First SG for sporting clays

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milemaker13

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I've had shot guns in the past, don't remember what they were exactly. We used to shoot clays alot and it was allot of fun. The best gun I remember was a side by side stoger. Wore that gun out. I always seemed to have trouble running a pump(some of the guns seemed too big with full size wood fore ends- like moving a park bench back and forth) But I've not had a shot gun in many years now and would like to start shooting Clay's again.

I like the classic looking wood and steel guns with the corn cob type fore grip. I've been thinking a smaller bore may be better (less recoil for extended shooting).

I get confused when I read allot about different chokes, barrel length, etc.

Can you guys school me a bit in this search?
 
While most any shotgun will work at the clays range, most serious shooters choose a nice Beretta or browning o/u with choke tubes. Some shooters like myself prefer a gas operated automatic from Remington or Beretta. Also with choke tubes. The autos are easier on both billfold and shoulder.

Best of luck,


Remington 1100 Sporting Competition 20170101_132903.jpg
 
I definitely don't see a nice o/u in my near future that's for sure! The price tags on those always takes my breath away.

It seems like a semi auto would surely work the best... Be it clays, games, HD, hunting, SHTF....

Is there any area, besides preference of course, where a pump gun outshines an autoloader?
 
Not necessarily.
Blondes vs. Brunettes.
If you're planning to neglect cleaning it, I would recommend a pump.

Pumps enjoy the advantage on b the trap range, and autos have the advantage on the sporting clays range.
Imho
 
Here is another area that I'm unclear. Skeet vs trap vs sporting clays. What's the difference and why do you say the pump or auto has an advantage in one or the other?

We always just stood there flinging birds and shooting them, straight out mostly. (I was lots younger then)
Lot of times in flat fields. The best place I've shot clays was in Colorado springs- up on rampart range road. Anybody been there?
 
Before you do anything decide how much money you want to spend. And do not discount buying a used shotgun. Takes a lot of abuse to damage one and you can sometimes get a higher end shotgun used. That Stoeger wasn't likely worn out either.
"...seemed to have trouble running a pump..." Dry fire practice fixes that. Makes you fast too.
Clays is target practice for hunting. It's more of a come as you are game. Doesn't really matter what shotgun you use. Best to have a shotgun with changeable chokes anyway.
"...Skeet vs trap vs sporting clays..." Bird comes out of the house differently in all three. The Skeet and Trap people can sometimes be, um, judgemental about what shotgun you use and even how you dress.
"...a smaller bore may be better..." Nope. Less shot in a 20 gauge. Far less in a .410. Lower recoil by using a semi and target ammo. Port6ing the barrel works too. Mind you, some semi-autos can be ammo sensitive. S'why Remington came out with the 11-87. Pumps don't have that issue. Usually cost less as well.
You still need to pattern any shotgun and try a box of as many brands of ammo as you can to find the ammo your shotgun shoots best.
 
The stoger ended up with a few problems that I remember (long time ago). Firing became unreliable on one barrel, seems like I remember the firing pin being damaged, and the stock bolt was stripped so the stock fell off. All fixable these days, but not back then.(not by me I mean)

I'm not opposed to buying a used SG. You say I'm better off with 12ga, ok, but should I not consider a 20 if I find a nice one in the used rack at a good deal? Very possible that my wife may shoot this (fingers crossed!)

As to the pump/ slide release lever location. Most I've see are on the left side of the trigger guard and to the rear of the trigger. I saw one in the rack recently and noticed the release was located on the right side, forward of the trigger. It was more of a lever than a button. I cannot remember what gun it was. Any thoughts?
 
Could possibly have been the m37 feather weight. If have to go back and look. Ithaca is a good gun? What would you expect to pay for that used?
 
Skeet, very close targets, singles and doubles, inside 25 yards, open choke of cylinder or skeet, I/C works OK. Trap, single target going away at angles, from 30 -50 yards, most dedicated trap guns will shoot a high tight pattern to shoot a rising target, modified to full choke. There are trap doubles as well, not shot real often. Sporting clays, like golf in the woods, a wide variety of different targets and different sizes of targets, standard, midi, mini, rabbit, battue, singles and doubles, interchangeable chokes are usually needed, but many courses can be shot with skeet, I/C or a light modified without changing the choke. Changing shells to different shot size can be done instead of choke.

