Semi-Auto or O/U

[Mr.Caliber]

I just want something to brake a few clay birds on the weekends and dont know what to pick PLEASE HELP

Thanks,

Mr.Caliber

 

[MCgunner]

SA will reduce recoil in a given gauge. I think, for much doubles shooting, I'd rather have the twice pipe. And, I'd prefer the twice pipe for games like skeet that require quickness. An auto will work, though. It seems most of the serious shooters are into stack barrels, but I ain't very serious about clay games, more a hunter.

 

[RNB65]

Whichever one you like best and can afford. They both break clays. An O/U will cost quite a bit more than a semi-auto, but will have a longer lifespan. O/U's are heavier than semi-autos and will recoil a little harder.

I shoot sporting clays with a Beretta 391 semi-auto and a Browning 425 O/U. I shoot the same scores with both and don't really prefer one over the other. Both are fun to shoot.

 

[TrapperReady]

What price point are you consdering?

IMO, if you are looking at spending under $1000, an auto is the best bet. You can get new top-quality autos for $650-$900. Comparable quality O/Us would be in the $1500-$2000 range.

Also, what kind of clay games do you think you'll shoot? Trap, skeet, sporting clays? Will this be your first shotgun? Do you plan to hunt with it?

With more information, we can offer more helpful advice.

 

[hossdaniels]

I dont think there is much difference in recoil between the two, because of the extra weight of the o/u. For me a o/u seems quicker in my hands than a semi and when i look at a bird it breaks like magic(most times). I have to think about the shot more with a semi, which usually leads to misses. Also the semi's will be a few inches longer than a o/u with the same length bbls. I grew up shooting semi's and the instant I got my citori I suddenly became a much better shot. I will say that for hunting, the extra weight of a o/u shows up after a few hours in the field.

 

[Mr.Caliber]

This will be my first shotgun I love shooting shotguns and the first one i shot was a 20 ga pump I did not like it. a year or so later i tried the semi SOOOOO much nicer than the pump it felt alot better too. I also tried the O/U It felt great too.


the semi i tried was a 12 ga

the O/U was a 20 ga

I am looking for either 20 or 12 kind of scared how much a 12 ga O/U will kick but Im willing to try it.

does this help?

 

[MCgunner]

dont think there is much difference in recoil between the two, because of the extra weight of the o/u. For me a o/u seems quicker in my hands than a semi and when i look at a bird it breaks like magic(most times).

Doubles tend to be quicker to point, quicker on target due to the muzzle light balance. But, not all doubles are heavy and not all balance the same. On the average, though, a stack barrel will balance more between the hands and be quicker than the longer auto which will balance further out over the forward hand and swing a little steadier even if it's not as quick on target.

Here I am talkin' smack about clays when I rarely shoot 'em, but I shoot a LOT if live birds. I just look upon doubles as more a flushing bird type upland gun and the autos or pumps more as waterfowl/pass shooting type guns, not to mean you can't do quail with an auto successfully and lord knows I've downed a lot of ducks and geese with a 12 gauge side by side in my life.

My double twelve would do good to scale 7 lbs, it's quite light, and POUNDS you with 3" loads. However, I've picked up double 10 gauges that, I swear, would scale 12 lbs or more. Weight is sorta dependent on the gun in question, I reckon.

 

[RNB65]

The difference in recoil is that with an O/U it's a quick, sharp jab. With a semi-auto the cycling of the gas action spreads the recoil over a longer time period so it feels a little more gentle.

I can shoot 3dr heavy target loads all day long with my semi-auto, but I prefer 2.75dr light target loads for the O/U. If I shoot a full round of clays (100 shots) with my O/U using the heavy target loads I do start to feel it after awhile and start to flinch a little.

Take a look at the Remington 1100 Sporting 12 as a good choice for a soft-recoiling, general purpose clay shooter at a reasonable price.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_1100/

 

[TrapperReady]

In general, a 12ga is going to be more versatile than any other gauge, simply because of the amount and variety of ammo readily available. Due to the higher volume production of 12ga ammo, it will also tend to be less expensive.

As far as the 20ga vs. 12ga battle... if ALL ELSE IS EQUAL, then the 20ga should have less felt recoil, because they generally shoot a lighter shot charge (7/8 oz is normal for a 20ga... 1 1/8 or 1 oz are most used for 12ga). However, all else is rarely equal. 20ga guns tend to be built on smaller frames and are generally lighter. Depending upon how light the gun is made, recoil can feel more severe in a lightweight 20ga than a heavier 12ga.

Proper form and gun fit mitigate felt recoil to a large degree, as does a premium recoil pad (Pachmayar Decelerator, Kick-Eez or Limbsaver). Fixed-breech guns (think break-open guns like SxS, O/U and singles) do not do anything on their own to mitigate the recoil. Gas-operated autos will bleed off a portion of the gasses to cycle the bolt. This seems to delay the recoil impulse a bit and smooth it out... more like a shove than a punch.

It's been my experience that the type of gun requiring the most critical fit is an O/U. Likewise, I think the most accomodating type of gun is the autoloader. For those reasons, if I were recommending a gun for a new shooter (especially if they were planning on shooting sporting clays), I'd pick one of the following:

Beretta 391 Urika Sporting
Winchester SuperX-2
Remington 1100 Competition

I own and have shot the Beretta extensively. It's at the top of my list for a reason. The Remington is less $$$, but QC has been an issue for Remington for a little while. Used models can be found of all of them with a little looking.

 

[ArmedBear]

Hell, the 1100 Competition and the new G3 sure seem to be top-notch guns.

Quality doesn't seem to be an issue, wood is gorgeous, checkering is beyond excellent, stock is carbon-reinforced somehow, the reciever is finished in some high-tech coating, and the internals are vastly improved -- even though the old 1100 works fine. But Remington wants heap much wampum for the new versions of the 1100. The Urika is a fair amount less expensive, AFAIK.

That said, break-action guns are a lot more conducive to range shooting, for a number of reasons.

Limbsavers work wonders.

 

[savetheclaypigeons]

hey guys, neat forum!
I've been seeing more and more semi's lately but the o/u will always be in my hands. Yes it has more recoil but having 2 different chokes for far and close birds during sporting clays makes it a keeper. Did I mention the reliability or ease to clean?

 

[mscott]

Whatever you do, don't buy one of the cheap O/U shotguns on the market. You will likely be disapointed. A good new auto will cost about the same or less than what good used O/U will cost. Don't overlook the Rem. 1100. They have a express type version for under $500 and there are all the extras available you ever wanted. Check out www.shotgunworld.com for more info.

 

[45auto]

For your first shotgun, not sure how much and what you are going to shoot, I'd buy a Rem 1100 or similiar...even used. Good quality, more "shotgun" for the money compared to an O/U, interchangable barrels and stocks, etc.
Buy the 12 gauge. You can "load" it down to very soft shooting, softer than 20 gauge due to the weight of the gun.

Later on, if you want, buy a good O/U that suits what you are going to shoot.

Just IMHO.

 

[PJR]

For casual clay target shooting and a first gun there is no better choice than a Beretta 391 in one of its many versions.

It is less expensive than an o/u, recoils less due to the gas system and is a reliable gun with a wide range of loads provided it is kept well lubricated.

It is THE best target semi-auto on the market today.