Need some guidance/advice on a 12 gauge Shotgun.

[JD0x0]

If you don't mind a quality made gun from the Czech Republic, the CZ 712 semi auto runs around $500 or less, new, can cycle 3'' and 2 3/4'' shells, and has a chrome lined bore. I don't see much better bang for your buck than that, unless you get a good deal on something used.

I don't think there metals are any good come out of japan

Actually, Japan is known for having some of the best steel in the world. In fact I think we get a pretty large percentage of our steel, from Japan, here in the US. Do you have any reason for not wanting foreign made firearms? Is it just to support our economy, or do you believe the U.S. makes everything better, including firearms?

[BigJimP]

We all have budgets ....so I understand.

But remember, in the long run, if you shoot a lot of clays --- the gun will be the cheapest part of the investment...( at my club 25 targets is about $7 / a box of shells is $ 6 -- plus tax so its about $15 for each round of skeet...times 4 in a typical day = $ 60....

So for most of us, that means about $3,000 a year just in shells and targets...

So even $ 1,500 - $ 3,000 for a shotgun you love ...that you might shoot for 30 yrs ...really isn't that big an investment....
---------------
Go to your local clays club ....there are usually dozens of used guns for sale...often very good guns. Many of us have guns we don't even advertise for sale...but if someone asked or said they were looking for something ...we might sell it..../ go out and ask around....or post a note, that you're looking for something...

[tynman]

JD0x0 I like the cz 912 a little better then the cz 712.
Im not against foreign weapons Im just not a fan of Japan or China. If you remember back years ago in the early 70's and 80's there cars engines would run for ever but there bodies and frames rotted away before you hit 75,000 miles so the USA had to go and teach them how to make there metals from rotting away. Now they build a hell of a car. But that was a car now just think how much they care about a barrel. So that has left a bad taste in my mouth and I just wont go that (japan and china) way with my guns.

And yes I try to support the good old US of A when I can. I do construction on a part time job and I try my hardest to use made in the USA products. I go as far as try to buy most of my tools that are made here but that is getting harder and harder every day.

BigJimP I understand your numbers and costs for the year. My biggest thing is I have only did skeet shooting once in my life I liked it but not enough to do it a bunch of times a year (mainly due to me not having time). This shotgun would only be used for skeet shooting once a year and maybe only this year.
I wish I had the time and that kind of money to do skeet and all the other things I use to enjoy before kids. But now feeding them and doing everything I can for them comes first.

Last year I had saved some money for a new pistol I fell in love with a sig P220 super match, no one had it so I put an order in for one. I was told it should be in with in 2 or 3 months well the cash didn't make the 3 months and the pistol didn't come in either. Well now I get the call that the pistol is set to ship sometime in march so now I have to come up with $1200 so that is part of the reason I cant go so high on the shotgun. If I do a $500 shotgun and the P220 I will need $1700 with in a months time... That will be hard enough never mind $2200 or more.

[dbc3]

Ill bet you can find a nice used 1100 in the $400-$600 range.

[Romulus]

I don't think there metals are any good come out of japan...

Japanese metallurgy is first rate. Even Chinese, even Indian, and even Arab steel from Gulf nations. It's all a matter of specifying the correct steel for the particular application.

[eastbank]

a good used rem 870-1100-1187 can be found for a very good price as i have bought them,if you can take your time and look they will pop up sooner or later. on a browning it pays to look them over,the locking lugs for sure. tho i never have seen a browning with bad locking lugs,some worn but not worn out and they can be rebuilt. i would buy a well used browning if the price was right and have it rebuilt. i own three browning right now and am trying to buy a browning trap grade with 32" barrels,ported,adjustable comb and adjustable recoil reducing butt pad. i have made a offer and am waiting for a answer right now. what ever you get shoot it and enjoy the clay games. eastbank.

[pete2]

The Remington 1100 gun is one to look for. A used one is still pretty reasonable, especially the fixed choke ones. I bought a real nice one a few years ago for 300.00, it was modified choke, I had it reamed to Improved Cylinder, it's a heck of a skeet gun and really good on doves too. Walnut stock, blue steel, made in USA.

[joe45c]

Whew, just had to check my safe to see if my Japanese A-5 hadn't rusted away, and all that would be left would be the stock and forearm on the floor. Luckely everything is fine, because I'm shooting clays this weekend.

