Skeet & Trap Shotgun Help - Page 2

BigJimP · November 8, 2010, 01:17 PM

For durability - the Browing or the Beretta will both be good choices.

Personally, I would choose the Browning.

But your choice needs to be based on "Fit" - not who made the gun.

RoscoeC · November 8, 2010, 02:09 PM

Of the ones you mention for me it would be the White Onyx. I am just not a fan of the Citori. It feels clumsy to me. The Franchi is light. That is not your friend when shooting hundreds of rounds a day.

But, hey, that is just me. Clearly the Citori is the choice of many many shooters, and I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the Franchi. They have a reputation for making good shotguns.

Bottom line is what is right for me may not be right for you, or BigJimP or Zippy13 or Dave McC or whoever. You have to decide what fits and feels best for you.

BTW, welcome to the madness.

kraigwy · November 8, 2010, 02:38 PM

Skeet and Trap dosn't have to be an expensive sport. You can do both with a lot less then your $1500 budget.

I use to do a lot of skeet & trap shooting. I wasn't making a lot of money at the time and the guy who got me started did it at a budget anyone can afford.

I had a Remington 870. I bought two barrels, a skeet and trap barrel. I then bought a Trap stock ( the field stock worked for skeet). I had a gun I could shoot both, I bought a Mec 600 Jr (which I still have).

Now I will admit, I started getting carried away and ended up with fancy expensive guns, but went back to my 870. I did end up with a 4 gun set, meaning 12, 20, 28, &410. I used the 12 in trap as well as skeet by simply changing the barrel and stock.

You can get a 870, with the second barrel and stock, and be well on the way, saving the rest of your money for shot and powder.

Another way I saved money was picking up fired wads. I'd wash and dry them in the washer and dryer. Made some good practice wads. Also bought reclaimed shot saving my good shot for skeet or trap shoots.

Just a hint, I did a lot of shooting in the snow, so watch your hulls. You can wash them, but don't dry them in the oven. You could screw up and set the heat too high and AA shells melted in wifes oven will get you eating at McDonalds for a long time.

S_Constitutionist · November 8, 2010, 04:46 PM

I wholeheartedly agree with Kraigwy.

Many of us get too carried away when we find something new and jump right in only to find out we werent going to use it so much afterall...

Who has a bunch of ski equipment in their attic they used twice?

My point is, buy a cheap used gun... I started shooting trap and 5 stand about 4 years ago and went through the same thing you are. I happened upon an old beat up 12G 870 in a pawn shop for $150. It doesnt impress many people, but it seems to shoot 25's just as well as the guy next to me with a K-Gun. A used Remington 1100 autoloader, for instance, would serve well IMO. I can now shoot skeet and doubles on five stand without a problem with the pump, as well- just like anything else, it takes practice.

Of course quality guns are nice. I've been saving for a Cynergy for quite some time now.... but, it was only after I decided to spend a year or two shooting several times a month that I decided that it would be worth it.

Just my .02

Also, unless you have an injury or are VERY recoil sensitive I would go for the 12G. If you roll your own you can make a 12G do everything a 20G can, but the same is not true vice versa.

zildjiandevil · November 8, 2010, 05:58 PM

wow thank you everyone for all your posts, i love reading them, and they are super informative to me! well like i said before, my uncle was the one who got me into shooting clays with his 12 gauge, and 20 gauge shotguns.. but i was so young i didn't understand different styles of guns like the pump, semi auto, over under, etc....

anyway, i just recently spoke with my uncle, and i told him i was interested in purchasing a shotgun for skeet shooting and all, and he instantly said "get and side by side." are side by side shotguns good for shooting skeet? is there any pros or cons with using a side by side compared to a semi or an over under?

im going out with my uncle this weekend, because he wants to take me up to a nice gun shop up his way so i can feel as many shotguns as possible out.. i just am not sure if i want a over under, semi auto, and now a side by side???

any help would be great, Thank You guys again!

BigJimP · November 8, 2010, 07:11 PM

Side by Sides ( SXS's) are not seen much on any clay target field.

Your sight picture changes when you're shooting a SXS - as opposed to a stacked barrel like an O/U. O/U's are by far the dominant gun on Skeet, Trap and Sporting Clays fields ....and have been for many years.

The trend today / on competition Skeet or even casual Skeet guns is O/U's with 30" barrels - and often with a gross weight of around 8 - 8 1/2 lbs. 28" barrels are ok today too / but the trend yrs ago was for 26" barrels and you won't see anyone under 60 yrs old / shooting 24" or 26" barrels anymore either.

You should take some guidance from your uncle / especially since he wants to take you around to some gun shops / and spend some time at your local club too - talk to some of the better shooters - see what they're shooting / would they buy the same gun again / get some pros and cons.

