What have the forum members found to be the best sporting clays shotguns. I currently use a hunting gun but need to upgrade to a SC gun. Would love everyone's recommendations. I'm strongly leaning toward 12 g in 32" barrels. Thanks in advance.

I've used a Benelli auto but usually I use a Beretta O/U with stock made to fit me.Remember that a 28" O/U overall length is the same as a 24" auto or pump. While the 32" barrel is the fad there is really no benefit to longer than 28" .For me I really need a stock made for me.Both my guns are 7 1/4 lbs which I prefer over the usual heavier 8 1/4 lb Brownings.While there are some special SC models I use my guns to hunt also so I don't want any gimmicks.

"Ditto" mete on the fit!
That's the most important factor. I was about to drop over 4K on a new Blaser F3 when a local 'smith stopped me and fit my Browning B 2000 stock to me. He said that a proper fitting gun is the most important factor in "clays; not the most bling! He shoots a Remington 1100 and is consistantly in the mid 80%s-lower 90%s.
FWIW, ( man I really liked the F3 too- another buddy has one )
Ron

I have enjoyed and appreciate both these kind responses. Maybe there will be more!! What goes into the fitting of a stock?

quote:

Originally posted by kudu4u:
What goes into the fitting of a stock?

A couple of grand if you are my size... (6'5", with 38" arms....)

Hopefully, you are a bit more of a "base model", and you will be able to find something on the rack that fits you. Some things are easy, such as adding a little length (longer pad).

Very briefly, when you throw up a shotgun with your eyes closed, the gun should point where you look when you open your eyes. Your trigger hand's thumb should be two to three fingers from your nose, your eye should be centered behind the sight-plane: both east-west (the right cast), as well as up-down (the right drop). If not, the gun doesn't "fit".

Most of the semi-auto's will have shims between the stock and the action that allow you to adjust drop and cast; this can accomodate a wide range of body shapes (short of the Urang Utang models like myself). It may not be a bad idea to start with something like a 391, and upgrade later, should you so desire. HTH, Dutch.

My Benelli stock is made by Orvis .I went there and had a "try gun" used to determine the dimensions.The try gun is a gun with a stock that has all it's dimensions adjustable.It's a matter of an experienced stockmaker making the adjustments as he watches you mount and shoot the gun.Since I don't come close to fitting any factory stock it's really necessary for me.Not the cheapest way but it made a huge difference.

A sporting clay pro said my current borrowed Browning Lightning was not too bad of a fit during some recent lessons. It has LOP of 14.25 with a large pad. He suggests Browning 525 SC with adjustable comb. I'm 5-9 with short arms and low center of gravity! Everyone's input is most helpful.

I know it sounds boring, but I have found nothing better than a good old Citori Sporting Clays Model. Mine has 30 inch barrels and is called the Lightning Sporting Clays Model. I can't count how many rounds have been through it and it works as good today as when I bought it 10 years ago. The other nice thing about mine is that it came with 3 inch chambers so I actually use it for duck and goose hunting as well. I agree that fit is important when shooting a shotgun, but I don't think its as important as technique or style and consistency.

kudu4u

With your dimensions, I would think you would be close to standard stock dimensions. Remember that the adjustable comb is only of any value to you if you need to raise it up. If you need the comb a bit lower then you can shave a small amount of the comb of the stock and it will work perfectly for you.

And don't let anyone fool you into thinking that you can get by with a poor fit. It doesn't work that way. If the gun does not fit you then you are just pissing in the wind. If it does then you have the primary element in place and you can learn the rest. Your eye is the rear sight and if you have to compensate to be able to shoot a poor fitting gun, then your learned "skills" will carry over to other guns you shoot and you will be off the mark.

BTW, if you intend to use your gun hunting, I would avoid a ported barrel. It makes it uncomfortable and loud for companions.

Dutch gave an excellent analysis of gun fit. One thing I learned at a seminar once is that you can check yourself as far as alignment by aiming into a mirror. Shoulder the gun and aim at the reflection of your eye and check how the rib and the alignment of the gun fits you. If you have to move around laterally or pull the gun down harder on your face to get it in line, then there is where the adjustments have to be made. That whole tip was worth the price of admission.

