Sporting Clays

[BigJfxdwg]

Hey guys, I've never posted in here but I just joined a gun club and sporting clays league and have a few questions. I am not much of a shotgun guy, for years all I had for a sg was an old Winchester pump my old man gave me, now all I have is a 12 GA BPS. I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions on a good gun for sporting clays, if the BPS is alright or ideas on a good O/U that isn't going to break the bank. Just for some background, I'm not new to shooting or guns in anyway. I just usually shoot rifles and pistols. Something about popping a few rounds in a target or game 250 yards away with a high powered I enjoy. [sm=shootshoot.gif]

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[mrsr71]

I use a Browning Citori 525 Sporting.

[BigJfxdwg]

I've been looking at Citoris. My brother-in-law uses a Citori and he likes his and I enjoy my other Brownings.

[sporty06]

Nothing wrong with a BPS, however, working the action may cost you a few targets on true pairs. I have been shooting sporting clays for about 18 years and I have seen a few guys that could make a pump look like a semi-auto but for the average shooter there is just too much movement between shots.

What you should be looking for depends on how much you want to spend. Most quality over/unders will start at about $1800.00 and go up from there. In this price range I recommend Browning or Beretta. It all depends on which one feels best to you. I personally like the slim profile of the Beretta and believe that is why it feels like it points better and is quicker. I have owned a couple of Brownings and believe they are fine, well made guns. I put over 50,000 shells through two of them and they are still being shot today. I currently am shooting a Beretta 682 Gold Sporting and have over 75,000 rounds through it and it is still going strong with no problems. My first over/under was a Ruger Red Label and it was wore out at 30,000 rounds.

My suggestion would be a Beretta 390 or 391 Sporting Semi Auto. These can be bought used in the $500.00 to $900.00 range and will break just as many targets as the over/unders. In fact several of the top sporting clays shooters in the US shoot Beretta semi-autos. The 390's are no longer made, so the only choice here is used. The 391's are the current model developed from the 390's and can be bought new or used. New prices will be $995.00 and up depending on the model.I have several Beretta semi-autos, one has over 15,000 rounds fired and is still going strong, the others I don't know because I bought them used.

However, a semi-auto has more moving parts and something will eventually break. I have seen less breakage with the Beretta's than with Browinings or Remingtons. The Winchester X2 is getting a lot praise, I just don't know enough people that shoot them to offer an opinion. Semi-autos are also more complex to clean, not harder just more parts.

I suggest a good reliable semi-auto, less money, and use the extra money for good quality shotgun instruction. You state that most of your shooting experience has been with rifles and pistols which means that you will have some adjusting to do when shooting a shotgun. In many ways, shooting a shotgun is the exact opposite of shooting a rifle or pistol. The main point being that you should never focus on the shotgun but all of your visual focus must be on the target. That little bead on the end of the barrel is not a sight, it is a "miss me" bead.

Keep in mind that you can spend as much as you want on a shotgun. Anywhere from $1000.00 to over $100,000.00 but your scores will not improve based on how much you pay for the shotgun. Oh yeah, keep away from the $400 to $500 over/unders, you won't be happy for long and then you'll loose your shirt when you try to sell them.

PM me if you have more questions, or want opinions.

***len Capps

[1PiRho]

I own Browning and Beretta O/U’s but I have recently been tempted by Franchis’ sporting model…plenty of features that normally come in a much more expensive box…ported 30� brls…adj comb…5 extended tubes and hard case…def. worth looking into…my.02

by the way...great advice Sporty06...

www.franchiusa.com/

later

[Bear64]

this may really shock some of you out there, but I have shot trap, skeet, and sporting clays plus 5 stand with a old Parker side by side from the early 1900s, Damascus barrels and all, simply loaded either light trap or skeet loads or black powder loads..worked fine for me...you can spend high dollars if you want, but the gun does not make the shooter, its the guy pulling the trigger...go to a local gun show and look over the older guns, some good buys out there and they will do fine for you..I dearly do love old side by sides.

I went to my first cowboy practice shoot today, never did that before, guess what I used for my shotgun, yep the old Parker..