Best shotgun for shooting clays

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fishblade2

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I just love shooting clay targets. I am getting better and before long will be shooting multiply clays in the air. I need a better shotgun and I was wondering what to look for. What are some of the best clay shooting shotguns that they make. Also what type of choke should I look for? Lastly is the type of choke or something that allows some of the clay shooters to load up to 12 shotshells in their gun? I am leaning towards a benelli supervinci but that seems more like a hunting gun. Don't know if it could be made into an awesome clay shooter or if it would be worth it..
 
Choke is constriction of the bore. Generally, the more choke, the tighter the pattern. The general progression from most open to tightest goes something like:

Cylinder
Skeet
Improved
Modified
Full

There's some in betweens too. But that's the usual list. Generally with clay games, the further out the range, the tighter the choke; skeet is shot with anywhere from cylinder to improved, trap tends to prefer improved or slightly tighter, and 5 stand/sporting clays may go with anywhere from a skeet choke to a modified (if a double barrel, the shooter might go with two different ones).

What kind of clays are you thinking about shooting? When you get into the nicer guns, there are some differences between them that can get important.

The most important part of picking out a shotgun for clay sports is the fit. Generally you see over/unders ruling the day, but there's a lot to be said for a decent semiauto. But if it doesn't fit you, you'll miss birds and wonder why you got nothing but air.

A good all around gun is the Browning Citori in one of its many incarnations, but again, it might not fit you well. So I'd recommend looking at semiautos or O/Us of decent quality that can handle some lighter loads (if you're shooting clay targets, you often want lighter loads so you can shoot more without fatigue; shooting standard 1 1/8 oz. target loads from a semiauto wears me out after 3 games, but I can shoot 7/8 light loads all day from my Citori). I'd look at Berettas, Brownings, Benellis, Remingtons (the 1100 is still a good clays gun, even if it's an old design). You can save money with a Stoeger or Mossberg or similar, but keep in mind that if you plan to shoot a lot you will likely grow frustrated with the cheap guns in rather short order.
 
+1 on what Technosavant said ...

No organized clays course - is going to let you load more than 2 shells at any one time !! So forget the 12 shell issue ....I don't know where you got that from??

Good clays guns ....
a. on a budget a good pump gun - $500 or so....
b. around $ 1,000 - $ 2,000 some good semi-autos ...Browning, Benelli, Beretta, etc ...have lots of options
c. $ 2,000 - $ 4,000 Browning and Beretta Over Unders..

My personal choice in a semi-auto would be the Benelli Super Sport in a 12ga with a 30" barrel / carbon fibre stock / Inertia system - with Comfort Tech recoil supression system. In my area its selling for around $ 1,875.

http://www.benelliusa.com/shotguns/benelli_supersport_and_sport_2.php

My personal choice in an O/U is a Browning Citori, XS Skeet model, 30" barrels with adj comb...list price is about $ 3,600 but its selling new for around $ 3,200.

http://www.browning.com/products/ca...tent=citori-xs-skeet-adjustable-comb-firearms

But in general - most any shotgun with a 28" or 30" barrel --- that will hold 2 shells -- is a good clays gun. Built in adjustability is a big plus / so the gun hits where you look. Don't get too hung up with what the mfg thinks is a "field" gun, vs a "sporting clays" or a "skeet" gun ....most any of them are fine. But these days you get what you pay for in terms of shotguns ...lots of issues on lower end guns ...but with companies like Browning, Beretta, Benelli - they all give you a lot of gun for the money! Have fun in your search.
 
Nope - Wendell Cherry ..for me ...since he's currently leading the Krieghoff All American points race ....( or any of the other big dogs in the top 25 ) .../ I see Bobby Fowler Jr is in the top 25 ( spending too much time teaching probably ) ....

..... or maybe Todd Bender.....
 
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I agree with the Benelli Super Sport in an auto. If you prefer a wood stock, the Sport II. Extremely reliable guns.
If you aren't sure whether a gun fits you well, ask an experienced shooter for help. You'll find the clays crowd very willing to help you.
 