I consider myself admitted! Thanks so much for the great advice and those sure are some gorgeous guns on your website. You do beautiful work! I think I stared at some pictures for several minutes. I am pondering all this generous information.
Jeff

There it is again...... don't get the ported barrel because you might hurt someones ears while hunting with them. What is it with people not wearing hearing protection while shooting or hunting and then complaining about someone's ported or short barrel? For Pete's sake, buy some hearing protection so everybody can concentrate on the shot instead of whether or not their gun blast will be uncomfortable to the people who refuse to wear protection.

Steve,
I know of no one who does not use hearing protection when at a range, be it a rifle range or a skeet or trap field. Conversely, I know of NO ONE who uses hearing protection while hunting. Most hearing protection either eliminates or greatly reduces sound transmission and communications are a necessary part of hunting with company. Granted there are items that can be used that do not reduce and even enhance sound but they are pricey and more particularly, they are not in wide spread use. To use a ported gun in a hunting situation and expect your partners to accomodate you is rude at best. You may be a great guy but you would not be invited back. Now stick that in your little red mad face.

My $.02; The best sporting gun for the money is the Beretta 390/391 series. They are very reliable shooters and proven winners. The stock is EASILY adjustable for cast and height at comb (using factory supplied spacers between buttstock and receiver). New or used, these guns don't quit.

I'm personally considering a Beretta 20 ga Al391 Urika with a 30" barrels.
I don't like the looks of the Beretta Teknys models and truly dislike their X-tra wood (decal of fancy wood on straight grain), I'd prefer straight grain wood.

If having two barrels is important, Browning and Beretta are excellent guns that start around $1,500. I've shot a Citori based sporting gun (the 325) since 1993 and it's still my go-to gun when score is important. I stopped counting throughput on this gun at 35,000 shells and that was in 1997.

What we find to be the best SC shotgun is at best subjective and influenced by our personal bias. How serious are you about Sporting Clays? How important to you is the "cool factor"? As others have mentioned, a good semi-auto will do the job and more than a few "pro's" use them. Some people, however, would consider using nothing but an O/U.

I agree that gun fit is the first thing that should be addressed.

FWIW, I use a Beretta 682 Gold E w/ 30" barrels.

Hi Glen71,
Just walked in from the course!
IMO if you have the coolest gun on the course and can't shoot with it nothing could be more uncool. So......with cool equating more maybe to expense than my shooting ability....cool's not that big a deal. Not that I wouldn't drool over a cool gun however. I am into SC for the long haul and am looking for a long haul gun that I can, with practice, learn to shoot consistently in the upper 60s or so with. Not there now--at all-- but some recent lessons have helped. I do prefer an O/U. However, which semis do some of the "pros" like?
Your 682 sounds fantastic!

Customstox,

Sounds like you're not shootin' all that much. Let me guess.... sittin' around the duck blind all day so you can get away from you fat wife?

Hey, don't get mad at me... there's alot of people that say that sort of stuff to you all the time.... you just can't hear it because you think non-ported shotguns don't damage your hearing. Huh? What? Say again.

Well Steve, I don't hunt ducks and my wife is very slim. And I am not getting mad at you. I get mad at people who are worth the effort and who are people who is worth knowing. You have shown yourself by your attempt at an insult to be far below that level(there goes the possiblilty of you being great guy I made above).

Chicky,

You really hurt my feelings.

I said...... YOU REALLY HURT MY FEELINGS!!!

Kudu4u,
You didn't mention your budget, but if money doesn't matter I would look at a K-80 or Perazzi. Either gun can be ordered up to 34" barrels in sporting configurations.

If you're like the rest of us and money matters... there are some great guns made by Beretta and Browning for around half the price of the two above. I really like the Beretta 682 series of guns and the Browning Cynergy and 525 guns seem to point well and hold up to a lot of abuse. Those guns also can be ordered with 32" barrels.

Don’t forget you can also get some decent deals with used guns. Over the years I've seen many people selling sporting guns that they've hardly used because they're changing hobbies or want the "latest" model of something else.

