I know what the technical differences are with respect to back-boring, forcing cones, elevated ribs, wide ribs, etc, but can the average guy really shoot the difference? (Forget the trap configurations. I'm talking about the basic "clays sporter".)

If gun weight is not an issue, why not go with a "sporting model" over a field model?

All of those features were invented to give us an excuse to buy something in addition to what we already own. If you need the excuse, go for it. Personally, I've reached the point in life that I don't need an excuse; within reason I just buy what I like.

Funny thing about shotguns and bird hunting. When you point the gun in the right place, the bird falls 99 times out of a hundred. This is true whether you are shooting a 1939 Browning Auto 5 with $3.95 promo loads from Wallymort or a 2010 Benelli hyper-bored whatzamagidgit with platinum plated extra-velocity supershot polymer-buffered shells that cost a dollar a pop.

TWL, most sporting guns will work well in the field. On the contrary, most skeet guns will not due to weight. My Perazzi weighs in at 9 1/2 pounds and although I find it swings easy, I have field guns that weigh far less and are a joy to carry and shoot on a long day in the field.

I've said this once before here but I guess it's an OK analogy so I'll repeat it. After nearly five decades of scattergunning what I've learned is, it's like riding a bike. Once you learn, it carries over from bike to bike or from gun to gun.

In other words, if the shooter's experienced it shouldn't matter. There shouldn't be a meaningful difference.

I believe that puts me in agreement with what Stonecreek said.

However, field models are generally less pricey than sporting clays guns and that plus rough conditions found in the field would always cause me to opt for a field grade. There are exceptions for "nice guns" however...commercial quail preserves etc. But certainly not in aluminum duck boats or the like.

I wouldn't buy a clays model unless your shooting regularly. A good friend of mine bought a Beretta Onyx and had it ported. It is all field except for that one mod. and I really don't think it makes that much difference. Sporting Clays mimics field conditions and scenarios pretty well so a field gun used occasionally at the range is not a bad thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Shack:
I've said this once before here but I guess it's an OK analogy so I'll repeat it. After nearly five decades of scattergunning what I've learned is, it's like riding a bike. Once you learn, it carries over from bike to bike or from gun to gun.

In other words, if the shooter's experienced it shouldn't matter. There shouldn't be a meaningful difference.

I believe that puts me in agreement with what Stonecreek said.

However, field models are generally less pricey than sporting clays guns and that plus rough conditions found in the field would always cause me to opt for a field grade. There are exceptions for "nice guns" however...commercial quail preserves etc. But certainly not in aluminum duck boats or the like.

+1 top to bottom.

quote:

All of those features were invented to give us an excuse to buy something in addition to what we already own.

Really not correct. All of those features were invented to help target shooters break one or two more targets per hundred on their good days. Some of them have proven useful and are commonly used on most target guns and some, such as wide ribs, have not really stood the test of the range or time.

As any top quality target shooter will tell you the difference between winning a championship and "Thanks for coming, better luck next time". is usually one or two targets at most.

That said, most of those features mean squat in normal American field situations and no, the average guy can't shoot or tell the difference in the field or on the range, that's why he's average. Nothing wrong with that, everyone can't be expert shots.

Finally, and just because I enjoy jousting with Stonecreek, it is pure horse hockey to say that if you point the shotgun in the right place 99% of time the bird will die. There is some truth to that at bayonet ranges but get well beyond 40 yards and the better loads will make an incredible difference. If you don't believe it, have two guys who can shoot got to a range and take 70 yard crossers, one with Walmart promo loads and one with the best 1 1/4 pigeon loads. See who breaks the most birds by a huge margin.

A minimum study of the Nilo mallard lethality tests will confirm the same thing and at much closer ranges for these bigger birds.