but the gun salesman said they would weather "much" faster, but scratches and nicks would show up less which appealed to me. I know all my questions have been asked before so im sure it exists. if anyone can guide me i would appriciate it.

The "B" guns (browning, berettas) are good guns, but dont count out the lower priced guns. Like CZ, Fausti, Lanber, Yildiz, Dehaan. Ya they arent the 2k guns, but for a hunting gun (not a 10,000 shell/per year clays gun) they work.

I would just look at as many as you can, since the most important thing is how it shoulders and feels to YOU.

(might take a look over at shotgunworld.com, stop by the huglu forum if you do)

The difficult part is finding one that fits you well. They generally all feel fine in the shop, but once you start trying to actually hit a moving target the situation can change dramatically. I have a Miroku O/U which feels excellent to shoulder, but it batters my face with recoil and I struggle to hit anything with it; the stock is too short for me.

If you can afford a Beretta or Browning, I would go for it. Miroku are another good brand who make most of Brownings shotguns these days. Of course these three are a very small cross-section of quality makes, but they are excellent and available unlike some.

Just don't downgrade from a Benelli to a Fausti. If you're going to get into the O/U market, buy something of quality.

For a hunting gun, the Huglu made CZs are very nice.  If you want something that will hold up to the constant pounding of the clay games a Browning, Beretta, or Ruger are better choices.

Do you want ejectors or extractors?  I really prefer extractors on a hunting gun so I don't have to chase hulls all over the landscape.

Ejectors can be made into extractors, but not vice-versa. Rugers are far below Brownings and Berettas. Walk around a serious clay range and you'd maybe find 1 Ruger there if you're lucky. They're just a much sloppier firearm. The Huglu's are fine guns for what they are and would be just fine to take hunting.

My reccomendation? Keep the Benelli and pick up a Mossberg Silver Reserve. Is it a good gun? Eh, it's alright. Just slightly below a Ruger in my book. However, they have good manf. support and will work just fine for what you're doing. Now, if you want one to serve as a Clays/Hunting gun (which will eventually get pulled from hunting duty), go Browning, Beretta, or better.

You could always look at places like Jaqua's and pick up a used 686(E) or older 682.

I went to the only gun store in town actually run by gun owners and spent time talking with an older salesman who had seen and shot everything and was pretty strait up, he was  pushing me towards a 20 ga for field carry rather than a 12, i agree that the 20's felt nice to point and are nice and light. Anyone see a problem getting a 20ga for my first over under? I know the ammo is a bit more $ but it pretty close. I wont need the gun for waterfowl i will keep my benelli SBE2 which i have been happy with.

No problem with a 20. I used to use a 12 for hunting, but then I got into bird dogs and training. I bought a single shot .410 for training and I was suprised that I was able to hit the birds like I was (quail and chuckar). For hunting now I will only carry a 20 or 28 gauge now. The guns are lighter and do the job just fine. The only advantage a 12 has over say a .410 is the amount of shot, the speed and energy of the shot stay the same.

brownings are blocky stocks, but they are dead straight (no cast)
Beretta's have a more lithe stock, but they cast slightly for right handers.

makes a big difference in how they feel.

a used O/U is a hell of a value.

either of the B's (browning or beretta) will go 80 to 100,000 rounds with ease.
Most people use theirs about a 100 rounds a year, if that.

The sales guy is right about the glossy stocks, one nick and it can't be fixed, the non-gloss look is a lot easier to take care of.  (looks classier too IMO)

I bought a Browning Cynergy last fall and never looked back. The gun shoulders like a dream and I hit tagets with ease compared to my old semi-autos and pumps. I looked at both the Citori and the Cynergy but ended up with the latter. You owe it to yourself to at least check one out

ETA: Oh, and it worked brilliantly at the coast a few weeks back. No problems whatsoever and went bang everytime. I even broke it in with a smooth double on a couple of Redhead drakes