I will second the Browning Citori shotguns. Most of my Clays have been shot with a 425 and a 525. The ones I have owned are rock solid and have never let me down. I shoot 32" Barrels as I find they swing smoother.
Good OU 20 gauge for Sporing clays
- Thread starter bas402
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Boatmanxxx
Well-Known Member
Ok here ya go, 40 years of shooting all clay sports, trap, skeet, sporting ,Helice...and live birds. Don't discount an auto loader. You can pick up a new A400 Beretta for under 2k. These guns are easy to fit, they come with a stock shim kit to adjust cast and drop. The absolute most important aspect of shooting a shotgun is gun fit. If it doesn't shoot where you look, its not much fun. The gas guns are light to handle and very soft recoiling. They require a little more frequent cleaning than a fixed breach gun, but hey I clean mine every time I shoot it. At least wipe it down. Find somewhere you can demo a gun before you buy it, they all feel different. Most sporting clay style guns will come with extended chokes, not all but most. Just shoot those until you figure out what you want to do, at $100 a pop they get a little pricey. But if you stick with it you will probably buy some. Stick with IC or light mod for most stuff 35 yds and in, if its further than that, being a novice, don't need to practice those anyway just yet. Find someone who you know or a referral who can show you the basics and make sure your gun fits and have fun.
Hope this helps...
Hope this helps...
I'm kind of a old cheap bugger. I bought a couple of the Savage 555E's. 12 and 410 and they have been phenomenal shotguns. I shoot them both for hunting and trap. I shoot them equally as well as my Beretta's and Browning's for 25% of the cost. Said this before they have incredible wood. I get sick enjoyment from the look on someone's face when they want to see it first in a rack of 10 O/U's when they finally realize its a SAVAGE! I love the extended Trulock chokes. You can get an extra set of factory chokes for the 410 if you want to double up in the gun.
RUFFIAN R - NY
Well-Known Member
Need to agree with " cantfixstupid " The newer Light 12 Ga loads in a O/U will do wonders now. Suggest you go to range / trap skeet field and rent a gun and try them all out. 12's shoot anywhere from a 13/16 -3/4 oz to 1 1/8 oz-1 3/8-1 7/8 oz loads for clays to bird loads. Where the 20's are at 3/4 - 13/16 to 7/8 and 1 oz . 7/8 being the 20 ga favorite. 30 inch tubes the way to go unless you just stick to skeet, if trap go with 32 inch + tubes and get the screw in choke tubes. Am a sucker for the O/U and mine are all O/U from the 410 to the 12's. love the little ones also in 28 ga & 32 ga & 410's. Only use the 12 for the trap field/ clays now. Are you just looking to shoot the clay's or also bird hunt ?? will make a difference and type of bird's duck's pheasants grouse doves etc etc. . Scatter guns are different than rifles now have some 9-10 of them depending on hunting places and type of birds. Not into duck - sold them long bbl ones. My favorite is a 16ga O/U using 1 oz NP shot for pheasant's now. Still love the 20 and smaller ones too. 28- 30-32 in tubes or shorter again on what your going for and type of fields if for bird etc. Quail is different !! . Try them all out and go from there - what one likes and another are all different pump-auto . Love the O/U I load mine and don't need to worry about loads sticking just drive them in and they will go BANG ! Don't use the 3" loads.
Makes: Brownings - Beretta - Ruger - MX8 - Franchi too many good ones to list. GIVE THEM ALL A TRY FROM $ TO $$$$$$$.
Good luck on your picking's keep us posted on your final decision !
" FOLLOW TROUGH " don't stop swinging.
Makes: Brownings - Beretta - Ruger - MX8 - Franchi too many good ones to list. GIVE THEM ALL A TRY FROM $ TO $$$$$$$.
Good luck on your picking's keep us posted on your final decision !
" FOLLOW TROUGH " don't stop swinging.
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Firemandivi
Member
If recoil is a problem I cannot recommend strong enough the winchester low recoil/low noise shells. I buy them when the boy scouts do some clay shooting. The 12 gauge shells have the same kick as a .22 lr. they are great for kids to learn on as they don't flinch from the kick. As for the shotgun, you will be spending around $2,000 as a minimum. The B guns are always recommended first but there are many good over/under guns out there. Make sure you get the "sporter" model because you will be going thru thousands of rounds every year. If the price of the gun is too high think of this, how much money will you spend on shells in one year? You want you gun to last many years right, so be prepared to spend a nice hunk of cash on a good gun that will last you thousands and thousands of rounds. Enjoy and have fun.
bas402
Well-Known Member
It does thank you very much!
bas402
Well-Known Member
Sound advise, mentioned it before don't mind spending the coin but I want to try and spend wisely and not just jump in. I wasted a ton getting into the precision LR shooting game because back then all the info wasn't available and it was more of a clic bunch and being young and foolish didn't help either, had to sort through on my own. Appreciate the advise.
