any thoughts on a 20g O/U field gun... - Page 2

oneounceload · April 30, 2012, 05:09 PM

Depends on the targets where you shoot. I shoot at two different clubs - one is a Sk/IC type of course, the other is more of a IC/M or even a LM/IM course

Do yourself a favor and do NOT overthink it.

Here is Briley's take on it:

http://www.briley.com/2009/sportingclays.html

Anthony66 · April 30, 2012, 05:16 PM

question? Why couldn't you shoot IC/IC if both targets are about the same distance on most of the stations. That would seem to work, wouldn't it? IC is about all I shot in my Rem 1100...

BigJimP · April 30, 2012, 05:46 PM

If the length of pull is correct - as the gun is / no, I would not install a different recoil pad. Now if you have any soreness - that's a different issue...but any pad you install is going to increase the length of pull a little ..unless you cut the stock ( and I wouldn't recommend that ).

I don't know if the engraving is a copy of an older style or not ....but it doesn't matter ( it doesn't change the value ) and all of the engraving on this gun / and most of the Browning models made today( or since about 1998 or so ) are done by machine - and they're well done...but its not a big deal like it used to be 30 or 40 yrs ago...

I don't want to step on the choke discussion you're having with oneounce ...but choke selection is based on the range of the target at the kill range...( so you can put a 30" pattern on the target - at that range ) ....so I change my chokes accordingly station by station on a sporting clays course....but 90% of the time I tend to shoot Mod / Mod ....or IC / IC... but I tighten them up if I get an edge on target ....or I loosen them up a little ...if I get a belly presentation on a target. So it really depends.

The link he gave you to Briley ...gives you a good answer.

Remember in sporting clays....you may have one target at 20yds ....and one at 45 yds....( depends on how nasty the target setter feels that day ...) ...or it may change if you can shoot them on report ....or as a true pair ...especially if you have trees in the way ...that may affect the look you get on them as a true pair.../ you have to plan out your shot ..( and your chokes ) ...and on a sporting course (for 100 targets) ...I'll carry 125 shells with 1 oz of 8's, a box of 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2's and a box of 1 oz of 9's...( in 12ga ) ....so I can mix my shells up a little - based on the presentation.

But oneounce is right ...about not overthinking it too ....but after all, its about having fun !! So do what you want ...( sometimes I'll shoot my local sporting course with a 20ga ....sometimes even with a 28ga ...)...not for a tournament...but for fun ...

zippy13 · April 30, 2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Why couldn't you shoot IC/IC if both targets are about the same distance on most of the stations.

There's no reason you can't, all things being equal. I've shot many, many Skeet targets with the same choke in both barrels. As 1-oz noted, with trap and Skeet choke selection is pretty standard; but, with clays it's different. A major factor of the clays game is selecting the correct choke/s for the specific presentations. The Briley chart will give you a good starting point for choke selection until you get to know your new gun better.

Anthony66 · April 30, 2012, 06:16 PM

thanks guys, I really appreciate the expert help. I'll be shooting on Thursday, so I'll start out with the SK/IC combo. None of the targets are over 40 yards on this course. Really a neat place hidden in the woods and shady. Lots of flush type shots...

oneounceload · April 30, 2012, 06:24 PM

Quote:

question? Why couldn't you shoot IC/IC if both targets are about the same distance on most of the stations. That would seem to work, wouldn't it? IC is about all I shot in my Rem 1100...

Absolutely, I shot a sporting tourney this past Sunday - it would have been easily shot with IC/IC....personally, I start with a IC/LM combo, and I go from there - but that is just what I feel comfortable using

When I mean overthinking, I mean there isn't a lot of difference between a SK and a IC, so changing from one to another at a station when you should be watching the show pair and figuring out your attack approach.

