Sporting Clay Shotgun Advice

[9mm Collector]

My Son (13) recently became involved in competitive Sporting Clays. I need advice on over/unders....brands to look at, models, what to avoid. I understand some can't easily be rebuilt after wear. I understand how important fit is. Any help would be appreciated. I am not rich and would like to be at $2000 or less.

Thank you

 

[stepup]

I would look at a Browning Citori, Beretta Silver Pogeon, but if it were me I would be buying him a Benelli Supersport with a 28" barrel. I prefer a automatic over a O/U just to help mitigate the recoil. I am a big guy and I kow when I have shot a round of sporting clays.

 

[intunegp]

Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon is an excellent shotgun. I've busted many, many clays with my dad's. I shot thousands of rounds through it in competition, from sporting clays at Callaway Gardens back when the gun club was still open to SCTP nationals in Sparta, Illinois.

The comment about recoil is relevant, but if your son is getting into competitive shooting, his shoulder is going to take some punishment whether it's from an auto or an over/under. I switched from a Beretta AL391 Urika to the Silver Pigeon and was never bothered by the recoil, whether I shot 25 shells that day or 250.

 

[Rivershot]

I think the cheapest way in the long run is to borrow/use some of the guns the other people are shooting to see what he shoots best. Might be a $400 1100. I used to shoot a good bit of clays, and I always shot best with my friends Beretta 303, 20 gauge.

It can get real expensive buying them until he gets the "One".

 

[Excellent959]

Hard to beat a 686 20ga 28" sporting, basically no recoil and weighs in about 6.5 lbs. or go with a 20ga citori lightning.

Make sure you buy the longest barrel possible, you can't give 26" barrels away.

 

[MajorTom]

Here is hands down the best deal on the 686 silver pigeon - and they have them in stock - Don't quote me exactly, but I'm thinking they were $1850. Best part, you can rent one for $10 per day and shoot all the clays you want with it. Lay away for 90 days, they keep the gun and you can come and shoot it anytime while you have it on lay away. Check it out, give them a call - http://atlantaskeetshooting.com/

 

[drewga11]

Lot of options in your price range, but for quality and low price you might want to look at some CZ's. They make a pretty nice o/u for under $1000 and their semi-auto's appear to be pretty good as well and those can be had new for around $500 or less. My next gun purchase is going to be a CZ 920 semi-auto. There is a youtube video where CZ took some of their shotguns to shoot dove in Argentina, they claimed to have 7000-8000 rounds through one semiauto without a single malfunction. That may not seem like much, but that's over a very short period of time.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Another vote for a 686 Beretta but I would try to extend the budget just a bit and send it to Briley and have a set of 20ga tubes fitted to it. If he can handle them, 30" barrels, if not, 28". With the added weight of the tubes, recoil will be nil and the additional weight out front will help with a smooth swing and "stopping" when the trigger is pulled. The big advantage of an O/U is you have the choice of two chokes that help with a LOT of shots on some courses (imagine a close in rabbit with a long crosser at 40 to 50 yards).

The 686 is a side locker action (Browning is an example of a bottom locker and Kreighoff for a top locker) which allows for a shorter action top to bottom that fits smaller shooters a little better. As far as wear goes, if you take care of it like you should, you might need to have the trunions replaced at around the 200,000 round mark IF it is getting a little loose. Have them check the trigger group at that time as well. Beretta's shotguns are firearms you shoot instead of fixing.....

 

[titanhank]

I shoot a yildiz 12 ga o/u. It is a beautiful gun and around $500 at academy.