Last weekend the local shooting range had a kids day. The kids got to shoot everything from muzzleloaders to machineguns. My son now wants to start shooting clays. I must admit I would like to as well.

I have never owned a shotgun, nor shot clays. Where should I start? My son is a lefty. I am very reluctant to buy used firearms.

Thanks
Robin

There's no reason to be reluctant to buy a used gun.The guys on these forums have probably traded thousands of them over the years.When you can buy a good used trap gun for $1500 instead of $3000 for a new model it just makes sense.
When you say Clays,are you refering to Trap,Skeet,or Sporting Clays.Each game has it's own specialized guns but you can still shoot all three with one gun iof you choose wisely.Being as how your son is a lefty,an over/under makes a lot of sense.Choke tubes will make it a versatile gun that can shoot all three games.Just make sure that the gun is not specific to right handers because occasionally the stock will be bent to facilitate lefties or righties.This is more common though on higher end or customized guns(big dollar stuff)but not always.
In my opinion,the various Browning Citioris give you a lot of bang for your buck.They come in all sorts of configurations and have proven to be extremely reliable over the years.Easy to repair if neccessary and lots of parts available.I've owned three over the years.Two in Trap Grade and one in Field Grade.They've all been great guns for me.
Dave

Since gun fit is everything, that's where you start. Second, try to establish a relationship with your local gun dealer. Many will let you try out a couple of different guns "to get a feel".

In the end, though, I would just buy a Walmart Beretta 390 for $500, and shoot it for a year or so. By then, you'll know if you'll stay with the game, and what gun you'll want, and what to look for in stock dimensions. You'll get at least $350 out of the Beretta at that time. JMO, Dutch.

First thing to do is find a good instructor and take lessons. This will greatly shorten the learning curve and get you away from bad habits. In the long run it's well worth the cost.My favorite is sporting clays and that is the one to try if you would like to hunt.Buying a used gun is not a problem if you are carefull.

I have shot sporting clays for about 6 or 7 years now and it is a great sport. You and your son have a lot of fun ahead of you.

I could not agree more with the advice that a shotgun must fit you if you are going to do well shooting any type of clays. That is becasue you do not have time to make a deliberate aim, but rather must instinctively point the gun and pull the trigger. You do not look at the gun. Rather, you keep your eye on the target and move the gun, which is a lot easier to do if it fits correctly. I would liken it somewhat to hitting a ball with a bat. When that fastball is coming over the plate you do not look at the bat, but rather you keep your eye on the ball and swing at it with a bat that you have picked out as being the right weight and length and grip size for you.

the gun that I have found outstanding for sporting clays is the Browning Citori Sporting Clays model. It comes with ported barrels and the correct recoil pad. If you could find one in good used condition you might want to check it out.

Many clays courses will have rental guns and try guns available. If you local courses do not, then travel a bit to some that do. Try and use a variety of guns with different fits before you buy, and I agree that it is also a good idea to take a few lessons. Well worth the money.

Blue