Upland bird and Clays Gun survey

Choose Two:

  • Auto like the A-400 (around 1500)

    Votes: 7 26.9%

  • Fitted O/U (around 1500)

    Votes: 14 53.8%

  • Get a cheapie and move up later (please give example)

    Votes: 4 15.4%

  • Invest your full budget in a good gun now.

    Votes: 7 26.9%
  • Total voters
    26
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

t_dickinson

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
78
Location
Southern NH
Hey All,

I went to the club yesterday and was introduced to 5 stand. Oh Boy! I had a whole 20 seconds of tutoring and broke 3 of 4 with a Beretta A-400 Xplor.

2 guys had autos; the other 3 used O/U's

I live in NH and would probably hunt upland birds but have no interest in water fowl or deer.

I liked the 5 stand and will enjoy Sporting Clays I think. No skeet for me.

I've read quite a bit but can't find much recent info that allpies to me.

If my budget were $1500, should I buy an auto like the Beretta I shot or an O/U?

I will use it for 99% sports and occasional, if ever, hunting. I liked the soft recoil of the auto but it cannot be "fitted".

Within these parameters and for around $1500 or less, what will suit me best?

34 years old, athletic, great shape, 6 ft tall and 20/20 if any of that helps
 
You have a good budget, so your choices will be numerous.

I'm no expert by any means, but I find selecting a firearm to be an intuitive process. Shoulder a bunch and go with whatever feels like an extension of your arm. Also, do a little research to make sure the gun is of high enough quality to not be a bucket of jammed shells and FTFs.

Since you don't plan to hunt deer or waterfowl, a 20 gauge will be plenty of gun for your needs.
 
Don't buy anything based on the one event. Give yourself time to try a few first is my advice. Otherwise just remember it doesn't have to be the last gun you ever buy if you don't like your choice. Good Luck!
 
A couple things.....


Bruce Buck, AKA the Technoid, says that buying an auto and shooting it for a year makes sense. I agree, with a few caveats.....

Clays guns tend to be 12 gauge, heavier than 8 lbs, and a trifle ponderous in the uplands.

Upland guns are often NOT 12s, run less than 7 lbs mostly, and Ponderous is not in their job description. We do not usually drop off our kids at school using an Indy Car, nor run at The Brickyard in the minivan.

Sure, there's compromises, let's look at a few....

Gas autos, good ones at least, last a long time, are shim adjustable for a better fit, and are a well known quantity. The operating system spreads the kick over a longer time, which our brains interpret as less kick.

Downside, they work with a more narrow band of ammo, are limited to one choke at a time, and finding one with a decent trigger is difficult.

Better O/Us also last a very long time and have better triggers, but they cost more, are less adjustable for fit, and have little recoil diminution.

I suggest trying a buncha guns before buying one. There's no law saying you can have only one. Yet....
 
Anyone know a good link or dvd for choosing a sporting clays gun?

Somethng definitive like "auto 12 for the range and o/u 20 for the field".
 
Addicting isn't it? I got started in FL while living there. In my opinion the game is made for the O/U and that's what most used. All I saw were Brownings in the game. I tried them on occasion and knew it was the gun for me. Finding a used was not easy, I was always 10 minutes to late.

Finally 5 years ago while in a gun shop I came across a Ruger Red Label O/U. That said, I'll admit I hate Rugers. Wouldn't own one of there handguns and did own a 77 that was not accurate for what it was. Not so with the Red Label, the only Ruger I've ever liked.

Others on here hate the RL, I've had nothing but good luck with mine and never an issue in 5 years.

Still, I'd rather have a Browning but I'm satisfied.
 
It's up to you,as others said shoot as many different brands and action types as you can and get the one you hit the most with and like the best.
 
Knowing Bruce, mentioned above, he REALLY likes the A400........and he also likes the 303, 390 and 391..........my wife tried several and liked the A400............used with modifications and extra chokes, it was 1400.....................worth every penney
 
I've been shooting sporting clays and 5 stand since 1992. Started on the skeet ranges back in the late 60's. I've owned numerous guns from O/U's to a plethora of autoloaders, including Browning Gold's, Berettas, and a number of 1100's. Most of my guns were 12ga with a few 20's thrown in for good measure.

Going forward, if you're really interested in sporting clays and 5 stand, I suggest starting out with a good 12ga/30" O/U. There are many, but I would stick with the B-guns guns, meaning Browning or Beretta. For the money, take a look at the Beretta White Onyx Sporter. I guarantee you will be happy with it. Basic, nice wood, super engineered and balances real well. NIB you can find them for $1800 and a nice pre-owned about $1200.

Later, you can add an autoloader if you wish, but the quality O/U is a breeze to care for and trouble free to shoot. Just my 2 cents...
 
just for the record, here's my only autoloader I have left. A vintage 70's 12ga Remington 1100 with two barrels, a 26" Skeet and a 28" Mod for longer sporting clay ranges. For my money, still the best target autoloader made...

DSC_0004-1.png
 
Get an autoloader. Yeah, some people are traditionalists and all about double barrel, over/under, and pumps, but frankly, the autoloader is a much more practical gun. You might consider a Beretta Xtrema2. Those go for $1200 last I checked and are an extremly low-recoiling and lightweight shotgun. If I had that much money to drop on a shotgun, that would be my first and only choice. Some of today's shotguns, like the Xtrema2, are so lightweight that the whole concept of a lighter-weight "upland" gun is nearing obsolescence.