Chic,
Not to pick you but I'm rather surprised you'd say you don't know ANYONE who uses hearing protection while hunting. I know too many hunters that are almost completely deaf from shooting. That taught me to wear hearing protection many years ago. For big game I'll just put in solid plugs at the last second if time allows but 95% of the time while bird hunting and guiding for birds I wear electronic hearing protection ($130 Peltors, great value!). I'm typically hearing the birds before my clients and have no problem hearing voices, etc. Sure, it's a pain to have to deal with the hearing protection but it makes too much sense in the long run. Many of my clients insist on wearing hearing protection as well.

I know some hunters and guides dislike porting because of the greater noise but since I’m wearing hearing protection anyway I could care less what clients bring. With big guns and big loads the noise is so great to start with and the porting ads such a small percentage the argument seems ridiculous to me. It's like arguing whether to have a plastic or a rubber dashboard in your car but being adamant about NOT wearing a seatbelt.

Respectfully,

Kyler

Kyler,
I truely do not know anyone who uses them hunting. I would imagine in your position and with the number of people you hunt with that a good pair of electonic/hearing protection would be not only wise but an asset. I have looked at them for the accentuated hearing benefit you have described but just have felt that the amplification was not an advantage to me. I have been shooting for almost 50 years but all of my target shooting (38 years)and the bulk of my shooting has been done with hearing protection. I certainly respect your opinion in the discussion and you bring your input in a much more diginified and acceptable manner than our poster child for immaturity.

Kyler I do, in fact lean toward the 525 Sporting or the 682s as cost is a high consideration. I do appreciate your input and I enjoyed touring your website. Thanks much!

Chicky,

Thanks for the "mature" dig. What you think is immature is actually called a sense of humor. See, instead of just calling you an idiot or something like that, I used humor to get my point across.

Pretty neat how you try to make friends with people who agree with me. Give it up. I win! I win! I win!

I bought 2 of the Winchester Supreme Sporting Clays shotguns in 2000, and I wore one out trying to get on the Navy Skeet team, and gave the other to dad.

I used to shoot at the Whidbey Island Skeet Range in Oak Harbor, WA every saterday that I didn't have a hangover. Sadly I heard the fucking greenies conned the Navy into closing it down.

When I live in a more gun friendly enviroment, I think I will invest in a good double. I had a Brownign Gold 12, and a Franchi 12, but I am kind of leaning toward the F3 Blaser.

I guess I will be a Blaser whore when I die.

You I had a Red Label and a Woodside for a while, until the x wife thought they should be divided equally so we sold them. Those guns fit me perfectly, and I killed birds and clays stone dead with them. Bill Ruger's designers must be close to my height and build 5'11 and 220.

quote:

Originally posted by kudu4u:
Hi Glen71,
Just walked in from the course!
IMO if you have the coolest gun on the course and can't shoot with it nothing could be more uncool. So......with cool equating more maybe to expense than my shooting ability....cool's not that big a deal. Not that I wouldn't drool over a cool gun however. I am into SC for the long haul and am looking for a long haul gun that I can, with practice, learn to shoot consistently in the upper 60s or so with. Not there now--at all-- but some recent lessons have helped. I do prefer an O/U. However, which semis do some of the "pros" like?
Your 682 sounds fantastic!

judu4u - Sorry for not checking this thread sooner. The Beretta semi-auto's seem to be the most popular (just my observation). You won't go wrong with the Browning 525 or the Beretta 682. One will likely fit better than the other. I fully intended to buy a Browning, as my SC mentor shot one. I could not get behind the rib on it, however. The Beretta fit me and I have never looked back.

Glen71,
My SC mentor shot a Perazzi so I certainly can't go his direction. In trying some guns lately at Dicks, Bass Pro, etc I too am finding the Beretta points and feels and fits better. A 687 Silver Pigeon II is looking good. I'm strongly leaning that direction. Thanks for your response. T'was a big help. Able Ammo has some good pricing and free shipping it looks like. I might just check out that Beretta semi just for fun. Going to Bass Pro tonight!!

quote:

Originally posted by P. Steve Morgan:
Pretty neat how you try to make friends with people who agree with me. Give it up. I win! I win! I win!

Wrong. Chic doesn't "make friends with people who agree with him". Chic makes friends because he is worthy of being a friend. He's had friends on here long before you showed up, and will long after you get tired of your games and leave.

