New Shotgun...
godmode,
you mentioned that you live in Mass. Where in MA?
I also live in MA, and have shot sporting clays and trap at a club in Westford. The Lowell Sportmen's club has both Skeet and Trap,( however not Sporting Clays) Westford has Trap and Sporting Clays, but not skeet. I'm sure that if you went to a local club, introduced your self, and explained your situation, members will let you try their guns for a few rounds. It all depends on what type of shooting you want to do. Trap, skeet, sporting clays, hunting only, etc.. I'm sure there is a club someplace near where you live. In my short involvement with clay games, I have seen mostly o/u on the trap range, and 80-90% o/u's shooting sporting clays. I also see Beretta autos, 390 or 391 a lot. Some of the regular shooters will break out the pump or sxs for a round of sporting clays, but mostly o/u and semi's. Take your time buying and trying. I shoot a Beretta A390 ST Sport, and love it. I've read that shooting is 2% gun, 98% mental. I believe it. Learning how much lead to give a clay target travelling 60± mph takes lots of practice. I wish I could get the hang of it, but then again I've only shot three rounds of sporting clays through the 390. Not a lot of gun shops in MA., and the few that are remaining are dissapearing fast. There's a good place on Route 119 in Pepperell, and of course there's also Kittery Trading Post. They have a very nice selection of guns, new and used, and the guys up there seem to know what they are talking about. Nice place to go handle all sorts of different guns. O/U, sxs, semis, pumps, etc... go to
http://www.ktpguns.com, and browse through their selection of guns before you go up. e-mail me, and I think I can find the name of the place in Pepperell. the name escapes me right now. It's a very nice shop, and he seemed to have a very, very nice selection of guns. There is also AG Guns in Lowell, they have a web page,
http://www.agguns.com, I think. I hear they also have a good training school, but I have never used them.
Good Luck, let us know what you decide.
Steve