Reasonably Priced 12 Ga

My suggestion is 12ga 870 express.
I'm an 870 guy so...

Gunbroker is your friend.

I picked up an 870 Wingmaster magnum at a local pawn shop recently for $325.
They had a 2 3/4" model for $275.

I would rather pay that for a used Wingmaster than a new 870 or a Mossberg any day. Nothing wrong with either, but given the choice, give me the old school wood and blue.
Check the used racks.

I would recommend a semi-auto or a over and under for skeet. Skeet is meant for shooting singles AND pairs. You can opt to shoot all singles if you want, but the game is for both. And for the two guns your looking at, you will wear them out in two years. Stoeger makes a nice o/u that not too expensive or look at Benelli or Beretta semi-autos. There are a lot of good used semi-autos, just make sure they have a good selection of changeable chokes.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/884381455

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/884490065

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/881875761

Thomasss said:

Stoeger makes a nice o/u that not too expensive

Click to expand...

And won't stand up to regular Skeet shooting. They are guns for the guy who shoots a round of Trap or Skeet just before hunting season, and maybe a box or two during the season. Quite honesly, I'd be looking for a used 1100 Skeet, or a field model 1100 with a 26 or 28" RemChoke barrel, and throw an Improved Cylinder choke in it.
I've shot Skeet with a pump, an 870, and it is good practice for working that action fast, but if your just going to shoot Skeet, maybe join a league, a semi like the 1100 or Beretta a 3xx or a400 will be a better choice.
As far as O/U's they are better for Skeet, but the minimum to consider is a Browning Citori. These can be found under $1000 used, particularly 26" Skeet guns, The Beretta 6xx series are another good choice, but these two guns have very different handling chracteristics. Try to handle, or better yet shoot, both. You'll probably find one or the other fits you real well, and the other one not so much.

Sharp Dog. That 20 ga. Superposed isn't going to go for $405, and you know it.

Sneakshot, where are you in WI? If you are close to LaCrosse, Monsoor's has some good clays guns, and some are at good prices. If you are near Prarie Du Sac, check out Recob's Target Shop out. Again, good guns, good prices, and great service. There's always the 3 Cabela's in Prairie Du Chein, Sun Prairie, and Richfield, west to east. The gun libraries often have some good clays guns. Don't forget Scheel's in Eau Claire and Appleton.

Are you specifically talking about the game of skeet, or using the term to broadly refer to the clay sports?

if specifically referencing the game of skeet, as per above, I would recommend a decent semi-auto. For the volume of shooting that you mention, an o/u by CZ USA would be fine and they are very affordable. A pump gun would not be my recommendation for the clay sports.

entropy said:

And won't stand up to regular Skeet shooting. They are guns for the guy who shoots a round of Trap or Skeet just before hunting season, and maybe a box or two during the season. Quite honesly, I'd be looking for a used 1100 Skeet, or a field model 1100 with a 26 or 28" RemChoke barrel, and throw an Improved Cylinder choke in it.
I've shot Skeet with a pump, an 870, and it is good practice for working that action fast, but if your just going to shoot Skeet, maybe join a league, a semi like the 1100 or Beretta a 3xx or a400 will be a better choice.
As far as O/U's they are better for Skeet, but the minimum to consider is a Browning Citori. These can be found under $1000 used, particularly 26" Skeet guns, The Beretta 6xx series are another good choice, but these two guns have very different handling chracteristics. Try to handle, or better yet shoot, both. You'll probably find one or the other fits you real well, and the other one not so much.

Sharp Dog. That 20 ga. Superposed isn't going to go for $405, and you know it.

Click to expand...

I used to shoot skeet with my M1 Super 90 Tactical, had a 23-ish average. My aim (sic.) was to get better with the shotgun as a weapon, not necessarily to win any matches.

I shot Trap with this,


for a year and almost a half, got some odd looks, but the 23's and 24's I shot with it kept the harassment down. I already had operating it down pat, I'd had at least one 870 from the time I was 18 'til I traded this one in on my 1100 Competition. But it was between this one and an 18" cylinder bore Ithaca 37, and the 28" barrel on the 870 with a Full in it worked well.

What does “reasonable” mean to the OP?

frankly I like the suggestion of a used 1100. There’s literally kajillions of them in any configuration or condition you desire.

Actual skeet? If so, then on your budget a Beretta A300

Mossberg 930
Weatherby SA-08

"Such and such a brand won't hold up to extended use!"
Do you know this for a fact or is this your opinion? I see replies like this and wonder what sort of research was used to substantiate them. Have you tore down one of those guns after thousands of rounds and compared it to a new one to see how much wear there is? It would be nice to know these statements are not just another Ford versus Chevy thing or one of those "my uncle Fred knew someone who has a friend that had one of those and it was junk" stories.
From many of the posts I'm reading it's starting to look like the new Remingtons, Winchesters, and other brands aren't worth owning.

cdb1 said:

Mossberg 930
Weatherby SA-08

Click to expand...

Why not take a look at one of the above guns along with the two you mentioned and see how they fit you and go from there. Good inexpensive way to find out if your going to keep shooting skeet.