"I win I win"??? If you keep score of stuff like this, I guess in your mind you "win" every time. Whatever...

Fit being question #1 but I would strongly encourage you to get a Browning 525. They are hell for stout. IMO dollar for dollar a Browning is the best value in the SC game.

32inch barrels or bust - they do have an advantage over 28's. Muzzle weight - one of the biggest "mistakes" I see shooters make is stopping the gun - that muzzle weight carried speed and its harder to stop the gun - it helps in the follow thru.

Makes sense. Thanks!!

Howdy fellas. I agree with the gunfit importance. I have one each of the browning Ultra Sporting and the Beretta 682E Sporting. The 682 is 32" non ported and the Browning is 30" ported. I cut the stock a little short @ 13 3/4" and added a sporting pad. Then I was convinced I need Briley Spectrum chokes @ $90.00 a pop. In hind sight the chokes were a good investment as was the sporting pad. Next I should have had the stock professionally fitted or used a "try stock".
The Beretta fit me better, and so far I have only added a gel pad from Beretta, and a few extra Optima chokes. IC&LM seem to be the most used and I am trying not to get into the choke changing routine for awhile. I also tried the new 7/8 oz 3 dram #8 in the Beretta which work very well.
My third target gun is a Benelli Super Sport I have had a couple of years. It fits well out of the box, has adjusting shims for the stock, and the comfort tech system. I shot my first 23's with the Benelli and Beretta, on the 5 stand.
What a fella relly seems to need is a good gun that fits, consistent ammunition, and a good instructor/coach with a ton of practice. Buy what feels the best to you, have it fitted, pattern the gun and shoot hell out of it!

Cold Bore,

Thanks for bringing the earplug arguement up again. Do you wear hearing protection when shooting?

Another thing to keep in mind is if you ever want to shoot subguage, the Beretta 680/682/686/687 family can be retrofitted with subguage barrels relatively cheaply. By doing this, you can keep the same weightand balance between 12 Ga, 20 Ga, and 28 Ga. This is something you can't do with Brownings or Rugers, and can only do with Perazzis and Kreighoffs for BIG MONEY. Tubes also throw off the weight/balance factor WAY too much for me.
Just one more thing to consider-
-Bear

Thanks so much. Still haven't bought a gun yet so this helps. I thought this thread had died--glad it hasn't!!

Best Choices in my opinion are: Autoloaders- Beretta.
O/U's 1st choice (mid-range price) Browning, 2nd choice Beretta.
Look at the SC ranges and those mentioned are the most found and used. Good luck in whatever you select.

I am not advocationg the O/U or Autoloader over either. However, autoloaders are easily shimmed for cast and drop. O/U's must have their stocks bent or shaved or both if the gun does not fit the individual. My Perazzi cost over $500. to have it fitted as I purchased the firearm in used condition and the stock drop was lacking and the cast was slightly off. Todd Ramieraz in the Dallas area does an excellent job of fitting stocks for individuals.

It's me again--anyone using or know anything about the new Remington 1100 Competition? It is an adjustable stock (1 model) 30" shotgun.
I have also posted this question on a separate thread. Thanks much.

Jeff

You should also consider a Kemen (Spain) I have no idea who sells them in the US. Here's a link to a British dealer just for some background info.

http://www.kennedyguns.demon.co.uk/kem_intr.htm

Came back to edit as I finally found a link in the US:

http://www.fieldsportltd.com/gunroom/list.php?listBy=ma...yValue=18&makerId=18

Thanks Wink. Those were some NICE shotguns. I have the Remington 1100 Competition ordered and we'll see how it does.

OK, a different perspective:

I use a Model 12, modified choke, field gun from about 1940. Why? Because it fits me and shoots where I look. That is the best gun for clays - one that shoots where you look.

Then, the rest is up to me.

My brand new Remington 1100 Competition with adjustable stock is magnificent. I am most pleased with its weight, swing, recoil, accuracy.

Congrats on a the new gun! The target models come with much nicer wood - I saw one recently and it was a very sharp looking version of the (IMO) classic American gas-operated shotty.

Grind 'em up!

Thank you yeti and yes, you're right the wood is beautiful..much more so than I expected.