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Shotguns for Sporting Clays

I have never shot skeet or trap before. I have a chance to give it a try. The only shotgun I own is a Benelli 20g pump with a 24" barrel and screw in chokes. From reading the thread, I see that pump action shotguns may not be the best choice. But as a starter gun, does this work or should I borrow something else for the day?? What choke should I use?? In a general sense how many shells do you bring to a practice??

Thanks in advance for your help!!
 
Ive shot sporting clays, trap and a little skeet. You should bring a gun you can hit targets with. I personally like a semi 12g(fabarm xlr5). I shoot mod for trap and ic for almost everything else. I would probably bring a hundred shells.
 
Scott.

Your gun is fine.

Bring a few boxes of shells (you use 1 box of 25 for each round of trap or skeet), and your choke tubes.

When you get to the Club, tell the people running the place that you're new to the game. You'll be welcomed. Bring singles to pay for your rounds of trap or skeet, the cashier will love you for it.

Follow the suggestions of the Skeeters and Trapezoids regarding chokes.

For Trap, a 12 is "better", as it throws a bit more shot.
For Skeet, a non-pump is" better" for a newer shooter, because a fast second shot is good.

The above being said, my kid, who's a hell of a shot, started Trap with a 20; he shoots skeet with an 870.

As I said in my first line, you're fine with what you have.

When you get to the Club, it's likely that the more experienced shooters will loan you their toys to try.

Relax, there's [likely] no money riding on it - just listen to the people that have done it before, and have fun.
 
isaac said:
Ive shot sporting clays, trap and a little skeet. You should bring a gun you can hit targets with. I personally like a semi 12g(fabarm xlr5). I shoot mod for trap and ic for almost everything else. I would probably bring a hundred shells.
Click to expand...

MisterHappy said:
Scott.

Your gun is fine.

Bring a few boxes of shells (you use 1 box of 25 for each round of trap or skeet), and your choke tubes.

When you get to the Club, tell the people running the place that you're new to the game. You'll be welcomed. Bring singles to pay for your rounds of trap or skeet, the cashier will love you for it.

Follow the suggestions of the Skeeters and Trapezoids regarding chokes.

For Trap, a 12 is "better", as it throws a bit more shot.
For Skeet, a non-pump is" better" for a newer shooter, because a fast second shot is good.

The above being said, my kid, who's a hell of a shot, started Trap with a 20; he shoots skeet with an 870.

As I said in my first line, you're fine with what you have.

When you get to the Club, it's likely that the more experienced shooters will loan you their toys to try.

Relax, there's [likely] no money riding on it - just listen to the people that have done it before, and have fun.
Click to expand...



Thanks for all the info guys!! I am looking forward to giving this a try and I appreciate your help!!!
 
My father and I are both relatively new to sporting clays and trap.. we both tried using semi autos the first couple of rounds.. It can be done, but the shells were ejecting 5 feet away (easily solved with a shell catcher for $15)...
We finally took the plunge on over unders, the flow of the rounds seems smoother for us.. loading, wait turn, close action, shoot, open action, remove spent shell, wait again, load, close action, shoot, etc etc... it helped with our timing and pace.
 
I am totally new and haven't even shot a shotgun in over 30 years. So I will soon join a club and would like to get into the sport. Don't know if I will like skeet or trap more, and don't own any shotgun.

If I had an 870 pump I'd show up with it. But I probably won't hunt and need to buy something. $600 is probably as much as I want to spend now. I worry about recoil perhaps turning me off, so I was leaning towards an 11-87 or Beretta semi (the cheap one). What would you suggest for somebody with essentially no shotgun experience who doesn't know which games he will prefer ?
 
Falstaff,

Go to a local club, and say, "I want to shoot some clays.....please help me...." and there will likely be volunteers saying, "Use mine."

At least it's like that at my club.

If you post your general location, it's likely that invites will be forthcoming.

Like this: Feel free to come out on Sunday to Southborough Rod & Gun Club Southborough Rod & Gun Club for Trap 1-4 PM.

This way, you'll get to try before you buy, and have an idea of what to buy.
 
My father bought a Browning Citori 20/410 gauge (20 with the 410 tubes) when he got into skeet/trap shooting. Beautiful shotgun, but no idea if I'll ever use it. If anyone has a 20, or 410, shotgun, I have skeet loads that I'm looking to get rid of. Not looking to get $$ for them, just want them to be used up. I know he used #9 shot in them, but don't know the powder charge and such. I think we gave the reloading press away (or sold it) when we left FL after he passed away, at the end of 1996. Need to find out what the shotgun is actually worth at some point.
 
Golddiggie said:
My father bought a Browning Citori 20/410 gauge (20 with the 410 tubes) when he got into skeet/trap shooting. Beautiful shotgun, but no idea if I'll ever use it. If anyone has a 20, or 410, shotgun, I have skeet loads that I'm looking to get rid of. Not looking to get $$ for them, just want them to be used up. I know he used #9 shot in them, but don't know the powder charge and such. I think we gave the reloading press away (or sold it) when we left FL after he passed away, at the end of 1996. Need to find out what the shotgun is actually worth at some point.
Click to expand...

Citori's do really well value wise. Most older ones will sell for considerably more than what they cost new. A little research on Gunbroker should give you a feel for it's value. If you'd like some help with it send me a PM.
 
MisterHappy said:
Falstaff,

Go to a local club, and say, "I want to shoot some clays.....please help me...." and there will likely be volunteers saying, "Use mine."

At least it's like that at my club.

If you post your general location, it's likely that invites will be forthcoming.

