Skeet Shooter Gun Question (Kolar, Krieghoff, Blaser, or Caesar)

Method

New member
Hey everyone. I'm currently shooting a Winchester Select Energy Sporting for skeet. It's a fine gun that has done me well through my first months of competition. I'm getting an adjustable butt-plate put on this week, which should hopefully improve my shooting.

In the long run however, I'd eventually like to get a new gun (my Winchester was purchased used) and have been looking at the top brands. I'm interested in what differences people have experienced between Kolar and Krieghoff. I was able to view both this weekend...and other than some very minor differences they seem almost identical.

Blaser and Caesar Guerini are my other options...but they are much lighter. So I'm also curious about what experience people have had between lighter and heavier guns for skeet shooting.

Thanks everyone! This forum has already been a wealth of information for me. I'm hoping that eventually I'll gain enough wisdom to be of use to other shooters within The Firing Line.

Cheers,
Method
 
the Blaser F3 seems to be ruling the roost in professional and Olympic competition these days. I had a loaner for a week during the US Open at M&M this year. It's my favorite, just not interested in ponying up $8K for one... :eek:
 
I'm quite happy with my new Browning 725/32" Sporter. It handles as well as the Blaser and better than the bloated and overweight K guns...

HA1336_Browning_Citori_725_Sporting_Grade-1_OU_12-32MC_DS_Ported_Forearm_R.jpg
 
Blaser F3 seems to be ruling the roost in professional and Olympic competition these days.
Blaser make a good gun but they hardly rule the roost at the Olympics. Perazzi shotguns were used by 72 of 132 Olympic competitors. Those shooters won 12 of 15 medals. The other 3 medal winners shot Berettas. Nary a Blaser shooter to be seen anywhere near the podium.

This is pretty typical performance by Perazzi shooters at the Olympics. They were 11 for 15 in Beijing.

http://www.perazzi.com/en

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=672894
 
I'm talking more about the professional sporting clays shooters. Blaser, Zoli and Krieghoff rule the roost there. Perrazzi is used by more trap shooters...
 
I'm talking more about the professional sporting clays shooters. Blaser, Zoli and Krieghoff rule the roost there. Perrazzi is used by more trap shooters...
What you said was Olympics. Thanks for explaining what you meant. I also don't agree with your contention regarding professional sportings clays shooters. In that field no one gun rules the roost and I see as many K-guns on the trap line as I do Perazzis at sporting events.

As to the OP's question I'd seriously consider the Blaser. While a touch lighter than a K-gun weight can easily be added and the balancing system can make the gun feel heavier with adjustments.
 
PJR, the year was 1993. The place, the Warrington Game Farm - Wellsville, PA. The gun, my first high-end O/U, 12g/29.5" Perazzi MX-8. The first time I hit 40 plus out of 50! Sold the gun a year later and bought a new Browning 325... ;)

scan0002-1-pola.jpg


PS: Blasers were everywhere at this years US Open, M&M Sporting, NJ...
 
also, good news for us Browning fanatics! Bobby Fowler and Andy Duffy are both representing Browning and shooting the new 725. Both champions...
 
Browning Citori XS Skeet model, with the adj comb, is probably the best gun for all around shooting on the market...and it will fit 99.9% of the shooters out there...with the adj comb / primarily because its a parallel comb gun.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=008B&cid=013&tid=066&bg=x

list price is $ 3,600 ...but in my area they're selling new for around $ 3,200.

If all you want to do is shoot a 12ga ...its all the gun you'll need.
------------
CG ...is a gun, that personally, I'd rate well below the Browning Citori XS Skeet model - in terms of fit, finish and reliability. I'm not really a fan...
------------
Beretta makes a model DT-10 ...that is probably worth looking at ....although the Browning I think its closet to is the Citori XT Trap with the adj comb...and to me, neither gun is great for general shooting...but they're both pretty good Trap guns.
--------------
Perazzi, Blaser, Kolar and Krieghoff....are all very good guns. To some extent it comes down to budget...and feel of the guns. Perazzi tends to be a little lighter ..and slimmer in the grip area of the gun ( and if you like that feel ...the other 3 are probably not to your liking). Blaser is kind of in between Perazzi and the K guns...with the K guns being a little bit "blockier" feeling ...which some guys find troublesome / although personally I like them a lot.
---------------
As a casual shooter ....I'd go with a Browning Citori ( XS Skeet is my choice / but Slugo likes his 725 series too )... / Blaser - has some nice features...certainly worth a look.
----------------
If you're really serious about Skeet...and you want to shoot all 4 gagues...then you should buy one of the K guns, not to disrespect the Perazzi guys, but my point is purchase the gun however you want it setup ...and with a stand alone 12ga barrel...and with a Carrier Barrel...carrier barrel cannot be shot with tube inserts...and put a full set of, full lenth tubes in it, for 20ga, 28ga and .410 ...either Briley or Kolar tubes ...and if I went with the Kolar gun / I'd go with the Kolar tubes. If I bought the Krieghoff, I'd probably buy the Briley tubes....but either tube set are very good products. Depending on how fancy you go with engraving and wood...12ga barrel, carrier barrel and full tube set ... $ 15K - $ 25K probably on the Kolar or Krieghoff.
--------------
You can go the carrier barrel route with Brownig as well...provide a 2nd barrel ...send it to Briley ...let them bore it out...and supply tubes, etc..so gun, 2 barrels.. $4K ...machining and tube sets...and choke tubes...$ 4K so call it about $ 8 K. ( and you can do this with Perazzi or Blaser as well ).
---------
It all comes down to budget.... $ 3 K - $ 30 K ......
-----------
Personally, I'm not that serious a shooter....so I've got about $ 10 K tied up in 4 guns / all Citori XS Skeet models, 30" barrels, one in 12ga, one 20ga, one 28ga and one in .410 .....its not nearly as good a system as a full carrier barrel setup ...but I like guns / it gives me a few extra guns for the grandkids, etc...
 
I have campaigned both light and heavy framed tubed Perazzis. My scores have been better with the heavy framed one, YMMV. The optimum swing dynamics are a very personal choice -- don't select a gun based on how it looks, but how it handles.

With more experience, you learn exactly what features of your Winchester work for you and which ones work against you. This will aid in selecting your next gun.
 
and to our buddy Zippy's point....what worked for him / would not necessarily work for me...or for you ....

Barrel length, overall length, weight....how the forend feels ...how the grip area feels ....how the trigger breaks and resets - are really big deals / maybe more-so to serious shooters like Zippy ...but its amazing how different one gun will feel over the other !
 
Thanks for all the inputs and discussion. In the end, it probably will come down to personal fit (which one simply feels better before, during and after the mount). In the meantime, I'm throwing around the idea of having a new stock built for my Winchester Select. The hardware is perfectly fine...and with a customized stock I'd have the fit and weight that are preferred by many a top-tier skeet shooter.
 
Back
Top