SA or Pump or over under for first clay shotgun?

[vmastro87 0]

My friends dad took me skeet/trap shooting And now I'm hooked so I figured I'd add a shotgun to my collection. Would you go with an o/u or a pump or SA? I noticed the pumps are a little bit cheaper which I found surprising, I would think more parts in a pump action. And what's a good price for a starter I don't need anything special?

Thanks as always

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

If its for clay shooting, you cant beat an O/U. Very easy to see if clear, you dont have the shells dumping on the ground/nearby shooters, 2 shots with no pumping needed, basic & robust, more compact and better balanced, and most importantly you can have two different chokes and select which you want to fire first.

 

There is nothing an O/U cannot do that a pump or auto can do as far as the clay sports go, unless you get involved in exhibition shooting.

[Melgamatic 66]

There are many sporting clays facilities that will only allow break-open guns, e.g., O/U. You cannot use a pump or SA.

 

For a one-shotgun person wanting to shoot some form of clay sports, you want an O/U. Later, you can buy the others (cheap!) and use them when possible.

[greatgunstatenj 32]

Not that we often hit them all but my friends and I will often throw multiple clays (2 on the thrower, 1 by hand thrower) and take more than 2 shots. So in that case, pump or SA. SA is easier to shoot, acquire next target, shoot, acquire, etc. I use a pump though and sometimes I hit all 3 and I haven't really done all that much skeet shooting. We just do it for fun though at WMA sites, not private clubs.

[axeman_g 128]

"sporting clays facilities that will only allow break-open guns"... and those places suck, are elitist and nit picking ninny's. I love the guys that get all bent that my SA might eject a shell onto the blue of their billion dollars guns.... jezzus it's a gun not a museum piece.

 

Get a Beretta 3901 from Walmart in PA or your LGS. It is a great starter gun and you can add a $10 shell catcher to precent any damage to your overly anal (redundant I know, trap shooters are notoriously anal) squad mate to your right.

[Socom 19]

id go with a Semi; O/U are for old farts

[vmastro87 0]

Lmao thanks guys

[Theron 5]

If you decide to go the SA route here is a link to a company that produces the shell catcher. In my experience it works really well when shooting singles. Doubles obviously are another story.

 

http://www.tandsshellcatcher.com/prod02.htm

 

They make them for many brands of shotguns.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

You can break clays just as well with an 870 (pump) or an 1100 (semi), main difference being the Semi will be easier on your shoulder compared to the 870. Either gun can be bought pretty reasonably. Skeet needs a shorter barrel, more open choke. Trap needs a longer barrel, tighter choke. Sporting clays for the most part are closer to Skeet than Trap.

 

Or, you can be an "old fart" like me and buy an O/U. Guess I'll take the old fart route though I'm not even 50 yet. The gun I use has an awesome (but expensive) recoil system built-into it. Shoots easier than my Semi by far. Can do 300 rounds a day without getting tired. Anyone that has shot this gun has loved it, but not the price tag.

[Socom 19]

You can break clays just as well with an 870 (pump) or an 1100 (semi), main difference being the Semi will be easier on your shoulder compared to the 870. Either gun can be bought pretty reasonably. Skeet needs a shorter barrel, more open choke. Trap needs a longer barrel, tighter choke. Sporting clays for the most part are closer to Skeet than Trap.

 

Or, you can be an "old fart" like me and buy an O/U. Guess I'll take the old fart route though I'm not even 50 yet. The gun I use has an awesome (but expensive) recoil system built-into it. Shoots easier than my Semi by far. Can do 300 rounds a day without getting tired. Anyone that has shot this gun has loved it, but not the price tag.

 

 

It was a joke gringo i heard it on another forum so i used it lol! i like over/unders too

[Arbelest 29]

For informal clay/skeet shooting you sould be able to get away with a pump or semi-auto shotgun. If you get more advanced in trap/skeet and want to shoot competitively an over-under would be the better way to go. I myself am looking at getting a Remington 870 (pump) to shoot clays informally at WMA sites becuase they are free to shoot at as long as you have a hunting permit.

[Parker 213]

For the trap crowd, something completely different - a break-open semi-auto

http://www.ugb25xcel...spx?m=53&did=47

 

 

[Arbelest 29]

That looks very nice.

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Pretty sharp looking shottie..

[Parker 213]

That looks very nice.

 

Pretty sharp looking shottie..

 

I think it's rather unique, although the circles I travel in I've yet to see one on the range. (Most of the fellows in my trap league are good ol' boys from upstate and the O/U rules there, and it's usually a Superposed Broadway model or sometimes a BT-99.) I found this on the G&H site for sale. Princely sum at $4,025.

[Jersey Joe 4]

"sporting clays facilities that will only allow break-open guns"... and those places suck, are elitist and nit picking ninny's. I love the guys that get all bent that my SA might eject a shell onto the blue of their billion dollars guns.... jezzus it's a gun not a museum piece.

 

It's really about safety. It's much easier to confirm an empty chamber on break open guns.

 

There are some fun shoots that are called Three Bird. Name says it all, instead of doubles, they throw triples. There are only a few of those per year though.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

It was a joke gringo i heard it on another forum so i used it lol! i like over/unders too

 

I wasn't taking it personally, I know it's a joke. But.............There is a LOT of truth in it too. Most of the older fogeys do shoot O/U's and for good reason, they know better! The place they shine is Sporting Clays where you can run two different chokes.

 

I have seen O/U's that have a weight put into the upper barrel to help with recoil and change the balance of the gun. I have also seen O'U's with the upper barrel removed and a really high rib installed. These are the higher-end Trap guns. I'm not that serious about it.

[Rifleman1 32]

My friends dad took me skeet/trap shooting And now I'm hooked so I figured I'd add a shotgun to my collection. Would you go with an o/u or a pump or SA? I noticed the pumps are a little bit cheaper which I found surprising, I would think more parts in a pump action. And what's a good price for a starter I don't need anything special?

Thanks as always

 

I did not want to have to buy multiples for different purposes so I opted for a pump that I could for home defense and for trap as well.

[Jersey Joe 4]

"The place they shine is Sporting Clays where you can run two different chokes."

 

While I agree in general, I would put Anthony Matarese Jr. and his Beretta 391 up against any shooter in the world regardless of action type. As they say, it's not the song, it's the singer.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

I have seen people use el-cheapo $250 pumps and break 23/24 clays shooting Trap. A good gun can only help an average shooter shoot better. A cheap gun isn't going to bother a good shooter, as long as it shoots consistantly, whether high, low, left, or right, they will figure it out very quickly.

 

My wifes 870 came with two barrels, one Mod and one Full, we use it for Sporting Clays and Trap. I could buy another used barrel for home defense if I wanted to. I don't mind buying extra shotguns, getting another one tomorrow night from a forum member. Gonna fill one safe just with shotties!

[Parker 213]

"The place they shine is Sporting Clays where you can run two different chokes."

 

While I agree in general, I would put Anthony Matarese Jr. and his Beretta 391 up against any shooter in the world regardless of action type. As they say, it's not the song, it's the singer.

Yep, Anthony likes his 391. Andy Duffy is seen often with one as well. George Digweed, an over & under man, has been been sponsored by and is shooting a Perazzi for the last few years. He holds 18 world titles. A gun that fits properly gives the shooter a definite edge. And there's no doubt that some fit and work better than others; but it's the shooter, not the gun.

 

I realize that every time I grouse hunt.

[NickySantoro 211]

id go with a Semi; O/U are for old farts

 

He just says this because arrogant little s**** don't know how to shoot.