Like this: Feel free to come out on Sunday to Southborough Rod & Gun Club Southborough Rod & Gun Club for Trap 1-4 PM.

This way, you'll get to try before you buy, and have an idea of what to buy.
Click to expand...

Thanks. And in a different thread I had a similar invite to come to Independent in Foxborough. Can't today, but will try to come for a public shoot at Independent soon, since I am considering joining.

Research so far makes me lean towards a Beretta A300.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
 
I'll put in my two nickles here (my 2 cents compensating for inflation).

EVERYONE and I mean everyone will recommend what is best, they will tell you it works for them, that the choke you should always use is..... Well you get where I am going. I back up Mr. Happy - the gun must fit you but most people do NOT know how to make a gun fit! Just because it works for them does not mean it fits them. They may compensate in some way that they don't know about and yes the gun shoots like they want it to but maybe not for you.

Take any shotgun, clamp it down and shoot 5 shells thru it on a patterning board set at 40 yards. The results will pretty much be statistically the same when it come to precision (not to be confused with accuracy). The accuracy is derived from your ability to mount the gun pretty much exactly the same way each time, and your ability to "steer" the firearm comfortably and precisely throughout your shot.

I shoot Southborough Rod and Gun Club (SRG) and am usually there Sundays 1-4 shooting trap and skeet. As Mr. Happy said just stop by, bring what you have if you have something and we'll give you some of that good 'ole home schoolin' if you so desire. We have secondary fields set up so we can work slowly if necessary without the pressure of being in an experienced squad. SRG is into safe fun with competition coming in the form of bustin chops betwixt the friendly members. If you choose skeet, they are just as understanding as the trap field and will instruct and toss clay as a single pace until you get the hang of it.

I now shall regress back to the original topic, bottom line is what ever works for you (fits) and meets your usage criteria. If your are intending on shooting 1000 rounds in a year, the gun can be way different that one intended to shoot 12 to 15 thousand a year. There are great guns out there at reasonable prices that have been mentioned within this topic. I suggest "try before you buy" whenever possible. The rem 870 has probably smashed more clay that any other shotgun. Lanbers and Baikels (both available thru Holliston Firearms), are great O/U's built like a tank with function in mind. I shoot a Browning Citori XT with adjustable comb, and that I have customized for me thru cutting the stock, adding wedges for optimal pitch, addition of an adjustable butt plate and Kick-Eez recoil pad. I mechanically "FIT" the gun to me. I also love shooting my SX-3 auto, and my "new" Ithaca model 37 pump! All guns are dramatically different but I modified or fit them to work for me. I am there for the fun and to lend a helping hand with the sport. As Mr. Happy would say "See you at the top of the hill, and bring a friend."

Gary
 
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I'm the Skeet director at the Springfield Sportsman, Feel free to drop in Sunday, Monday or Wednesday mornings. Shooting starts at 10a. Skeet, Sporting clays and 5 stand. Ask for Chris.
You can try my SKB.

imag0249s.jpg
 
Was actually looking at the Franchi Affinity. But Bass Pro only has the 20 gauge right now.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
 
Check out the Lanber 2097 Lux, they are available through CDNN investments. Approximate cost is $699. Includes 5 chokes . Great gun for the money.
 
20 PAWS said:
Check out the Lanber 2097 Lux, they are available through CDNN investments. Approximate cost is $699. Includes 5 chokes . Great gun for the money.
Click to expand...

I bought one of these. Some give it a bad review, I give it a GREAT review. Spent some money on it. Had a new pad put on it, and had the stock cut and put an adjustable comb on it. And I love it. Shoot it as well as my other higher priced "K" gun with the same "felt recoil". But it fits me now. Shotguns are about fit, more than anything else (well after you get past the reliabilty factor).

And yes mine shoots true to POA vs POI

Others I have read have not, but the 3 other guys I have convinced to buy have found them the same. Great gun for the money IMHO

No it's not a Perazzi or "B" gun.
 
There is an awesome sporting clays course in PA place called Nemacolin. It is part of a world class spa. There is a pro golf course there as well - great family vacation - wifey can relax in the spa and I shoot and play golf :) the sporting clays was awesome, you drive from station to station in golf carts and there are 2-3 level decks with 6+ launchers at each station. 35 stations, and if you don't want to bring you own arsenal - you can rent equipment. With a guide its really neat. I had my entire family there and the guide really taught us all quite a bit. The rental guns are $2000+ Brownings etc.

We rented a townhouse for like $1500 for a week - 3 bedrooms and I think we had 6 comfy there.

It is just South of Pittsburg, and I can't wait to go back
 
i use a mossberg 590 and browning maxus hunter on sporting clays and sometimes on skeet. more of a w/e works thing. there is a sizable difference between hiting 24 with a browning maxus and 18 on skeet with a 590 though
 
OTPentinmaki said:
As for O/U, I've come to like Lanber. They're not very common, but a great value gun if you can find one. I also will note the importance of having a shotgun that fits properly. If you have the opportunity, shoulder and shoot as many different guns as you can.
Click to expand...

Love my Lanber. Looking to sell mine as we speak but only because I don't need 2 sporting shotguns. Best o/u for the price by far
 
I use a browning sporting clays special edition. Get one or the new crossover target with an adjustable comb and you can play any game. You can adjust it to make it patten anywere you want.
 
I give 2 thumbs up for a Lanber. I have thousands of rounds through a Lanber 2097 Sporting, that I use primarily for skeet, but have shot sporting clays a with it at Addieville East and it crushed 'em. A very good option for a sub-$1000 gun.

I dream about the day I can pull the trigger on something that is tubed with all the calibers, but til then... love my Lanber.
 

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