Skeet Shooting

[Executive]

I went to the range today to shoot my pistols and was invited to go over to the skeet range. After shooting skeet for the first time, I have to say its really fun. I asked the guys at the skeet range what type of shotgun I might consider as a new shooter, and immediately everyone had a gun they wanted to sell me. SO, can you guys point me in the right direction as to what type of gun, where to buy, and what else I might need to continue shooting?

Chris

 

[jshooter]

If you are on a budget you may want to look into a Remington 1100, they can be found for cheap money and are great guns. However I am very partial to my Beretta 390's. A bit more expensive (2 or 300 hundred more) than an 1100 but a far nicer shotgun. I own 2, a 12 and a 20 Ga and have put at least 60,000 rounds through the 12 Ga and half that through the 20 with little or no trouble. Once just to see how long it would function I put around 3,000 rounds through it without cleaning it, I finally did because duck season was coming up and I didn't want a malfunction in the boat. Also the stock is adjustable for cast and drop which will mean a better fitting gun and less lost targets and lee felt recoil. My 2 cents, good luck.

 

[03roushs1]

I liked the Remington 1100 when I first started shooting skeet. I then upgraded to a Benelli Super Black Eagle, and have not looked back.

 

[dreppucci007]

Skeet shooting is SO much fun! When I used to do it, I used a Beretta 391 12 gauge. I loved that thing...Needed the $$$ at the time and sold it.

 

[firtree]

IMHO,

If you're shooting skeet to be competitive at skeet you'll probably
want a double of some sort. If, however, you are using skeet just
for fun and as practice for hunting, shoot with whatever you will
be hunting with. I will often shoot with a single shot, because that's
waht I want to practice with. Of course, I can only do that with friends.


F

 

[LORD of WAR]

christos...youve gotten bitten by the bug...same thing happened to me...before i knew it i was at the skeet range 3 times a week shooting off about 300-400 rounds each day...you can use ANYTHING for skeet...when i first started i didnt have an autoloader so i used my 12 gauge benelli pump with a 28" barrel...its not easy to shoot doubles with but its fun...you learn how to rack that slide like an animal...after getting tired of a pump action i got a 12 gauge remington 11-87 auto loader...which i sold on here last month...great gun...very little recoil...hardly needed to be cleaned due to the unique gas system it had...unfortunately...it chucked the hulls about a mile away and i got tired of chasing them around after each outing so i went to a verona lx500 over under in 20 gauge...recoil is much more manageable...and i love the feel of the o/u...points much more naturally and is better weighted than any autoloader i've shot...plus...it has extractors...so the shells just pop out and i throw em in my pocket once theyre spent...veronas are GREAT guns for the money...they look similar to the more expensive o/us and perform just as well...i know everyone has their opinion...but i dont think i'd shoot anything else but an o/u for skeet...my .2 cents

 

[Tweed]

I shoot skeet with my 391 trap gun as well. It's a blast. Yet I hate having to chase down my hulls afterwards. If I get serious about it I would have to get a double barrel.

 

[38supermatt]

what type of gun, where to buy, and what else I might need to continue shooting?

Chris

Type?
You want a gun that fits you right
You want a gun with interchangeable chokes or skeet or cylinder bore.
you want to try out a bunch of different ones before you buy one. Sounds like you have a bunch of guys willing to sell guns to you, ask them if you can try it to shoot a few rounds with. That way you'll know how that type of gun feels to you.
Watch the good shooters, see what they are shooting.
For skeet, you'll probably see a large mix of the following:
Autos: Beretta 390s/391s, Remington 1100s
Over Unders: Brownings, Beretta 682s, and probably K80s
How much you want to spend?
That's important
You can get the basic remington 1100s used in decent condition for 300 or less, often
The decent over unders will usually start at around 800 (if you're patient and willing to wait) for a used Browning, and can go way up.
Where to buy? you might find a deal at that club.
Otherwise, you should look on line. Skeet guns generally aren't stocked in abundance at gun stores in these parts.
And don't get fooled into thinking all over unders are the same. You'll make a big mistake that way.
What else you need?
you'll probably want to reload, unless you're going to shoot maybe 100 rounds every time, because you can really take a pounding shooting loads like the federal or remington value pack 1 1/8 ounce loads

 

[Dan S]

Matt's recommendations are right on the money. He's very experienced with shotguns. He's also right about over unders not being the same, even from the same manufacturer. I have 2 Brownings, a 12 ga model 325 and a 20 ga 525 Sporting. For some reason, the "numbered" Browning models just seem to fit me better than the others such as the XT sporting, slight difference in the stock dimensions.