Top pros like Jon Kruger feel you need one choke for close, one for medium, and one for far; some others just use a M/M approach and carry some spreader loads for a target in your face
You will develop what works best for you. My wife shoots a Beretta A400 -with their long Optima + hp chokes, the IC seems to work more like a LM and she rarely changes for anything

PoorRichRichard · April 30, 2012, 06:31 PM

Price is in my range. Looking at both the 12and 20. This would be my first O/U. What are the pros/cons of this gun? Any help would be appreciated.

zippy13 · April 30, 2012, 06:51 PM

PRR, I typically recommend a 12-ga for your first O/U. You have a lot more flexibility with the bigger bore. You'll probably use the gun for clays more than you'd think. The OP (Anthony66) is an example: Initially he wanted a 20-ga field gun because it would be used for hunting and some clays. Now, that he has the new O/U, all he's talking about is clays. I'm guessing he's going to be wanting a 12-ga target O/U, next.

I have no experience with the Silver Reserve, and any general comments about Mossbergs might be construed as elitism. As with any shotgun purchase, try to shoot as many O/Us as possible before you develop your short list. Mounting a gun at your LGS is just the first step in getting the feel of a new gun, there's no substitute for trigger time.

BigJimP · April 30, 2012, 06:55 PM

You'd be better off starting another thread Richard...

but I'll answer your question like this ....my buddy owns a used gunstore ( has about 300 shotguns in inventory, 200 rifles, 500 handguns...) ...at all price ranges ...$ 300 - $ 3,000 ...and the last time a young guy came in with a Mossberg O/U trying to trade it in on something ( it was pretty new - hadn't been shot much ) ...he told the guy he couldn't sell them at any price...and didn't want to insult him and just offer him $ 25 for it ...

They don't hold their value, metal workmanship is suspect, barrels may not shoot to the same point of impact....the few I've seen, get very loose in the action ...so I suspect the barrel to receiver connection is not well machined or is not very strong.

If you want a low cost O/U ...at least look at a gun like TriStar where they have a 5 yr warranty ( Cabelas and others sell them ) ....or maybe a good used gun ...like an SKB ....or even a Browning Citori ( but there are 28 models of the citori - so you need to know what you're looking at -especially in older models ), or a Beretta. Beretta and Browning have long given you a lot of gun for your money..../ you have to ask yourself why a Citori Lightning that sold new in 1988 for $ 750 ...with even 250,000 shells thru it today(24 yrs later), is still worth $ 1,000 - $ 1,250 on the used market ( its because its a solid gun / well made / not fancy - just well made ). And you have to wonder ...how can Mossberg sell that gun new for under $500...or whatever it is today ...

PoorRichRichard · April 30, 2012, 11:52 PM

Thanx for the advice guys. Much appreciated.

April 30, 2012, 06:31 PM	#32
PoorRichRichard Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2011 Location: San Berdoo Posts: 269	Mossburg Silver Reserve??? Price is in my range. Looking at both the 12and 20. This would be my first O/U. What are the pros/cons of this gun? Any help would be appreciated.

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April 30, 2012, 05:09 PM	#26
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	Depends on the targets where you shoot. I shoot at two different clubs - one is a Sk/IC type of course, the other is more of a IC/M or even a LM/IM course Do yourself a favor and do NOT overthink it. Here is Briley's take on it: http://www.briley.com/2009/sportingclays.html

April 30, 2012, 05:16 PM	#27
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	question? Why couldn't you shoot IC/IC if both targets are about the same distance on most of the stations. That would seem to work, wouldn't it? IC is about all I shot in my Rem 1100...

