New gun for clays...help

C

Carbon_15

New member
I shot my first organized game of Sporting Clays a few weeks ago and I'm seriously hooked. I used my 1960's Browning A-5 which worked well but beat me up pretty bad (and I prefer not to shoot thousands of rounds through this gun which was an heirloom) so I'm looking for a suitable gun. Here is what has tickled my fancy so far:
-Beretta 390 Silver Mallard. A friend has offered it to me for $450 and a few hundred rounds of 9mm. The gun is a decade old but literaly NIB. Not exactly what I was looking for but the price is right.
-Benelli Super Sport. My fav so far but damn pricey at $1800. Definatly very feature laden.
-Benelli M2. Plain, boring, but the price is much more resonalbe at around $900...just boring
-Remington 105 CTi II. My second favorite. Light, sexy, but fit and finish seems below the $1200 price point, but very interesting. Supposedly the sofest shooting auto available.

Is there a gun I'm over looking? Anything that would make any of these guns poorly suited to Clay games 1 or 2 weekend a month?

Jason
 
I'd certainly go for the 390. If you get serious, you might want to upgrade (the sky's the limit on shotguns!), but you'd certainly never need to as long as the gun fits you.
 
Benelli Super Sport then the rather pedestrian Beretta 390.

I own both. The SS is a spring gun not a gas gun so it is super easy to tear down and get clean.

The SS is super flexible for fit.

They can be found used for th$1200 to $1400 price point.

Just a thought the 1100 should be on the list. And, it would likely be the least expensive.

OK, I'll say it. Close your eyes and lay down the money for the SS, you will not regret it. Several others here own them too. I am sure they will chime in soon.
 
The Beretta 390 is one of the best clay shooting guns ever made. Many people prefer it over the 391 Urika because it has an easier to clean gas system. That would be my pick.
 
Carbon:

Something else to consider. IIRC there was a recall on the CTi. I don't know if the issues have been remedied. On a positive note the CTi is a bottom dumper so you will not be spewing hulls all over the place.

The CTi is a light gun, states you (I didn't look that up). That is the opposite of the typical clay gun. More weight to swing smoothly and absorb the recoil impulse is good. Many, many serious clay busters have guns tipping the scales in the 8 to 8.5 pound range.
 
You may get something other than the 390, but it won't necessarily be an upgrade. The gun you describe at $450.00 is a huge bargain. I paid that for a well used one and thought that was a bargain.

The 390 is also adjustable for cast and drop.

In my opinion, the 390 is one of the best auto loading shotguns ever made.
 
For that price, get the Beretta and take the $1400 difference and buy ammo and get a lesson or two. Then buy more ammo. Then buy more ammo. And when you're done with that, buy some more ammo.........:D

(OK, maybe a reloader too)
 
My personal favorite in a semi-auto is the Benelli Super Sport...

however, the best buy on the guns you've found is the Beretta 390. For a frist gun / I would recommend you go that way - make sure you really like this game.
 
The other thing to consider is the gas gun will have softer felt recoil but will take a little longer to clean. Inertia guns like Benellis can sometimes be finicky about light target loads - (BigJim can attest to the veracity of that better than I can)
 
oneounceload, you are so right.

The only inertia gun that I have used that will cycle light loads is the el cheapo Stoeger 2000. The owner's manual states that 1 oz is the minimum load but I shoot 7/8 oz in it and never a failure. My nephew has a SBE and it will not cycle light loads, 1 1/8 minimum.

If I was a clay shooter, I'm not, BTW, I'd get myself a Beretta 390. No way I'll pay Benelli's prices. For those who will, I have no beef.
 
The quantity of shot - does not really mean its a light load....

My Benelli Super Sport 12ga will cycle 7/8 oz loads all day long - as long as they are at 1200 fps... ( which in combination, 7/8 oz at 1200 fps, is still a fairly light load ) ....... but not the really light load of "7/8 oz at 1150 fps " ......

My primary load in all of my 12ga's is 1oz of 8's / at 1225 fps ( it suits my eye the best / and my "feel" for lead ) and I shoot the same load for Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays. I will shoot some 1 1/8 oz loads ( usually in 7 1/2's ) in sporting clays - for those crossers way out there beyond 50 yards...
 
I agree with you there BigJim - tried several flats of the old Winchester wally world superspeeds - 7/8 at 1300 or 1350....beat the ever-loving snot out of me.....I like 7/8 or 1 oz at 1150 fps though......nice and soft on my ols shoulder - lets me shoot 200-300 in a day in my old 8-1/2# Gti.......and at 35-40 yards, IMO, 50fps amounts to about an inch or two difference.......
 
Yes, but see, I have this new "bionic right shoulder now" ....so I'm starting to feel like a young stallion again .....

well, at least for an old guy ....who can't see ...

I've got 5 cases of factory loads - Rem Nitro 27's - 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2's at 1300 fps - I was going to give them to my youngest son, who is 30 now, and tell him how generous I felt, to let him empty them for me / return the hulls in pristine once fired condition .... ( he's a little slow ) - ( its his mother's fault ...)...

and then I'll fill them with my "normal load" .......

But the good news .......he married very well ......so my newest grandson, coming next month, won't be ugly or stupid ......
 
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