Also keep in mind that "dead" actions recoil much harder than semi-autos, and transfer 100% of their energy to your shoulder. They also severely limit your rate of fire.
 
If you are only going to use the gun for upland rarely then get a gun that is best suited for the primary sport. Get a 12 gauge and buy either a Beretta 391 or A400. In your price range you get the very best target semi-auto available or a lower-end over/under.

The Berettas can be fitted with the shim system that comes with the gun. Fitting an o/u typically means carving on the stock or bending it if you are left handed.

I own a couple of high end o/u. I score just as well with my 391. The only drawback to the 391 is weight for upland hunting. I solved this by buying a 391 in 20 gauge. :)
 
With a 1500 budget, you will get a better semi than an O/U. You will find some used ones that are well-built and designed for targets from Beretta and Browning, and an O/U has an advantage if you reload as far as chasing empties, as well as having the ability to utilize two different chokes for target pairs where one might be close while the other is far.

Personally, I like an O/U - but if I had a properly fitted semi, I wouldn't mind that either
 
Benelli Supersport, Supersport II, or Ultra Light. (The Supersports are the finest sporting autoloaders I have ever shot, and I liked the Ultra Light in the dove field, it could double as a target gun)
 
If you go the way of an O/U then consider some differences...

I just bought my Beretta White Onyx Sporting for $1825 if you can stretch that 1500 a little. Comes with a 30 or 32 inch barrel, mid bead, optima chokes and lengthened forcing cones.

I took my Onyx and a Silver Pigeon I also own that is without the lengthened forcing cones out to the trap range on Saturday. I didn't notice it at first, but after two rounds of trap on each, I started to notice a slight easier recoil on the Onyx. Get the sport version if you get one. It made a believer out of me.

Good Luck
 
Just looked at the Onyx. What is the main difference between the White Onxy, Onyx, and Sporter?

Can you shoot an O/U all day and not get beat to heck? That A400 was like shooting a BB gun. I'm not sensitive but have shot enough rifle to know that alot of shooting can wear on you.

Could I go 75 in a day with an O/U or is that an obscene amount of shooting?

I sure do appreciate all this help guys.
 
I voted you should buy the best you can afford. But before buying you should try as many for fit as you can. For me this is kinda of tough because for clay games I shoot an O/U but for upland birds I prefer a SXS.
 
If the gun FITS, you won't get beat up. 75 rounds is almost a full round of sporting (100). Fit is more than length of pull and recoil reduction is more than adding a good pad

Good luck
 
Just looked at the Onyx. What is the main difference between the White Onxy, Onyx, and Sporter?
Click to expand...

I had the very same questions. I searched and looked until I had seen some examples to compare. I don't know if I am totally correct, but I found out enough to buy what I wanted.

Speaking of the NEW guns I saw now...

I didn't find any difference between an Onyx and a White Onyx. Maybe their are more differences in prior years? Mine says Onyx on it, but the official model description when you put it in on the Beretta website says White Onyx! So there you go.

You can have an Onyx field gun that has the standard Mobile Choke system, 26" or 28" barrels and standard forcing cones
.....OR....
You can have the Onyx Sporting that has the lengthened forcing cones, the longer Optima choke system, a mid bead, and 30" or 32" barrels.

The Silver Pigeon designation differences are simply nice engraving and can have the glossy finished woodwork. You can have the Silver Pigeon Sporting or field gun designation as described above on the Onyx. I did see Silver Pigeon guns with oil finished wood and even matte black barrels. The Silver Pigeon S (Sporting) model has slightly less engraving on it.

A lot of this information was briefly referred to in the manual I received with my gun. They share it with you to make sure you use and order the right chokes for your gun. The barrel will also have a designation written on it as a mobile choke or optima barrel.

I don't know if this helps you or not. I was confusing as heck to me in the beginning until I saw a pattern to the madness.

Good Luck!
 
I think I'm starting to get it. I like the idea of the mid bead and longer forcing cones which I guess would ease the transition of the shot from large chamber to smaller bore thus reducing perceived recoil. I can also see the advantage of longer barrels in sight radius and swing.

As for the Silver Pigeon, that sounds like a trim package if I'm reading correctly. I think I will go to the big store in Kittery, ME and hold a few. Thanks very much Milk!

Anyone up for convinging me why an auto is better for me?

I'm in sponge mode right now so none of your typing will be wasted.
 
Browning Maxus. No need for 3 1/2. Fit can be adjusted via shims. Light gun
for upland game that was also work when you want to do 5 stand or Sporting Clays.

You really dont want to haul a Remington 1100 through the fields. Maxus Sporting is still light enough for upland game. A maxus set up for field use will also work for 5 stand and Sporting Clays.
 
The White Onyx Sporter here has been a great gun,but at 8 lbs even a bit heavy for hunting.

"Obscene amount of shooting"....

75 rounds through a target grade O/U is just a warmup. I frequently run 150 rounds of my 7/8 oz reloads through my Beretta w/o pain. Heck, I've also done that in a weekend with the little SKB 20 ga O/U that has no pad, just a butt plate.

Good form and fit are the keys...
 
Ok then, I will change the qestion to recommendations for a clays gun only. I read alot of info today and think I and trying to a shotgun into a swiss army knife.

I will go 12ga set up specifically for clays and use a lighter field gun in 20 if I ever decide to hunt.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top