Sneakshot92 said:

I'm not looking for anything fancy.

Click to expand...

Fancy and expensive tends to creep into any inquiry like yours. Don't be disappointed by them as many entries are well intended. You know your wallet and the odds are pretty good that you can have a lot of fun with something in your price range.
Good luck.

If you're going to shoot that much skeet you really need a semi auto, or a quality double. A semi will cost less. The Beretta A300 is probably the most for the money.

The pump guns you are looking at are great hunting and/or SD guns that are OK for the occasional skeet outing. But not what I'd want to use regularly.

Cvans said:

"Such and such a brand won't hold up to extended use!"

Click to expand...

Cvans said:

Do you know this for a fact or is this your opinion?

Click to expand...

It is a fact, and it is also my opinion, based on fact.

Cvans said:

Have you tore down one of those guns after thousands of rounds and compared it to a new one to see how much wear there is?

Click to expand...

I have worked in several gunshops over the years, both counter and as a gunsmith: Yes, I have tore more than one of several different models of 'such and such' a brand (let's stick with Stoeger for this, but I have also worked on other inexpensive shotguns) down, and of course have examined brand new ones. (Cleaning packaging preservatives out of them.) Having studied gun designs of many types over the years, and having a smattering of metallurgical knowledge, I have a pretty good idea of what is going to last and what isn't.

FWIW, one shop I worked at refused to waste our (the gunsmiths') time on Stoegers; they went right back to them for work. Often repeatedly.

Cvans said:

From many of the posts I'm reading it's starting to look like the new Remingtons, Winchesters, and other brands aren't worth owning.

Click to expand...

There are a few models of each that are, but when you get into the Browning and Berettas, the workmanship (fit and finish) is much better, the metallurgy is better, and the designs are tried and true. that is what you are paying for when you buy one of that level of gun. And you will be able to own it for a lifetime with only routine maintenance needed. (springs, maybe firing pins after 50,000 or more rounds) You also will recoup most, if not all, of your cost if you decide to sell or trade up. Or pass it down to your kids or grandkids.

Now when you start talking Perazzi and Kreighoff, those are still there, and even better, but you might be paying a little for the name too. I have shot enough of these guns to know why some guys pay those prices for them.

cdb1 said:

Mossberg 930
Weatherby SA-08

Click to expand...

Cvans said:

Why not take a look at one of the above guns along with the two you mentioned and see how they fit you and go from there. Good inexpensive way to find out if your going to keep shooting skeet.

Click to expand...

The Mossberg 920 and Weatherby SA-08 re very good options for him to start with. Even the Maverick 88 is a better choice than the Stoeger O/U, though.

There are a few people on this forum who love their Stoeger O/U and SxS’s. I wouldn’t touch one. I also wouldn’t buy a pump for skeet, trap or sporting clays, and if I did a Maverick and Stevens would be at the bottom of the list.

I picked up a maverick 88 a month ago for $299. But it’s the security model with 20” barrel. Not the best for skeet.

They do offer a maverick 88 with two barrels (18.5” and 28”) that you can use for home defense or trap/hunting. I believe those were going for $200-300 as well.

I’ve put maybe 75-100 rounds through mine so far and I love it!

entropy said:

It is a fact, and it is also my opinion, based on fact.

Click to expand...

Thanks for taking time to post your experiences. Always nice to hear first hand findings.

While I am all for you getting a 2nd, 3rd and 50th shotgun, how many rounds have you put through your 835 that it is showing its age? That shotgun should handle 50,000rnds without even breaking a sweat.

ozarkhillbilly said:

While I am all for you getting a 2nd, 3rd and 50th shotgun, how many rounds have you put through your 835 that it is showing its age? That shotgun should handle 50,000rnds without even breaking a sweat.

Click to expand...

Was wondering about that myself.

I didn't see that last sentence before. Yes, as ozarkhillbilly says, the 835 is a pretty stout design. Working that 3 1/2" pump action for clays games isn't optimal, but that 835 should be useable for it. My recommendation should you still decide a new gun is for you, (nothing wrong with that!) is still an 1100 field gun, since you're shooting hand trap, and it would be entirely serviceable for Skeet, Trap, or Sporting Clays. As a matter of fact, my LGS, the one we discussed, has an even better model of the 1100 that will cover all the clays games bases, and I pheasant hunt with mine also; The 1100 Competition Synthetic; It's 2 3/4 only and Remington Nitro Gold Sporting Clays loads are about as hot as you want to shoot in it, but you've already got that 835 for waterfowl and turkey. This is my 1100 Competiton;


Comes with every choke you could want except Improved Modified, which Remington sells. I just leave the Full in myself. The adjustable comb makes it versatile for all the Clays games and hunting, too. The recoil reducer on it makes shooting 200+ rounds a day nothing, and (for cvans) it is one model of Remington that the quality is definitely still there.

If you want to try one out, Sneakshot92, that could easily be arranged.

ColtPythonElite said:

Actual skeet? If so, then on your budget a Beretta A300

Click to expand...

I second that. Bought one for my son