Orvis Wingshooting School Experience

[BrianBM]

I'm going to take myself, my niece and my nephew to the Orvis wingshooting school this summer. The kids are large teens, they'll be fine. None of us have any shotgun experience. All of us would like to learn.

Most of the firearms on hand will be O/U doubles. If there are semis available to try out too, I'd like to do so and would like advice on particular guns to look for.

Besides acquiring the ability to hit orange clay as it whizzes by, I'd like to discover what I want for Canada geese, from a pit blind. This hunting is available locally, and I'd like to try it. If I like the first bird I eat, I'll spend the money for a good goose gun and a reasonable amount of reloading gear (gotta practice.)

Never mind the 870, there are a zillion posts on it. What semis and O/U doubles do we like? I doubt there's a real need for a 3 1/2" shell with tungsten or other modern shot, a 3" 12ga ought to be fine. Since I'd rather buy American if possible, what's the take on current-production Ruger Red Label O/Us and current American semis? (I didn't like the 12ga recoil the one time I got to fire one, so am happy to accomodate the extra weight of a semi or double.) Gentlemen?

[RoscoeC]

For automatics you will be hard pressed to find a more reliable, better shooting shotgun than the Beretta 3901 series. I mention these rather than the 391 series, because the 3901's are made in the USA.

[Waterengineer]

You will get plenty of opinions on gun brands or specific guns here and I have my opinions too.

Thus, I will take a different tack with my response.

I have in a pit for geese/ducks in classic bad weather. Personally, I do no like a break action gun in the pit. IMHO, it is much easier to load a pump or autoloader in a pit with other in close proximity.

Let us know what you get and report in on your experience with the Orvis school.

[Al Thompson]

Brian, my take on the O/U thing is that you have to try one to see if it works for you. I ended up with a SKB due to fit, but you may differ.

The Rugers seem fine from a mechanical standpoint, I'm sure the trap and skeet guys will have more relevant impressions.

At my local trap and skeet range, Beretta seems to be the most popular.

More than other firearms, shotguns seem to be like clothes - fit is everything. :) And it sure helps to try it before buying it.

[RoscoeC]

BTW, update us on the Orvis school experience. Sounds interesting.

[beagle2000]

I went to Sandanona a couple weeks ago - first time holding a shotgun (the loaners are Cesar Guerini's, had an o/u 20ga) Very helpful and informative day (I did the one day wingshooting school). I'll definately be back soon. My intention was to just get the lay of the land an learn about wingshooting - was so inspired that I subscribed to Sporting Clays magazine the night I got back, & stumbled across this website.. doing my research with the intention of picking up a clays gun. My instructor was Joe Wassi and James Ross did the gun fitting - both true professionals. The Food was great too! The fellow that was in the class with me was a regular shooter - so not just for beginners - he seemed quite content with the experience as well. Enjoy it!

[oneounceload]

I went to Sandanona a couple weeks ago - first time holding a shotgun (the loaners are Cesar Guerini's, had an o/u 20ga) Very helpful and informative day (I did the one day wingshooting school). I'll definately be back soon. My intention was to just get the lay of the land an learn about wingshooting - was so inspired that I subscribed to Sporting Clays magazine the night I got back, & stumbled across this website.. doing my research with the intention of picking up a clays gun. My instructor was Joe Wassi and James Ross did the gun fitting - both true professionals. The Food was great too! The fellow that was in the class with me was a regular shooter - so not just for beginners - he seemed quite content with the experience as well. Enjoy it!

congratulations! You'll be hooked for sure....there are lots of good sites to ask questions. Along with this one is The High Road, Shotgun World, among many others - all full of good info

[BigJimP]

The best all around semi-auto I have is the Benelli Super Sport, synthetic stock is the only way it comes, and it comes with the comfort tech recoil system in the stock. 12ga is a soft shooter ( 28" or 30" barrel and personally I like the 30" ) / they also make a 20ga version ( 28" barrel ). They are very good guns / easy to maintain. New in my area they are retailing for around $ 1,875 - but they're worth every penny in my opinion. Just cover the bright areas on receiver - for waterfowling -with elec tape.

O/U's I'm a Browning guy - and the most versatile models that Browning makes, with the most adjustability, in either 12 or 20ga is the XS Skeet model or the XS Special model - buy the adj comb model - and it'll fit the kids or you. Again I like an O/U with 30" barrels - but if it feels too long, then go with 28". They are only available in 2 3/4" chambers / so be careful in picking your shells. But the XS Skeet model is my primary gun in the field or for Sporting Clays or Skeet - and I have them in 12, 20, 28 and .410 . They retail for around $3,000 - but again they're a gun you'll have for 3 or 4 generations.

[Waterengineer]

Ditto on the Benelli Super Sport

[BrianBM]

Thank you. I'll post a note on my experience at the Orvis school. (I took my nephew to the Salt Water Fly Fishing school a couple of years ago, and we had a great uncle/nephew bonding trip, though he hasn't touched a flyrod since.)
We'll be going to Manchester and I'll buy us three days, if only to try as many different shotguns as possible.

The logic of avoiding break-action firearms, when hunting from a pit, is apparent.

There doesn't seem to be disagreement on the choice of chambering: for Canada geese, 12ga is appropriate, and a 3" chamber is fine. For the number of rounds you actually fire, the expensive tungsten or depleted uranium rounds are OK. Might not pack DU to the range for practice.