Lots of good advice. My 2 cents is if you want to spend wisely and dip your toe into this game go buy a Beretta A400. Affordable, functional sporting clays gun. 12 gauge using reduce recoil loads as discussed. If you decide to jump in and the A400 does not suite your ultimate desire it can be easily sold with minimal pain to your pocket book. Now you can start down the rabbit hole with all of us sporting clays enthusiast. Instructions and a stock fitting is key. Even if you keep the A400, get a stock that fits. Custom made or a TSK from Cole Fine Guns are a couple options. Personally a custom fit and made stock is the best money I ever spent on sporting clays. I like O/U shotguns. Lots of quality guns. Mine is a Blaser 32" F3. Good luck.
LOL....you can with the shotgun game also. If you go with a Savage 555E 20ga and want to sell a used one if you decide to upgrade send me a PM.
bas402
Well-Known Member
Love to have an F3 adjustable but don't think I'm ready to jump that far this quick! I have also looked into the A400's Xcel w/kickoff as well and will be shooting one this weekend but those OU are slick!
You cant beat an O/U for Sporting Clays with extended chokes, it just gives you more options for breaking birds. They feel good, they swing good and they look good. Its jut one of those games. like I assume PRS is that you can spend as little or as much as you want depends on what your end goal is. I started with a Remington Peerless as my first O/U, shot it for a year and then ordered an O/U from the Remington Custom Shop. The gun was beautiful and to say I was proud of it would be a major understatement, I just couldn't get it to stay together. Hot loads would casue it to break open after the first shot. I had to send it back five times, they finally gave me my money back. I promptly went out and bought a Browning 425 as severl of the guys I was shooting with had them and they never had any issues. I won the state shoots in "C" Class and "B" Class in consecutive years. Handed the 425 off to my Grandson and bought a 525 and won "A" class and "AA" class. Now we just shoot for fun with friends and family when we get the chance but the Brownings are still residing in the gun safe. We have not had one issue with either of the Browning Sporting Clays O/U guns. We keep them clean and greased up and they treat us like Kings. For the money I don't think you can beat them, but again they have to fit you. I had to modify my stock slightly and my grandson was lucky and the gun literally was an extension of his arm. In one year he was beating most of the guys I was shooting with, it didn't go over well with the older crowd. 
Another friend of mine had several thousand into a custom stock to get it to fit right.
Another friend of mine had several thousand into a custom stock to get it to fit right.
bas402
Well-Known Member
Love to have an F3 adjustable but don't think I'm ready to jump that far this quick! I have looked into the A400's as well but again they are hard to
6MM06AI
Well-Known Member
I have bought 2 Franchi O/U shotguns, 1 in 12ga and 1 in 20ga, I now own Franchi semi auto shotguns in 20ga and 12ga. They outdo the o/u shotguns! The semi auto's can hold up to 4 rounds instead of 2 like a O/U shotgun!
NIB -Browning Cynergy Field 20 Ga., 3", Vent Rib 28"
This Browning Cynergy is NEW in the box. I bought it for a special quail hunt, but never used it or fired it. I am building a several rifles and need funds to finish the builds. Selling for $2,200.
Reduced to $2,000.00
The MonoLock Hinge represents the integration of the traditional mono-block and the hinge. The MonoLock Hinge gives the Cynergy the lowest profile receiver of any over and under Shot
Specifications:
Gauge: 20,
Chamber: 3"
Action: Over and Under
Capacity: 2
Receiver: Low profile silver nitride receiver with stylistic engraving.
Trigger: Striker-based mechanical trigger system.
Safety: Manual thumb safety, combined with barrel selector mechanism.
Barrel: White bead front sight and mid bead
Chokes: 20ga -Invector-Plus Choke Tube System.(Full, Mod & IC)
Stock: walnut stock and forearm. Interchangeable Inflex Recoil Pad system.
Drop:
Comb - 1 11/16" - (013-230604)
Heel - 2 5/16" - (013-230604.
Length Of Pull: 14 1/4"
Overall Length: 28" Barrel - 45"
Average Weight: 6 lbs. 5 oz - 013-230604
My father-in-law knew the Browning US sales representative and had him pick out the nicest wood and finish 20 gauge O/U. He picked me out a Browning Arms Grade 1 Cynergy Field 20 Ga., 28 Inch, IV+ Chokes, Walnut Stock. I was going to use it on a special Quail hunt at a Plantation in South GA using horses, wagon, and dogs. I was afraid to take it out because it looked so nice. Ended up using my Benelli M-1 Field. This is NEW IN BOX-NEVER FIRED. Had it stored away in a climate controlled safe for longer than I can remember. I have a few nice firearms that I stashed away and will never shoot. Think it's time to let this one be used by someone that will appreciate it. Plus, We need funds for a new Laser Engraver. send me an PM . This is truly a FINE scatter gun. Pictures don't do it justice.
PM me if interested. Payment through Pay Pal or Post Office Money Order. Free shipping to your FFL.
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