A pump gun can be used on any of the games but can put the average shooter at a disadvantage if they aren't very fast on the pump. I enjoy using a pump, but I have many thousands of shells through them. When it gets serious on skeet or sporting, I use either my Remington 11-87, has a 30" barrel, or I have a Beretta 682 Supersport O/U with 30" barrels. Beretta auto guns are seen regularly on sporting courses as well as skeet ranges and are excellent guns. Trap and sporting are generally both 12 gauge games, but 20 can be used effectively also. Skeet is shot in competition in all gauges, 12, 20, 28, and .410. Serious trap I use a dedicated trap gun, Win Model 12 with 30" barrel full choke, shoots a 90% over pattern, where standard guns generally shoot 50/50 or 60/40 patterns, that means the amount of shot above or below point of aim.

If you are in the Chicago area, I believe there is Deer Creek sporting clays in Southwestern MI, Back Forty sporting clays in Bourbon IN, I shoot mostly at Warsaw Indiana at Kosko, about 3 hours east of Chicago off of US 30, we have a very nice sporting clays range as well as multiple skeet ranges and trap ranges. 5 stand sporting as well. If you would like to try any shooting at Kosko I would be more than happy to show you around as well as let you try some different guns.
 
kudu said:
Skeet, very close targets, singles and doubles, inside 25 yards, open choke of cylinder or skeet, I/C works OK. Trap, single target going away at angles, from 30 -50 yards, most dedicated trap guns will shoot a high tight pattern to shoot a rising target, modified to full choke. There are trap doubles as well, not shot real often. Sporting clays, like golf in the woods, a wide variety of different targets and different sizes of targets, standard, midi, mini, rabbit, battue, singles and doubles, interchangeable chokes are usually needed, but many courses can be shot with skeet, I/C or a light modified without changing the choke. Changing shells to different shot size can be done instead of choke.

A pump gun can be used on any of the games but can put the average shooter at a disadvantage if they aren't very fast on the pump. I enjoy using a pump, but I have many thousands of shells through them. When it gets serious on skeet or sporting, I use either my Remington 11-87, has a 30" barrel, or I have a Beretta 682 Supersport O/U with 30" barrels. Beretta auto guns are seen regularly on sporting courses as well as skeet ranges and are excellent guns. Trap and sporting are generally both 12 gauge games, but 20 can be used effectively also. Skeet is shot in competition in all gauges, 12, 20, 28, and .410. Serious trap I use a dedicated trap gun, Win Model 12 with 30" barrel full choke, shoots a 90% over pattern, where standard guns generally shoot 50/50 or 60/40 patterns, that means the amount of shot above or below point of aim.

If you are in the Chicago area, I believe there is Deer Creek sporting clays in Southwestern MI, Back Forty sporting clays in Bourbon IN, I shoot mostly at Warsaw Indiana at Kosko, about 3 hours east of Chicago off of US 30, we have a very nice sporting clays range as well as multiple skeet ranges and trap ranges. 5 stand sporting as well. If you would like to try any shooting at Kosko I would be more than happy to show you around as well as let you try some different guns.
Click to expand...
There's a great opportunity milemaker13.
 
Something else to think about is the weight of the shotgun, most thinking that the lighter the better, but more weight = less felt recoil. My Beretta target gun is about 9.5 lbs, and as long as you can hold it, it can be shot all day without the recoil being much of a factor. Also will help newer shooters to keep the gun swinging through targets, most misses are stopped guns and the shooter misses behind the target. If you are going to bird hunt all day and carry the gun through fields and only shoot 5-10 shells all day, by all means get a 6 lb gun to shoot and carry but for targets, more is better.
 