April 30, 2012, 05:46 PM	#28
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	If the length of pull is correct - as the gun is / no, I would not install a different recoil pad. Now if you have any soreness - that's a different issue...but any pad you install is going to increase the length of pull a little ..unless you cut the stock ( and I wouldn't recommend that ). I don't know if the engraving is a copy of an older style or not ....but it doesn't matter ( it doesn't change the value ) and all of the engraving on this gun / and most of the Browning models made today( or since about 1998 or so ) are done by machine - and they're well done...but its not a big deal like it used to be 30 or 40 yrs ago... I don't want to step on the choke discussion you're having with oneounce ...but choke selection is based on the range of the target at the kill range...( so you can put a 30" pattern on the target - at that range ) ....so I change my chokes accordingly station by station on a sporting clays course....but 90% of the time I tend to shoot Mod / Mod ....or IC / IC... but I tighten them up if I get an edge on target ....or I loosen them up a little ...if I get a belly presentation on a target. So it really depends. The link he gave you to Briley ...gives you a good answer. Remember in sporting clays....you may have one target at 20yds ....and one at 45 yds....( depends on how nasty the target setter feels that day ...) ...or it may change if you can shoot them on report ....or as a true pair ...especially if you have trees in the way ...that may affect the look you get on them as a true pair.../ you have to plan out your shot ..( and your chokes ) ...and on a sporting course (for 100 targets) ...I'll carry 125 shells with 1 oz of 8's, a box of 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2's and a box of 1 oz of 9's...( in 12ga ) ....so I can mix my shells up a little - based on the presentation. But oneounce is right ...about not overthinking it too ....but after all, its about having fun !! So do what you want ...( sometimes I'll shoot my local sporting course with a 20ga ....sometimes even with a 28ga ...)...not for a tournament...but for fun ...

April 30, 2012, 06:16 PM	#30
Anthony66 Junior member Join Date: April 16, 2012 Posts: 54	thanks guys, I really appreciate the expert help. I'll be shooting on Thursday, so I'll start out with the SK/IC combo. None of the targets are over 40 yards on this course. Really a neat place hidden in the woods and shady. Lots of flush type shots...

April 30, 2012, 06:51 PM	#33
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	PRR, I typically recommend a 12-ga for your first O/U. You have a lot more flexibility with the bigger bore. You'll probably use the gun for clays more than you'd think. The OP (Anthony66) is an example: Initially he wanted a 20-ga field gun because it would be used for hunting and some clays. Now, that he has the new O/U, all he's talking about is clays. I'm guessing he's going to be wanting a 12-ga target O/U, next. I have no experience with the Silver Reserve, and any general comments about Mossbergs might be construed as elitism. As with any shotgun purchase, try to shoot as many O/Us as possible before you develop your short list. Mounting a gun at your LGS is just the first step in getting the feel of a new gun, there's no substitute for trigger time.

April 30, 2012, 06:55 PM	#34
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	You'd be better off starting another thread Richard... but I'll answer your question like this ....my buddy owns a used gunstore ( has about 300 shotguns in inventory, 200 rifles, 500 handguns...) ...at all price ranges ...$ 300 - $ 3,000 ...and the last time a young guy came in with a Mossberg O/U trying to trade it in on something ( it was pretty new - hadn't been shot much ) ...he told the guy he couldn't sell them at any price...and didn't want to insult him and just offer him $ 25 for it ... They don't hold their value, metal workmanship is suspect, barrels may not shoot to the same point of impact....the few I've seen, get very loose in the action ...so I suspect the barrel to receiver connection is not well machined or is not very strong. If you want a low cost O/U ...at least look at a gun like TriStar where they have a 5 yr warranty ( Cabelas and others sell them ) ....or maybe a good used gun ...like an SKB ....or even a Browning Citori ( but there are 28 models of the citori - so you need to know what you're looking at -especially in older models ), or a Beretta. Beretta and Browning have long given you a lot of gun for your money..../ you have to ask yourself why a Citori Lightning that sold new in 1988 for $ 750 ...with even 250,000 shells thru it today(24 yrs later), is still worth $ 1,000 - $ 1,250 on the used market ( its because its a solid gun / well made / not fancy - just well made ). And you have to wonder ...how can Mossberg sell that gun new for under $500...or whatever it is today ...

April 30, 2012, 11:52 PM	#35
PoorRichRichard Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2011 Location: San Berdoo Posts: 269	Thanx for the advice guys. Much appreciated.