$2,400.00 for a beginners Sporting Clays gun??!!

[browningguy]

You can get a pretty decent shotgun for $2400, a nice O/U with some engraving, it will point and balance well. I tried O/U''s a while back and went back to a HK Red Lion Sporting, however I also like the Beretta's and Rem 1100 or 11-xx series.

I think a $200 pump is a huge mistake, as a beginner you have enough to learn without shucking shells in the middle of it. If it's a sporting gun spend the extra money and get one with the right drop on the stock and a wide rib, you'll break more clays and have more fun.

Yes you can also spend several hundred dollars more getting the stock fit to you, and once you are hitting in the mid 70's it's worthwhile. In the meantime go to the patterning board to learn how the gun you choose shoots, and practice mounting it thousands of time to get it the same every time. After you've shot for a while then you can add adjustable comb and butt plate, they can be refitted so no need to worry about it right away.

Just my opinion, others may vary.

 

[KC&97TA]

I agree with the browningguy, a pump is a disadvantage... but I'm not saying you need to go out and spend the $2800 on an o/u or buy a brand new Beretta semi-auto for $1140, like I was told to do.

I picked up a used S&W 1000 less than $300 out the door, came with what I was told to look for, wide rib, light, well balanced, has 3 chokes that screw out with no tools, has some nice wood and engraveing on the reciever... it's a pretty gun for the money. But the fact is that it shoots, and fits nice.

I don't think I'd want to be out there with a pump gun, there's just some times were an auto or o/u is the right gun. A pump shotgun is a working gun, in my opinion, duck, turkey, deer hunting, breaching doors; were you need the dependability. For clays, phesant, grouse and dove, you have that bit of class were you aren't getting dirty and nothings going to attack you (you hope) little less grunt involved.

 

[riverdog]

There will always be guys who look down on pumps for shooting clay. A pump is only a disadvantage at Trap if it doesn't fit. Making a good pump fit is a whole lot cheaper than you may think.

A guy can definitely use a pump shooting Skeet doubles, I've done it and it's great practice. It takes longer to swing the gun to the next bird than it does to rack the slide; there's no disadvantage if you practice even a little bit. Rack while you're swinging and the gun is ready before your on target.

I've never shot SC or 5 Stand, but the only disadvantage I see is that of having only one choke. One of these days I'll put a Mod choke in my 870 and give it a try just to see why it can't be done.

Folks are forever imposing artificial limitations on things they do.

 

[azflyman]

Jim M,

Go find a nice Remington 1100, get some instruction so you don't start off with crappy habits, and have some fun. There is a fairly steep learning curve to all this so keep with it and don't get discouraged. I understand one CAN use a pump. One CAN be very proficient with a pump. I just don't see adding difficulty when it is not needed. A Remington 1100 is not to expensive, not complicated, and it is a runnin' machine.

az

P. S. - This thread is not a Pump vs Autoloader vs O/U, it was about someone trying to get a newbee for more money than he needed to spend, or so I thought.

 

[riverdog]

A Rem 1100 shares the same major limitation as a pump, that of having only one choke. Unless the shooter is suffering from a serious injury or disability, racking a pump is not at all difficult to learn. Rem 1100 is a good gun though, just more $$$$ than an 870.

I agree that this shouldn't be about pumps vs autos vs O/U's. Heck, I have one of the $2400 Browning O/U's, it's a great gun, but definitely not a necessity for shooting any clay game.

 

[Jim_M]

Well, I did it now. Just bought a new Beretta AL 390. Payed $575.00 out the door. Are there better shotguns? I imagine there are, plenty. Are there worse? I suppose that's true too. All I can say is this . It felt right. And as soon as it stops raining (I'm not complaining, we're desperate for it here) we plan on starting a long, enjoyable time blasting evil orange Frisbees. Thanks to each and every one of you for your insights and recommendations.