Personally, my primary gun for Skeet, Sporting Clays and bird hunting - is a Browning Citori, XS Skeet model, with an adj comb built in. It has a lot of adjustment / and that model of Browning Citori will fit 99% of the shooters out there. Its a lot of gun for the money / not a real high end competition gun / but a very serviceable gun that will last 2 or 3 generations and easily for 100,000 shells or more before any rebuild is necessary.

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...-comb-firearms

I have that same gun in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 / all in 30" barrels ( with my 28ga and .410's built on the 20ga receiver ). Not the best way to go for a serious competitor that wants to shoot exactly the same gun, same balance, etc in all 4 gagues / but it suits me - and I like to have the stand alone guns.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/atta...9&d=1281543688

New, this model sells for around $ 2,750 - $ 3,000 and there are a few of them around used from $ 2,000 - $ 2,500 / but its a gun that will last a long time / and if you take care of it - will have a lot of re-sale value down the road. Its a very versatile gun..

oneounceload · November 8, 2010, 07:17 PM

The flip side to buying a used cheap gun by buying a nice higher-end gun is that you can always sell it for at least what you pay for it.......and if you stay with it, you'll be shooting a nice quality gun and not needing to constantly upgrade from one "almost good enough gun" to another

zippy13 · November 8, 2010, 08:03 PM

Z,
I've seen only one serious SxS on a Skeet field, It was in the hands of an elite level shooter. He had a beautiful Winchester Model-21, and, IIRC, it was fitted with a set of Briley Skeet tubes and chokes and a Shiozaki Air Cushion stock. He didn't start messing around with the Model-21 until well after he'd mastered Skeet. The M-21 was his reward for shooting his second or third 400x400 (a 100-straight in all four guns in the same tournament).

You might get away with a SxS in Skeet, but it trap, with the rising target, it would be totally counterproductive -- trap shooters go out of their way to narrow the guns obstruction of the target.

You can tell your uncle you'll get a SxS after you get your first 400x400.

Cap'n Kraig,
IMHO, recommending an 870 to a new Skeet shooter is akin to suggesting an 03 Springfield to someone thinking he wants to get serious and start shooting service rifle. The new Skeet shooter has enough to learn without having to worry about shucking the cob at doubles. I've seen a few new shooter, with definite potential, give up because the other new shooters (with their autoloaders and O/Us) were progressing at a better pace. The steep early progress curve flattens sooner with a pump.

A/C Guy · November 26, 2010, 09:37 PM

Quote:

i've been looking at these three guns lately... what do you guys prefer out of these three? for a 12 gauge, 28in barrel, over under....

1.Franchi Renaissance Classic $1,889
2.Browning Citori White Lightning $1,939
3.Beretta 686 White Onyx $2,075

How about a nice used Beretta Silver Pigeon II for $1500? They list for $2800 new. I want to sell one because I have too many.

I sent it to Cole's (The premier North American service facility for Beretta O/U's) earlier this year for a complete strip down and cleaning. They replaced the normal wear parts (springs, sear, etc). The barrel is back bored and has the long taper forcing cones. It has an adjustable buttplate to customize the fit to you.

Beretta's are known for durability. 50,000 rounds is not uncommon, more if you properly maintain them and let Cole's service them ($150) once every 4 or 5 years.

shogan191 · November 26, 2010, 10:48 PM

Download the CDNN pdf#4 and take a look at the Winchester 101 o/u.

$999.99 and should do everything you want. This particular one is an excellent quality gun. Should be good for trap/skeet/sporting clays. changeable chokes and is within your price range. If you were planning to spend over $1800 I would have suggested the Beretta 686. If you're planning to spend $1500.00 then I suggest a used Beretta which can be found in the 1200.00 to $1500.00 range.

Remember you don't want to buy your final gun right out of the shoot because it's a lot of fun looking.

zippy13 · November 27, 2010, 03:00 AM

shogan191,

Did you get one of the new W-101's? I'm curious, the new FN Winchesters seemed like a sleeper deal at it MSRP, if they're all the catalog makes it seem to be. I've only heard one report here at TFL, and they felt the finish was rougher than they'd expected.

At $999.99 it seems like a super deal IF it fits you properly. The stock appears to have a lot of drop for use as a sporting gun.

A/C Guy · November 27, 2010, 05:46 PM

None of the new Winchesters are going to be as well finished as the B guns. The most noticeable being the smoothness in breaking open the action and closing it again. It may not seem a big deal in the store, but in the field it is a huge deal. The biggest complaint heard about the lesser quality guns is how hard they are to open, reload, then close. After a round of skeet, they get tighter with the dirt and grime. Many get a little looser after several hundred or thousand rounds, but they never compare to the B guns. The better guns open so smoothly and close easily and tight with no slop or stickiness.

No one ever regrets buying a Beretta or Browning; or any of the higher grade guns. Buy once, cry once. That is cheaper than buying cheap then buying again later.