I just started shooting Trap with my newly purchased Browning 525. I find it amazing that I can shoot 20-23 with my wifes Rem 870 or my Rem 1100 but only shoot 15-17 with the Browning. Really bummed about that. Guess I need more time with this gun. I bought the 870, 1100, another 1100 in 20 guage, and a Mossberg for less than I paid for that Browning......

But, on a positive note, it isn't the guns fault. I let another fellow use it for a round and he shot 23 of 25 and had never seen the gun before that round. I know the gun is capable, I know I am capable, now gotta get them both together!

Shooting clays is an addiction!:D
 
M4, it's almost certainly a fit issue. Time to pattern a bit and see if it's shooting where you're looking. The usual flagon of Mead says it isn't.
 
I suspect we've misinterpreted the OP's question. I think he's after a trick shooter's gun that he can use to toss up a bunch of clays and break them all before they hit the ground. Conventional target shooters know it takes a life time to master a gun that is capable of only two shots.
 
M4BGRINGO,

Just because it has two barrels and is 4-5 times more expensive, doesnt mean you will shoot it well. I keep looking at O/U's simply but cant justify replacing my 391. It fits and I shoot it well. Just wish it didnt throw my good hulls on the ground.
 
Maybe I'm just cheap, but I use a Stoeger 2000 for clays and love it. Not as fancy as the Benellis or Brownings, but it has some very nice features.
 
LSnSC, you are 100% correct. I did not think paying a lot for a gun would make me a better shooter. I bought this type of gun for Sporting Clays where we typically have one close and one far shot and wanted two different chokes for it.

I "cheated" one day and used two different guns. Did not do simultaneous pairs so I could switch between guns with two different setups. That worked just fine. That is the reason I wanted a 2 barrel gun.

I know the gun isn't the issue since a fellow shooter did 23 of 25 on his first try with the gun. It fits well, but I am so darn used to my Remmingtons I need time to get used to this gun now.

I call this gun my "Trophy Gun". Everyone loves it and wants to look at it, like a "Trophy Wife". And I feel just as silly using it since I stink with it and shoot really good with my $600 pump! Just like the 60 year old guys with the 30 year old wives.............. ;)
 
Picking a gun isn't about "how fancy" it is ....its about what fits / and what is its long term reliability.

M4 - a lot of shooters have issues with the Browning 525's / or 625's because of the amount of drop at the comb and heel ...they're beautiful guns ...but its time to get that thing to the pattern board and check your point of impact ( on both barrels ).

Putting a "jones pad" or some kind of adjustable butt plate on that gun might be all it takes to let you settle into it a little more / and bring those scores up where they belong. You might even need to go to some type of comb pad on that gun to bring the comb up a little bit...
 
I just started shooting Trap with my newly purchased Browning 525. I find it amazing that I can shoot 20-23 with my wifes Rem 870 or my Rem 1100 but only shoot 15-17 with the Browning. Really bummed about that. Guess I need more time with this gun. I bought the 870, 1100, another 1100 in 20 guage, and a Mossberg for less than I paid for that Browning......
Click to expand...

MB4Gringo. All I shoot is my 870 Express and am gettting to the point where I am breaking into the 20's and I am looking at getting a Browning O/U. A buddy that has been helping me pick a new gun out is telling me to expect it to take some time to get used to the O/U. It will come.
 
It will only come along ...." if it Fits" ....if it doesn't "fit" ....then it'll be a nightmare...

Shotguns do not come in one size fits all ..! It has to "fit" so it hits where you look ...or it will torture you / and it might beat the stuffing out of you...but yes, Klawman is right, the swing dynamics are also very different ( weight, overall length, rib height, length of pull, drop at comb and heel, forend is very different, how the trigger breaks, ..)....from your pump gun to the 525 ...
 
Beretta 391 fits most better than most. It also performs flawlessly. I swear by mine at the range and in the field.
 
I have some questions that are from another site I posted this question on. I wanted to ask some different people. What is the difference, if there is one, between a Skeet gun and a Sporting Clays gun? Also what is your opinions on winchester Sx3 and mossberg 930 spx? I've heard that over and under is the way to go but why is this? Do they give more choke options?
 
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