[340 Weatherby]

Tynman, I'm not sure where to start. Lets start with the Japanese Brownings. I've been cursed to live here in Southern California my whole life. But one observation that I have made is when you go down to the scrap metal places on Terminal Island, you see lots of Fords and Chevy parts being loaded on Japanese ships. Throw in some old Maytag and Kenmore washing machines and you have a pretty fair Idea of what the Japanese steel industry is all about, American Iron! The Japanese Browning guns that I own were purchased in the early Eighties. All of those guns still work absolutely trouble free. Without even a hiccup along the way. Now to compare that to an autoloader made in a cave somewhere by muslims? I don't know what to say. My advice would be to look at the more affordable Beretta autos that are out now. They seem to live a long time and they point really well also. I look at guns as a long term investment and really try to wait to get what I really want, even if I have to wait another year to get it. A stopgap would be to get another Mossberg 500 field gun with screw-in choketubes as those are very reasonable.

[tynman]

340 As you said about the scrap yard but just think about what you said fords and Chevy's. Those are just American names... Just go kick a fender of a 2010 car made from any where see what you can do to it. Then go to the junk yard a kick a fender of a 1971 ford LTD or a chevy Camaro Ill bet your foot will hurt before you make any damage. But again this is just how I feel. I drive a Toyota they make great trucks now. I just don't feel japan or china really care or have quality control on what comes out of there factories. Just look at simple things in your home and see how long it lasts. My guess is that china and japan have to pump out high numbers of what ever they are making to make good money which leads to mistakes or over looking things that might not get by a smaller company.

But you enjoy what you have. Cause I know I will enjoy what I have..

[tynman]

Well I went with a Huglu/TR Imports Sporter. SPTR30

http://www.trimports.com/products/si...gle-semiautos/

Its made in Turkey by a company called Altobelli.
Got it from Dicks out the door for $349. Plus NICs $15.
It looks good and Im going to shoot it tomorrow.

[Polglock]

1100 or any beretta or for no gas piston cleaning an older browning a5 would be good.

[BoogieMan]

Japanese barrels are easily some of the best ever produced. Dont confuse Japanese products with products from other Asian nations. The Japanese also make the finest Machine Tools in the world, nothing from Europe or US can compare.

[08-105th]

If you haven't bought it check this review thread. I picked mine up on 3/17/14.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=250848

[TDL]

I am fairly new to skeet myself. I had done a lot of research and fired several guns at my local range.

I had decided absolutely on a Benelli Montefeltro. I fired it several times at the range with a pal who has one.The thing felt and pointed great. It is about 900 if you look around.

The thing is with my pal telling me I was shouldering it correct I was getting a pretty bad ache firing 50 to 100 shells. Skeet is not like hunting. You fire a fair amount in a session.

So I bought some extra light loads. The perfect condition, perfect maintained, action smooth as butter benelli failed to properly cycle about one out of three. My pal was shocked but he had never used extra light
7/8ths 9 shot rounds in it.

That day I guy was there with a Baretta a300. This is baretta's US made bottom of the line auto. It did not look as beautiful as the benelli, nor feel as svelte light and pointable, action felt grittier, but it fired the light loads without a hiccup.

Moreover when I compared normal target loads between the two, the baretta a300 had quite noticeably lower recoil. I mean quite significant.

The fact that I am 50 and don't want to kill my shoulder, and my wife is small framed and I would like her to enjoy it too made me go with the baretta 300. We are both having fun with it. My shoulder is a bit sore after 100 rounds, but I know with a pump or initial it would be worse

Your considerations may be different. If I was 25 I would have gotten the benelli. As far as price, yes you can go with a pump, but I would say do that if you already own or want a pump for other reasons. Spending 700 (baretta) or 900 benelli is not really much for getting a semi auto which IMHO is more enjoyable with skeet.


My advice:
- consider recoil. even if you learn to shoulder perfectly, gas is definitely way less recoil than inertial. On top of that, gas seems to work better with lighter commercial target rounds.
- maintainance. The gas seems to be a bit more maintenance. I would not consider the takedown of the a300 to be a complete that bad, but it definitely gets fouled and is not as simple as other guns.

[droptrd]

Mossberg 835 is an awesome pump. Its all I use for hunting these days. and a day of skeet every now and then too. Swings and points really well for me. Fairly light. the Action is smooth as silk. And, it patterns better than any shotgun I own. I have a browning BPS pump 10ga to that is pretty sweet. A 12ga bps would serve you well