November 8, 2010, 02:09 PM	#27
RoscoeC Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2006 Location: DFW Metromess Posts: 562	Of the ones you mention for me it would be the White Onyx. I am just not a fan of the Citori. It feels clumsy to me. The Franchi is light. That is not your friend when shooting hundreds of rounds a day. But, hey, that is just me. Clearly the Citori is the choice of many many shooters, and I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the Franchi. They have a reputation for making good shotguns. Bottom line is what is right for me may not be right for you, or BigJimP or Zippy13 or Dave McC or whoever. You have to decide what fits and feels best for you. BTW, welcome to the madness. __________________ “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." --Helen Keller "Do not cry havoc when you should but hunt with modest warrant." --William Shakespeare Glock Certified Armorer NRA Life Member

November 8, 2010, 02:38 PM	#28
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,061	Skeet and Trap dosn't have to be an expensive sport. You can do both with a lot less then your $1500 budget. I use to do a lot of skeet & trap shooting. I wasn't making a lot of money at the time and the guy who got me started did it at a budget anyone can afford. I had a Remington 870. I bought two barrels, a skeet and trap barrel. I then bought a Trap stock ( the field stock worked for skeet). I had a gun I could shoot both, I bought a Mec 600 Jr (which I still have). Now I will admit, I started getting carried away and ended up with fancy expensive guns, but went back to my 870. I did end up with a 4 gun set, meaning 12, 20, 28, &410. I used the 12 in trap as well as skeet by simply changing the barrel and stock. You can get a 870, with the second barrel and stock, and be well on the way, saving the rest of your money for shot and powder. Another way I saved money was picking up fired wads. I'd wash and dry them in the washer and dryer. Made some good practice wads. Also bought reclaimed shot saving my good shot for skeet or trap shoots. Just a hint, I did a lot of shooting in the snow, so watch your hulls. You can wash them, but don't dry them in the oven. You could screw up and set the heat too high and AA shells melted in wifes oven will get you eating at McDonalds for a long time. __________________ Kraig Stuart CPT USAR Ret USAMU Sniper School Distinguished Rifle Badge 1071

November 8, 2010, 05:58 PM	#30
zildjiandevil Member Join Date: September 6, 2010 Posts: 32	wow thank you everyone for all your posts, i love reading them, and they are super informative to me! well like i said before, my uncle was the one who got me into shooting clays with his 12 gauge, and 20 gauge shotguns.. but i was so young i didn't understand different styles of guns like the pump, semi auto, over under, etc.... anyway, i just recently spoke with my uncle, and i told him i was interested in purchasing a shotgun for skeet shooting and all, and he instantly said "get and side by side." are side by side shotguns good for shooting skeet? is there any pros or cons with using a side by side compared to a semi or an over under? im going out with my uncle this weekend, because he wants to take me up to a nice gun shop up his way so i can feel as many shotguns as possible out.. i just am not sure if i want a over under, semi auto, and now a side by side??? any help would be great, Thank You guys again! __________________ Springfield XDM 9mm, Smith & Wesson 617 .22lr CZ 452 American .22lr w/ Leupold 3-9x32mm EFR, Henry Golden Boy .22lr, Kimber Custom II .45 ACP Glock 19

November 8, 2010, 07:11 PM	#31
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Side by Sides ( SXS's) are not seen much on any clay target field. Your sight picture changes when you're shooting a SXS - as opposed to a stacked barrel like an O/U. O/U's are by far the dominant gun on Skeet, Trap and Sporting Clays fields ....and have been for many years. The trend today / on competition Skeet or even casual Skeet guns is O/U's with 30" barrels - and often with a gross weight of around 8 - 8 1/2 lbs. 28" barrels are ok today too / but the trend yrs ago was for 26" barrels and you won't see anyone under 60 yrs old / shooting 24" or 26" barrels anymore either. You should take some guidance from your uncle / especially since he wants to take you around to some gun shops / and spend some time at your local club too - talk to some of the better shooters - see what they're shooting / would they buy the same gun again / get some pros and cons. Personally, my primary gun for Skeet, Sporting Clays and bird hunting - is a Browning Citori, XS Skeet model, with an adj comb built in. It has a lot of adjustment / and that model of Browning Citori will fit 99% of the shooters out there. Its a lot of gun for the money / not a real high end competition gun / but a very serviceable gun that will last 2 or 3 generations and easily for 100,000 shells or more before any rebuild is necessary. http://www.browning.com/products/cat...-comb-firearms I have that same gun in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 / all in 30" barrels ( with my 28ga and .410's built on the 20ga receiver ). Not the best way to go for a serious competitor that wants to shoot exactly the same gun, same balance, etc in all 4 gagues / but it suits me - and I like to have the stand alone guns. http://thefiringline.com/forums/atta...9&d=1281543688 New, this model sells for around $ 2,750 - $ 3,000 and there are a few of them around used from $ 2,000 - $ 2,500 / but its a gun that will last a long time / and if you take care of it - will have a lot of re-sale value down the road. Its a very versatile gun.. Last edited by BigJimP; November 8, 2010 at 07:17 PM.

