Best All Clay Gun Under $1500

[40SWHero51]

Looking to get into clay shooting: Sporting, Skeet, and Trap.

What is the best shotgun that can handle all three and costs less than $1250 but is still a quality rig?

I have been recommended a Beretta 391 - agree/disagree?

What about a Mossberg Silver Reserve Sporting # 75418 O/U? It is nice looking, an O/U, and cheap, but is it a quality arm and does it perform well?

Please make suggestions for what guns I should look at and what guns I shouldn't.

Thanks-

 

[Dave McCracken]

Good O/Us are almost never cheap, cheap O/Us are almost never good.

The Mossbergs seem to have lots of issues. I'd skip them.

My Beretta White Onyx Sporter is a lot of gun for the money. A little more than your budget, sadly.

The 391 is a very good shotgun, and many are used for clay sports. A very good choice.

Go hang around the range and ask folks about their shotguns. You'll be surprised how many you get to test drive.

HTH....

 

[oneounceload]

the 391 is a great semi-auto....if you're looking for an O/U, then look at Browning and Beretta - you might have to look at some slightly used ones, but try at your local club to see which fits right for you - there are substantial differences in fit and feel, so find which works best for you....

 

[PJR]

I have been recommended a Beretta 391 - agree/disagree?

Agree.

 

[BP44]

Give benelli a look

My Benelli (SBE II) has been exellent on ducks,geese,pheasants,quail,turkey,grouse and some informal clay shooting, mind you it's only 6 months old. It has ran flawless and is very comfortable to shoot with 3 1/2 goose loads and my wife shoots light loads for skeet out of it with never a fail of any kind. I wouldnt suggest you buy the exact one i have unless you like MAX4 camo but they have some very nice and fancy clay guns as well

 

[ShowMe2]

Rockin' with a Remington

Remington "Sporting" 1100's. For your $1250 you could almost get two...one in 20 and one in 12. Buy one and use the rest of your dough for shells.

Steel receiver, polished blue, nice wood, and made in America (at least for now)...sweet!

 

[BP44]

Remington "Sporting" 1100's. For your $1250 you could almost get two...one in 20 and one in 12. Buy one and use the rest of your dough for shells.

Steel receiver, polished blue, nice wood, and made in America (at least for now)...sweet




Good suggestion, I also have an 1100 sporting 12 and it has been flawless as well but I just dont shoot it because I been bit by the benelli bug:banghead: but they are reasonable in price and in my expierence exellent in function.

 

[ArmedBear]

Consider an SKB Silver or Gold in 12 Gauge. Should be around that price, new.

It's a great gun, shoots well, and doesn't have the automatic safety of a lot of field guns.

Or scrape a few extra bucks together and get the WO Sporting (I have the "Field" version and I use it for everything, too. Just have to remember the safety, and it's lighter, maybe a bit too light if you want to blast away at clays all day, thought it doesn't bother me. The "Sporting" version has longer barrels for a smoother swing and a good pound more overall weight.)

 

[earlthegoat2]

After a long hard pursuit of finding the perfect O/U skeet/trap gun I settled on a semi auto.


Beretta 391 with the skeet stock and optima choke tubes

 

[ArmedBear]

In addition to liking to be elbow-deep in Hoppes, you semiauto guys must shoot at a range where you don't have to pick up after yourselves.

 

[oneounceload]

When I shoot my 1100 in 28 gauge, I DEFINITELY pick up after myself - those empties are WAY too valuable to leave on the ground for the shell whores to scavenge....

 

[BP44]

I pick up and reload as I have my benelli trained to pile them in one spot

 

[40SWHero51]

I'll be going to look at both the Beretta and the Remington before the end of this month. I will make a purchase after Christmas most likely. Any last minute posts to throw at me?

 

[distra]

So here is what I did, 1) picked an old stock unfired O/U Browning Cirtori for ~$1000 and 2) a used Rem 1100 ~$300. These both have worked great. Getting a used "B" O/U is also an option. Start with 12ga and 28" barrels, you can always get tubes if you want and shorter barrels can be a little "whippy".

 

[f4t9r]

I have been recommended a Beretta 391 - agree/disagree?

Strongly Agree

 

[PJR]

I'll be going to look at both the Beretta and the Remington before the end of this month. I will make a purchase after Christmas most likely. Any last minute posts to throw at me?

The Beretta 391 is worth the extra cost over the Remington 1100. The 391 is a far better gun and I've owned both.