Entry-level skeet gun

B

Bill Bryant

New member
I've never been skeet shooting and just got invited. I've done my share of pheasant hunting and in general understand shotguns, but I'm really not a bird hunter or shotgun man. I have a Winchester 1300 Defender under the bed and am comfortable with its controls. I do not like the Benelli Nova pumps; too big in my hands.

What's a good entry-level skeet gun for me?
 
Any gun that fits you and you are comfortable swinging (and keeping swinging) on the target. Short barrels on a skeet gun, where there is a lot of swinging of the gun, can result in stopping your swing very easily. If you can keep your swing moving, you should be OK. A pump, while very workable, can be a slight detriment when shooting the doubles on stations 1,2,6,&7 as many folks tend to: 1) take their eye off the target, 2) pumping the action tends to pull the muzzle of the target flight line. If you can works yours without doing those things, you should be good to go.

If you decide this is something you really want to pursue, try a lot of different guns from semis to O/U to see what you like best and down the road save up and plan to get one
 
In "skeet" shooting ....there is only one person on the "shooting pad" at a time....so it isn't like every shooter out there needs their own gun.

It would be possible ...if your buddy is so inclined...he could let you borrow his or her gun ...and you could just offer to buy the ammo for the day or something.

and I second oneounces response....but to add a little ...most any shotgun with a 28" barrel is fine for skeet ...and 12ga or 20ga are fine...( a lot of us shoot skeet in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga and .410 ) ....but any decent pump gun or semi-auto shotgun will be fine..if it fits you ....until you decide if this game is something you like long term.

A pump gun ...like the Rem 870's are fine ..( they need to have screw in changeable chokes ) ...used, new ...whatever ...you'll find a lot of them around... Browning BPS is a good pump gun -- Hunter model in 28" is fine / ....there are a lot of semi-autos out there ..new and used ...Beretta, etc.../ ...

Long term - there is a lot to consider in terms of stock styles and dimensions..but I don't know that its too important right now for you to go down that path - until you decide if you like "Skeet" or some of the other clay target games....Trap, 5 Stand, Sporting Clays, etc....
 
Don't even think of getting a Skeet gun until you give it a try and decide you like the game. Borrowing or renting a gun makes a lot of sense. I rushed into getting a new gun when I first started and got a totally inappropriate one in my haste.

Jim's correct, one advantage of Skeet is you can easily share a gun -- it's very awkward in trap. With a break down in competition, it may be necessary to use a buddy's gun or be disqualified. I've seen a full squad of newbies share the same new 870 Express, with none of them really knowing what was going on. It reminded me of the circus when a crowd of clowns get out of a small car.

If you borrow a reloader's gun, ask him what brand of shells he uses, buy those for your use and give him your empties. With the price of ammo these days, you need not buy his shells (my friend Jim's a very generous guy).
 
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I started with a used Remington 1100 12 ga. and then when I found I enjoyed the sport, I had Briley( I worked around the corner from their shop ) shorten the barrell 2'' put double bead sights on it and port and choke it. It worked great even though it was a right handed gun and I'm left handed. I then bought a Browning Citori Lightning,but still found myself going back to the Remington for competition.
So try as many different guns as you can before you buy one specificaly for skeet.
 
Suggesat buying seond barrel for the 1300...

in a 26" length and with tubes, especially the SKT tube.

This way you get familiar with what you have and can switch back to the short barrel as you progress.

Don't worry about pumping on doubles it will come naturally with experience.

Cost will be less that buying a specific shotgun later, then you understand the fundamentals and why SO MANY different shotguns out on the field.
 
I stand by what I said earlier.....but don't get too far in the "woods" here until you've shot a few hundred Skeet targets....

As an example....my primary "Skeet" shooting buddies...
a. One uses a Beretta semi-auto 28" barrel...
b. One uses a high end O/U ....at almost 9.5 lbs ....with 26" barrels...
c. A couple use Browning O/U's ...in 28" barrels...at around 8 lbs..
c. I primarily use a Browning O/U - around 8.5 lbs ...and 30" barrels..
but I will occasionally use a Benelli semi-auto with a 30" barrel...
( when I shoot Sporting Clays, I use the same guns ..)
( when I shoot "Trap", I go for an O/U with 32" barrels @ 10 lbs..)

But that issue is for experienced Skeet shooters..../ not someone just starting out ....

( Ok, Zippy ...maybe I was too cavalier, with the young fellas money ...but at my club you can get 10 boxes of Rio's in 12ga or 20ga for about $ 60)...but your idea to buy the same shells as he reloads ( like Remington STS or something for about $ 8 a box is valid too )...

Personally - I'm more like a drug pusher...when I invite someone out to shoot Skeet...I usually insist they use my guns ( so I know everything works) - and pay all the target fees and provide all the shells...( 1st time on me ) / 2nd time he is on his own..../ but my club rents some guns, etc...so its a little easier on new shooters...).
 
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I would not pay a lot of money for a gun until I had shot for a while. You might also check out the other clay shooting games and see which one suits you best.

When I started shooting skeet my only shotgun was a pump riot gun so tried different guns including O/Us and the venerable Remington 1100. I thought I might eventually buy a Benelli semiauto but gradually started thinking that an O/U would be better since our club requires shooters to pick up their hulls and it's easier to pick them out of the chambers of a double than to bend over 25 times per round to pick up empties thrown from a pump or semiauto.

At the end of the day it's always the shooter, not the gun. You could give me a top end gun and I could miss with it just fine! A decent shooter can take a field grade gun of any type and make it work.
 
Hard to beat a Mossberg 930,good price,mine's been great no problems.

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Jerry,
The OP asked about a Skeet gun, Mossberg doesn't make any Skeet guns. Just because you may use it for Skeet, doesn't make it appropriate any more than a Skeet gun is appropriate for turkeys. The 930 offers a lot of bang for the buck as a field gun and that's its intended use.
 
Excuse me for trying to help and just voice my opinion. :o

Also not many folks are as fortunate as your self and have a safe full of shotguns to pick and choose from.

No class "envy" here just stating fact.

Have fun folks,this is my last visit.
 
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hooper810 said:
...I'll try and not post here anymore I don't want to upset you.
Click to expand...
I'm not upset, far from it. I'm just trying to help the OP avoid making a costly mistake. I've seen far too many potentially good shooters turn away from the target sports because of the frustrations resulting from an inappropriate gun selection. Hopefully your 930 purchase won't make you one of them.
 
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Field guns can work for skeet, but they aren't optimal.

My Browning Citori is out getting its wood refinished, but leagues started up this week, so it was either use a field gun (Remington 105 CTi II) or defensive guns (870 Tactical, Saiga 12). Of those three, the 105 CTi is by far and away the best choice, but it's still no skeet gun.

Still, I shoot it well, and the first round I shot (first time on the field in months) was 24/25... way better than I expected. Problem is, I got too proud of myself and only shot a 20 the next game. :rolleyes:

Keep in mind, though, the field guns tend to be designed around heavier loads (my 105 CTi wants to be fed 1 1/8 oz. at 1300fps, minimum), and those will wear on the shooter pretty quickly. The stock also tends to have a comb that drops off towards the heel, so it's a little more difficult to get a consistent cheek weld. Field guns like that Mossberg might work ok to get a shooter into the sport, it won't take long for him or her to start wanting something a little more suitable for the task at hand. If that's all you have, then great, shoot it and have fun. But if you're buying a gun for the game, you won't do yourself any favors by buying a field gun.
 
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