November 8, 2010, 01:17 PM	#26
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	For durability - the Browing or the Beretta will both be good choices. Personally, I would choose the Browning. But your choice needs to be based on "Fit" - not who made the gun.

November 8, 2010, 04:46 PM	#29
S_Constitutionist Senior Member Join Date: April 21, 2009 Posts: 325	I wholeheartedly agree with Kraigwy. Many of us get too carried away when we find something new and jump right in only to find out we werent going to use it so much afterall... Who has a bunch of ski equipment in their attic they used twice? My point is, buy a cheap used gun... I started shooting trap and 5 stand about 4 years ago and went through the same thing you are. I happened upon an old beat up 12G 870 in a pawn shop for $150. It doesnt impress many people, but it seems to shoot 25's just as well as the guy next to me with a K-Gun. A used Remington 1100 autoloader, for instance, would serve well IMO. I can now shoot skeet and doubles on five stand without a problem with the pump, as well- just like anything else, it takes practice. Of course quality guns are nice. I've been saving for a Cynergy for quite some time now.... but, it was only after I decided to spend a year or two shooting several times a month that I decided that it would be worth it. Just my .02 Also, unless you have an injury or are VERY recoil sensitive I would go for the 12G. If you roll your own you can make a 12G do everything a 20G can, but the same is not true vice versa.

November 8, 2010, 07:17 PM	#32
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	The flip side to buying a used cheap gun by buying a nice higher-end gun is that you can always sell it for at least what you pay for it.......and if you stay with it, you'll be shooting a nice quality gun and not needing to constantly upgrade from one "almost good enough gun" to another

November 8, 2010, 08:03 PM	#33
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Z, I've seen only one serious SxS on a Skeet field, It was in the hands of an elite level shooter. He had a beautiful Winchester Model-21, and, IIRC, it was fitted with a set of Briley Skeet tubes and chokes and a Shiozaki Air Cushion stock. He didn't start messing around with the Model-21 until well after he'd mastered Skeet. The M-21 was his reward for shooting his second or third 400x400 (a 100-straight in all four guns in the same tournament). You might get away with a SxS in Skeet, but it trap, with the rising target, it would be totally counterproductive -- trap shooters go out of their way to narrow the guns obstruction of the target. You can tell your uncle you'll get a SxS after you get your first 400x400. Cap'n Kraig, IMHO, recommending an 870 to a new Skeet shooter is akin to suggesting an 03 Springfield to someone thinking he wants to get serious and start shooting service rifle. The new Skeet shooter has enough to learn without having to worry about shucking the cob at doubles. I've seen a few new shooter, with definite potential, give up because the other new shooters (with their autoloaders and O/Us) were progressing at a better pace. The steep early progress curve flattens sooner with a pump.

November 26, 2010, 10:48 PM	#35
shogan191 Member Join Date: July 28, 2010 Posts: 27	Download the CDNN pdf#4 and take a look at the Winchester 101 o/u. $999.99 and should do everything you want. This particular one is an excellent quality gun. Should be good for trap/skeet/sporting clays. changeable chokes and is within your price range. If you were planning to spend over $1800 I would have suggested the Beretta 686. If you're planning to spend $1500.00 then I suggest a used Beretta which can be found in the 1200.00 to $1500.00 range. Remember you don't want to buy your final gun right out of the shoot because it's a lot of fun looking.

November 27, 2010, 03:00 AM	#36
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	shogan191, Did you get one of the new W-101's? I'm curious, the new FN Winchesters seemed like a sleeper deal at it MSRP, if they're all the catalog makes it seem to be. I've only heard one report here at TFL, and they felt the finish was rougher than they'd expected. At $999.99 it seems like a super deal IF it fits you properly. The stock appears to have a lot of drop for use as a sporting gun.

November 27, 2010, 05:46 PM	#37
A/C Guy Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2007 Location: Apache Junction, Az Posts: 308	None of the new Winchesters are going to be as well finished as the B guns. The most noticeable being the smoothness in breaking open the action and closing it again. It may not seem a big deal in the store, but in the field it is a huge deal. The biggest complaint heard about the lesser quality guns is how hard they are to open, reload, then close. After a round of skeet, they get tighter with the dirt and grime. Many get a little looser after several hundred or thousand rounds, but they never compare to the B guns. The better guns open so smoothly and close easily and tight with no slop or stickiness. No one ever regrets buying a Beretta or Browning; or any of the higher grade guns. Buy once, cry once. That is cheaper than buying cheap then buying again later.