Well, then maybe it could of been that one.
What do you guys think of the Mossberg Maverick 88? Its very affordable at about $200. Dick's has them with 18.5 or 28 inch barrels, either one $189. Cheaper than dirt has the combo (both barrels) for $212, but then add $30 FFL fee. The 28 barrel has Accu choke modified, while the 18.5 has cylinder choke. CTD# 7-G31014
 
Kudu,
That sounds great, thank you. I would love to take you up on that. Do you go during the winter? I would just need to clear a day on the calendar.
 
Yes I go during the winter, I do try to pick better days anymore, I am getting to be a bit more soft as I get older. Saturdays and Sundays if I don't have to work is good for me most times unless I have family stuff to do. Not real fun shooting sporting if you have to wade through snow and have driving winds. I not a great fan of pumps for new shooters for skeet or sporting, just because it is inexpensive doesn't mean it is what you really need. Try before you buy.
eastbank said:
if you realy get into the clay shooting games, the fee,s and shells will cost more than a good gun will. eastbank.
Click to expand...

This is solid truth, doesn't take long to burn more money on shells and fees than a shotgun, buy once, cry once. Start setting aside for a nice auto, might be able to find a good used one, $500-1200 depending on what you find, that will be a drop in the bucket in the long run and it will serve you well for years.
 
I agree with what you've said. I don't mind cold, but relentless wind tends to take the fun out of many activities.
Obviously this time of year is busy with holiday/family stuff. I did get a tentative 'ok' from the big boss lady, depending of course on what the particular weekend holds.
Try before you buy is great advice. It is hard to ignore bargain prices, but I think we've all been there at one time or another (for better or worse).
Honestly, I hadn't thought of starting up with actual games. I was just thinking about tossing clays at the outdoor range like when I was younger. But it will be very interesting to check out how these things work, as I've never been involved with clubs, games, comp, etc.
 
Let's see if we can get a decent forecast for some upcoming weekend that we could both have free. I am actually going to try to shoot this Sunday with a friend of mine, neither of us has shot for almost 2 months, between bad weather, deer season, work and family deals it has been a busy fall and beginning of winter.

I can bring a variety of shotguns, my Remington 11-87 is a workhorse, it has had close to 40k rounds through it, light recoil and likes to run my superlight reloads of 7/8oz 12ga target shells. Have 3 Rem 1100's also in smaller gauges, my very first one is a LT20 my Dad gave me for Christmas at 14, have a 28 and a skeet .410.

Beretta 682 is barely broke in with about 100k rounds through it,

It will shoot all gauges with it's Kolar tubes,it was my main competition gun 682 Supersport 001.JPG back in the day.

I have several Remington 870s in all gauges, but my fun gun is a 1897 Winchester pump gun. 1897 Winchester 001.JPG
If you like SxS's I have a nice CZ/Huglu 20 gauge that shoots well, CZ Huglu 20ga 002.JPG

Trap gun is a M12 Winchester, strictly dedicated to shooting trap. Win M12 trap 002.JPG

It is a bit addictive once you start getting into clay games, but you got to crawl before you can walk and run.
 
Quite the line up. That stoger I had was SxS. I liked it slot, I did my best shooting with it.

I feel like we'll be doing a bit of cat n mouse trying to find a workable weekend, lol. The wife has a knack for booking me solid, but still, I'm sure we can make something work after the holidays.

On a side note- I've always adored .410, well the shells anyway. Just so darned cute! You use .410 for skeet? Sounds interesting, I'd always figured it was basically a barn/ varmint round.
 
Sunray said:
"...Skeet vs trap vs sporting clays..." Bird comes out of the house differently in all three. The Skeet and Trap people can sometimes be, um, judgemental about what shotgun you use and even how you dress.
Click to expand...

Oh, trust me, there are Sporting Clays snobs, too.

milemaker13 said:
On a side note- I've always adored .410, well the shells anyway. Just so darned cute! You use .410 for skeet? Sounds interesting, I'd always figured it was basically a barn/ varmint round.
Click to expand...

Using .410 for any of the clays games is the equivalent of Caesar having a slave whisper "Remember, Thou art mortal" in his ear. A good humbling experience.
 
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