 

[jshooter]

38supermatt said you may want to reload, it surely is very economical but look around for Estate shells. They are very inexpensive and pattern very well. For the cost of a case of Estates if you consider your time at the reloading bench it won't be worth it. I just bought 3 cases of 20 Ga for just over 100 bucks, as soon as my components are gone me Mec 9000 will get very dusty. The price of lead is going up every time I look at the club order (doubled in 6 years) and primers were hard to get as well. Again my 2 cents

 

[Martlet]

38supermatt said you may want to reload, it surely is very economical but look around for Estate shells. They are very inexpensive and pattern very well. For the cost of a case of Estates if you consider your time at the reloading bench it won't be worth it. I just bought 3 cases of 20 Ga for just over 100 bucks, as soon as my components are gone me Mec 9000 will get very dusty. The price of lead is going up every time I look at the club order (doubled in 6 years) and primers were hard to get as well. Again my 2 cents

Can you shoot reloads at the range? MRA makes you buy the shells there to ensure you aren't using lead.

 

[jshooter]

Martlet, All of the sporting clays courses I have shot at allowed reloads. Old Colony, Plymouth R&G, Independant, Addeiville, etc. all of them allow reloads. But I am sure every club has their own rules, some clubs are going to steel shot only and of course there are shot size restrictions (7 1/2 being the largest).

 

[GTOShootr]

Of course, try a bunch before you buy. I went with the Beretta 391, but don't get out to the skeet fields much (I'm afraid of someone throwing a hull at me and chipping my stock [sad2]).

Anyway, I bought mine at Northeast Trading but happened to see them at a the lowest price I've seen at Dick's. Not all of the stores have them, I saw one recently at the mall in Taunton (Silver City?, I get it confused with the Emerald one).

 

[Dirtypacman]

I went with Xtrema2 from Beretta (a bit much for someone just getting into it myself but did not want to make a second purchase)

Highly recommended by me

 

[dreppucci007]

I went with Xtrema2 from Beretta (a bit much for someone just getting into it myself but did not want to make a second purchase)

Highly recommended by me

I saw a video about this new Xtrema2...Looks awesome! I'll see if I can dig it up and post it.

 

[dreppucci007]

Here's the video:

http://www.mysharefile.com/v/1844240/c_m_smovie_anunusualgun1_6_06.wmv.html

 

[Adam_MA]

That's some nice shooting!

Fast action there too!

 

[38supermatt]

38supermatt said you may want to reload, it surely is very economical but look around for Estate shells. They are very inexpensive and pattern very well. For the cost of a case of Estates if you consider your time at the reloading bench it won't be worth it. I just bought 3 cases of 20 Ga for just over 100 bucks, as soon as my components are gone me Mec 9000 will get very dusty. The price of lead is going up every time I look at the club order (doubled in 6 years) and primers were hard to get as well. Again my 2 cents

Estates are the best value for someone looking to get into the sport and hasn't decided if they want to stay and reload.
If your club orders from a location like Beikerch, you ought to be able to get cases of estates, 10 boxes to a case, for 35.00 - 37.50

The price of lead has become absolutely ridiculous, and if you are looking to shoot something like 1 1/8 ounce 12ga, you're better off buying the estates.

But if you're looking to tailor a light load to your preference, you need to reload. Which you can do extremely cheaply.
I believe I'm reloading a box of 12 ga ammo for just under $2.25, which does make a difference quickly, since I reguarly shoot a case saturday, a case sunday, and 4-6 rounds on wednesday nights. I know, i'm slacking on Wednesdays, but it isn't bright enough late at night, and I can't leave work early because someone has to pay for all that ammo.

the cheap reload components I'm using are as follows:
keg of promo powder $78/8lbs
bag of shot $20
Nobel Sport primers 82.25/5000
Claybuster winchester 7/8ounce clone wads $65/5000
Only loading 3/4 ounce in the 12 ga gets you 533 rounds per bag of shot. This load works great in an over under.

I always disagree with the statement that reloading isn't worth your time if you factor that in. Because way I see it, no one is paying me for that time anyway. Not like I'm going to go out and work at Cumberland Farms for the hour or so i'll spend at a reloading machine. Since no one is paying me when I'm not working, my time has no value. But it doesn't take long to load a case of ammo on a dillon sl900. Takes me almost as long to put them all nicely arranged in boxes of 25 as it does to load em.

if lead goes up much more, I'll see how many targets I can break with all those used primers I have. Probably break em all on station 8

But i've gotten off topic here, this was what kind of shotgun to get. So i'll stop now.

oh, and Steve, you know how to hurt a guy don't you?
See, thats why I can't have nice things.

 

[LORD of WAR]

xtrema2 is next on my list of "practical guns to get"...until then im too busy buying impractical guns i dont need but look cool as hell...that video impressed the hell out of me when i saw it awhile back...i had the money saved up to get one but had to get an ar-15 instead...not a fan of autochuckers anymore but that thing just looks so fun shoot